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When Dr. Henry Koffler was president of the University of Arizona, he conceived a different kind of retirement – one that would go beyond playing golf and bridge to include opportunities for continued learning and making further contributions to society through professional and volunteer activities.
Dr. Koffler’s vision has become a reality at The Academy Village, a unique residential community now growing in the foothills of Tucson’s Rincon Mountains. Locating the Academy here brings to members the beauty and inspiration of the mountains and desert. Residents, exhibiting a wide variety of life experiences, find the interactions and camaraderie exceptionally fulfilling. We love the setting and we love our neighbors.
The Arizona Senior Academy provides stimulating gatherings and events for Village residents and Academy members throughout the year. Through conferences, the Academy’s influence is felt well beyond the Village boundaries.
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The Academy's logo |
This spiral logo was taken from ancient Native American petroglyphs frequently found on rocks in the Southwest desert. The symbol connotes “migration” or “movement.” Joining the Academy will allow you to move into an interesting and meaningful life in retirement.
The Arizona Senior Academy is dedicated to filling retirement
with Learning, Cultural Pursuits, and Enjoyment.
Everyone is welcome !
Membership in The Arizona Senior Academy is open to anyone who wishes to take advantage of the varied opportunities the Academy offers. Those who make their home in The Academy Village will gain the greatest benefit.
The Academy Village was designed as a community devoted to life-long learning, thinking and doing. The Academy is the source of educational and cultural programs that complement the health and wellness programs, services and social events provided by the Village Homeowners Association. Together, these activities and services support a stimulating and fulfilling retirement.
The monthly Academy fee entitles members to attend all programs, seminars, concerts and courses offered by the Academy . The Academy actively surveys the interests of its members and responds with high-quality offerings in various forms and styles. Members have enjoyed 5- and 10-week courses, mini-courses, lectures, seminars, conferences, panel discussions, and concerts.
All Academy programs are unique because they are developed under the guidance of a Program Advisory Committee working with Dr. Henry Koffler, Village resident and President of the Academy.
The Academy Village is a retirement community where resident homeowners enjoy a fully creative life along with social and recreational amenities.
The Academy is a non-profit, tax exempt charitable and educational
organization specifically created to provide residents of Academy Village and
the Greater Tucson Area with opportunities to acquire new knowledge, to share
experiences and skills, and to remain fully and actively engaged in life. The
Academy currently provides a variety of activities at its facility in Academy
Village.
The Academy year is divided into four quarters. Most courses consist of a two-hour session, once a week for five or ten weeks, depending on the subject. Through the year 2005, there will be one ten-week course during each of the fall, winter and spring quarters. The summer quarter will have one five-week course. As the community grows, the number of courses will increase.
These non-credit courses are available to Academy resident members as part of their monthly dues. On a space available basis, interested non-residents are invited to participate for an individual course fee.
The specific courses planned by The Academy for the years 2003
to 2005 are listed in an appendix later in this page.
Informal lectures on current issues of the day or other topics
of interest are given once a week by residents, community experts, and UofA
professors.
A weekly musical program is offered,usually presented by selected
students or faculty from the UofA College of Music. Soloists, duos, trios and
ensemble groups offer a variety of instrumentation, voices and repertoire, ranging
from the classical to the modern.
There is a high level of community interest in individual talks by Academy members. They may share their career experiences from business and professional life or personal travel.
There is a cadre of resident experts who, at times, provide a series
of programs in one discipline, such as art, astronomy, physical sciences, psychology,
engineering, music and economics.
Community service is a major interest among members of the Arizona
Senior Academy. The relationship between Academy members and the nearby Vail
School District, fastest-growing school system in Southern Arizona, is a priority.
Academy members have been invited to make classroom presentations, mentor students
and teachers and serve as judges for the District’s annual K-12 Science
Fair. There are many other opportunities available for community service in
the Greater Tucson Area that can be facilitated by the Academy.
In cooperation with the UofA, Academy members qualify for a valuable
CAT card that provides access to University libraries, concerts and sporting
events. Through the library system, cardholders have exclusive access to 6000
professional journals on the Internet and are permitted use of special collections
not available to the general public. Ticket and bookstore discounts and some
faculty privileges make the CAT card invaluable.
A Program Advisory Committee of Academy members works closely with
Dr. Koffler to identify areas of interest for Academy offerings. Member surveys
are conducted periodically to gather input, making every offering truly relevant
to members’ needs and desires.
There are some folks who think that The Academy Village and The Senior Academy are designed exclusively for “college professors with PhDs.” While some of our residents are retired (and not-so-retired) college professors, we also have a wonderfully diverse group of people representing a wide variety of fields, businesses and areas of interest. They may have pursued their interests either as a career or as a volunteer. If the Academy Village lifestyle appeals to you, consider joining us. No other prerequisite is needed or expected.
The Academy is not a selective haven for “academics.” It is a place devoted to continued learning, involvement in productive activity and service to the community. Some members find the support they need to continue their lifelong work. Others are happy to enjoy what they did not have time for earlier in life. Either way, we are learning more, keeping our minds and bodies active and, above all, having a great good time!
We invite anyone who is interested in being part of such a vibrant community to join with us, share our courses, concerts, lectures, social activities and lively discussions. Discover the wide and stimulating world of The Arizona Senior Academy – a work ever-in-progress.
Winter Quarter 2003 : Jan. 16 – Mar. 20
Comparative Religions I and II
Part I (5 weeks) compares Christianity, Judaism and Islam.
Part II (5 weeks) discusses current issues and trends in religion in the US.
Basic PC Computing (4 weeks)
Two-hour sessions, beginning Tues. Feb. 4. Enrollment limited to 6.
Additional series to be announced.
Spring Quarter 2003 : Mar. 27 – May 29
Psychology for Non-Psychologists
A 9-week series by Academy Village resident experts, presenting their major
fields of interest applied to everyday life.
The Living Desert: Plants and Animals
4 weeks, Apr. 1 – Apr. 22, each session to last 2 1/2 hours.
Learn how plants and animals survive in the desert, how they interact and how
people affect their existence.
Summer Quarter 2003 : June 5 – July 10
Native Peoples of the Southwest (5 weeks)
An anthropological study of Native Americans, including current cultural, health
and economic issues.
Fall Quarter 2003 : Sept. 18 – Nov. 20
Masters of Art I & II
Part I (5 weeks) discusses painting and sculpture from Michelangelo/DaVinci
to Vermeer/Rembrandt. Q&A’s will be an important feature of the course.
Part II (5 weeks) centers on the Impressionists (Pissaro, Monet, Renoir, Gauguin,
van Gogh) and samples the 20th Century Modernists (Picasso to Jackson Pollock)
and includes the work of Georgia O’Keeffe for whom a Village street is
named.
ABCs of Economics
5 weeks, Tuesdays 3pm, Oct. 7 – Nov. 4.
Academy Village resident economists discuss how our lives are affected by economic
factors, such as price, growth, business cycles, money supply and the global
economy.
Winter Quarter 2004 : Jan. 8 – March 11
History of Science (10 weeks)
A review of the major contributors to the understanding of science today, beginning
with the Greeks.
Spring Quarter 2004 : March 18 – May 20
American Literature Classics I & II
Part I (5 weeks) covers the writings of major American authors of the 19th Century
(Franklin/Irving to Whitman/ Twain).
Part II (5 weeks) considers 20th Century hallmarks (Faulkner, Hemingway, Fitzgerald,
Steinbeck) and includes the work of T.S. Eliot for whom a Village street is
named.
Summer Quarter 2004 : June 3 – July 1
The Role of the United States as a Superpower (5 weeks)
The end of the Cold War places unique responsibilities on the US to maintain
peace among nations, many with interests opposite to ours. Did previously dominant
powers (Rome and Greece) learn something we need to recall?
Fall Quarter 2004 : Sept. 16 – Nov. 18
Introduction to Anthropology I & II
Part I (5 weeks) looks at humans as biological beings and explores how we order
our social and cultural worlds.
Part II (5 weeks) discusses human origins, biological characteristics and social
customs and beliefs.
Winter Quarter 2005 : Jan. 6 – Mar. 10
Advances in Medical Research (5 weeks, Jan. 6 – Feb.
3)
UofA medical faculty review their research and the newest treatments for what
could ail you. Specific topics to be announced.
Chamber Music (5 weeks, Feb. 10 – Mar. 10)
Listen to and learn about this art form. It’s not all string quartets!
Chamber music includes voice, piano and orchestras of up to 20 players.
Spring Quarter 2005 : Mar. 17 – May 19
Biotechnology/Genetic Therapy I & II
Part I (5 weeks) features UofA research experts who will talk about what has
actually been accomplished in gene research and the most promising directions
for the future.
Part II (5 weeks) covers the moral, social and political issues that may govern
how far gene research will be permitted to go.
Summer Quarter 2005 : June 2 – June 30
Local Cultural Resources (5 weeks)
Presenters from Greater Tucson art, music, theatre and environmental organizations
and agencies will discuss their activities and opportunities for volunteering.
These will not be donation requests.
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