Neal King, is an American educator, writer, consultant and psychologist. He is President-Emeritus, and former chair of the Board of Directors, of the
International Association of University Presidents. He is also President Emeritus of
Antioch University Los Angeles
Antioch University Los Angeles (AULA) is a campus of Antioch University in Culver City, California.
Background
Antioch College was founded in Yellow Springs, Ohio. Horace Mann, Antioch College’s first president's goal was to create an educat ...
and
Sofia University
Sofia University, "St. Kliment Ohridski" at the University of Sofia, ( bg, Софийски университет „Св. Климент Охридски“, ''Sofijski universitet „Sv. Kliment Ohridski“'') is the oldest higher education i ...
in
Palo Alto, California
Palo Alto (; Spanish for "tall stick") is a charter city in the northwestern corner of Santa Clara County, California, United States, in the San Francisco Bay Area, named after a coastal redwood tree known as El Palo Alto.
The city was es ...
.
In 2013,
Caucasus University, in
Tbilisi
Tbilisi ( ; ka, თბილისი ), in some languages still known by its pre-1936 name Tiflis ( ), is the capital and the largest city of Georgia, lying on the banks of the Kura River with a population of approximately 1.5 million p ...
, Georgia, awarded King its Doctor Honoris Causa in recognition of his leadership in international higher education.
Early life and education
King is the son of a career US Navy officer; the family moved frequently during his childhood. He graduated from
Fermin Lasuen High School in
San Pedro, Los Angeles,
California
California is a state in the Western United States, located along the Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the most populous U.S. state and the 3rd largest by area. It is also the m ...
, where he was student body president.
He earned a B.A. in English from
St. Mary's College of California in 1968, where he was class and student body president.
In 1970, he briefly attended a music school, Ecole de Musique, in
Nice
Nice ( , ; Niçard dialect, Niçard: , classical norm, or , nonstandard, ; it, Nizza ; lij, Nissa; grc, Νίκαια; la, Nicaea) is the prefecture of the Alpes-Maritimes departments of France, department in France. The Nice urban unit, agg ...
,
France
France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. Its metropolitan area ...
.
He earned an M.A. and a Ph.D. (1985) in Counseling Psychology from the
University of California, Berkeley
The University of California, Berkeley (UC Berkeley, Berkeley, Cal, or California) is a public land-grant research university in Berkeley, California. Established in 1868 as the University of California, it is the state's first land-grant u ...
.
Career
King was a conscientious objector during the Vietnam War. As his alternate service, he served as Director of the Lao American Association in
Pakse,
Laos from 1969-1970 and as an English language teacher at Lycee Amirouche in
Tizi Ouzou
Tizi Ouzou or Thizi Wezzu (, Kabyle: Tizi Wezzu) is a city in north central Algeria. It is among the largest cities in Algeria. It is the second most populous city in the Kabylie region after Bejaia.
History
Etymology
The name ''Tizi Ouzou' ...
,
Algeria
)
, image_map = Algeria (centered orthographic projection).svg
, map_caption =
, image_map2 =
, capital = Algiers
, coordinates =
, largest_city = capital
, relig ...
from 1970-1971. He is a lifelong pacifist.
King served as a counselor at the
American School in London from 1977-1980.
After completing his graduate education at
UC Berkeley
The University of California, Berkeley (UC Berkeley, Berkeley, Cal, or California) is a public land-grant research university in Berkeley, California. Established in 1868 as the University of California, it is the state's first land-grant uni ...
, King became a faculty member of the masters program in Counseling at
Sonoma State University
Sonoma State University (SSU, Sonoma State, or Sonoma) is a public university in Rohnert Park in Sonoma County, California, US. It is one of the smallest members of the California State University (CSU) system. Sonoma State offers 92 Bachelor's ...
, in 1987, where he was a lecturer until 1992.
King was a professor of psychology and the founding director of the Doctor of Psychology program at
John F. Kennedy University in
Pleasant Hill, California
Pleasant Hill is a city in Contra Costa County, California, United States, in the East Bay of the San Francisco Bay Area. The population was 34,613 at the 2020 census. It was incorporated in 1961. Pleasant Hill is the home of College Park H ...
(1992-1997).
King was the founding Associate Dean of Argosy University Phoenix (1997-1999) and founding campus President of
Argosy University
Argosy University was a system of for-profit colleges owned by Dream Center Education Holdings (DCEH), LLC and Education Management Corporation.
On February 27, 2019, the US Department of Education stated that they were cutting off federal fu ...
's / University of Sarasota campus in Orange County California (1999-2001). (Argosy University is now defunct.)
From 2001-2004, King served as Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs at
Rocky Mountain College of Art and Design in
Colorado
Colorado (, other variants) is a state in the Mountain states, Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. It encompasses most of the Southern Rocky Mountains, as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the wes ...
,
where he led the successful drive for initial accreditation with the
National Association of Schools of Art and Design
The National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD), founded in 1944, is an accrediting organization of colleges, schools and universities in the United States. The organization establishes standards for graduate and undergraduate degrees ...
(NASAD).
In 2004, he became the academic dean, and later interim president, at
Antioch University New England
Antioch University New England is a private graduate school located in Keene, New Hampshire, United States. It is part of the Antioch University system, a private, non-profit, 501(c)(3) institution that includes campuses in Seattle, Washington; ...
.
Later, as president of
Antioch University Los Angeles
Antioch University Los Angeles (AULA) is a campus of Antioch University in Culver City, California.
Background
Antioch College was founded in Yellow Springs, Ohio. Horace Mann, Antioch College’s first president's goal was to create an educat ...
(2006-2011) he transformed a $1M deficit into a $7M surplus in five years, and oversaw the development of a new master's program in Urban Sustainability.
King has written about AIDS/HIV.
He is the author of ''Speaking Our Truth: Voices of Courage and Healing for Male Survivors of Childhood Sexual Abuse,'' published in 1995 by
Harper Perennial
Harper Perennial is a paperback imprint of the publishing house HarperCollins Publishers.
Overview
Harper Perennial has divisions located in New York, London, Toronto, and Sydney. The imprint is descended from the Perennial Library imprint found ...
. King is co-editor of ''Strategies for University Management'' Volumes I & II, Business Expert Press, 2016.
Antioch University
King served at Antioch University from 2004-2011.
* In 2004, he became the first Academic Dean, and later Interim President, at
Antioch University New England
Antioch University New England is a private graduate school located in Keene, New Hampshire, United States. It is part of the Antioch University system, a private, non-profit, 501(c)(3) institution that includes campuses in Seattle, Washington; ...
.
* Continuing his work at Antioch University Los Angeles from 2006-2011, King was the first President of a separate campus apart from the Santa Barbara campus. There he oversaw a "transition from significant deficit to significant surplus in 5 years, built the first Board of Trustees for the campus and oversaw the development of a new MA in Sustainability."
*King served on both the University Leadership Council (ULC) and the Antioch University Bold Future Initiative Task Force with members from many different schools within Antioch. In particular the task force drew upon the help of individuals at Antioch University and King's university Antioch Los Angeles and his former university, Antioch New England:
Sofia University
From 2011-2014, King served as President at
Sofia University (California)
Sofia University is a private for-profit university in Palo Alto, California. It was originally founded as the California Institute of Transpersonal Psychology by Robert Frager and James Fadiman in 1975.Judy, Dwight H. & Schmitt, Robert. "Gra ...
(formerly known as The Institute of Transpersonal Psychology) in Palo Alto, California. During his tenure at the university King reports, "he took steps in concert with the community to realize the strategic directions established by the board and endorsed by the community." These included changing the name to reflect it was a university, introducing an undergraduate degree program with
WASC oversight, as well as "professionalizing the staff", and completing a re-branding process - which was opposed by some in the community.
King and several board members resigned effective January 2014 due to lack of a functional governance system at the school. These resignations also followed a vote of "no confidence" from Sofia's faculty, after an enrollment shortfall necessitated laying off 12 faculty and staff.
The school was acquired by private investors in 2014 and became a for-profit institution.
Affiliations
King served as a team chair and member of the Eligibility Review Committee (ERC) for the senior commission of
Western Association of Schools and Colleges
The Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) was an organization providing accreditation of public and private universities, colleges, secondary and elementary schools in California and Hawaii, the territories of Guam, American Sam ...
(WASC). The ERC is tasked with conducting reviews on institutions applying for WASC accreditation.
King was President and a member (and chair) of the Board of Directors and Executive Committee of the
International Association of University Presidents (IAUP).
He was also a member of the Multi-Stakeholder Advisory Group for the
Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) of the United Nations, and a charter member of the Board of Directors of the World University Consortium, where he represented IAUP.
In 2010, King became a founding member of LGBTQ Presidents in Higher Education, which according to their webpage "advances effective leadership in the realm of post-secondary education, supports professional development of LGBTQ leaders in that sector, and provides education and advocacy regarding LGBTQ issues within the global academy and for the public at large."
King also served on the Executive Board of California
Campus Compact (CACC) from 2009 to 2014. He joined the CACC as president of Antioch University Los Angeles and later facilitated membership for The Institute of Transpersonal Psychology, now called
Sofia University (California)
Sofia University is a private for-profit university in Palo Alto, California. It was originally founded as the California Institute of Transpersonal Psychology by Robert Frager and James Fadiman in 1975.Judy, Dwight H. & Schmitt, Robert. "Gra ...
. He had previously served on the Board of Campus Compact New Hampshire, while interim president of Antioch University New England.
Personal life
King married Peter Morrison in August 2008, during the five-month window of legal same-sex marriages in California, preceding the passage of
Prop 8.
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:King, Neal
Living people
Sofia University
University of California, Berkeley alumni
Harvard Graduate School of Education alumni
Presidents of Antioch College
John F. Kennedy University faculty
American LGBT writers
Year of birth missing (living people)
Saint Mary's College of California alumni