Metropolitan Universities

Missouri's diverse autonomous education system has embarked on a collaborative journey stimulated by average student performance, need for better college preparation, and concerns for a better-prepared workforce. Leaders from education, business, and government are collectively emphasizing a seamless educational system. Mathematics is the focus of the state's first K-16 project to improve both performance and accountability. (Author/MSE)

The University of Illinois at Chicago is using the Great Cities concept to address critical urban issues through new ways of combining teaching, research, and service and by working in partnership with others. Key factors in establishing this institutional mission nd partnership process are leadership, broad-based participation, and realism. (JB)

Because the diversity of metropolitan Orlando (Florida) is both a major strength and a complex issue, diversity and diversity education are important components of the University of Central Florida's metropolitan mission and strategic-planning process. That process links the institution's strategic priorities with its budgetary process, and has resulted in innovative programs for the metropolitan university environment. (Author/MSE)

Describes the University of New Orleans' Research and Technology Foundation, which relied heavily on Steven Covey's "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People" to create an innovative model of ownership, construction, and financing to overcome paralyzing barriers to facility development. The effort has resulted in multiple development partnerships in the New Orleans area. (EV)

Supplemental Instruction (SI) provides regularly scheduled, out-of-class, peer-facilitated review sessions. In this model, the collective knowledge of successful students and of the whole group becomes the primary source for reconstructing the professor's lecture and for encouraging critical thinking leading to correct answers and ultimately, to higher grades. (Author/PW)

Asserts that the prevailing model of academic professionalism inhibits faculty members' engagement in their communities and restrains discovery of new knowledge. Proposes an alternative community-oriented model and suggests that reflective practice, epistemological inclusiveness, and redesigned incentives structures are needed to encourage the alternate model. (EV)

Strategic, academically based community service holds promise for creating the structural change needed to reduce deprivation and inhuman suffering found in urban areas. The early history of the modern urban university, particularly in the late 19th century, is an example and can provide a model for further development of this mission. (MSE)

Many colleges offer a summer bridge program and even more offer learning communities for first-year students. Few, however, link these initiatives. This article will offer brief descriptions of IUPUI's successful bridge, learning community, and themed learning community (TLC) initiatives; examine the links between them; and share assessment data, concentrating on students who are involved in all three initiatives.

Addresses: (1) distance learning as a strategy for educational access; (2) nontraditional students as traditional distance learners; (3) asynchronous distance learning; (4) synchronous distance learning; (5) access as a necessary but insufficient measure of opportunity; (6) using technology wisely and well; (7) eclectic learning opportunities for nontraditional students; (8) synchronicity and scheduling for nontraditional students. (EV)

The findings of the evaluation of the three-year Community-Engaged Scholarship for Health Collaborative are presented, describing changes in institutional capacity for community-engaged scholarship, and changes in promotion and tenure policies and processes. The change process in the participating institutions is assessed using the Kotter model of organizational change. Facilitators of and barriers to the change process to support community-engaged scholarship are described. Their paper concludes with recommendations.

Discusses three interrelated policy initiatives at Georgia State University concerning faculty workload, the system for post-tenure evaluation, and salary equity. Each policy has ramifications for the others, and experience has shown benefit in an integrated, collegial approach to these issues. Also examines problems and benefits in developing and implementing the policies. (Author/MSE)

Universities can effectively employ regional accreditation processes in striving to find legitimate means and credible mechanisms for more equitably evaluating faculty teaching and professional work. Examples from accreditation show how institutions can ensure compliance while establishing strong evaluation procedures for faculty service and teaching. (JB)

Project BEST (Basic Educational Skills and Training) is a mentoring program involving Virginia Commonwealth University students and area middle school students. In the two-tiered program, VCU faculty mentor the Project BEST college students who, in turn, serve as mentors to the middle school students. Activities include Saturday mathematics and science enrichment seminars, after-school tutoring, and a week-long mathematics and science summer camp. Outcomes of the program show that Project BEST has positively impacted students' academic achievement and achievement responsibility.

Describes the formation and achievements of an academic-community partnership between the Department of Nursing, Temple University, and two Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, public housing developments. Focuses on the community-developed, community-based public health initiative, "Lead Awareness: North Philly Style," which demonstrates the positive effects of the collaboration. (SLD)

Describes the University of Illinois at Chicago's Neighborhoods Initiative, a partnership with a community-based development corporation designed to strengthen life in two local neighborhoods. Objectives include university/community agency partnerships, development of community organizational capacity to address future needs, institutional changes at the university to facilitate community-oriented projects, and measurable neighborhood improvements. (MSE)

Articulation in higher education must be developed to take into account the expansion in global education and the increasing movement of college and university students between institutions and between countries. Policy must be comprehensively formulated to be fair to students, faculty, and institutions. (MSE)

At Indiana State University, students confront civic realities through experiences provided within the Liberal Learning in Action classes. This program empowers students to make connections between community issues and the tools of "liberal learning," including critical analysis, appreciation of diversity and a strengthened ability to reflect and articulate. This article provides an overview of the design and scope of the program, followed by a detailed examination of evidence relating program outcomes to civic engagement.

Earlier patterns of college school partnerships do not meet today's needs. Partnerships should promote preschool through college level reform because elementary and secondary school education are inextricably bound up with college education. In six cities, Community Compacts are bringing together leaders from higher education, elementary secondary education, and the community. (JB)

Action research, in which the college teacher leads students in design and implementation of a study responsive to specific community needs, is proposed as one way of linking faculty imperatives of teaching, research, and public service. The approach allows faculty to gather and analyze data for publication while meeting instructional requirements, and students are challenged by participation in research. (Author/MSE)

A University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign program involving faculty and students in participatory action research to improve community-based organizations in East St. Louis (Illinois) is described. The project's origins, management, community development strategy, and accomplishments are documented, and some of the institutional, environmental, political, racial, and social barriers it has confronted are discussed. (MSE)

The Community Action Scholars Program at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee provides education and training in organizational design and leadership to grassroots organizations and neighborhood residents. Insights drawn and lessons learned about university-community collaboration during this experience have the ultimate goal of empowering residents. (Author/MSE)

A national survey of 186 urban public colleges and universities indicates substantial community service at almost all. Principal areas of activity and barriers to meeting this aspect of institutional mission are discussed here, and strategies to leverage resources and expand service capability are suggested. (Author/MSE)

Many entering freshmen lack computing skills. Minority students and women of low socioeconomic status are particularly susceptible to academic failure when they are ill-equipped to meet faculty demands for computer-assisted coursework. Reasons for these "deficiencies" are explored. The author also describes courses developed to assist technically underprepared students. (Author/PW)

From focused conversations with metropolitan university administrators, a theoretical framework defining institutional effectiveness emerged. It includes three primary theoretical constructs: landscape (the fit between university requirements and the lived experiences of students); geography (dissemination, transfer, and construction of knowledge); and higher education management (administrator perception of institutional effectiveness as defined by concrete aspects of quality). (MSE)

Argues that any college or university policy change that enlarges rather than restricts faculty roles must address five aspects of scholarship that interact with each other: scholarly activities; expressions of scholarship; motivations for scholarship; and quality and significance of scholarship. Offers a comprehensive model of scholarship and practical insights gained during a policy formation process at Portland State University (Oregon). (Author/MSE)

A national study indicates that part-time faculty now teach a major portion of undergraduate studies, and that most institutions plan to use more in the future. Data from the study are used to describe part-time faculty characteristics, how they contribute to their institutions, and the conditions in which they work. Suggestions are made for strengthening academic programs. (Author/MSE)

At the University of Minnesota, the Center for Urban and Regional Affairs was established as an all-university unit with resources to establish community connections, facilitate and support faculty and graduate student urban research and outreach, and help integrate urban concerns into a large, urban-located land-grant university. Its structure, activities, and lessons learned are discussed. (Author/MSE)

The traditional pastoralism of American higher education has interfered with efforts to develop an urban mission for the university. In addition, current open-door metaphors of access, political trends, and media coverage are promulgating closed-door, wall-building rhetoric and policies. Now is the time to counter antiurban attitudes by reviving the urban mission analogy based on the rural mission. (MSE)

Most literature on the American professorate provides a culture of evidence that suggests that the above account represents the typical experience endured by many African American faculty members and other faculty of color. African American faculty remain under-represented in predominantly White research universities. The number of African Americans in the professorate has remained static over the last three decades despite affirmative action program policy and related efforts of universities to attract African American faculty members. Worse yet, even in light of this already low representation, many of these African American faculty members are marginalized in terms of their scholarly activities which contributes to their low retention rates. The author's analysis makes a case that a "business-as-usual" attitude continues to dominate academic culture, and a new leadership and governance approach is needed to increase the diversity of urban and metropolitan university faculty.

Examines a failed effort at university-community collaboration among three community-based organizations and the University of South Florida. Explores the dynamics of the interaction, analyzing the roles played by the competing goals and conflicting decision-making procedures of each party. Offers guidelines for universities seeking to establish successful engagement programs. (EV)

Discusses processes used to develop faculty workload policy at 13 campuses of the University of Maryland, unique in that it incorporates a report providing clear evidence of faculty productivity and increases in teaching productivity following implementation of the policy. A case study shows both the policy and the workload reporting method affected faculty productivity and improved relations with state legislators. (MSE)

This essay explores the themes of curriculum and pedagogy, as outlined by the editors of this special edition, in the context of Portland State University's institutional transformation. We elucidate select mechanisms that support curricular-community interactions, known at PSU as "community-based learning." In doing so we discuss how CBL and other civic engagement strategies relate to the disciplines, departments, and interdisciplinary work as well as how these various collaborative approaches affect pedagogy and epistemology at PSU.

University partnerships with private industry to effect service delivery in facilities management, food services, bookstore management, parking management, arena management, housing operations, business services, safety operations, communication services, and purchasing improves the quality of these services, reduces costs, does not affect core institutional priorities, and contributes to a changed academic culture. (JB)

Kent State University (Ohio), a traditional residential institution located near an urban center, is grappling with urban challenges by redefining institutional success, expanding definitions of scholarship, reducing program complexity to enhance completion rates, supporting teamwork and unit productivity, valuing senior members of the institution, and fostering regional partnerships. (JB)

Although urban community colleges enroll increasing proportions of minority and low-income students, their transfer rates remain low. However, there are some urban community colleges whose transfer rates exceed the national average by two or three times. Their approaches to transfers encompass both bureaucratic elements and informal, cultural aspects. (Author/MSE)

Little is known about the Asian Pacific American (APA) college student, but three problems may have important implications for teaching and learning: communication with and within the population; refugee waves; and generational identity. Educators should consider alternative and more appropriate strategies to avoid neglecting segments of this diverse population. Some strategies are suggested. (MSE)

Surveyed administrators of branch campuses, in part, on the characteristics of faculty. Respondents were asked about full- to part-time faculty ratios, hiring practices, governance, tenure, resources, and faculty attitudes regarding working conditions. Findings included a much higher percentage of part-time faculty at branch campuses, and that faculty are attracted by perceived flexibility and autonomy. (EV)

Urban university leaders must reestablish public confidence through communication, clear mission and identity, deregulation of higher education, confrontation of fiscal realities and urban mission, and a recreated sense of community. Leadership types include several models and the complex challenges of urban universities demand effective leadership in individual, collective, and institutional forms. (JB)

Steps are needed to foster in faculty a renewed sense of collective purpose toward society. Communication gaps between policymakers and faculty have exacerbated a separation between higher education and society. Specific proposals may create a fiscal and structural environment to channel nascent faculty cooperation and entrepreneurial tendencies. (JB)

Urban universities' fine and performing arts programs can influence the image and mission of the university as a cultural partner in the community. Examples include production and presentation of events, nondegree educational programs for all ages, and collaborative associations with urban arts agencies. A Towson State University (Maryland) program is described. (JB)

Research shows that learning communities are an effective way to improve student performance and persistence, but the success of any particular implementation is not guaranteed. Each program should be evaluated with regard to the likelihood that better-prepared students tend to participate. The protocol used for evaluation at Indiana University-Purdue University at Indianapolis, and its results, are described. (Author/MSE)

Presents two methods for assessing the scholarship of engagement at the institutional level: (1) Comprehensive Assessment of the Scholarship of Engagement (CASE), a systematic method that compiles information about service learning and community engagement, identifies campus strengths, and prioritizes planning areas; and (2) an institutional portfolio that provides a rich database of descriptive and evaluative information. (EV)

Provides an overview of practical methods and tools for assessment planning and implementation for service learning and civic engagement projects conducted by colleges and universities. Offers suggestions to help readers design their own program assessment plans. (SLD)

Accreditation is a mark of distinction indicating that an institution has met high standards set by the profession, and an increasingly important feature of the accreditation process in higher education is "outcomes assessment." This article presents two rubrics for evaluating the quality of an institution's outcomes assessment system. One rubric is for rating the overall quality of an academic program's outcomes assessment system, and the other is for evaluating its student assessment component in particular.

Used findings from studies of exemplary knowledge-based partnerships between universities and communities in Australia to report on effective practices, benefits to the community and campus, and implications for higher education policy. (SLD)

Electronic focus groups with professors that explored their attitudes toward instructional technology provided data for a theoretical framework. Findings indicated that they have concerns about the ability of such technology to enhance student learning, and many view it simply as a tool for information dissemination and not as a networking medium. (EV)

Illustrates the way case stories can be used as a professional development tool for promoting collaborative leadership and creating pluralistic leaders in higher education--leaders who respond to and embrace the diversity within the community, staff, faculty, and administration. (EV)

The College Park Scholars Program at the University of Maryland is a learning community, based on the model of a residential college, that was designed to attract and retain academically talented undergraduates. Three experiential learning components developed by faculty for the curriculum are colloquia, service learning units, and discovery projects, all drawing from the local Baltimore-Washington metropolitan community. (Author/MSE)

Advocates development of a campus culture in which faculty can be colleagues to each other in teaching by sharing what they know, critiquing each other's work, assisting each other to improve, and creating conditions for recognition and reward of teaching. Covers the role of peer review and briefly describes some institutions' efforts. (JB)

This paper reviews the literature on student retention at urban colleges and explores notions of student involvement and academic and social integration especially in relation to nontraditional students. It describes some programmatic interventions designed to improve retention. The paper concludes that partnerships with public schools may have a significant impact on retention at urban universities. (JB)