Traces the uses of the "urban mission" trope both nationally and locally as it pertains to the history of the University of Illinois at Chicago and the Educational Assistance Program. Maintains that educational histories are important because they explain how political dynamics determine who will be basic writers and how many will appear…

Metropolitan university fund-raising efforts that are clearly related to the institution's mission, strategic plans, and a coherent image of the university are most likely to succeed. These institutions must build on their unique strengths and develop strong relationships with individuals, foundations, and corporation in the local community.…

The "raison d'etre" for traditional schools of education has radically shifted in recent years. Research demonstrates that schools have been remarkably unsuccessful at reducing the unacceptable achievement gap between black and Latino students, on the one hand, and white students, on the other, and some have laid the blame at the feet of…

Edited excerpts from three sessions of a conference on metropolitan universities present perspectives on what cities will look like in the new millennium, and on leadership and service responsibilities of metropolitan universities. Also, excerpts from these and other papers are presented on the following themes: diversity, mission, facing hard…

Efforts to integrate technology into elementary and secondary education will not succeed without the involvement of higher education. The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga has programs to train inservice teachers in technology, a space flight simulator for hands-on education, and connections to schools that will assure new teachers'…

This article argues for the civic value of the humanities scholar. Scholars can contribute to the community through their state humanities councils. Many institutions of higher education may be indifferent to how scholars can participate in civic life. A listing of possible scholar roles in humanities council programs is included. (JB)

The gap between the daily life of the urban college student and urban faculty member has widened considerably; the two groups tend to come from different cultures. The situation potentially compromises teaching effectiveness. Activities to promote better faculty understanding of students and develop curricula building on student strengths are…

The Great Cities Institute at the University of Illinois, Chicago is a high-visibility urban-policy research center that is sometimes drawn into controversial issues. University leadership must defend academic freedom vigorously, but that freedom cannot be used indiscriminately for faculty pronouncements; faculty and administrators must ensure…

The importance of partnerships between metropolitan universities, local government agencies, and community organizations to address community health issues is discussed and illustrated in the collaborative activities of North Texas University and its Fort Worth health sciences center, including a community clinic and a master's program in public…

Several national projects supported by professional associations are redefining faculty roles and focusing the energies of faculty on teaching, on community service, and on their institutions' missions. Resulting faculty reward systems should recognize institutional mission, departmental priorities, the strength of individuals, and the uniqueness…

Describes the process of change at Syracuse University (New York) focusing on the role of core values, institutional mission, and a vision for the future in the change process at a time of declining enrollment and economic difficulties. Results of the process are noted, and suggestions are made for adapting the approach for public colleges and…

This article describes a three-year collaborative affiliation between the Baltimore Theatre Project and the Department of Theatre at Towson State University (Maryland). It discusses initial encounters and connections, reasons for collaboration, difficulties finding and using time, successes, difficulties, and the effects of collaboration. (JB)

The variety of approaches taken by urban universities in partnerships with local communities is examined, and a number of related issues are addressed, including implementation of partnerships, the proper role for the university in applied work, adaptation of institutional structures and processes, determination of who should benefit from…

The new mission-linked accreditation standards of the American Assembly of Collegiate Schools of Business represent a fundamental change in how business schools operate. Emphases on strategic planning, stakeholder participation, faculty teams, and continuous improvement will encourage institutional cultural change and help faculty respond with…

Two urban university professors report on their experiences with use of new technologies in their American history classes, focusing on the crucial role of the teacher. The challenge for the first was to reconcile the enormity of the Internet with the need to make its resources available to students. The second found the technology enabled…