Towson University hosts CUMU Conference
By Megan Sandaal
Baltimore’s Inner Harbor proved to be an ideal spot to hold the 13th annual Coalition of Urban and Metropolitan Universities conference hosted by Towson University. Universities from around the world came to discuss the focus of the conference, community engagement and metropolitan universities.
With three days of concurrent sessions organized into four tracks: community partnerships; strategic planning and institutional engagement; K-16 partnerships; and service learning, civic engagement, and student programming/developments; there was something for everyone to learn. Dr. Robert Caret, President of CUMU and Towson University, in an interview promoting the conference, discussed the purpose of the conference and the increased need for community involvement from higher education centers.
Caret's belief that "we are one community" and that we need to shift our focus from individual good to the common good was evident throughout the sessions. In every session, whether it be a panel presentation there was a chance for questions and a time to share ideas about the topic that was being covered. The conference turned out to be a cornucopia of ideas and visions for the future relations between metropolitan universities and their communities.
Towson University is one of the founding members of CUMU and is devoted to improving the community around it. Dr. James Clements, Acting Provost, Vice President for Academic Affairs and Vice President of the Division of Economic and Community Outreach, believes that "we have a responsibility to make a difference in the community and we [Towson] do that in a couple of ways with top quality education [and] applied research."
Even though the conference is geared towards higher education faculty and administrators, it is also a place where students can come and learn more about community outreach. “It’s never enough to just educate students,” said Moriarity, you want to instill the values of being a leader in every student. The high priorities in Towson’s 2010 Mapping the Future initiative include not only the growth and expansion of the university but also of planned civic engagement proposals. "DECO is all over 2010," comments Clements, who believes that Towson is moving in the right direction with its 86 action items.
Towson is leading the way in the Baltimore-metro area but other universities came to the conference to share their progress and ideas in an open and inviting environment. Robert Donofrio, Assistant Vice President at Arizona State University, believes that we need the faculty to reach out to the community to find out what research is needed in order to perform community engagement activities. Darcy Acardi, Special Assistant to the Vice President for Student Affairs and Coordinator of Civic Engagement Initiatives, and Moriarity agree that getting assistance to faculty is very important if Towson wants to establish service learning courses as part of the general education requirements. Acardi sees it as "vital to have faculty involved" if success is to occur which is something they laid out in their presentation packet.
CUMU's member universities share "the mission of striving for national excellence while contributing to the economic development, social health, and cultural vitality of the urban or metropolitan centers served." This is an organization founded by university presidents who wanted to make a difference in the region in which they reside. Caret truly believes that "metropolitan universities have a responsibility and a mission to serve the communities in which they reside."
Through CUMU "we turn out qualified candidates for the workforce, we do research that benefits mankind, and we are active members of our communities - offering programs and services to non-students as well as students," said Caret. Moriarity sees conferences like this one as "invaluable" while Clements thinks that "this group is right on target, they've been singing this song for 20 years." The CUMU executive board meets often throughout the year and the next annual conference will be hosted by the University of Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky University on October 18-21 on "Building Bridges to Regional Stewardship." (643 words)
Outside the main meeting room tables were set up displaying the sponship expo where attendees could retrieve information from a variety of sources including Beyond the Books.
CUMU conference attendees gathered for a luncheon where Ms. Diane Auer Jones, Assistant Secretary for Post-Secondary Education at the US Department of Education, spoke on urban and metropolitan universities and the opportunities they bring.
The CUMU Conference is a place where faculty and administrators from around the world can come together and discuss community outreach efforts at their university.