The three basic strategic objectives any metropolitan university must address in order to build a solid base of alumni support are the characteristics of the current student population, demographics and mindset of the alumni base, and relationships with the surrounding community. Activities at Boise State University (Idaho) in each of these areas…

The University of Georgia's Carl Vinson Institute of Government, one of the nation's oldest and largest university-based public-service organizations, provides a case study of the problems and challenges for these organizations, one of which is to mix and match institutional and personal objectives and capabilities to optimize the contributions of…

Ways in which a college or university can support and enhance service learning pedagogy are explored, including practical strategies for curriculum design, faculty development, and administrative support. Illustrations are drawn from Loyola College of Maryland, whose program has five categories of initiative: a service-leadership track, a…

This article argues that metropolitan universities are well suited to respond to workforce development and maintenance needs, and ways in which institutions can gather the information needed to target their response are examined. A Northern Illinois University study is offered as an example of such an effort. The role of metropolitan universities…

Argues for college learning communities as vehicles for high school reform, and by extension, for reform of K-12 instruction. Such learning communities can model sound academic practices that all students should master in their last year of high school and first year of college. Programs at Temple University (Pennsylvania) and Portland State…

Urban and metropolitan college students often experience a traditionally organized curriculum as a series of disconnected course requirements. Portland State University (Oregon) has found that integrating attention to community-building as a central element of the core curriculum strengthened student and faculty affiliations and improved…

Capital fund-raising campaigns of metropolitan universities must be based on relationships that can generate resources to position the institution in the community. At the University of New Orleans (Louisiana), a successful capital campaign resulted in a welcome increase in external gift resources to support endowed professorships, centers of…