Staten Island
Seniornet, Inc. Learning Center Committee
Policies
And Procedures
Prepared
by Dora Valente, chairperson, Mary Bartnett, Ann Merlino, Bea Victor from
the original document and minutes of July 2001 to June 2005 -
Updated - 04-26-08
INTRODUCTION
MISSION
GOVERNANCE
Term of Office
LCC Coordinator and Monthly
Meetings
REGISTRATION
AND FEES
Fees
Enrollment
Mailings
SAFETY
AND SECURITY
Keys
Computers
Software
Use
of On-Line Services
LAB
USE AND MONITORS
Responsibilities of Lab Monitors
USERS GROUP
WEATHER/CLASS
CANCELLATIONS
SCHOLARSHIPS
Awards
Selection Process
INTRODUCTION
SeniorNet
is a non-profit international organization offering seniors, 50 and over,
instruction in computer skills by their peers.
The
Staten Island Jewish Community Center-SeniorNet Computer Learning Center
was established in 1993. From
its inception, the JCC SeniorNet has been staffed by volunteers, all of
whom are seniors.
MISSION
We
seek to overcome barriers that limit the socialization of Staten Island
Seniors. We provide computer
literacy education with emphasis on the senior population, 50 and over,
both mobile and homebound, including the physically challenged.
We
seek to inform this population on Staten Island about the availability of
our program.
We
seek to heighten the understanding of computers and promote computer
literacy.
This
program serves the diverse ethnic and socio-economic community of Staten
Island.
Through
this interaction and intellectual stimulation, we seek to promote the
socialization of the senior community.
GOVERNANCE
The
JCC SeniorNet Learning Center Committee shall be responsible for
establishing and implementing policy and overseeing the day-to-day
operations of the Learning Center.
Committee
Membership
The Learning Center Committee shall have no less than 20
members and no more than 25 members.
One-third
of the committee membership represents a quorum.
All
LC Committee members are seniors and volunteers.
Recommendations
for committee membership are referred to the Nominating Committee, which
reports its recommendations to the full committee.
The
head monitor is invited to attend committee meetings as a resource person
and to keep the Learning Center Committee informed.
Complimentary
SeniorNet membership is extended to LC Committee members, instructors,
assistant instructors and monitors.
Committee
members and instructors may enroll in classes, without charge, if seats
are available at the start of classes. They are responsible for the cost
of the manual.
Term
of Office
A new Learning Center Committee member shall serve a
one-year
term with the option of renewal.
After the initial one-year term, LCC members serve two-year terms.
LCC
Coordinator and Monthly meetings
All members of the LCC are requested to
take turns as the monthly meeting coordinator and chair.
Members may defer. The
member scheduled to chair the upcoming meeting is responsible for
preparing the agenda, reserving the meeting room and picking up the mail.
At the meeting the coordinator may appoint members of the LCC to
particular short-term tasks. The coordinator should be available to
members of the LCC who need assistance in accomplishing a task and follow
up on any previous actions taken by the LCC. The monthly coordinator
serves from the first to the last day of the month.
All
LCC members are encouraged to suggest items for the agenda in advance of
the meetings. If members are unable to attend a monthly meeting, they
should inform the coordinator.
Funds
requested for special functions require budget approval.
Expenditures
up to $50.00 should have the approval of the coordinator and expenditures
over $50.00 should have prior approval of the LC Committee. In
an emergency, approval may be given via E-mail by the coordinator.
All
Learning Center volunteer instructors, assistant instructors and monitors
are allowed to accept gifts from students or classes.
LCC
records are to be available to LCC members when requested.
Sub-Committees,
Ad-hoc Committees and Areas of responsibility
Standing
committees, ad hoc committees and member assignments to various areas of
responsibility are determined by the coordinator and the Learning Center
Committee.
REGISTRATION
AND FEES
The
LCC schedules all courses and sets class fees.
Class
Fees
JCC
members - $40.00
Non-members
- $55.00
Manual
fee - $20.00
Fees must be paid in full at registration or, in the case of phone
registration, prior to the first class. The
course fee will be refunded to a student who drops out and informs the LCC before the
second class.
Enrollment
In-person
registration has priority over mail registration.
Priority
is also given to first-time registrants for a class.
Students
wishing to repeat a course in consecutive sessions must wait until the
following session, unless space is available.
There
is a policy of “first-come, first-served” for each new session.
However, priority is given to persons closed out of a
previous session, when classes they selected were already filled.
Students
are advised to complete the Intro-I course before enrolling in
intermediate and advanced courses. Exceptions
are made by the registrar or the instructor.
Owning
or access to a computer outside the lab is not a pre-requisite.
Students
enrolling in courses requiring a manual may purchase the manual only at
registration.
A
scheduled class may run with an enrollment as low as three.
The instructor may choose to defer to another instructor, or the
class may be canceled.
Mailings
Mailing
lists are periodically reviewed to eliminate names of students who have
not enrolled or have a lapsed SeniorNet membership of two years.
The
LCC mailing lists may not be used outside of the LCC for commercial
purposes.
SAFETY AND
SECURITY
Fire
Drills are conducted once per class semester. Instructors must record
these dates in the Fire Drill Log. The
instructor and assistants must inform the students of all building safety
exits.
Keys
Keys
to the computer lab are kept in the JCC office.
Anyone authorized to pick up keys must sign-in and out when they
are returned. Keys to the locked cabinets in the computer room are
available only to the LCC.
Computers
Only
SeniorNet programs and files authorized by the Committee may be installed
on hard drives. The committee
member responsible for computer maintenance, equipment and software, or
his/her designee, has this authority.
They must be informed of any new software installed in any of the
computers. All other programs
and files will be removed. Instructors,
assistant instructors and monitors are limited only to procedural changes
consistent with teaching materials. Students
are instructed to leave their disks at the Lab and not take them home, or
bring their own disks to the lab. This protects our computers from
viruses.
Software
LCC
members and instructors may have access to software kept in a locked
cabinet in the lab. The key is available from the designated LCC member,
and the borrower must sign a checkout sheet.
The
LCC will accept all free programs as they become available.
Software
copyright policy is posted on the LCC Bulletin Board in the lab
1.
The
licensing agreement is signed by the coordinator or a designee.
2.
The JCC
SeniorNet Learning Committee, rather than any one individual, is
responsible for the software and manuals.
3.
The
licensing agreement must be honored.
4.
Only the
coordinator or a designee may request permission from a software company
to use its products outside the Learning Center. Software is made
available for home use only upon recommendation of the coordinator and
approval by the Committee.
5.
Software
brought home after approval, is for SeniorNet Learning Center use only,
not for personal use.
6.
Lab
monitors must be instructed to be on the alert to prevent the copying of
our software.
Use
of On-Line Services
The
use of any SeniorNet Learning Center account outside of the Learning
Center is prohibited unless approved by the Coordinator.
LAB USE AND
MONITORS
There
shall be a minimum of three scheduled open labs per week.
Responsibilities
of Lab Monitors
-
All
users must sign-in.
-
Confirm
that each user is a member of SeniorNet.
-
Provide
assistance whether solicited or not, particularly if the monitor
determines a need to take charge.
USERS GROUP
The
USERS GROUP is expected to schedule four meetings per year.
WEATHER/ CLASS CANCELLATIONS
In
the event of heavy snow storms or other severe weather or emergency
situations:
The
instructor shall call or notify the students in his/her class.
The
instructor shall call the JCC to inform the receptionist if the class is
still scheduled or canceled.
If
the class is indeed canceled, the instructor is expected to re-schedule
the class, if possible.
SCHOLARSHIPS
It
is the policy of Seniornet to offer scholarship assistance to those with
demonstrated financial need.
The
SeniorNet LCC scholarship may consist of one or more of the following
forms of assistance:
Selection
Process
The
LCC or the Coordinator will appoint a member of the committee
to review requests for financial assistance, and to interview and
recommend scholarship recipients.
Students
requesting scholarships must be interviewed and notified prior to the
mailing of enrollment notices. All information is confidential, except for
the purpose of registering the applicant for SeniorNet membership.
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