From the Desk of the Chancellor, Nov. 29, 2010

Chancellor Charles R. Bantz View print-quality image

IUPUI is a longtime leader in the “urban university movement.” Over the years, we’ve emphasized how urban universities contribute to the economic, cultural, and educational development of our communities—much as the land grant universities (like Purdue) have contributed through agriculture and engineering to economic development. This leadership continues now that I chair the Association of Public and Land Grant Universities (APLU)  Commission on Urban Initiatives. In that capacity, I also serve as vice chair of the Board of Directors for the Coalition of Urban Serving Universities (USU).

By joining together in this way, we develop evidence of the contribution urban universities make as anchors of our community. For example, we’ve recently completed Urban Universities: Anchors Generating Prosperity for America’s Cities. The study demonstrates the role of campuses like IUPUI in providing human capital, contributing to innovation, creating quality places, increasing capacity, and promoting equity (p. 13). In the full data report, the amazing scale of urban universities’ contributions is clear—620,000 faculty and staff, 3 million students, $22 billion in research funds, and educating 49% of the physicians and dentists and 50% of the nurses.

By joining together in this way, we also increase our visibility as players in public policy making. We provide a national voice and leadership on implementing an agenda focused on education, communities, and urban health. IUPUI has always addressed these issues and will continue to do, but the joint APLU/USU Office of Urban Initiatives will allow us to collect and analyze data across a national network, create partnerships, and implement strategies on a larger scale.

You will hear more about IUPUI’s new era of leadership in the urban university movement, particularly as we make plans to serve as host institution for the 17th annual meeting of the  Coalition of Urban and Metropolitan Universities, October 9-11, 2011.

Comments? Write chancllr@iupui.edu.