Rep. Adam Schiff of Glendale was guest speaker at the first meeting of ENCORE, Saturday, in the Life Skills building.
ENCORE, an Elderhostel Institute for Learning in Retirement program, is co-sponsored by GCC.
For its first class, coordinators of ENCORE chose worldwide terrorism as the topic. Schiff made a brief appearance to speak about his experience working against terrorism as a member of the foreign relations committee in Congress.
“There is a lot of work to be done against terrorism,” said Schiff. “But we are doing it.”
Among other issues, Schiff emphasized advancements in technology as new roadblocks in attaining hard evidence against criminal activity.
As an example, Schiff said that search warrants give officials the authority to seize tapes from answering machines in order to be used as evidence, but most answering machines today are either digital, or stored in voice mailboxes, so there are no tapes.
The congressman said that since technology has advanced, search warrants do not allow for voice mailboxes to be accessible to police for retrieving and hearing discussions of possible criminal activity.
“Just because technology has changed, it doesn’t change what people’s expectations of privacy are,” said Schiff.
ENCORE has been at GCC for four years and is coordinated by Joe Denhart.
The Institute for Learning in Retirement (ILR) was first established at the New School in New York in 1962. Since then more than 300 ILR institutions have opened at various locations.
The program is designed to meet educational and personal enrichment needs of adult learners. The classes are set up in discussion group formats, supervised and led by adult peers.
The classes are non-credit, without tests or grades.
The classes meet on Saturdays in the Life Skills building. The topic for the first four weeks of class is “The Many Faces of Terrorism.” Each Saturday, different aspects of terrorism will be discussed, including the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
The classes also offer topics on health and well-being, the world of antiques, foods of the world, among many others.
Membership for ENCORE is $50 per person and $75 for couples. The registration fee includes access to all classes, free parking, a quarterly newsletter, a student ID card and GCC library privileges.
For more information about the ENCORE program or the ILR call (818) 243-5196 or visit the Life Skills Building above the parking lot off Mountain Avenue.