Our Mission
Lifelong Learners: An Independent Collaborative (LLAIC)
provides opportunities for intellectual development, cultural
stimulation, personal growth, and social interaction for a diverse
population of mature adults in a secular academic cooperative run by
members who volunteer their time and talents. Courses are developed and
led by peers. The operations are conducted by a self-governing body
which is to be democratically elected by the members. Through its high
quality courses and other learning and social activities, the
Collaborative hopes to enhance, enrich and extend the quality of life of
its members. How we operate is as important as our mission, and we seek to guide ourselves according to the following values:
Our Values
LLAIC is a member-driven
organization which operates from the bottom up and the inside out.
Participation takes the form of attending programs and also in
volunteering to help organize and lead them. Those in leadership
positions act on behalf of the membership.
The success of LLAIC calls for and depends on open communication, mutual respect and transparency.
We aspire to a culture in
which ideas are openly voiced but can be challenged, and where
differences are addressed and resolved amicably.
Further, we aspire to mount
intellectually energizing and innovative offerings inside and outside
the classroom and to promote social interaction in its activities.
We see a tolerant, warm and
welcoming community diverse in age, political orientation, sexual
orientation, ethnicity and religion, and which is secular in nature.
Finally, we strive to be an affordable organization, sensitive to costs and with scholarships available as needed.