PLATO Weekly Update

May 4, 2021

CURRICULUM

COMING NEXT WEEK: The Summer Course Schedule and Registration information will be posted on Tuesday, May 11. Watch for details here and on the Courses Page.

LECTURES & THEATER

LECTURES 

THIS WEEK: There is still time to register! THURSDAY, MAY 6: The Birds & the Bees: How To Get Involved in Citizen Science through Your Garden A garden can be home to birds, animals, pollinators, and many other living things.  Jessica Ross, a Research Specialist at UW-Madison will discuss how you can use the citizen science practices and principles to observe, monitor and document garden life -- for your own records and to contribute data to a project.

ATTENTION LECTURE FANS: Our online lecture series will take a "summer break" starting next week.  See you in September when we'll be back! In the meantime, watch for announcements about more Dane County walks being planned.

THEATER

Critics and audiences have fallen for Daniel J. Watts' The Jam: Only Child. This powerful and playful new show will take you on a musical journey through growing up in loving chaos in the 90's, the awkwardness of adolescence, and sorting through the past as an adult.  View all the theater options here: Virtual Theater Trips.

ELECTION FOR PLATO 2021-22 BOARD
Voting Ends Wednesday evening, May 5th 

This Wednesday is the last day for voting on the slate of officers and 2 new At-Large Board members who will serve in 2021-2022.  If you haven't already voted and are a PLATO member please vote today!

2021 MEMBERSHIP SURVEY RESULTS

Thanks to those who shared feedback in our recent membership survey; we had a 48% response rate.  Key findings were that two-thirds of respondents would be willing to participate in both online and in-person courses and lectures in the future, which gives Curriculum and Special Events Committees some flexibility as they develop programming for next year.  

The Agora received relatively broad support of PLATO members to continue their work, and the results pointed out an opportunity to find efficiencies in reducing the number of printed copies. 

Also of note is that 30 members asked about opportunities to coordinate a course, and 57 members asked for information about serving on a committee. As a volunteer organization PLATO values its volunteer members! 

Click here for a more detailed summary of the Survey results

FEATURED AGORA WORKS

Each week, we offer for your enjoyment, a featured piece from contributors to PLATO's Agora arts and ideas journal. This week's featured work, Your Danish Hope Chest, a poem by Norman Leer, includes the author reading his work and speaking to its origin.

SOCIAL GATHERINGS

The next PLATO Virtual Breakfast will be this Friday, May 7 from 9:30 to 10:30 am. Meet new friends and connect with other PLATO members.  Click below for more information and the link to join the online gathering. 

SOCIAL JUSTICE EVENTS & READINGS
Suggested readings, films, activities, and podcasts.

Select from a range of topics and formats for your Spring-time reading, viewing, or listening, curated by PLATO's Diversity Awareness Committee. May highlights include a new featured book that grew from a popular YouTube series.