Fall 2007 Courses
The OLLI Curriculum Committee is busy putting together an exciting series of
courses for the Fall 2007 semester.
Courses will begin the week September 10th and will be taught by University faculty and community members.
Courses run from 6-8 weeks. OLLI Membership includes one free course per year. Additional courses are
$25 unless otherwise noted. OLLI will also be offering small group discussions, brown bag luncheons and one-time speakers.
University Library offerings for OLLI members for Spring/Summer 2007 include
Library Basics Workshops and
Library Tours.
Subscribe to OLLI-News to receive email updates on course offerings as well as other OLLI news.
All That Jazz
In the 1920s, Chicago became the jazz capital of the world as the result of a great migration of African-Americans on the Illinois Central Railroad from New Orleans in search of work in the steel mills and stockyards. Among these migrants were the amazing talents of Jelly Roll Morton, Joe" King" Oliver, and Louis Armstrong This new music blended and intertwined the sound of ragtime, marching brass bands, minstrelsy, rural blues, French opera and Caribbean songs into what we now call "jazz." This class will explore how jazz works in ways that will help you enjoy it more. Listening to great jazz standards like Louis Armstrong's "West End Blues" and John Coltrane's "Blue Train", will sharpen an understanding of swing rhythm, jazz choruses and chord changes, and blues. Miles Davis' classic pensive solo on "Round Midnight" and Sonny Rollins' timeless "St. Thomas" will reveal how jazz improvisers create their solos through paraphrasing, use of melodic formulas, and variations on melodic motives.
The multimedia presentations will feature many audio recordings, photographs, and movie and TV excerpts to bring the fascinating human history of this unique American art form alive. All of this will prepare the class to enjoy a jazz performance at Krannert and an early evening at a local jazz club, which the class will attend together.
Instructor: Sam Reese, Associate Professor of Music Education, School of Music, University of Illinois at Urbana/Champaign
Professor Reese has 35 years of experience teaching the joys of music to people of
all ages. He is a frequent presenter at national and international conferences
and has experience as a jazz performer and a reviewer of jazz recordings. He is
passionate about making jazz accessible and enjoyable. His University of Illinois
Elderhostel program at the Chicago Jazz Festival attracts students from around the
country.
Day and time: Wednesdays, 6:30 pm - 7:45 pm
Dates: September 12, 19, 26, October 3, 17, and 24.
September 15, Krannert performance, Alex de Grassi.
October 12, Iron Post 5 pm - 7:00 pm Happy Hour.
Duration: 8 weeks
Location: OLLI at the Research Park, 2021 South First Street, Champaign; performance venues noted above.
Course fee: $25; Krannert ticket.
The American Health Care System: Challenges and the Need for Reform
We will explore the public policy problems and bioethical issues facing the American health care system, as well as focus on the United States health care system in relation to other western democracies.
Our discussions will seek to answer the following questions. Why is health care not a legal right in the United States? Why do we spend more as a portion of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) than any other country in the world? What should be done about the approximately 47 million Americans who are uninsured along with another 20 million who are underinsured? Should the United States adopt a system of universal health care coverage patterned after those of England, Germany, and Canada? Should health care in the United States be "rationed" in the same way that it is in many other countries? What should the law and public policy be in the area of organ transplantation, dying and death? What types of health care reform should be introduced in this country?
Instructor: Robert F. Rich, Director of the Institute of Government and Public Affairs; Professor of Law, Political Science, Medicine, and Public Health, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
Professor Rich's research focuses on questions of health law and policy in the United States and in Europe. He has taught numerous courses on these issues and has written extensively on health care issues. Before joining the faculty of the University of Illinois in 1986, he served on the faculties of the University of Michigan, Princeton University, and Carnegie-Mellon University.
Day and time: Tuesdays, 3:00 pm - 4:30 pm
Dates: September 11 through October 30.
Duration: 8 weeks
Location: OLLI at the Research Park, 2021 South First Street, Champaign
Course fee: $25
Architecture Through the Ages
Beyond providing mere protection from the elements, architecture involves an interaction between each of us and the
built environment, it appears that Abraham Maslow's hierarchy of human fulfillment - physiological, safety,
affiliation, esteem, actualization, and cognitive/aesthetic - is relevant to our experiences with architecture.
This class will begin with a discussion of the purposes of built environments and the historical
architecture styles of western civilization. Building on this knowledge, we will explore four key areas
of how architecture relates to Maslow's hierarchy - as human habitation (physiological and safety needs),
as part of lifestyles and culture (affiliation and esteem needs), as industrialization (actualization needs),
and as a basis for human behavior (cognitive/aesthetic needs). Our study will include housing, offices,
commercial, public and private architecture examples from the Roman city of Pompeii to Washington, D.C.
and from Jefferson's University of Virginia to the first shopping malls.
Instructor: Robert L. Porter, AIA, Adjunct Professor of Architecture, School of Architecture, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Professor Porter has 45 years of experience as an architect, including 18 years as a research architect with the Construction Engineering Research Laboratory (CERL) in Champaign.
Day and time: Tuesdays, 10:00 am - 11:30 am
Dates: September 11 through October 30
Duration: 8 weeks
Location: OLLI at the Research Park, 2021 South First Street, Champaign
Course fee: $25
Dangerous Detectives and Deadly Dames:
An Exploration of Film Noir
This course will explore a category of film called film noir, from its inception to recent imitations and reworkings. Certain American films made between 1942 and 1958 reflect what some critics think to be a darkly pessimistic postwar mood. Inspired by detective stories and pulp fiction, the world of film noir is a world of illicit sex, criminal dealings, numerous betrayals, and brutal murders, peopled by hard-boiled men and dangerous, clever women. Almost always set in a violent and corrupt urban landscape, the films feature a tough, disillusioned hero who is both a part of and at odds with this degenerate universe. Often the hero's unspoken principles are challenged by a seductive, morally ambiguous woman, a femme fatale who makes apparent the impossibility of the hero's efforts to reconcile his desire with his self-conception. By looking at exemplary selections of this genre, the class will examine the general themes of film noir, assessing the historical significance of the films as well as their attempts to come to terms with new, acute challenges to gender and social identities, challenges that were accompanied by a fading sense of ethical and moral compunction.
Instructor: Pat Gill, Interim Director, Institute for Communications Research, Director of Media Studies, Associate Professor, Institute of Communications Research and the Gender and Women's Studies Program, University of Illinois at Urbana/Champaign
Professor Gill studies gender and film, popular culture, and interpretive and psychoanalytic theories. She has taught numerous courses in and written extensively on media, film and cultural studies.
Day and time: Discussions on Tuesdays, 6:30 pm - 7:45 pm
Movie screenings on Thursdays, 6:30 pm - 7:45 pm
Dates: Thursday, September 6 through October 30
Duration: 8 weeks
Location: OLLI at the Research Park, 2021 South First Street, Champaign
Course fee: $25
Download film schedule (93K, PDF)
Exploring the Arts
Join us for a lively exploration of the arts! Through interactive sessions with a variety of artists, you'll be encouraged to observe, explore, participate in, and evaluate a spectrum of artistic experiences. A wealth of University and community resources will be investigated in this eye-opening, ear-opening, mind-opening series. The creative process occurs daily in classrooms, rehearsal halls, design studios, homes, offices, and many other settings all over the campus and community, enriching both participants and observers. We will converse with course speakers as they discuss and demonstrate arts philosophies, concepts, media, and products.
Sessions are designed to be beginner friendly, but are lively enough to keep more experienced artsgoers involved, too; they'll provide fundamental tools you can use to absorb and evaluate an art experience, subjectively and objectively. The course encourages the action, reaction, and interaction between artists and audiences that can lead to mutual respect, even through "likes and dislikes."
Be stretched, refreshed, and challenged, and see, hear, and think differently!
Day and time: Wednesdays, 10 am - 11:45 am
Dates: September 11 through October 30
Duration: 8 weeks
Location: Krannert Center for the Performing Arts, Krannert Art Museum, artists' studios on campus and in Champaign-Urbana.
Course fee: $25
Hidden Treasures in Champaign County
We will explore a variety of parks and natural areas in east-central Illinois. Local naturalists and environmentalists will discuss the unique features and history of each. Plan to wear sturdy outdoor clothing and shoes/boots suitable for the weather. You will provide your own transportation. OLLI will provide easy-to-follow maps and the experts. You may wish to bring a brownbag lunch.
Co-hosts of this program are the Urbana Park District, the Champaign County Forest Preserve District, the Vermilion County Conservation District, and the University of Illinois Committee on Natural Areas.
Day and time: Fridays, 11:00 am - 1:00 pm
Dates: September 14 through October 19
Duration: 6 weeks
Location: Natural areas in and around Champaign County
Course fee: $25.00
Download course info and schedule (PDF, 61K)
The Problem of Evil in Western Thought
In philosophy and theology, the "problem of evil" concerns the apparent contradictions between the reality of evil and the belief in the goodness, omniscience, and the omnipotence of God. The problem has been stated succinctly by Alvin Plantinga: "If God is as benevolent as Christian theists claim, He must be just as appalled as we are at all this evil. But if He is also as powerful as they claim, then presumably He is in a position to do something about it. So why does He permit it? Why doesn't He arrange things so that these evils don't occur?" These universally asked questions are not only in response to moral evil (the harm done by humans to one another), but also to the seemingly unjust pain and suffering caused by natural phenomena (disease, earthquakes, hurricanes, drought, famine, etc.) and even to the fragility and brevity of human life itself.
In this class, we will explore selections from a variety of writers (Plato, Calvin, Pope, Hume, Kant, Marx, Nietzsche, Freud, Jonas, etc.) who have given serious thought to the problem of evil, suffering, and death in attempting to come to terms with the contradictions. We will also examine the social and intellectual contexts that made their arguments attractive and persuasive.
Instructor: Robert Alun Jones, Professor Emeritus of Religious Studies, History, and Sociology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Professor Jones is a member of the Campus Honors faculty and also has appointments in the Graduate School of Library and Information Science and the National Center for Supercomputing Applications. His major research interests include Durkheim and his intellectual context, the methodology of the history of ideas, and the scholarly use of electronic documents and networked information systems. He teaches courses on the history of religious thought and social theory.
Day and time: Thursdays, 10:00 am - 11:30 am
Dates: September 13 through November 1
Duration: 8 weeks
Location: OLLI at the Research Park, 2021 South First Street, Champaign
Course fee: $25
Shakespeare: The Tempest
The Tempest features some of the most hilarious moments in Shakespeare, and some of the most brutal, and some of the most poignant. It is often regarded as Shakespeare's last play. It feels like a late play, even a last play. But The Tempest is also a play about new beginnings - not only for the young people of the play, caught up in the exuberance and trials of first love and an impending marriage, but for the historical moment out of which the play emerged. The Tempest is deeply shaped by the encounter of old European culture with the new world of the Americas. From imagined visions of idealized utopias to the real brutalities of slavery, The Tempest explores questions of what civilization is all about. What are the core values we live by? What forms of social organization are necessary to propagate the species, maintain order, and get the work done? And what's love got to do with it? Or power? Or justice? Or law? Or race? Or class? Or gender? Or sexuality? Shakespeare's dramatic exploration of these questions in The Tempest has provided an astonishing range of opportunities for staging this play.
Professor Wheeler will discuss these themes, bringing life to this most remarkable Shakespeare play.
Following the first sessions, the class will attend the British touring company A and B C Theatre Company's
performance at the Krannert Center for the Performing Arts on October 12 or 13. At the final session, Professor Wheeler and the class will critique the play and the performance.
Instructor: Richard Wheeler, Vice Provost, Dean of the Graduate College, former Head of the Department of English, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
Professor Wheeler's scholarship has been concerned with identifying key psychological patterns that shape the development of Shakespeare's work and, more recently, plausible links between the plays and the life of their author. He has been active in the Shakespeare Association of American and the Modern Language Association.
Day and time: Thursdays, 3:00 pm - 4:30 pm
Dates: September
13, 20, 27, Oct 4, Oct 25.
Krannert Performance of The Tempest October
12 or 13.
Duration: 6 weeks
Location: OLLI at the Research Park, 2021 South First Street, Champaign
Course fee: $25; Krannert ticket
Taiji (Tai Chi): To Your Health!
The Chinese believe that the ancient wellness exercises of Taiji and Qigong produce the elixir of longevity. Two recent U of I research studies have proven their health benefits for older adults. Qigong (chee-kung) and Taiji - or Tai Chi, as it is more commonly known in the U.S. - combine simple, graceful movements and meditation. Qigong is a series of integrated exercises believed to have positive, relaxing effects on a person's mind, body and spirit. Taiji is a holistic form of exercise, and a type of Qigong that melds Chinese philosophy with martial and healing arts.
In a report released in 2006, the U of I research studies found that healthy seniors who practiced a combination of Qigong and Taiji three times a week for six months experienced significant physical benefits after only two months. In addition, many participants gained noticeable improvements in tests of balance and lower body strength, as well as enhanced sleep quality, concentration, memory, self-esteem, and overall energy levels. These results mirror those found in numerous other studies, including research commissioned by the National Council on Aging and the American Society on Aging. Now students of Professor Yang Yang, the lead researcher in the UI studies, will lead this class in exercises.
Instructor: Michael Reed began studying Taiji with Master Yang at Center for
Taiji Studies in 1999. He began working as an assistant teacher in 2001 and
currently leads a class at the Center. He was directly involved in Master Yang's research with seniors at the University of Illinois. He has participated in a leadership role at numerous conferences and workshops.
David Skadden has studied Taiji from Master Yang through the Center
for Taiji Studies since 2001. He has lead several research classes and
currently teaches a class at the Center. He has presented at a variety Taiji
workshops and conferences over the years through his affiliation with the Center.
Both are enthusiastic proponents of Taiji's benefits for everyone and
enjoy sharing their experience with students interested in this healing art.
Day and time:
Section 1: Tuesdays, 1:30 pm - 2:30 pm
Section 2: Mondays, 6:30 pm - 7:30 pm
Dates: September 10/11 through October 29/30.
Duration: 8 weeks
Location: OLLI at the Research Park, 2021 South First Street, Champaign
Course fee: $25
The Things We Keep: Capturing and Preserving our Cultural Heritage
Have you ever wondered what treasures reside in the University of Illinois Library? Here's your opportunity to meet the librarians who work with our cultural artifacts and make them accessible to the public. This workshop will focus on developing an understanding of the roles played by institutional archives and libraries in preserving America's diverse heritage through books, music, artifacts and personal papers.
Each week, the course will consist of hour long sessions exploring different perspectives on cultural heritage in the library. This class will include a session in each of the following areas: the Rare Book and Manuscript Library, the Illinois History and Lincoln Collection, the University Archives, and the Sousa Archives: A Center for American Music.
Instructor: Merinda Kay Hensley, Instructional Services librarian and Visiting Assistant Professor, Reference Library, University Library, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Merinda will be joined by Valerie Hotchkiss (Head, Rare Book and Manuscript Library), John Hoffman (Head, Illinois history and Lincoln Collection), Chris Prom (Assistant University Archivist) and Scott Schwartz (Head, Sousa Archives and Center for American Music).
Day and time: Mondays, 6:30 pm. - 7:30 pm (except September 17, 3:00 - 4:00 pm due to hours of Rare Book Room.)
Dates: September 10 - October 8
Duration: 6 weeks
Location: Main Library and Harding Band Building
Course fee: $25
Notes: Class enrollment will be limited to 15 participants
The War: World War II
Six years in the making, Ken Burns' new documentary, The War, will air on PBS/WILL-TV in September. This epic 14-hour film focuses on the stories of men and women from four American towns - Waterbury, Connecticut; Mobile, Alabama; Sacramento, California; and Luverne, Minnesota - who were caught up in what has been called the greatest cataclysm in human history, World War II.
In conjunction with this documentary, our eight week OLLI course will offer presentations on a variety of war-related topics. Following each presentation, participants will be encouraged to share their own recollections and family stories.
Dates:
Thursday, September 13: Preview of The War
Carl Caldwell, WILL-TV station manager
Thursday, September 20: Impact of the war in east central Illinois
Dan McColllum, local historian and former mayor of Champaign
Thursday, September 27: Music of WWII
Dan Perrino, founder of Medicare 7, 8 or 9
Thursday, October 4: Press coverage of the war
Ron Yates, dean, UIUC College of Communications
Thursday, October 11: Movies of WWII
Bob Carringer, retired, UIUC Cinema Studies
Thursday, October 18: WWII and the changing role of women
Sandy Dehner-Wheeler, producer, director of special events for the Illinois Veterans WWII Memorial in Springfield
Thursday, October 25: Iwo Jima, a pivotal battle in the Pacific
Ray Elliott, author, Vice President of the James Jones Literary Society, former teacher
Thursday, November 1: Impact of WWII on the U.S. Economy
Larry Neal, professor emeritus of economics
Course coordinator: Ray Elliott, author, Vice President of the James Jones Literary Society, former teacher
Day and time: Thursdays, 1:00-2:30pm
Dates: September 13 - November 1
Duration: 8 weeks
Location: OLLI at the Research Park, 2021 South First Street, Champaign
Course fee: $25
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