By Susanne Zumbro, Board member & Travel Program Project Leader
STILL SAVORING THAT THANKSGIVING TURKEY? Time to turn your attention once again to the upcoming study tour to the country of Turkey. Shannon Phelan, Program Officer for the Center of Global Education at GMU, reports that spaces are filling up, and we are rapidly approaching the official application deadline of December 16, 2005.
     As previously reported, the trip is scheduled for March 10-19, 2006. It will be led by Dr. Larry Butler, Associate Professor at GMU and a former Fulbright scholar in Turkey. The itinerary reflects the experience of Prof. Butler, who has lived in Istanbul and explored Turkey during nearly 30 years of regular visits as an art historian. Included will be a visit to the Aegean coast to explore the magnificent Greek, Roman and early Christian antiquities of Ephesus and Kusadasi. In preparation for the trip, our winter schedule of classes will include a four-week course on Turkey, the last of the four classes being taught by Dr. Butler himself.
     Doesn't this sound exciting?! An application as well as a more complete description of the trip can be found at the CGE Website. Please direct all questions related to the trip to Shannon Phelan, 703-993-3864.
     Will you be traveling as a single and looking for a roommate? If so, please contact OLLI member Helen Anderson, 703-323-5681. Helen has graciously volunteered to maintain a list for that purpose. Back to top.

By Carol Henderson, OLLI Secretary
AT THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING ON NOV 18, the Board, following up on a report on OLLI travel opportunities by Susanne Zumbro, directed the president to establish a Travel Advisory Subcommittee to the Program Committee. The subcommittee, working with the Executive Director, will identify and evaluate tour operators and establish travel opportunities that it determines to be of interest to OLLI members.
     In a sense-of-the-Board statement, the Board agreed with Publications Committee chair Gordon Canyock’s recommendations that fostering two-way communications is a valid mission for Publications, and that committee chairs should coordinate all decisions that potentially affect OLLI operations with the Executive Director, who should have the responsibility for final approval.


THE BOARD AUTHORIZED DISBURSEMENT OF UP TO $5,000 in Friends of OLLI funds for acquisition of an office copier to replace the aging GMU copier now in the office.
     Don Yesukaitis’ Treasurer’s report and the Finance Committee’s 2006 budget proposal were the main subjects of discussion. Although OLLI has now received a letter from the Osher Foundation confirming its intent to provide a $1 million endowment, some issues must be clarified before the agreement can be signed by all parties.
     The $1 million endowment will be sent under Osher Foundation procedures to the GMU Foundation and invested under the GMU Foundation’s investment policies, but it is expected to be at least a year and a half before any endowment income will be paid to OLLI. Thus the endowment, while providing OLLI some investment income in 2007 and beyond, will have no effect on the 2006 budget.
     Don Yesukaitis described the proposed 2006 budget unanimously approved by the Finance Committee (Don as chair, Pat Carroll, Pat Cosslett, Dick Chobot, Charles Duggan, Tom Hady and Joe Torpey) as forward looking, conservative and meeting long-term needs. To create a balanced budget, it assumes new sources of income, including $8,000 in revenues from services and sponsorships, $7,000 from an assumed increase of $10 in annual dues from a membership of 700, and $8,000 of undesignated funds generated in prior years. It also assumes (as previously agreed) that the Executive Director’s salary and benefits will come from new grant or outside funding.
     The budget assumption of a $10 dues increase prompted considerable concern and discussion, both pro and con. No action was taken on the budget proposal. It will be on the agenda for the Board’s December 16 meeting at 10:00 at Tallwood. OLLI members are encouraged to attend and voice their views.

Editor's note. OLLI members are often encouraged to attend Board meetings and express their views. As OLLI E-News editor, I have been attending Board meetings regularly to stay up-to-speed with what is happening at OLLI, and I personally urge you to consider attending these sessions so you can learn what goes on and let your opinions be known.      If you ever want to express a concern, question, complaint, compliment or suggestion to the OLLI leadership, you have many ways of doing this: Contact any board member or the Executive Director. You can talk with, email or telephone any board member or the Executive Director. A list of OLLI officers, other board members and staff is on our Website's organization page, and you can consult your Membership Directory for email addresses and phone numbers not listed on that Web page.  Email the entire Board of directors. Send your email to the OLLI office, copy to the Executive Director, and specifically request that your message be forwarded to the email group of all Board members. Use the suggestion box. You may use the online suggestion box or the suggestion box in the social room at Tallwood. You do not need to include your name unless you want an answer, in which case you need to provide your name and phone number or email address. Write a letter to the editor. If you want your item to be published in OLLI E-News, email one of the editors (Rod Zumbro or Gordon Canyock) or use the suggestion box, making sure you say that your submission is a letter to the editor. -- Rod Zumbro, OLLI E-News editor

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SEEKING FOCUS GROUP PARTICIPANTS
By Dr. Richard Chobot, Executive Director
I AM LOOKING FOR UP TO 30 OLLI MEMBERS to participate in one of three focus groups on the subject of the planned University-Based Retirement Community ("UBRC"). The focus groups will be held at Tallwood in TA-1 on Monday, Dec 12 (1:00-2:30), Tuesday, Dec 13 (1:00-2:30) and Thursday, Dec 15 (10:00-11:30).
     As you may be aware, the university is considering the development of a UBRC. OLLI members are representative of the population that such a facility might serve. It also has been discussed that OLLI will move to this facility, when built. Tom Hennessey, the chief of staff to President Merten, is overseeing the UBRC initiative. In a recent meeting, I offered to conduct three focus groups at OLLI relating to the UBRC. 
     A focus group is a 90-minute session, involving six to 10 participants. A number of questions are posed to the group and initially responded to by each individual, followed by additional dialogue as time permits. The goal is not consensus. Anonymity of individual participants is protected in any reporting of results. Anyone interested in learning how a focus group works can go this Website for a brief description of the process.
     If you are interested in participating in one of the groups, please email me. Specify the date(s) and time(s) you can attend. I will confirm upon receipt of your email until I have the 30 participants. In recognition of participants’ service, the “good” cookies will be served. Thank you in advance for your help. Back to top.