Original Query from Nancy Grembi, JMU-Lifelong Learning Institute, Harrisonburg, VA
Do any LLIs offer a lifetime membership? It might even be prorated according to age. Thanks for your help.

From Kathy Swan, Lifelong Learning Institute, Harper College, IL
We have just begun the Lifelong Learning Institute at Harper College in Palatine Illinois. So, we have done the following: (1) Volunteer Steering Committee (10 members) lifetime membership free
(2) Charter Members (49 members) they had paid $100 for a year, but next year we are lowering our membership fee to $35 a year so...all these charter members receive two additional years free.

From Marge Thomssen, SAGE Association, Nebraska Alumni Association
This is from SAGE Association in Lincoln, Nebraska. We originated at the University of Nebraska. At our Open House Event to kick off our new series of classes in January, we honored our loyal 98-year-old member who drives herself and a friend to classes. We declined giving a "lifetime membership" to her, opted for a beautiful bouquet of fresh flowers instead. So far, we have not given lifetime memberships to anyone; however we give Certificates for Registration to presenters. These certificates are transferable and redeemable for a Sample Class of 6-weeks on one topic. It works well for us. The value of a Certificate is $35.

From Claire Robinson, Center for Creative Retirement, Charleston, SC
The College of Charleston Center for Creative Retirement, Charleston, SC, awards life memberships to past presidents

From Michael I. Markowitz, Institute for Retired Professionals, New School, NY
Since we are limited in the number of students we can accept (and now accept less then 20% of those applying), there is not much impetus to have lifetime members. On the contrary, we acknowledge the desire of people to remain part of the learning community by offering "alumni memberships" to those who wish to remain connected though less active. After being a student in the program for 5 years or more, an individual can elect to be a lifetime alumni member at a one-time cost of $25. The are entitled to participate in all social events, trips, etc., receive all publications and may attend the Fridays @ 1 PM lecture programs. I know that each Institute reflects the community and campus of which it is part so I wouldn't talk anyone out of instituting a lifetime member program. However, I like the renewal of commitment each semester and think that it is particularly potent in the area of lifelong learning. It is part of the reason that universities like ours make a fuss about commandment and the start of the school year.

From Gene Bammel, Sun City Vistoso ILR, AZ
The Sun City Vistoso ILR has a $25 fee for lifetime membership. We "charge" $15 per course, and have a provision for $10 of annual dues, which we will only collect if some year we need the money. So far, the lifetime membership and the course fees have more than covered our costs for equipment, supplies and materials.

From Sue Pace, ILR, U of S. Mississippi
The Institute for Learning in Retirement at the University of Southern Mississippi has honorary lifetime memberships for our President Emeritus and for donors who gave $50,000 or more to our Institute. We have not "sold" lifetime memberships but are interested to know of others and their success.

From Helen J. Janssen, ILR, Old Dominion University, VA
We have provided only two lifetime memberships. Both were to the two former Administrators. They were presented when they left the position. No plans to give any more at this time.

From Carilyn Brown, Clemson University Lifelong Learning Program, SC
We have tried it, but no one has signed up for it. It is called Patron Membership and the price is $5,000. It gives early registration privileges, unlimited course selection, full lifetime membership and voting privileges.

From Susan McGough, Osher Lifelong Learning Institute, Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo CA
Yes. $1500. Half goes to scholarship fund and half to endowment. We only started summer 2003 and no one has joined at this level yet.

From Diane Vetrovec, Institute for Continued Learning, Roosevelt University
Our ILR bestows a lifetime membership on a few chosen people who have made a significant contribution to our ILR. The original founders and coordinators for our program have received Lifetime Memberships, and we've honored 2 past ILR staffers with Lifetime Memberships. Out of 320 members, we have only 10 people or so who have received Lifetime Memberships. We award them very, very sparingly.

From Peter Rivera for CLL at UTEP, TX
Center for Lifelong Learning at University of Texas El Paso provides lifetime membership for a $25.00 fee. Members need not register nor pay the semester fee ($60.00 for unlimited enrollment per semester) to remain members and receive the 3-times-a-year catalogs and other mailings.

From Betty Licht, College for Seniors, IA
We now have a long-range planning committee that is studying lifetime memberships. For 10 1/2 years, we have conducted our program with fees only and it has worked successfully. Our studies, thus far, show that lifetime membership would be easier to work with than yearly membership; there wouldn't be the yearly attention needed to keep records up-to-date but we haven't decided what "perks" to offer with the lifetime membership that would be attractive enough to get the student's attention but still be profitable. I would be very interested in hearing the results of your survey. Thank you.

From Carolyn Farnsworth, New Adventures in Learning for Seniors, Sun Lakes, AZ
No we do not have a lifetime membership. Those who were charter members (joined the first year we had classes) receive a $10 a year discount and pay $40 per year. All others pay $50 per year.

From Wendy Kerr, PLATO, University of Wisconsin-Madison
The only lifetime memberships we have given out have been to people who gave a considerable amount of effort to the LIR organization above and beyond the average and over an extended period of time. I.e., a volunteer office worker, the designer of our logo, the University Dean who agreed to initiate and sponsor our organization and our retired University staff program manager.

From Michele Hiestand, Wright State ILR, OH
Yes we have offered a Lifetime Membership to our ILR, but so far have no one who has become a member at that level. Ours is $1,000 and we do not prorate it.

From Mary Jane Hamilton, Appalachian Lifelong Learners, WV
Appalachian Lifelong Learners at WVU, Morgantown, WV, has an all-volunteer faculty and we honor those instructors who teach 10 courses with a entry on our Honor Roll plaque in the classroom and a lifetime membership to the instructor and spouse. We do not give other
lifetime memberships.

From Claus (Skip) Oldenburg, WCTC LIR, Wisconsin
We here at the WCTC LIR in Pewaukee Wisconsin, do offer lifetime memberships to those few people who have made a substantial contribution to our group. So far we have issued two such memberships, both approved by the board of directors of LIR for the work that was done in
establishing the LIR we have today. We do not sell lifetime memberships.

From Barbara K. Fredericks, Gold LEAF Institute, UMF, Maine
The Gold LEAF Institute Sr. College at the University of Maine-Farmington has given only one lifetime membership in its seven year history and that was to the college president who initiated the program. We do not plan on giving any others at this time and we do not have a lifetime membership category.

From Doris Harrison, WCTC LIR, Pewaukee, WI
Waukesha County Technical College Learning in Retirement (WCYC-LIR) in Pewaukee, WI has offered lifetime memberships to a few people who have contributed a great deal to our success: to the WCTC liaison staff member who initiated and continued to work diligently on our behalf; to
the president and vice-president of WCTC upon their retirement, and to two WCTC-LIR past presidents who were charter members and served three-year terms.

From Ruth Wilke, ICL, UCSD, CA
The Institute for Continued Learning at UCSD offered Life Memberships in the past when we were starting a Development Fund. There was a stipulation that the membership fees for these life members was to be paid back into the operating account and the money would come from the interest earned in the Development Fund. However, the interest rates fell and there wasn't enough to cover the membership fees. The Life Membership Program was cancelled although we
continue to honor those already in the program.

From Linda Bailey, Veritas Society, Louisville, KY
We do not pay our instructors. So.......after they have taught 10 courses for the society they are rewarded with a free lifetime membership.