It’s Columbia’s turn to play host to the Millennium Campus Conference, and though presidential hopeful Mitt Romney is currently headlining the event, organizers say more big names may be on the way.
The conference, which draws students and advocates for discussions and workshops on sustainable development, was last held at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The Earth Institute at Columbia’s Jeffrey Sachs sits on the board of advisers and was a keynote speaker at the first conference two years ago.
Fifteen other University groups are co-hosting.
Chuck Roberts, CC ’12 and executive director of the conference, said speakers are often found through connections to the event’s sponsors—the group also works with the U.N. Foundation—as well as their advisory board.
Roberts said organizers were looking for an alternative voice to more Democratic-leaning speakers, and Romney may be able to offer “an alternative view from a party you might not necessarily expect.”
A consortium of Boston-area schools put together the 2008 program, though Roberts said Columbia students took a more primary role in planning this year’s conference with Millennium student leaders. Organizers are also trying to involve other New York schools, and registration opened in August.
Roberts said there are a few big names invited that have yet to reply—he wouldn’t give names, though he told Spectator back in August that he was planning to travel to D.C. to meet with a couple of potential speakers. He hopes the current line-up will draw more interest, both from students and potential lecturers.
The 2010 conference will run Sept. 17-19.
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