Mar 16 Monday
Satan, or the Devil, has been a character that has been feared for centuries. Many of the major religions have recognized an evil force that stands against God and seeks to undermine His actions. Nevertheless, it was not always this way. Satan is a Hebrew term, and didn’t always refer to an evil being. Demons, or Satan’s henchmen, weren’t always necessarily evil––in fact, a belief in demons entered into established religion hundreds of years after many of the first traditions. In this course, we’ll look at the evolution of the idea of Satan––where thinking developed on the topic, and how it changed over time. We’ll explore Judaism, Christianity, and other major religions, understanding the origin of the idea of Satan and how it has changed over time.
This course can be attended either in-person at the Thousand Oaks campus or virtually via Zoom.
The Fifty and Better (FAB) program was designed for people ages 50 and older, seeking intellectual stimulation through university-level courses — without the pressure of grades — for the sake of learning and social engagement.
Mar 17 Tuesday
How did an undercapitalized West Coast rock publication, edited by a 21-year-old college dropout, become one of the most important magazines of its era? This course will explore that question by probing Rolling Stone’s origins, tracking its turbulent development, and mapping its immense influence on American popular culture and journalism. In particular, we will consider the magazine’s major figures and influences, its tangled relationship with the counterculture, its conception of rock music, and its political and cultural coverage.
This course can be attended virtually via Zoom.
Mar 18 Wednesday
As the center of the vast Ancient Roman Empire, the city of Rome developed as a thriving and monumental city, richly decorated and promoting the power of the Emperor. Walking the streets today, you still pass by many Roman ruins strewn throughout the city. Even more objects of art from the Roman Empire are preserved in the dozens of museums found in the city. This class will look at the history of Ancient Rome through the monuments that can still be found within the ancient walls.
Facilitator: Anne Freiermuth, CPA
Understanding the unique accounting principles and requirements that apply to nonprofits is critical for your mission to succeed. This four module seminar series will introduce students to the basic accounting concepts relevant to nonprofit organizations. Participants will be exposed to foundational accounting principles and their practical applications. This will include understanding cash vs. accrual basis, the matching principle, fund accounting, functional allocations, and how to read and prepare financial statements.
LEARNING OUTCOMES:
Series participants will be introduced to fundamental accounting rules (generally accepted accounting principles) and financial reports of nonprofit organizations.Series participants will analyze which transactions get recorded in the accounting system and how.Series participants will be able to recognize allocation methodologies and how they impact financial statements and external oversight.Series participants will be able to record common accounting transactions.MODULE OVERVIEW:
Module I: Introduction and Contributions AccountingWednesday, Mar 18 | 1:00 - 4:00 p.m.
Module II: Internal Controls, Fixed Assets, Reading Financials, Allocating ExpensesThursday, Mar 19 | 1:00 - 4:00 p.m.
Module III: Putting it all Together: Case Study Year OneWednesday, Mar 25 | 1:00 - 4:00 p.m.
Module IV: Putting It All Together: Case Study Year TwoThursday, Mar 26| 1:00 - 4:00 p.m.
LEVEL: Intro/Intermediate
TARGET AUDIENCE: Executive directors & CEOs, CFO’s, finance staff, Board treasurers and finance committees
Mar 19 Thursday
This course focuses on the most popular, influential, and enduring artists of the British Invasion, which spanned roughly the years 1964 to 1968. We will examine the roots of those artists in their native Great Britain, and then show how they crashed the U.S. charts on the heels of the Beatles, who paved the way for their compatriots to take advantage of the lucrative American market. The Beatles were not just the first to do so – in spectacular fashion – but they also set a standard for British groups that came after them; groups that were self-contained, meaning they wrote their own songs, developed their own style, and had unique visual and musical trademarks. You do not need to have taken Part 1 of this course to attend Part 2.
Part 2 of this course will focus on the following:
Week 1: The Animals, The Kinks
Week 2: The Moody Blues, The Who
Week 3: The Rolling Stones
Week 4: One Hit Wonders
Mar 23 Monday
Yes, we’ve all whistled, hummed, and sung along with the popular songs we know and love. But over the years, most listeners of American popular music—from the 1930s to today—have had little sense of how these songs were created or who was behind them. Who was actually writing these hits?
We may recognize legendary names like the Gershwins or Cole Porter, but the craft of songwriting itself was rarely discussed. For decades, most songs were created by songwriting teams, with one person composing the music and another writing the lyrics. Famous examples include Burt Bacharach & Hal David and Carole King & Gerry Goffin.
However, there are numerous instances where the English lyrics were written by American songwriters, but the melodies originated elsewhere. Over time, these traditional teams faded in prominence, giving way to a new type of creator: the singer-songwriter—artists like Billy Joel, Elton John, ABBA, and Taylor Swift—who write and perform their own hits.
In this course, we’ll take a deep dive into the surprising origins of many beloved melodies and explore whether these borrowed tunes offered advantages over “homegrown” ones. Did these similarities lead to lawsuits? Did songwriters borrow—or steal—from classical composers?
Join us as we unravel this nostalgic musical mystery!
Mar 24 Tuesday
Mar 25 Wednesday
