SNOWBIRD MEMBERSHIP
Original Query from Marion Lowenthal, Molloy Lifelong Learning
Institute, New York
Our programs are on-campus sponsored, People pay a tuition for courses
that are scheduled just for them from 10 am to 2:30 pm once a week.
For this they pay an annual fee. Some of the people want to come only
part of the year and then return to the program when they return to
their northern home. However, our budget is based on an annual fee.
They call themselves snowbirds because they winter in the south. Any
info about those programs?
From Lucy Kline, Brevard ElderLearning, Florida
Since Brevard ElderLearning does not have Annual fees, this does not
affect us down south here where the snowbirds come. However as a thought
for elsewhere - - this situation exists with some of our Houses of
Worship, snowbirds belonging up north and still want to be affiliated
down south. What they have done (in some cases) is offer 50% annual
fee with proof of membership in "the other place". Since
most LLI's have annual fee, that might be a consideration.
From Rebecca B. Rousch, LLI, South Florida Community College
We are one of the southern destinations for the northern snowbirds.
I schedule our Lifetime Learners Institute programs during the “season”
– January through April in 2009 – and they pay for the
whole program of weekly sessions. If Easter is early the session ends
earlier, often at the end of March. Trips are extra and stand-alone,
open to anyone. Why not divide your program into six-month sections,
and let folks pay for half, or register twice if they want year-round
classes?
From Sharon Nelson, LIR, Lincoln University
We do not have any such program. However, this summer we added a new
mid year dues amount of 25.00. Our regular yearly dues are 40.00.
If someone joins in the summer months and has not belonged to Learning
in Retirement for one year, they pay 25.00. Our fiscal year is from
January 1 to December 31.
From Patricia J. Szczepanski, Osher Lifelong Learning Institute,
University of Pittsburgh
That can be an issue. We have our year split into 3 terms, just like
our University and each term is broken into two 5 week sessions. We
have an annual fee of $225 and a term fee of $125. The annual members
get basically a free term, and the people who can only come one term
pay $125. We do have the option if people joined initially for one
term they can pay only $100 for the second term and transfer into
annual members. Having the annual fee provide such a big discount
had certainly helped us to have so many annual members and evens out
the income. Also our fall classes end the week before Thanksgiving
and begin in February which allows those away for the holiday’s
time to return. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate
to contact me. Good luck.
From Pat Mielke, SPARK, Kansas City, MO
SPARK is located in Kansas City. We have a few that spend the winter
in Arizona and a few that spend their summers in Maine and Vermont.
Many are on Elderhostel or private tours around the world. These folks
pay the same yearly membership as those that spend most of their time
in the area. They also pay the same additional fee for any classes
they may take. I’m afraid, if we gave special fee privileges
to some, others would find reasons why they should get a special yearly
membership fee, also. We have never had a problem. And as you mentioned,
it keeps us on track with our budget.
From Therese Ruth, Renaissance Society, California State University,
Sacramento
The Renaissance Society at California State University, Sacramento,
has a membership fee of $60.00 per academic year (i.e. July 1, 2008
– June 30, 2009) which covers two semesters of on-campus and
off-campus seminars (some of our off-campus seminars meet all year).
We do have a “Spring Only” membership for $35 but this
is only offered to new members who have just heard of the Renaissance
Society after our fall semester has been completed. “Spring
Only” membership is not available to our current members.
From Edward N. Aqua, Lifelong Learning Institute, Farquhar College
of Arts and Sciences Nova Southeastern University, FL
Our LLI at Nova Southeastern University in Ft. Lauderdale has a simple
solution for snowbirds as described in the rate sheet below. If they
are here for four months, there is a fee for singles or couples. If
they are here for less time, then they can select a “trial membership”
for one or two months. The goal is to be accommodating and welcoming.
That always pays dividends. And, in closing…Y’all come
on down…
_________________________________________________________________
Lifelong Learning Institute - Farquhar College of Arts and
Sciences
Nova Southeastern University
FEE STRUCTURE - October 1, 2008 – May 31, 2009
Single Membership………………………………………………$425.00
Couple Membership……………………………………………..$750.00
(registering at same time and living at same address)
Trial Membership for one month………………………………$100.00
Couple $150.00
Trial Membership for two months…………………….……….$185.00
Couple $320.00
“Snowbird” Special
Single Membership for four months…………………………..$290.00
Couple Membership for four months…………………..……..$450.00
(registering at same time and living at same address)
One-time Registration fee, per person………………………....$25.00
From Thom Clement, Osher Lifelong Learning Institute, George Mason
University, VA
Although some LLI’s have alternate fees for snowbirds, our OLLI
at George Mason has resisted the temptation to do so because of the
complexities of managing it and the probable net loss in our budget.
We get requests for this every year. Our Finance Committee has just
approved our first alternative fee option, which is a one-time “introductory
fee” of $150 which allows new members to try us out for one
term and then have the option to pay the balance of the annual fee
if they choose to continue. If this option results in a modest increase
in membership, or if it does not adversely affect our budget, the
Finance Committee may decide to consider the snowbird policy as well
as some other suggested alternate fees. I’ve been told that
one of the LLI’s in the Tampa, FL area successfully uses a snowbird
fee structure (members go north in the summer, I guess).
From Janice, SOAR, SUNT Potsdam, NY
Nothing very helpful. We had spring and fall memberships for some
years partly to accommodate the many snowbirds of the SOAR program.
After awhile the error-margin in bookkeeping in spite of careful planning
and mailings convinced us to try our current approach which is annual
membership at one fee no matter the time of registration. Ours is
a program of two ten week sessions with all members able to sign up
for any course not already filled. Size of courses depends upon the
number
any presenter is willing to teach and sometimes upon classroom space
available for our use.
From Beverly Stevens, The Second Half Lifelong Learning Institute,
UMassachusetts Dartmouth
We have a number of snowbirds, too, as I imagine many of the programs
located in the Northeast do. The system we use it to charge a small
annual membership fee of $25 and then separate tuition fees for the
three semesters - fall, winter, and spring. The membership fee keeps
people on the mailing list so they know what is happening. The spring
semester was especially designed for snowbirds. It is a shorter semester
(only six weeks) and begins on May 4th. Even the most dedicated snowbird
is back in the Northeast by then.
From Wanda Pace, ILR, University of S. Mississippi
Why don't you change your membership fee to a semester based fee?
From Wendy Kerr, PLATO, University of Wisconsin, Madison
Our members pay an annual membership fee and can attend as much or
as little as they like for that year. Some of our members are also
snowbirds. Some travel whenever they want to. We don't have any mandatory
attendance for our classes (and it would be silly to even try).
From Dolores Fiegel, Southern Delaware Academy of Lifelong Learning
I am an active member of the (SDALL) Southern Delaware Academy of
Lifelong Learning. We offer two 10 week sessions in September (Fall
Semester) and in February (Spring Semester). Two years ago, we added
a short summer semester the month of June only) and were quite pleased
with the response. February is the time our snowbirds fly south. Many
of our classes last five weeks. We find that discounting a yearly
full membership encourages the majority of to join for the year. A
number of our snowbirds attend classes the second five weeks after
they return. Commitment to full memberships and the income from the
June sessions have made us fiscally healthy.
From Judy, Renaissance Academy, St. Xavier College
I am in the Renaissance Chicago group. We have a set fee for the year
& if you are a Snowbird or not, you have to pay it. Our Snowbirds
do not seem to mind this. The Chicago group did at one time allow
folks to join semester by semester. This created too much work &
book keeping, so it is now a once a year fee. The Orland Renaissance
group, on the other hand have so many Snow birds in their group that
they do not meet Winter semester at all - just Fall & Spring.
From Eldor Kaiser, Door County LIR, WI
This is from the LIR in Door County, WI. We, too, have many snowbirds
in our area and we have a fee structure to accommodate them: Annual
fee is $50; Spring semester and summer is $35; Summer only is $10.
Our summer offerings are not as extensive -- only about 15 classes
compared to 50 - 65 in fall and spring semesters. We are doing very
well financially. I hope this is helpful.
From Constance K. Smith, ILR, Slippery Rock University, PA
Programs for retired people must be structured to accommodate their
needs. In the northern states, that means 'snowbirds' are to be expected.
Our program runs two terms: mid-Sept. to just before Thanksgiving
and mid-March to June. In the fall, participants can sign-up for the
full year, or just for the fall. In the spring, they can sign-up only
for the spring. Seems to work!
From Joe Kabat, RISE program, Rivier College, Nashua, NH
We did a survey on this program and found our RISE members spend only
4-6 weeks in Florida during winter and are not interested in another
life long learning program during that period. Most of those come
back to Nashua area and take courses during our second five week Spring
Term.
Our Winter Term brochure went to press today and will be mailed end
of next week. Spring Term has been sent to set up person at Rivier
and goes to outside printer. This is first time Winter course brochure
will be mailed and I hope it will draw a good audience.