Conference Presentations

Handout for the presentation.

10 Proven Strategies for Creating Vibrant College Town Retail Districts. Presenter: Adam Ducker, Managing Director, RCLCO

The power of partnership can extend beyond your university and city borders. Learn how this collaboration came to be and the value of pursuing similar alliances.

The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism’s new CollegeAIM 2.0 helps colleges and communities address harmful and underage student drinking. Created and revised with input from researchers and college staff, CollegeAIM 2.0 (Alcohol Intervention Matrix) is an easy-to-use, comprehensive tool to identify effective alcohol interventions. The session will outline the updated information in the CollegeAIM 2.0 guide and website, demonstrate how to use the online and print products, and provide a short Q&A session. Presenter: Jason Kilmer, Ph.D., Assistant Director of Health & Wellness for Alcohol & Other Drug Education and Associate Professor of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington

Learn how the City of Bozeman and Montana State University partnered to improve the relationship between students and full-time residents.

The University of Colorado and the University of Oregon each have a history of implementing large scale student days of service in their local communities. Presenters share the goals, objectives and outcomes for these events as well as the challenges and successes these collaborations create.

Georgetown University and Boston College provide services to the students and surrounding community members after regular operating hours. Learn how these programs not only support the mission of the institution, but also how it supports quality of life issues in the neighborhood.

The State College MSA and the Penn State University have worked as partners throughout their histories, successfully tackling the typical issues facing university communities. Bloomberg BusinessWeek recently rated State College No. 2 out of 26 metro areas considered to be “Technology Hubs Without the Downsides,” No. 10 of 300 on the all-encompassing list. This session will explore the steps taken and the impact of our success from both a community and university perspective.

This action lab explores engagement best practices and allows attendees to engage via a Twitter Town Hall and a gallery walk of case studies covering educational issues in communities around the country.

Learn how the city/university collaboration, Achieving Community Together (ACT) San Marcos, evolved from a traditional to innovative response mechanism, incorporating individual and community core values.

Alcohol misuse is a major obstacle to college student success. The typical collegiate “drinking culture” makes it challenging for students contemplating or choosing a recovery path. This case study will explore the town (Oxford, Ohio)-gown (Miami University) partnership with The Haven at College, a recovery firm with collaborative ties to The Hazelden Betty-Ford Foundation, that is helping to keep recovering students enrolled in their first-choice college, while also helping to change a campus culture.

In 2011 a task force of neighbors, city staff, University of Oregon staff, students and property managers recommended a number of strategies to improve neighborhood livability in the residential areas surrounding the university campus.

A recently released economic and social impact report by America’s Urban Campus, with funding from The Chicago Community Trust, makes the case for the collective strength and impact of Chicago’s higher education sector.

Alcohol, parties and noise…the age old town-gown issue. This presentation will discuss how the IGA is operationalized and how university staff from conduct and off-campus services, town staff from police and inspections, and landlords partner in this process.

The collocated campus of the University of Washington Bothell and Cascadia College undertook a comprehensive campus master plan and environmental impact statement that fully engaged the city of Bothell, the on campus community, campus neighbors and broader community.  The plan accommodated newly acquired property, new uses such as housing, revised development regulations, land use and permit development processes while engaging a wide range of interest groups with strong points of view. Presenter: Kelly Snyder, Assistant Vice Chancellor of Government and Community Relations, University of Washington Bothell 

This is a story about town and gown relationships between campus, neighborhoods, and the city to manage campus area parking. The story transgresses a decade of communications, building relationships, crucial conversations, and measurable outcomes that have led to creating North America’s only market based pricing of residential parking permits and tailored parking districts to meet neighborhood and campus needs. 

MU's president and Harley-Davidson's CEO convened the leaders of the area's major employers, resulting in the formation of the Near West Side Partners, a nonprofit dedicated to revitalizing the neighborhood, with a special focus on economic development, housing, safety, and neighborhood identity and branding.

The program underscores Belmont’s commitment to diversity and cultural inclusion in Nashville.

Practices and strategies to develop strong relationships for economic development.

Learn what Miami University and the City of Oxford have done to shift the narratives and to introduce new appreciation and opportunities for shared experiences between community members and students.

From a small agricultural college outpost to a major urban center within Columbus, The Ohio State University and surrounding neighborhoods have been guided by big visions for the future. The history of the University District tells a tale of unbridled opportunity, community angst, and virtuous plans to remedy the ills of the past and present. Learn about the challenges of being a big university in a big city and the solutions that worked. Presenters: Doreen Uhas‐Sauer, Authority on University District neighborhood history, City of Columbus and Ohio State University; Pasquale Grado, former Ohio State University architecture professor; Ben Brace, assistant to the SVP, The Ohio State University; Michael Stinziano Sr., former member of the Ohio House of Representatives; Matthew Hansen – Moderator, Executive Director of the University District Organization and the University Community Business Association  

The creation of the Town Gown Steering Committee was a historic effort by the Town of Amherst and the University of Massachusetts Amherst. By engaging a large number of stakeholders in the process, the group has catalyzed a cultural shift in an oft-strained relationship by working together to create a mutually beneficial future.

The team of Tempe City and ASU staff will share practices of how they work together across the lines of campus and city. Learn techniques, practices and models of communication used between a midsize city and a large university to work collaboratively for a thriving community. Presenters: Kyle Fray, Coordinator, Off Campus Student Relations; Ron Jackson, Assistant Dean of Students, Off Campus Student Relations; John Thompson, Police Commander, Arizona State University; Michael Pooley, Police Commander, Downtown District; Shandel Wisehart- Officer, Crime Prevention Unit, City of Tempe

Panelists discuss the "tense times" that led to a multi-campus initiative and the engagement of an outside expert, Econsult Solutions, to tell the universities' collective story in the best light.

Ohio Wesleyan (OWU) launched an entrepreneurial center in partnership with Delaware City and County. The Entrepreneurial Center (OWUDEC) enhances and transcends traditional liberal arts education. It’s a model for creating a culture that brings together students, work centers, and community to improve local economic, cultural and social enterprises. OWUDEC impacts entrepreneurs as they develop successful businesses with an affinity to stay in the Delaware area, thus bringing disposable income, jobs, and tax revenue into the region. Presenter: Megan Ellis, Administrative Director of the Woltemade Center for Economics, Business and Entrepreneurship, Ohio Wesleyan University

"Bridging the Gap" illustrates how a city-imposed Student Housing Overlay District restricted the number of student rentals around a campus and dramatically slowed the conversion of owner-occupied housing to student rental housing.

Montgomery College operates two community engagement centers in areas with the lowest post-secondary attainment in collaboration with Montgomery Maryland’s county government.  Bilingual staff from both entities collaborate to provide information about community resources as well as educational information, workshops, workforce development classes, college and career counseling, and application assistance in post-secondary education. The goal of the effort is to help low income, first generation, and immigrants access additional training or post-secondary education. Presenter: Karla Silvestre, Director of Community Engagement, Montgomery College

What would thriving look like in your community? Attend this interactive session to compare ideas and learn about how the City of Ann Arbor and U-M tackle alcohol and other drug concerns. This session describes several initiatives that create an opportunity for community engagement and increases active bystander intervention. Alcohol sales, hospital transport data, law enforcement metrics and using the socio-ecological approach all demonstrate the importance of why coming together as a community has an impact. Presenters: Christina Gerazounis, Health Educator at the University Health Service; Molly Haduch, Off-Campus Housing Program Manager, Dean of Students Office, University of Michigan; Joan Lowenstein, Downtown Development Authority Board member and co-chair of the Ann Arbor Campus Community Coalition 

Handout out for "Building A Thriving Community: a continuous process."

Handout for "Building A Thriving Community: a continuous process"

Handout out for "Building A Thriving Community: a continuous process."

Northeastern University’s Community Advisory Board began in the summer of 2016 and is organized by the division of City & Community Affairs. It is comprised of community partners, local residents and Northeastern staff and faculty with the goal of advising the work of the division. Learn about the successes and challenges we’ve experienced so far, and let’s put our heads together to think about how we can bridge gaps between universities and the communities they reside in. Presenters: Hilary Sullivan and Derek Lumpkins, Directors in the Division of City & Community Affairs, Northeastern University, and founding members of the Northeastern Community Advisory Board

This presentation shares the innovative approach taken at Rutgers University to community policing and the art of being a good neighbor.    

Two case studies—the “Creative Campus” in Columbus, Ohio (Columbus State and partners) and the Dayton Fairgrounds in Dayton, Ohio (University of Dayton and Premier Health)—will support an interactive session on how institutions can work with partners to undertake collaborative real estate planning that advances their missions. In a moderated format, attendees will share opportunities and challenges they face and panelists and other audience members will have the chance to respond and provide guidance. Presenters: Dori Spaulding, Project Manager for Fairgrounds to Future; Kimberly L. Hall, Esq., Senior Vice President of Administration and General Counsel, Columbus State Community College; Jamie Greene, AIA, FAICP, founder and principal of Planning NEXT, Columbus, Ohio 

This session focuses on building resilience with particular attention to recovery – what it takes to restart a college after a traumatic event and regain momentum and commitment to student success, completion, and equity.

Learn how one higher education institution changed its outlook on community/campus relations, how they strategized a corporate wide approach, and the successes and budget savvy ideas they have had related to campus relations across 50 different campuses.

In rural Hays, Kansas, university students have not only designed but also BUILT a beautiful 40’ x 80’ open air pavilion in our Downtown. Thanks to persistence and strong partnerships we have a popular gathering place for our community. Students provide opportunity, excitement, and innovation to our city. Their desire to be connected can be utilized in amazing ways. Join us to hear how one small idea has brought an entire community together. Presenter: Sara Bloom, Executive Director Downtown Hays Development Corporation, Hays, Kansas

This workshop focuses on the value of fostering proactive and positive relationships with news outlets to enhance understanding between town and gown partners, as both work to embrace the presence of a student population grappling with what it means to be an adult.

The Kansas City Immersion program at Rockhurst University addresses the need for students to develop a deeper understanding for better interpersonal relations with neighbors in adjoining neighborhoods and communities as well as developing an understanding of local social justice issues.

This presentation shares a new model for town-gown planning that is called Campus 2.0.

Every two years, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) sponsors Communities Talk: Town Hall Meetings to Prevent Underage Drinking to educate communities about underage drinking and mobilize them around prevention.

University officials, a representative from the District of Columbia Office of Planning, a developer, and neighbor discuss the evolving process and network of relationships that can result in an authentic town-gown synergy beneficial to both the academy and the community.

Public art, performances, events, programs, and projects – embedded in and facilitated by curriculum, facilities, and public spaces– can promote a positive social climate, and provide key resources for an inclusive town-gown community. The Arts, in all its forms, and especially campus arts deployed effectively, is a critical tool for fostering enhanced + productive town-gown relations. Precedents, projects, and protocols discussed via case studies will enable attendees to understand trends in strategic placemaking and the arts. Presenters: Krisan Osterby, DLR Group’s Campus Planning Leader; Patrick Hyland, architect and Senior Associate with DLR Group

2016 Larry Abernathy Award recipients, the Neighborhood Wellness Community Civility Working Group was a collaborative effort between the City of San Luis Obispo, Cal Poly State University, Cuesta College and residents of the community. The Working Groups’ goal: to enhance the quality of life for all residents, with particular emphasis on building positive relations between residential and student-aged neighbors through a cultural shift in social behaviors. This session will identify the programs and outcomes of the Civility effort. Presenters: Christine Wallace, Neighborhood Outreach Manager, City of San Luis Obispo; Courtney Kienow, Director of Community Relations, California Polytechnic State University

Learn about numerous initiatives that highlight the long-standing partnerships between the city and university in terms of law enforcement, public transportation and sustainability, and the implications for alcohol, drugs, and off-campus parties.

The Clemson University Unified Command Team mobilizes and integrates all resources necessary to conduct a safe, organized and coordinated event before, during and after every home football game.

This overview of the Clery Act is designed to provide context to a variety of university or community partners to help them better understand responsibilities they may have, requests for data they may be asked to provide, and ways their partnership may be needed to enable the college or university to fulfill its responsibilities. The regulations are complex, and full compliance requires significant collaboration among offices at the institution, and partnership with local law enforcement. Presenter: Melinda Benson, Assistant Compliance Director and Deputy Clery Act Coordinator, Office of University Compliance and Integrity, The Ohio State University 

This powerpoint explains how Georgetown University provides resources to connect students, neighbors and the community.