The University and Urban Revival: Out of the Ivory Tower and Into the Streets

The City in the Twenty-First Century

by Judith Rodin

In the last quarter of the twentieth century, urban colleges and universities found themselves enveloped by the poverty, crime, and physical decline that afflicted American cities. Some institutions turned inward, trying to insulate themselves rather than address the problems in their own backyards. Others attempted to develop better community relations, though changes were hard to sustain.

Spurred by an unprecedented crime wave in 1996, University of Pennsylvania President Judith Rodin knew that the time for urgent action had arrived, and she set a new course of proactive community engagement for her university. Her dedication to the revitalization of West Philadelphia was guided by her role not only as president but also as a woman and a mother with a deep affection for her hometown.

The goal was to build capacity back into a severely distressed inner-city neighborhood—educational capacity, retail capacity, quality-of-life capacity, and especially economic capacity—guided by the belief that "town and gown" could unite as one richly diverse community.

Cities rely on their academic institutions as stable places of employment, cultural centers, civic partners, and concentrated populations of consumers for local business and services. And a competitive university demands a vibrant neighborhood to meet the needs of its faculty, staff, and students. In keeping with their mission, urban universities are uniquely positioned to lead their communities in revitalization efforts, yet this effort requires resolute persistence.

During Rodin's administration (1994-2004), the Chronicle of Higher Education referred to Penn's progress as a "national model of constructive town-gown interaction and partnership." This book narrates the challenges, frustrations, and successes of Penn's campaign, and its prospects for long-term change.

232 pages, Hardcover

First published July 20, 2007

Reviews

[Jenn C Reads · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this book for a grad school class.

So I was intrigued about the strides Penn made in helping West Philadelphia. As I started reading, it seems like they did a lot with actually cleaning the area, providing lights to increase safety, etc. But then there was a WHOLE LOT of savior complex. I get that this is told from the perspective of one of the university's presidents who had a large role in the revitalization, but my goodness, this was 200 pages of her patting herself on the back for saving West Philadelphia. Other than that, it's pretty well-written, but I feel like I need to read something that can provide an unbiased view of what happened during that time.

[Jane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting and in-depth look at Penn’s efforts to improve the area of Philadelphia around the campus. Not just for the benefit of the university but for the benefit of the community and neighborhoods. I would be interested in an update to see how the improvements and the people (students, staff, residents, and community) are fairing today.

[John Onufrak · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very accurate and truthful history of the evolution of a plan and how it evolved and met the needs of the neighborhood, the community, and the university. More eds and meds should employ the methods talked about. It is rare for them to share any of their power and endowments to improve their facilities and campuses. A long-term view is rarely used and long-term planning is difficult to do.

We as a society must get together and communicate openly to solve our pressing social needs. Trickle down does not work and survival of the fitest or smartest does not work. Diversity and inclusivity needs to happen. If we work together and increase efficiency and decrease power and corruption and get away from confrontation solely as a weapon to get what we want, we can develop communities that serve all people and provide them with jobs, safety, and mental and physical health. Thank You Judith for sharing your story, now get in touch with Harvard and advise them on their Alston project!

[Kim · Rating 2 out of 5]

It seemed that the answer to everything was really to throw a bunch of money at the problem. That's great for some institutions, but not very creative. I did appreciate seeing how important it was to develop long-term relationships with your community. Universities should be leaders in their communities, and the community should support and nurture their universities as key resources.

[Nicholas Baker · Rating 3 out of 5]

Besides glossing over the (then-planned) demolition of Convention Hall, this was surprisingly non-objectionable...