Audiconference on Town/Gown relationships

Posted by on January 16, 2004

[posted to National Service-Learning listserv]

Dear SL colleagues,

The Society for College and University Planning is sponsoring an audioconference you may be interested in:

On the Edge: The Dynamics of Town/Gown Relationships in Higher Education January 27, 2004 from Noon until 1:30 pm Eastern Time

Description:
Town/gown relations are unique to the institution and the host community, however there are often lessons to be learned from others, and common strategies that can positively effect almost every institution and lead to improved relations with the town. This informative audioconference will address issues in higher education town/gown relations. Learn from the experiences and perspectives from professional colleagues who have played a role in successful town/gown relations. There will be live questions and answers during the broadcast, and several audience polls on issues relating to town/gown relations.

Audioconference Discussion Areas include:
*How traditional patterns of town/gown relations have evolved over the years and how they have changed
*Understanding “what makes each side tick” (our opportunities and constraints)
*The impact of technology, individualism, and telecommuting on town/gown relations
*Importance of the host community; it’s part of the package
*How the ‘company town’ syndrome impacts host communities
*Building relationships & maintaining dialog (when there is no crisis)
*Economic agreements and understandings (MOU’s and MOA’s)
*Partnerships (out of Strength)leveraging strengths and resources
*Economic development, convergence of planning goals and objectives (non-academic)making a commitment for the long term
*Town/gown relations and its organizational placementcan it impact effectiveness?
*Are town/gown relations generally becoming more litigious?
*Planning tools and mechanisms that institutions are using to work together more effectively

For more information, and registration, visit: http://www.scup.org/profdev/notravel/edge.html

Questions? Please contact Kathy Benton, kathy.benton@scup.org, or call 734.998.6966.