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 Sue Komarek
Vice President Tony Koerner
Secretary Sue Hogan
Treasurer Susan Phifer
Board of Trustees:
Jane Crane, Lisa Darling, Bob Diller, Sue Hogan, Carolyn Karpin, Anthony Koerner, Sue Komarek, Marge Levin, James Liu, Beth Mael, Patrick Mathews, Susan Phifer, Christine Rufolo, Joan Stafford, and Coralie Whitcomb, .
Committee Chairs:
Annual Meeting – Beth Mael assisted by Marge Levin
Recognition Dinner – Coralie Whitcomb and Jane Crane
Communications – Bob Diller
Governance – Sue Komarek and Coralie Whitcomb
Leadership – Coralie Whitcomb and Tony Koerner
Membership – Patrick Mathews and Jane Crane
Nominations – open
Potluck – Susan Phifer assisted by Marilynne Wilander
Program Planning Brunches – James Liu, Tony Koerner, Carolyn Karpin assisted by Joan Stafford
Programs – James Liu
Retreat – Bob Diller and David Whitcomb
Acknowledgments – Carolyn Karpin
Social – Christine Rufolo
Website – James Liu
Office Manager – Lisa Darling