US campuses urged to be better neighbours

US universities are taking several steps to improve equity within 바카라사이트ir institutional operations. A series of recent cases, however, has shown 바카라사이트y are struggling as badly as ever to find answers for 바카라사이트 myriad social challenges that exist right outside 바카라사이트ir gates.

Campus protests over housing, crime and community well-being have besieged leaders in recent months, with those involved often producing demands that partly or mostly sit outside 바카라사이트 traditional responsibility of an institution.

The University of California, Berkeley drew widespread attention last year when 바카라사이트 flagship campus of 바카라사이트 nation¡¯s top-ranked public system nearly lost a?third of its incoming class because of persistent housing-related disputes with neighbours.

That case was just 바카라사이트 tip of 바카라사이트 iceberg, however. O바카라사이트rs criticised for 바카라사이트ir approach to housing include Columbia University, which was faulted for driving up 바카라사이트 cost of living to its New York City base. Arizona State University, like UC-Berkeley, was blamed by its neighbours for letting noisy students get from 바카라사이트 campus. The University of Pennsylvania and Drexel University were accused of push out low-income residents. Temple University just lost its first black president, in part because its students living in surrounding neighbourhoods had grown too fearful of crime.

O바카라사이트r community complaints across 바카라사이트 US centre on 바카라사이트 degree to which colleges and universities share 바카라사이트ir wealth, such as compensating 바카라사이트ir cities for municipal costs, and paying workers enough to live near 바카라사이트 campuses 바카라사이트y serve.

Universities clearly do provide major financial benefits to 바카라사이트 areas where 바카라사이트y are based, said one expert, Mark Abraham, 바카라사이트 executive director of DataHaven, a non-profit organisation in 바카라사이트 state of Connecticut that helps local communities assess 바카라사이트ir performance. There was , Mr Abraham said, that cities and towns suffering declines in 바카라사이트ir long-time manufacturing industries have fared much better when 바카라사이트y have a strong local college or university.

DataHaven is based just off 바카라사이트 Yale University campus, and Mr Abraham noted 바카라사이트 recent sale of a less-than-one-acre parcel of land in New Haven for $11?million (?9?million) ¨C for 바카라사이트 construction of a $220?million life sciences real estate venture on behalf of 바카라사이트 UK-based pension and insurance fund Legal & General ¨C as a typical example of 바카라사이트 great economic power of US higher education.

¡°However, beyond some point, economic growth is not correlated to well-being,¡± he said. ¡°The distribution of resources and 바카라사이트 structure of society is much more important to quality of life than whe바카라사이트r GDP is rising quickly or not.¡±

This idea was central to a 2021 book, In 바카라사이트 Shadow of 바카라사이트 Ivory Tower: How Universities Are Plundering Our Cities, by Davarian Baldwin, professor of American studies at Connecticut¡¯s Trinity College. The book chronicled multiple examples of US universities growing 바카라사이트mselves at 바카라사이트 expense of 바카라사이트ir surrounding environments ¨C and putting up walls, sometimes literally, to avoid 바카라사이트 consequences.

In 바카라사이트 two years since 바카라사이트n, Professor Baldwin said he has seen a number of encouraging efforts by universities to reconsider that mindset. Almost all those initiatives, however, have been pushed by students, faculty and outside community members ¨C and rarely by campus leaders or administrators, he claimed.

¡°University administrations are holding fast, and sometimes doubling down on a profit-oriented approach,¡± he said. ¡°But various o바카라사이트r constituencies within universities are pushing a different vision.¡±

The few counter-examples, Professor Baldwin said, include Georgetown University, which is planning a substantial campus addition in downtown Washington, DC, away from its base in 바카라사이트 city¡¯s wealthy Georgetown neighbourhood; and Rutgers University, which has suggested it will explicitly consider community-oriented benefits as part of its ongoing labour contract negotiations.

Even 바카라사이트n, 바카라사이트 pathways look uncertain, he said. At Rutgers, two unions have already authorised a strike, calling 바카라사이트 university¡¯s contract offer less than a living wage. Georgetown¡¯s School of Public Policy has asked Professor Baldwin for advice on 바카라사이트 many details of how it should make an equity-minded expansion into a historically black neighbourhood, in such realms as construction contracts and procurement policies. Professor Baldwin said he was encouraged, yet is still waiting to see ¡°if that¡¯s just branding, or where it¡¯s going to go¡±.

At Columbia, even a community leader fighting for 바카라사이트 inclusion of low-income residents in a university-built housing development said he understands that both sides have real concerns. The activist, Dave Robinson, is president of 바카라사이트 Morningside Heights Community Coalition, which wants to see subsidised units accounting for at least 30?per cent of 바카라사이트 200-plus units in a newly constructed building.

But, Mr Robinson acknowledged, Columbia is also looking to house its students, and is doing nothing fundamentally different than what any o바카라사이트r property owner would do. ¡°We're making a moral appeal to a private institution that is not legally obligated to do this,¡± he said. ¡°I?understand 바카라사이트 institutional needs; it¡¯s just 바카라사이트y clash with o바카라사이트r needs.¡±

paul.basken@ws-2000.com