Special Report: The Campus as City

Posted by Chronicle of Higher Education on July 30, 2019

Rethink models for key services and build partnerships to expand opportunities for students and local communities.

Today a college performs many of the functions of a local municipality, like planning, housing, transportation, public safety, and health care. Leaders must coordinate a complex network of services — with constrained resources and heightened expectations. Even the essential activities are getting more complicated. And while many campuses act as little cities unto themselves, they also need to be more connected to their surrounding communities, to provide support and to attract and engage students.

This Chronicle report examines the tensions and challenges of running a city within a city. With greater financial pressures bearing down on colleges, they can’t operate in isolation anymore: Partnerships with private companies, local agencies, and community groups are vital. The report explores creative new ways to deliver services, what it means to be a responsible anchor institution, and the deep collaborations that drive large-scale projects. Leaders that manage to run savvy campus operations and expand local impact will fortify their colleges for the years ahead.

Get the report and learn how to:

• Build capacity and partnerships in critical activities such as housing, transportation, and public safety
• Develop effective relationships with local government and community leaders
• Pursue responsible expansion and development
• Consider the economic impact of your institution on the surrounding area
• Identify major factors that drive large-scale community and municipal projects

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