BETHEL – “Great, Decisions,” a nationally-organized study group, will be offered by Western Mountains Senior College beginning this fall. The new group is one of the fall courses and it will be held from 10 a.m. to noon starting Tuesday, Oct. 2, at the Gehring House, 77 Broad St. It will run for eight consecutive Tuesdays.

College co-chairman and program chairman Peter Gartner gives Walter Cronkite’s quote as a theme for the group, “In a democracy, agreement is not essential but participation is.”

Gartner said the intention of the group is to have participants committed to studying a topic together with open minds and a willingness to consider new perspectives. The size of the group is open to anyone interested, although they would have to be a member or join Senior College.

Gartner said, “The normal age for persons joining senior college is 50. However, the WMSC board has approved a new associate membership for persons under age 50, so interested persons of any age can participate in programs such as Great Decisions.”

Gartner said what makes this new series unique is that it is sponsored by the World Affairs Council of America, the oldest grassroots educational program on world affairs in the U.S.

The course material is produced yearly by the Foreign Policy Association of New York, an independent nonprofit organization established in 1918. It is devoted to broadening understanding of global affairs and increasing civic participation. In addition, it provides objective, nonpartisan analysis on timely foreign issues facing Americans.

Each year eight topics are chosen for study with multi-media resources provided on these topics.

The four remaining topics in this year’s series will be discussed this fall and include “Migration,” “War Crimes,” “Middle East” and “Climate Change.” Rotating facilitators who will lead the weekly discussions on the topics include Gartner, Jackie Cressy, Jim McLean and Henry Stewart.

The 2008 series will include “Iraq – End Game,” “The European Union at 50,” “Talking to Our Enemies,” “Russia, U.S. Defense and Security Policy,” “Latin America: Shift to the Left?,” “U.S.- China Trade Policy” and “Private Philanthropy.” The college will offer another four topics in the spring 2008 session.

More information about the study group and all fall courses and events offered will be available at the annual meeting to be held on Tuesday, Sept. 18, from 3 to 5:30 p.m. at the Gehring House. Registrations for all courses will be taken at that time. For more information, contact Gartner at 665-2181.