Health professions schools can contribute significantly to the mission of metropolitan universities and have substantial impact on their communities. In addition to the direct impact of their graduates and affiliate health care facilities, they can make a major contribution serving the community's health care needs, as illustrated by activities at…

Public health methods can assist in reducing the rate of injuries through application of technology, policy, education, and incentives. Metropolitan universities have great opportunities as key institutions to assist in preventing injuries within their communities by using their research capabilities, student and volunteer workforces, and as…

Metropolitan universities with community service/outreach programs, especially when affiliated with a health sciences center, can use their capacity to develop intern or practicum programs and interdisciplinary approaches to public health to structure case management/follow-up more effectively than many social and public agencies can. This is…

The importance of partnerships between metropolitan universities, local government agencies, and community organizations to address community health issues is discussed and illustrated in the collaborative activities of North Texas University and its Fort Worth health sciences center, including a community clinic and a master's program in public…

Virginia Commonwealth University confronted shrinking resources for its urban mission by creating a Master of Public Health (M.P.H.) degree program. The program addressed a number of challenges and was built using existing resources in the university and professional communities. Despite early financial concerns, the program now combines needed…

Virginia Commonwealth University's Master of Science program in health administration uses distance education techniques to facilitate professional education with limited facilities. The program has developed from a first-generation bulletin board conferencing system to an individualized "client-server" based program on the World Wide Web,…

British higher education has expanded substantially and experienced major changes in funding and structure since 1987, including merger of university and polytechnic systems into a single system. These changes have not been matched by appropriate internal changes of values, purpose, and activity. Britain now has a massive system that remains…

A national study indicates that part-time faculty now teach a major portion of undergraduate studies, and that most institutions plan to use more in the future. Data from the study are used to describe part-time faculty characteristics, how they contribute to their institutions, and the conditions in which they work. Suggestions are made for…

The traditional pastoralism of American higher education has interfered with efforts to develop an urban mission for the university. In addition, current open-door metaphors of access, political trends, and media coverage are promulgating closed-door, wall-building rhetoric and policies. Now is the time to counter antiurban attitudes by reviving…

The variety of approaches taken by urban universities in partnerships with local communities is examined, and a number of related issues are addressed, including implementation of partnerships, the proper role for the university in applied work, adaptation of institutional structures and processes, determination of who should benefit from…

Creating genuine partnerships between urban universities and their communities is self-interest for the academic institution because their survival is in danger. Commitment to access is only one dimension of collaboration; it must be enhanced by full participation of the university, as corporate citizens, in community development. Partnerships are…

Higher education is being asked to pay more attention to student learning and to contribute to advancement of community social and economic conditions. As a result, educational institutions will no longer be self-contained. Community members and organizations have become critical partners in framing goals and intentions of educational reform, and…

A national survey of 186 urban public colleges and universities indicates substantial community service at almost all. Principal areas of activity and barriers to meeting this aspect of institutional mission are discussed here, and strategies to leverage resources and expand service capability are suggested. (Author/MSE)

The University of Louisville (Kentucky) Housing and Neighborhood Development Strategies (HANDS) is a multifaceted program using the university's resources to address the problems of an impoverished urban neighborhood. One component, the Community Design Team, is composed of graduate students and provides technical assistance such as conceptual…

The Ohio Urban University Program, a consortium of eight universities, is a collaborative program of research, training, planning, database development, and technical assistance serving Ohio's major metropolitan areas. It has developed an evaluation system to assess the effectiveness of and help improve its outreach services. The system's…