Urban State Universities: An Unfinished National Agenda

(Hardback)

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During the mid-twentieth century, enrollment in colleges and universities increased dramatically. To meet the demand for higher education services, two new kinds of post-secondary institutions were created: the community college and the public urban university. This insightful work illuminates the unique aspects of the public urban university and its role in higher education. Grobman begins with a brief history of state universities and provides a taxonomy reflecting their development in urban areas. He contrasts the special functions of urban public universities with those of public universities located in rural settings, particularly the land grant colleges. He describes students, alumni, academic programs, faculty make-up, facilities and services of urban campuses--illustrating the partnership between the public university and the community that makes the institution so vital to urban life. Grobman closes with suggestions for making the public urban university an even more effective componant of higher education.

Reviews

These rarely examined institutions that enroll a substantial percentage of America's postsecondary students are given their first book-length treatment. Grobman traces the history of their evolution, especially during the latter half of the 20th century, indicating how they have come to complement the original state universities established between 1750 and 1850 and the land grant universities founded during the second half of the 19th century. He defines the urban university as not just located in a city but also of the city with the obligation and concomitant mission to serve the needs of the city's diverse citizenry and grapple with the confounding issues of urban life. The work is further illuminated by both a critique of what urban universities still need to accomplish and suggestions (some 'radical') for ways in which they can fulfill their complex missions. Includes chapters on urban university students, faculty, student services, academic programs, and a brief but useful bibliography.-Choice
"These rarely examined institutions that enroll a substantial percentage of America's postsecondary students are given their first book-length treatment. Grobman traces the history of their evolution, especially during the latter half of the 20th century, indicating how they have come to complement the original state universities established between 1750 and 1850 and the land grant universities founded during the second half of the 19th century. He defines the urban university as not just located in a city but also of the city with the obligation and concomitant mission to serve the needs of the city's diverse citizenry and grapple with the confounding issues of urban life. The work is further illuminated by both a critique of what urban universities still need to accomplish and suggestions (some 'radical') for ways in which they can fulfill their complex missions. Includes chapters on urban university students, faculty, student services, academic programs, and a brief but useful bibliography."-Choice

Author Bio

ARNOLD B. GROBMAN is Chancellor Emeritus and Research Professor at the University of Missouri-St. Louis.