Learning in Retirement’s Frequently Asked Questions
- What will be different in the program during the COVID-19 pandemic?
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LinR is proud to offer the program’s first online offerings, in Fall 2020 and Winter 2021! Our lectures and workshops will be online only until further notice. You can read participant feedback about our new online format here. When it’s safe to do so, the LinR program looks forward to offering both in-person and online offerings. Currently, our lectures and workshops are being offered via Zoom. We provide instructions, workshops, and resources to improve participants’ Zoom experience.
Our registration process has changed. Please see our registration page for details. We will be updating some policies as well.
The LinR Team continues to work remotely. Please do not hesitate to contact us via email (Learning.in.Retirement@carleton.ca) or leave a voicemail at (613-520-3699) with your questions or concerns. Jessica or Nora will promptly return your call from a Carleton University Learning in Retirement cell phone.
- What is the Learning in Retirement program?
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The Learning in Retirement (LinR) program is a non-credit program, open to adults of all ages who are interested in life-long learning. LinR provides the opportunity to learn for personal satisfaction while participating in a community of life-long learners who enjoy reading, listening to, and discussing topics of common interest. There are no required readings, exams, or age limits.
We offer a unique variety of lecture series, writing workshops, and language workshops taught by experts.
Topics offered include art history, music, science, politics, history, religion, social studies, philosophy, memoir writing, language, and more.
One-time single lecture presentations complement our regular sessions.
New for Fall 2020: LinR proud to offer the program’s first online offerings! When it’s safe to do so, the LinR program looks forwarding to offering both in-person and online offerings.
- Do I have to be retired to participate in LinR?
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No. All adults of all ages with an interest in life-long learning are welcome to register!
- I’m not a Carleton alumnus. Can I still sign up and participate in LinR?
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Yes! Our program is open to the general public.
- Is there a discount for Carleton alumni or Carleton employees?
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No, our prices are the same for everyone.
- Are there any prerequisites?
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Prerequisites are only applicable for upper level language workshops. For other offerings, if the lecture description appeals to you, please do not hesitate to register!
- I know LinR classes often fill early. How can I stay informed about when each session's registration opens?
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We announce upcoming session’s registration dates on our website. To have the information sent directly to you, join our email list, which we use to announce the beginning of each registration period, as well as the upcoming lecture titles and links to details. We never share your information with other groups, and you can unsubscribe at any time.
- How long does one lecture series/writing workshop run for?
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In most cases, each lecture series and writing workshops meet once a week, for two hours, for six consecutive weeks.
In most cases, language workshops meet twice a week, for two hours, for a total of 18 hours over five consecutive weeks.
- Are class notes/slides provided?
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Currently, Learning in Retirement lecturers have the option to publicly share their lecture slides/resources. If these files are shared with the LinR office, they will be sent out to participants via email within 2 business days. The Learning in Retirement program respects copyright laws and intellectual property rights and will not post content should a lecturer choose not to publicly share their intellectual property.
- Is there an opportunity to provide feedback at the end of a series/workshop/lecture?
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Yes! At the end of each series/workshop/lecture participants will receive an email inviting them to provide their feedback on that offering, and the program as a whole. Participants’ anonymous feedback is gathered into a report that is reviewed by Learning in Retirement, and passed on to the lecturer. The Learning in Retirement program encourages feedback and invites participants to email or call us directly should they have any immediate concerns.
- How do I register in a LinR lecture series, writing workshop, or language workshop?
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Registration is required for all lecture series, workshops and single lecture presentations and a variety of registration options are available. Please visit our website at carleton.ca/linr/registration/ for our registration details and dates.
- Can I email my credit card information or provide it in a voicemail?
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No! Please NEVER email your credit card information or provide it in a voicemail.
For your protection, Carleton University and the Learning in Retirement program do not accept and will not process credit card information provided in a voicemail message or in an email.
- Do you sell gift certificates?
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Yes, LinR is proud to offer gift certificates that can be applied to any lecture series/workshop/single lecture presentation fee, main campus parking or supply fee(s) associated with the LinR program. To purchase a gift certificate, please go here.
- I want to register in a class but it is already full. Can I be placed on a waiting list?
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Yes. If a class is full you have the option of being placed on the lecture series waiting list. All waiting list requests are processed in sequence by the date/time they were received. Learning in Retirement staff monitor waiting lists daily. When a space becomes available the person at the top of the list will be contacted via email and given the opportunity to register and pay for the lecture series. If the first person on the list declines the spot, we then move to the next person on the waiting list.
- What is your privacy policy?
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We believe in your right to privacy. Learning in Retirement at Carleton University never releases its mailing list information to third parties in accordance with the Freedom of Information and Protection Privacy Act (FIPPA). For complete details on Carleton’s privacy policy please click here. In addition, Learning in Retirement never keeps credit card numbers on file. If you no longer wish to receive information from the Learning in Retirement program, please e-mail us or call us.
- Are you looking for volunteers?
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If you are interested in providing feedback and doing some beta testing of new software or procedures, please email us at Learning.in.Retirement@carleton.ca.
- I'd like to become a lecturer in your program. What should I do?
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LinR hires Carleton faculty, contract instructors, and some experts from the community to offer two-hour lectures, and six-week (two hours each) lecture series on academic topics. We also offer some writing workshops. If you have a topic that you think is appropriate for our program, send us some information about yourself and the topic to Learning.in.Retirement@carleton.ca.
- What are the typical fees for taking LinR lectures or workshops?
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Our fees vary for lectures, lecture series, workshop series, and language workshops. Each offering’s fee is listed along with its description (see the session page(s) within our Lectures and Workshops website section. Fees are typically raised a small amount each year to cover the costs involved in running the program. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, we have moved to an entirely online lecture and workshop format until further notice. While adjusting to and building best practices for the new format, we temporarily lowered our fees for the fall. Fees have now been restored to the levels set for Spring 2020.