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Area seniors are taking advantage of a program that lets them attend classes at state colleges tuition-free.
By VALERIE Q. CARINO
© St. Petersburg Times, published January 12, 2001
TAMPA -- You go to college to get a degree. But don't say that to Edith Weber.
Weber, 70, a retired teacher living in New Tampa, has been attending classes at the University of South Florida since the early 1980s -- and she has been doing so just for the fun of it.
Like hundreds of senior citizens around the state, Weber has taken advantage of the senior citizen tuition waiver program, made possible by a 1980 legislative decision to let seniors take regular credit classes at no cost on a space available basis.
"We try to connect their interests to what we have available," said Lee Leavengood, USF's director of senior programs.
For Weber, that means any course associated with politics, including political science and her most recent class, comparative politics.
If the spring semester brings the same kind of enrollment it usually draws from its senior students, USF can expect about 140 seniors to sign up. Most are 65 to 70 years old.
They come from Tampa, St. Petersburg, Clearwater and as far away as Wesley Chapel.
Some seniors, like Weber, already have degrees and have seen success in their fields. Others are still in the work force as doctors, attorneys and teachers.
What they have in common is a love of learning.
"It takes a real committed senior to do this," Leavengood said. "You're accountable just like every other student."
Older students may be accountable, but unlike their younger counterparts, they won't be graded ultimately for their work and won't receive credit toward a degree.
While tuition comes as a gift from the state, seniors still have to pay for books and other materials such as a parking permit. But that's a minuscule cost for the education they're getting, Weber said.
Weber, who spent 20 years teaching middle and high school students in Long Island, N.Y., heard about the waiver program through friends. Besides the social interaction, the classes offer her an endless source of information.
"Since I was a teacher, I guess I just loved school," said Weber, who attends classes with a friend, also from Long Island. "I suppose this kind of thing was just natural for me."
Since the program started 21 years ago, USF hasn't had to do much advertising for the classes beyond posting fliers and mailing lists. The interest, administrators said, has been healthy from the beginning.
"These are seniors who want to continue to learn," Leavengood said. "They don't want to be static. They're a real model for the younger students because no one's making them come."
Seniors thinking of taking classes shouldn't expect "Mickey Mouse" courses such as yoga or craft making. They should expect Wonders of Ancient Egypt, Financial Planning, National Parks and Islam and the Middle East Crisis.
Orientation for the seniors program is Tuesday at 9:30 a.m. at the Phyllis Marshall Center, Room 133, on USF's Tampa campus. Those planning to register must bring identification.