Metropolitan Universities Journal 2016 Conference Issue Released

Take a look back at the 2016 CUMU Annual Conference in Washington, D.C. with volume 28, Issue 2 of Metropolitan Universities, Charting the Future of Metropolitan Universities, released online today. The conference theme called attendees to come together at just before the 2016 presidential elections to propose and discuss solutions that address some of the biggest challenges in Urban and Metropolitan universities today.

Issue guest editor Mary Ann Villarreal of California State University, Fullerton, writes in her introduction to the issue “Focused, as always, on higher education and community engagement, the 2016 conference gave particular emphasis to future needs and issues. These conversations are especially critical now, as urban and metropolitan institutions, regardless of type or size, increasingly face new social justice challenges both on their campus and in their local communities. These societal and structural disparities range from access to services due to rising costs of living to the impact of the national tone of racial and citizenship inequities that continue to deeply divide our nation.”

The issue highlights a number of illuminating conference presentations and speeches covering a broad range of topics, from community engagement and entrepreneurship to student success and social justice. Additionally, featured in this journal are the transcript of Blair Ruble’s Opening Plenary remarks, “Promoting Cities as Places of Promise,” and an article by Mara C. Tieken, winner of the 2016 Ernest A. Lynton Award for the Scholarship of Engagement for Early Career Faculty.

After you’ve read the issue, share your thoughts and some fond conference memories with us on Twitter.

In This Issue