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Publications

The University and the Urban Challenge

Henry Cisneros

Henry Cisneros severed as Secretary of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development from 1993 to 1997 under President Bill Clinton. In 1995 he wrote an article entitled The University and the Urban Challenge in which he examines the relationship between the condition of American cities and that of their colleges and universities. It is the opinion of Cisneros that the survival of a college or university is dependent on the condition of its adjacent communities. In turn, the future of inner-city neighborhoods relies heavily on the key role that institutions of higher education play in the economic and environmental sustainability of an area.

Key Points:
  • "Universities cannot afford to become islands of affluence, self-importance and horticultural beauty in seas of squalor, violence and despair."
  • "Universities cannot wall off their surroundings; nor can they pick up and move."
  • "Institutions of higher learning must consider their commitment to societal welfare relative to the amount of public support they receive in funding and tax payments."
  • "The city provides a wonderful setting for learning how society works, and allows students to put their ideas into practice in a real-world context."
  • "Universities can serve as the fuel for regional innovation, entrepreneurship and regional synergy."
  • Examples given of economic spin-offs from higher education institutions are:
    • Stanford Industrial Park and Silicon Valley, CA
    • Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the Route 128 Corridor
    • Research Triangle Park and the Raleigh-Durham area, NC
    • University of Oklahoma’s Center for Business and Economic Development

USC and the Rebuilding of Los Angeles

Steven Sample

Steven Sample is president of the University of Southern California (USC) in Los Angeles (1991-present), and former president of the University at Buffalo (1982-1990). In the July 1993 issue of Change magazine, Sample addresses the constructive ways that the faculty and students of USC reacted to the impacts of the 1992 LA riots in his article entitled USC and the Rebuilding of Los Angeles. This article is appropriate to research in preparation of the UB campus master plan for a number of reasons. First, it examines a situation where communities surrounding the campus were forced to endure a fair amount of economic hardship and environmental degradation, such as the Fruit Belt surrounding the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus. Secondly, the article illustrates the way that the well-being of the USC campus is intertwined with that of its host city in terms of safety and sustainability.

Key Points:
  • "USC has become an agent for change in its neighborhoods and throughout LA."
  • "Many programs spring from a genuine sense of partnership between the university and the city."
  • "The perception of safety must be prevalent to enable us to recruit and retain the best students, faculty and staff."
  • "Encourage a growing desire by people on all parts of the campus to be at the center of LA’s urban renaissance."
  • "Continue addressing urban problems through research, teaching, clinical practice and traditional public service."
  • "Get political, business, labor and community leaders to understand that USC is an economic and cultural engine."
Suggested Initiatives:
  • "Provide financial incentives to encourage more USC employees to own and occupy housing in the immediate vicinity of the campus, or campuses."
  • "Preferentially employ more persons who have lived in the immediate neighborhoods for the past five years."
  • "Encourage more entrepreneurs to establish businesses in the immediate vicinity."
  • "Provide special educational, cultural and developmental opportunities for every child who lives in the immediate neighborhoods."
  • "Work with neighbors, city and county officials, and the police to provide safer streets in the areas surrounding the campuses."

Neighborhood Action Plan

The Town-Gown Task Force

Between April and September 2002, the Town-Gown Task Force of the University of Florida (under President Charles Young) developed a Neighborhood Action Plan that would provide the guidelines for addressing neighborhood issues around the Gainesville campus. These issues dealt primarily with the physical environment, home ownership and student housing. The task force began by identifying the neighborhood concerns that were most related to and had the greatest impact on the university. From there the group was able to establish a number of action strategies for dealing with theses concerns. Priorities were then set based on anticipated economic impact and the relative cost of implementation.

Key Points:
  • "Provide students with the information they need to be good neighbors and productive citizens of the community."
  • "Strengthen residential neighborhoods by encouraging organization, promoting private investment, enhancing the neighborhood market, and providing financial incentives."
  • "Require responsible property management by landlords as well as tenants."
  • "Provide appropriate student housing for the diverse student body."
  • "Better manage the neighborhood parking and traffic, especially during special events."

A Summary of Precedents

The common focus of campus master plans is on improving the university experience by means of improving the physical, social and environmental elements of the campus. By creating a better connectivity within the campus, as well as extending outward into neighboring communities, the university is able to provide students/faculty/staff with a more adequate academic environment. It is important that both pedestrians and automobiles are able to navigate the multimodal transportation systems of the campus efficiently, and within an aesthetic atmosphere. Creating a network of open spaces allows opportunities for academic activities, promotes cultural diversity and strengthens the campus community. Reusing and revamping historic campus architecture works to create a distinct university identity. All of these initiatives combined form a campus that is attractive to future students, graduates, alumni and professionals.