UPDATE: Read Neal King's Blog about his experience at CGI/U. 

The Annual meeting of the Clinton Global Initiative University(CGI/U) will be held on February 13-15, 2009. Antioch University Los Angeles will be one of the schools attending this year's summit held in Austin, Texas. The Clinton Global Initiative University is a yearly gathering of college students, universities, and youth leaders who come together to address some of the world's most pressing issues in the areas of energy and climate change, human rights and peace, global health, education, and poverty alleviation. Each attendee makes a "Commitment to Action," a concrete measure to make a difference within any of these five areas.

Regarding Antioch University Los Angeles’ participation, Dr. Neal King, President, stated "I'm delighted to have been invited as one of several college presidents from around the country to participate in this year's CGI/U. The CGI/U staff are excited to hear more about our emerging master's program in Urban Sustainability and our developing this program in concert with community partners. This program will serve as our institutional Commitment to Action for CGI/U 2009."

The Master of Arts in Urban Sustainability program (which in in the planning stages) at AULA will place a strong emphasis on community engagement and field work, with interdisciplinary content areas that focus on urban ecosystem science, urban planning and policy, activism and advocacy, urban environmental education, program evaluation, conflict resolution and mediation, sustainable practice, and research methods. The handful of existing sustainability programs offered across the nation focus largely on scientific models whereas AULA's new graduate program will integrate social, economic, and scientific perspectives in an interdisciplinary curriculum. The MA in Urban Sustainability program will immerse students in context, foster a systems-thinking approach, and promote community engagement throughout the course of study - all while taking advantage of its unique location in Los Angeles, a distinctive setting that provides a varied constellation of urban ecosystem types.

Antioch University Los Angeles student Leah Hanes, who is currently in the M.A. in Organizational Management Program will also be attending the Clinton Global Initiative University as a student attendee.

“What I read [about CGI/U] was exciting, challenging and something that captivated my interests” said Leah. “I immediately went to work explaining the program that I would pursue if I were accepted. I had an idea that worked on several of the key areas, poverty alleviation, health and education. I proposed community based, co-operative family/child care centers. The centers would offer education in a variety of areas, nutrition; family issues running the gambit from childcare to eldercare. If a family used 30 hours of childcare, that family would be responsible for a predetermined number of hours on-site assistance. In some cases the parent may offer accounting expertise or kitchen help rather than child or eldercare supervision. The idea is that everyone contributes. The centers would be a starting point for co-operative ventures of every description, food co-ops, garden co-ops, toy and clothing exchanges.

I will be looking for partnerships with the city, businesses in the community, schools to establish the first center. It is my hope that classmates of mine at Antioch University Los Angeles will join the effort. I have made a commitment to establish the first center in Los Angeles in the next five years. I will develop from that a step-by-step guide to creating a co-operative center in any community.”

Last year CGI/U attendees included Brown University, Morehouse College and Yale University, amoung others. Antioch University Los Angeles is proud to be among these prestigious groups of higher education institutions in this year’s summit. For more on CGI/U, visit: www.clintonglobalinitiative.org

Read Neal King's Blog about his experience at CGI/U.