Presidential Perspectives
 |
Saviors of Our Cities |
The Office of the President at Westfield State College has spent a productive year conducting the “Saviors of Our Cities: Survey of Best College and Universities Civic Partnerships.” We are learning a great deal about the evolving nature of higher education civic engagement and how it is becoming increasingly critical to metropolitan American. We will present the results of the survey at the upcoming CUMU Annual Meeting in Philadelphia, but we can offer some preliminary findings now.
The survey responses demonstrate that the relationship between institutions of higher education and larger metropolitan areas is evolving according to several new dynamics. These factors are transforming larger metropolitan areas and even regions into today’s “college towns.” The effect of higher education engagement has begun to determine, on a metropolitan level, what had previously been the economic, social, and cultural symbiosis between colleges and universities and their smaller and more traditional surrounding communities.
Included within these metropolitan dynamics is the phenomenon of multi-institutional engagement. Responses to the survey demonstrate most clearly that larger urban locales are impacted by the actions of more than one, or even several, colleges and universities that reside within their statistical areas. The responses also make evident that the engagement efforts of multiple institutions within a given city or wider urban area often address different types of community issues. In some cases, one institution will establish the overall dimensions and pace of engagement while one or more other colleges or universities will craft efforts designed to augment or to be supportive. Often, the nature of multiple institutional engagement is a composite of the academic and resource strength of the particular institutions and the assets of its metropolitan area.
Over the last several months, the federal government has expended a tremendous amount of stimulus money on Wall Street, automobile companies, and now maybe even newspapers. While the long-term effect of these “bailouts” remains to be seen, federal stimulus dollars directed toward higher education are proving to be well spent. Because of their aggressive and innovative engagement programs, institutions of higher education are proving that they can allocate these precious resources to their communities in efficient and regenerative ways. We are hoping that, among other effects, our work will convince the federal government to send more money toward our nation’s metropolitan universities.
See you soon!
Dr. Evan S. Dobelle, President
Westfield State College
Westfield, Massachusetts
View archived Presidential Perspectives.