Committees play a major role in managing LP2 functions: recruiting and supporting our members, organizing 30+ member-led study groups per semester on a wide range of topics, planning and executing numerous extra-curricular activities and, of course, planning for the future of LP2. Each committee coordinates with other committees and the Advisory Board as needed. With approval by the Advisory Board, members may form new committees to try out new ideas and meet new needs. Staffed by members with appropriate skills and imagination, the Committees listed here meet members’ needs and keep LP2 moving forward.
Admissions Committee
The Admissions Committee organizes information sessions, reviews applications, interviews applicants and recommends new members to the Director. When committee members, in teams, meet the applicants for an interview, they review the mission of LP2, a voluntary organization that runs on the energy and work of its members, working on committees, building community and, most importantly, coordinating study groups. The full Committee assesses the qualities that the applicants bring to our organization. The committee then recommends to the Director applicants to be admitted to the program. For more information, see the Admission Committee’s Statement.
Chair: Laini Gerald (’23) Co-Chair: Phyllis Holloway (’23)
| Susan Smahl (’23) | Micky Josephs (’23) | Dolores Walker (’23) | James Gould (’24) |
| Bernie Belkin (’24) | Arlyne LeSchack (’24) | Howie Menikoff (’24) | Carolyn Preiss (’24) |
| Jenny Ross (’24) | Barbara Salant (’24) | Art Fefferman (’25) | Arlynn Brody (’25) |
| Karen Gellen (’25) | Harold Berkowitz (’25) |
Curriculum Committee
The Curriculum Committee assures that LP2 offers a rich and challenging curriculum each semester by helping coordinators develop and lead study groups. Committee members visit classrooms to encourage members to coordinate, offer workshops to help prospective coordinators refine ideas, create written proposals, and to understand and use the principles of peer learning and good classroom discussion practices. They also offer one-on-one support as needed. Once the semester begins, the Curriculum Committee holds a coordinators’ meeting for sharing how things are going and supporting each other. For more information, see the Curriculum Committee’s Statement.
Chair: Ruth Mackaman (’23)
| Michael Kessler (’23) | Lynn Brenner (’23) | Susan Herman (’23) | Thomas Sear (’23) |
| Randy Ross (’24) | Mary Padilla (’24) | Aileen Gitelson (’24) | Judy Goldman (’24) |
| Meera Kumar (’24) | Sue Yellin (’25) | Ed Brill (’25) | Marge Heins (’26) |
| Richard Resnik (’26) | Mary Connelly (’26) |
Diversity-Outreach Committee
The Diversity Committee works to attract and retain a diverse LP2 membership and to sensitize members to diversity issues. It does this by reaching out to underrepresented populations, as well as by expanding course offerings to include topics of interest to the broader population, by helping coordinators navigate discussions about painful subjects, and by increasing the cultural awareness and sensitivity of the general membership. For more information, see the Diversity-Outreach Committee’s Statement.
Chair; Susan Sabatino (’23) Co-Chair: Marietta Myers (’23)
| Susan Belkin (’24) | Jack Zevin (‘24) | Lynne Davidson (‘24) | Mary Elwood (‘24) |
| Susan Goldman (‘24) | Phyllis Holloway (‘24) | Rochelle Peck (‘24) | Joy Schulman (‘24) |
| Renee Solomon (‘24) | Florence Tager (‘24) | Doris Wallace (‘24) |
Fridays@1
Three times each semester, Fridays@1 offers a program with a well-known speaker on a newsworthy subject to LP2 members, the CUNY community and the general public. These presentations, which are followed by a Q&A session, provide intellectual stimulation and a chance for the community to come together. They also act as a recruitment tool to attract a more diverse group of new members. Recent subjects have included the presidential elections and the press, climate change, the microbiome, and racial inequality. Fridays@1 are recorded and available for viewing. For more information, see the Fridays@1 Committee’s Statement.
Co-Chair: Leslie Herrmann Co-Chair: Ruth Mackaman
| Ruth Clapper | Ken Witty | ,……………… | ,,,………………….. |
Marketing Committee
The Marketing Committee promotes participation in LP2 programs and activities within the organization and, when appropriate, to the general public. The Marketing Committee works with other committees and special interest groups (SIGs) to promote participation by members. When appropriate, the Committee develops publicity for events like Fridays@1 and other LP2 activities that are open to the public. The Committee supports LP2’s efforts to promote greater diversity in our membership by publicizing our programs in local media. In addition, the Committee assists in the development of video and photography for the new website. For more information, see the Marketing Committee’s Statement.
Co-Chair: Lisa Cristal (’25) Co-Chair: Stewart Alter (’25)
| Randy Ross (’23) | Susan Smahl (’24) | Robert Chan (’25) | John Cooney (’25) |
Mentoring Committee
The Mentoring Committee helps ease new members’ transition into the LP2 community by providing them with experienced member/advisors with similar interests and experiences. The Committee selects suitable member mentors from a list of volunteers and from their own wide knowledge of the existing membership and provides guidance on how to welcome and support new members. For more information, see the Mentoring Committee’s Statement.
Chair: Sue Goldman
The Observer
The Observer, the online newsletter of LP2, provides members with up-to-date news from the Director and the Advisory Board, notice of planned and upcoming programs and activities, and contributions from members. Distributed weekly during the fall and spring semesters, The Observer includes registration information, social opportunities, membership meetings, volunteer opportunities, schedule changes, election notices, workshops and trainings. Everything that members need to know is in The Observer. The Member’s Forum section features member artwork, suggestions, personal news and other content of interest to the membership at large. For more information, see the The Observer’s Committee Statement.
Editor: Susan Rauch
Orientation Committee
The Orientation Committee welcomes new members to LP2 and helps them become active members of our community during their first semester. The committee meets with incoming members four times: when they’re accepted, when the semester’s Study Groups are posted, and immediately before and after classes start. In these sessions they introduce the concept of Peer Learning, explain the structure of LP2, discuss new-student concerns, and answer questions about academic, procedural and social matters. When those four meetings are over, the committee’s job is done until the next semester. For more information, see the Orientation Committee’s Statement.
Chair: Richard Resnik
Our Stage of Life Committee
The Our Stage of Life (OSOL) Committee provides information to LP2 members on issues affecting their lives as older adults so that they can make informed decisions. The Committee holds two workshops each semester on topics affecting older adults, one for LP2 members only and another for the community at large. Recent topics have included Legal Issues for Older Adults and Feeling Alone vs. Being Alone. Note: This committee’s workshops will resume when we return to in-person learning. For more information, see the Our Stage of Life Committee’s Statement.
Chair: Renee Solomon Co-Chair: Caroline Grey
Technology Committee
The Tech Committee provides members with the technical support needed to participate in all of the organization’s activities, and makes recommendations to the organization’s leadership about technical tools and services. Committee members respond to LP2 member‘s computer, Zoom, and other technical questions via email at tech@iernyc.org, maintains the Tech Help page and encourages all members to develop and share their technical skills. In coordination with the Curriculum Committee, it conducts workshops on Zoom, managing PowerPoint and Google Slides, creating video clips, and other tech tools for Study Group coordinators. For more information, see the Technology Committee’s Statement.
Chair: Denise Waxman (’24)
| Bernie Belkin (’26) | Harold Berkowitz (’26) | Jonathan Gaines (’26) | David Lerner (’26) |
| Ruth Mackaman (’26) | Bruce Smith (’26) |
Tuesdays With Friends Committee
Three afternoons each semester, the Tuesdays with Friends (TWF) Committee sponsors a small, casual get-together in the home of an LP2 member, for an informal talk by a member on a topic of general interest. The Committee meets throughout the year to plan and schedule these events, publicize the programs and select attendees. Since there are always more members interested in attending than can be accommodated in this intimate setting, participants are selected randomly with preference given to new members and to those who have not attended previous TWF gatherings. A committee member works with the speaker, while others order food and help manage seating and service. On the day of the event, members assist the host and assure that guests are comfortable. For more information, see the Tuesdays With Friends Committee’s Statement.
Chair: Eileen Hanley (’25)
| Nancy Small (’23) | Sue Yellin (’25) | Lucy Kirk (’26) | Greg McCaslin (’26) |
| Gerald Reisner (’26) |
Voices Committee
Voices is the LP2 annual literary and arts magazine featuring member’s poetry, fiction, non-fiction and photography. Voices is produced by a group of knowledgeable readers, writers and photographers who solicit and select submissions from LP2 members, and then work with the members to ready their work for publication. Voices Online is a repository of past issues which give a rich picture of the talent and history of our organization. For more information, see the Voices Committee’s Statement.
Chair: Charles Troob
Website Committee
The Website Committee oversees and manages the day-to-day content and functionality of the LP2 website. In collaborating with other committees, the LP2 leadership, and input from members, the Committee strives to make the website serve the needs of the organization and the members for complete, accurate and easily accessible information. For more information, see the Website Committee’s Statement.
Chair: Denise Waxman (’26)
| Bruce Smith (EC Representative) | … | …. | .. |
