As part of a study to determine effective means of “continuing education”, the Ford Foundation Fund for Education in 1955 established, in Pasadena and nine other areas, centers for adult continuing education through discussion-study using lay leaders instead of professional teachers. These centers were funded for three years and then left to their own resources. Of the original ten, only the Pasadena Center is still operating independently. The others were disbanded or absorbed into local universities. So successful was the experiment that when the Fund terminated its support in 1959, the Pasadena Area Liberal Arts Center (PALAC) continued as a non-profit educational corporation 501(c)(3). Circumstances were such that in 1971 the paid director position was eliminated and the organization continued with an all volunteer staff.
Since that time PALAC has operated on a small budget, maintained only by participant fees, memberships and donations.
PALAC is governed by a Board of Trustees.
Officers:
President Jane Crane
Vice President David Whitcomb
Secretary Sue Hogan
Treasurer Susan Pfifer
Board of Trustees:
Jane Crane, Lisa Darling, Bob Diller, Liz Green, Sue Hogan, Donna Jaffee, Anthony Koerner, Sue Komarek, Marylouise Lau, James Liu, Beth Mael, Susan Phifer, Charles Schufreider, Coralie Whitcomb, David Whitcomb and Tom Wright.
Committee Chairs:
Annual Meeting – Open
Governance – Charles Schufreider
Leadership – Donna Jaffee
Recognition Dinner – Donna Jaffee and Coralie Whitcomb
Membership and Diversity – Donna Jaffee
Nominating – Coralie Whitcomb
Office Volunteers – Lisa Darling
Programs – James Liu
Retreat – David Whitcomb
Safaris – Marylouise Lau
Social – Open
Social Secretary – Carolyn Karpin
Technology – James Liu
Website – Jane Crane