OLLI at BCC Committee Descriptions
Effective 6/18/2025

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Want to volunteer or join a committee? Learn more here!

Reach OLLI at BCC staff at 413-236-2190 and olli@berkshirecc.edu

COMMITTEES WHICH ARE OPEN TO ALL OLLI MEMBERS

CURRICULUM COUNCIL             

Coordinates and oversees all semester-based courses, workshops and the engagement of distinguished speakers.

Contact: Katherine (Kate) Kidd or Genet Jeanjean, Co-Chairs
Staff support: Carol and Judith; Special Curriculum Initiatives: Danielle

Active Living/Hands-on Learning
Develops courses focused on practical skills, physical activities, life planning such as courses featuring dance, cooking, photography and hiking. Committee members will be asked to teach, recruit teachers, and curate courses.
Contact: Kate Kidd or Genet Jeanjean, Acting Co-Chairs
Staff support: Carol

Arts Exhibition Committee

Mounts an annual exhibition of works of art produced by OLLI members. In order to be effective on this committee, facility with Gmail, Google Docs, Word, and Excel and good communications skills are necessary.
Contact: Barbara Kalish, Chair
Staff support: Carol

Arts Curriculum Committee
Recruits instructors and develops OLLI classes in the performing and visual arts.
Contact: Chris Guidette or Karen Curlee, Co-Chairs.
Staff support: Judith

Distinguished Speakers Series Committee
Develops an annual speaker series, 12-15 lecturers, composed of distinguished and notables from multiple fields e.g., science, politics, literature, technology, etc., featured in-person or via Zoom. Committee members identify and recruit potential speakers and help to publicize and run the events. The committee meets 3-4 times per year, in-person or on Zoom. Advises on other lectures that may be offered free and open to the public outside of the series.
Contact: Carol Allman-Morton and Genet Jeanjean, acting co-chairs

Literature Curriculum Committee
The Committee meets three or four times a year to review the success of courses offered in the previous OLLI terms and plan new course offerings for the following terms. The literature committee typically offers five or more courses per OLLI session and seeks new members with an interest and/or background in literature and writing who would like to help develop and/or teach courses, or help find instructors. The committee is currently looking to add instructors who can teach 20th and 21st century literature.
Contact: Richard Matturro, Chair
Staff support: Judith

Performing Arts Initiative Committee
Provides opportunities for OLLI members to become actively engaged with the theater and performing arts. Develops partnerships and programs with regional performing arts organizations. Recommends and creates theater related course content. Provides a forum for members to read and discuss play scripts.  Organizes “theater parties” and ticket discounts for members to attend local theater performances. Supports the OLLI Players, enabling OLLI members to express themselves through theater performance projects.
Contact: Karel Fisher, Barbara Waldinger, Naomi Spatz, Jeannie Woods & Alice Roth – Group Leadership, no Chair
Staff support: Carol

Science Curriculum Committee
Plans and presents several science-related courses for each OLLI session. The Committee is seeking members to help develop and find instructors for courses, especially those with a background in the hard sciences (Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Astronomy), Anthropology, Paleontology, Medicine, and Veterinary Medicine. Members interested in teaching or curating courses would be most welcome.
Contact: Shirin Nash & Melba Kurman, Co-Chairs
Staff support: Judith

Social Science Curriculum Committee
Works to develop OLLI courses in history, economics, psychology, sociology, philosophy, law, etc. The committee meets five times per year on Zoom, or hybrid. Committee members recommend topics for instruction, recruiting instructors, and curating courses. The committee is currently seeking a chair or co-chair and two to three new members. Individuals with teaching backgrounds in the social sciences or a desire to share their knowledge in these are welcome.
Contact: Contact: Kate Kidd or Genet Jeanjean, Acting Co-Chairs
Staff support: Judith

Shared Interest Groups (SIGs)
Member-organized peer-led discussion and activity groups that are free and exclusively for OLLI at BCC members. 
Contact: Philippe Jeanjean, Chair
Staff support: Judith

Special Events Committee
Develops and provides staffing for approximately 8-10 special events annually, including day trips and tours to educational and cultural venues. The committee coordinates with venues, helps to publicize the events, and organizes the transportation, food, and other logistics.
Contact: Arline Breskin, Chair
Staff support: Danielle

Travel Committee
Meets regularly, developing a variety of domestic and international travel opportunities tied, where possible, to ongoing and future curriculum offerings. Established and respected travel companies (e.g. OAT, Road Scholar, Collette, etc.) will be key partners in travel planning and execution.
Contact: Barbara Kallish & Barbara Grill, Co-Chairs
Staff support: Carol

Workshop Planning
1-3 session interactive programming in-person and online. Can be held on nights and weekends. These programs are seasonal, outside of the semester schedule.
Contact: Carol Allman-Morton and Genet Jeanjean, acting co-chairs
Staff support: Carol

NON-CURRICULUM COMMITTEES

Development Committee
Works with the OLLI Executive Director and Board President to raise funds to supplement OLLI’s traditional dues and fee-based revenue. Collaborates with Berkshire Community College’s Department of Development, Strategic Initiatives and Community Engagement. Such funds are used to enhance OLLI’s goals, mission, strategic plan, and educational programing. The committee works on OLLI’s annual campaign and is developing resources related to planned giving.
Contact: Len Gray, Chair, Chair
Staff support: Carol

Marketing Committee
Works with the OLLI Executive Director to promote awareness of OLLI and its brand, mission, and educational offerings in the community. The committee encourages the recruitment of new members from OLLI’s traditional demographic as well as those from under-represented groups and Berkshire communities.
Contact: Bob Braddick & Ken Stark, Co-Chairs
Staff support: Carol and Danielle

Member Services Committee
Reaches out to new members, three months after joining to present a welcoming introduction to OLLI, inclusive of opportunities for volunteering, service on committees, teaching, mentoring and opportunities for social engagement. We also host New Member and All Member Chats online as well as other member events such as “OLLI at Tanglewood.” Explores causes of attrition and recommended tactics for improved member retention. Develops tactics to retain our remote on on-line only members and provides staffing for new member outreach events and programs. The committee seeks members who are friendly, willing to contact “friends they haven’t yet met,” listen to and pass along members’ suggestions, and attend and staff committee-sponsored events.
Contact: Ellen Croibier and Colleen Rossi, Co-chairs
Staff support: Carol

Membership Statistics Committee
In coordination with OLLI’s Executive Director, supports the membership database through regular maintenance. Provides monthly and long-term member statistics and demographics which are routinely shared with OLLI leadership and key committee, e.g. Membership Services.
Contact: Bob Desrosiers, Chair
Staff support: Carol

Mentoring and Career Networking Committee
Organizes Mentoring for Success program, pairing OLLI members with Berkshire Community College students in mentor-mentee relationships
Contact: Anne Moore, Chair
Staff support: Judith

OLLI Outlook
Outlook introduces new members, instructors, SIGs, and activities and will cover OLLI board decisions. The Outlook team is looking for a few writers and photographers who can assist in covering OLLI events and news. Writers should be prepared to write regularly for several editions each year. Some prior experience with writing for publication is preferred.
Contact: Julie Jones, Editor
Staff support: Carol       

Volunteer Coordinators
Establish meaningful relationships with OLLI Committee Chairs / Co-Chairs to:

• Assess their need for additional committee volunteers
• Understand the relevant sill-sets of such volunteers
• Prospective roles for these new volunteers

Work directly with Member Services to determine what new members might be involved in volunteering, and in what areas.
Contact Monica Sinclair and Chelly Sterman, Co-Coordinators
Staff support: Danielle

BOARD COMMITTEES - MEMBERSHIP RESTRICTED TO AS SPECIFIED IN BYLAWS

Executive Support and Appraisal
Membership: OLLI Board President Chair), 3 Board members, one at-large member and one BCC representative. Provides input to the BCC senior leader responsible re the establishment of annual goals for OLLI’s Executive Director. Monitors progress, providing feedback and input throughout the year.
Contact: Gordon Josephson, OLLI at BCC Board President – Chair 
Staff support: Carol

Finance Committee
Membership: OLLI Treasurer (Chair), OLLI Board President, Development Committee chair and others appointed by the Treasurer. In concert with OLLI Executive Director, develops and monitors OLLI’s annual budget. Makes recommendations for dues and fee modification to support OLLIs programing and strategic plan. Advisory oversight of OLLI endowment.
Contact: Elie Katzman, Treasurer & Finance Committee– Chair
Staff support: Carol

Governance Committee
Membership: OLLI Board President, Vice President, Immediate Past President and three Board Members. Nominates new and existing (Board Members completing their 1^st terms) to the Board

• Recommends Bylaw updates and modifications
• Organizes Membership voting , consistent with our Bylaws, on both of the above issues
• Nominates Officers to the Board.
• Overseas and coordinates strategic planning
• Develops, approves, and recommends to the Board new or revised policies or procedures
• Assumes responsibility for the oversight of all other activities related to organizational governance

Contact: Leyn Burrows, Board Vice President – Chair
Staff support: Carol