Weeklong ‘Mini U’ offers noncredit classes

While most students enjoy a restful and relaxed summer vacation at home, come June a different kind of student will come to IU to experience what Bloomington and the creative education of the 36th annual Mini University have to offer.\nThe program, which is scheduled to take place from June 17-22, offers more than 100 course selections to the hundreds of adults who attend each year. Each participant has the opportunity to attend up to 15 noncredit classes, including such courses as “FDR’s Private Spies and the Intelligence Failure of Pearl Harbor” and “Live Your Best Oprah: Studying an American Icon.” The lectures are generally an hour and 15 minutes and are meant to stimulate discussion.\n“It’s really a wonderful week,” said David Baer, who has attended three or four times with his wife, Terry Baer. “There’s such a wide diversity of courses and nearly all of them are relative, and nearly all of them I enjoy the subject matter.” \nEach year, professors are chosen based on their skills as teachers and then agree to teach as volunteers. This year, there will be 102 professors.\n“They are chosen on the basis of recommendations from chairs of their department or other faculty for being outstanding teachers – those that can relate well to adults and can teach well,” said Jeanne Madison of IU Bloomington Continuing Studies. “If you are asked to do the ‘Mini,’ it means you are an excellent teacher.”\nMadison explained that, while they are asked to teach within a variety of topics, professors have a great deal of freedom in deciding what their lecture will be about. This is something that teachers appreciate, along with the eagerness to learn from participants.\n“It is an audience that is picking their own courses, so they are enthusiastic about learning, and it is also an opportunity for me to explore whatever topic I am interested in to teach,” said Carolyn Wiethoff, a professor at the Kelley School of Business who has been teaching at the Mini U for four years. “There’s more of a focus on learning and less of a focus on getting a grade, which I appreciate a lot.”\nIn recent years, the Mini U has received national recognition and praise. The Council for the Advancement and Support of Education awarded the institution a gold medal for Best Collaborative Program and a bronze medal for Best Practices in Alumni Relations. In addition, Frommer’s Budget Travel magazine named the Mini U one of the best learning vacations in the United States.\n“The big thing (about Mini U) is the continuing education program. Most universities have tried to have something similar to the Mini U, but we have had a great record, with this being our 36th year,” said Nicki Bland of the IU Alumni Association.\nLast year there was record-high attendance, with 468 participants, and this year organizers are seeing even more of an increase in registration.\n“It is always a fun and very rewarding week for everyone,” Madison said. “It is a program that Bloomington should be very proud of.”