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HomeMy WebLinkAbout06-21-2016 CLR, AshbaughITGA Conference – Chicago 2016 John Ashbaugh Mundelein Center Cuneo Hall and Cudahy Science Center Alderman Joe Moore and me Chicago City Alderman representing most of the campus, Joe Moore of the 49th Ward. Alderman Moore joined us for this session and for many Conference events. He is well known nationally for his program of participatory financing in which he cedes control of his capital budget – normally hoarded by the other Chicago Aldermen and doled out through political favoritism – and instead allocates these funds through a community-based participation and election process. The University is also distinguished for having recently developed a fine 4-story building, Cuneo Hall, on the left side of this picture. This is a 41,000 s.f classroom and faculty office building with LEED Gold certification – but the unique thing about it is that that it occupies a site, and utilizes exterior architectural designs, originally proposed in the 1920s by the original Jesuit founders of Loyola but deferred for almost 100 years. In fact, in the 1950s the University had developed an 11- story building on that site, which was demolished in order to make room for this smaller building, so beautifully compatible with the main building at the center of the campus, to the right, Cudahy Science Hall (distinguished by its domed planetarium). Cuneo Hall was one of several developed by the University with proceeds of a $100 million capital campaign – and an entirely separate $83 million project enabled extensive renovation of the National Trust-certified Mundelein Center which served as the site of most of the ITGA Conference activities. Mundelein was at one point a women’s college founded by a very progressive order of Catholic sisters, but it had fallen on hard times in the 60s and 70s, and by the time Loyola acquired it, the building was in a serious state of decay. Now it is a magnificent example of 1930s art deco. Evening Architectural tour by boat in Chicago River and Lake Michigan – On Sunday evening, I joined a guided tour of the magnificent skyline of Chicago from the deck of a 200-passenger cruise ship was a splendid way to end the first day and kick off the ITGA Conference – Chicago 2016 John Ashbaugh Alderman Joe Moore, left, and Mayor Rahm Emanuel Chicago Skyline from the Tour Boat conference. Monday June 6 8;30 – 9:15: ITGA provides the setting for a private consulting firm, Bradford and Dunleavy, annually to recognize through their “Impact Awards” three colleges & communities for outstanding achievement in town-gown relationships. This year the recipients were Bowling Green in Kentucky for its anti-bigotry program, “Not in My Town.” This is actually a national model that could be well worth emulating in SLO. The other two recipients were Cornell University and the City of Geneva for collaborating on an agricultural incubator project; and Pittsburg State U and the City of Pittsburg, Kansas for an innovative program of land exchanges that enabled a “win-win” for new housing, an athletic facility, and new parks and open space in the heart of this small prairie city with a confusing name… At this Monday morning session, ITGA also announced a strategic alliance with the Responsible Retailing Forum, a program funded by Miller-Coors that attempts to (seriously) reduce underage drinking in college-age communities through a collaboration of local businesses, law enforcement, elected officials, and college administrators. This program might be helpful in SLO – let’s consult about this. Later, the keynote speaker was Mayor Rahm Emanuel of Chicago: The aforementioned 49th Ward Alderman Joe Moore introduced Mayor Emanuel, who had gained national attention for his role as the President’s chief of staff from 2009-2011. He gave a stirring account of the expanded commitment of the City to its educational institutions, including both k-12 as well ITGA Conference – Chicago 2016 John Ashbaugh A Plenary Meeting in Mundelein Hall as the many IHE’s throughout the city. Chicago has the 2nd highest concentration of IHEs in the nation (and the world), right behind Boston. The City has over 1,400 distinct partnerships with Chicago Public Schools and the IHE’s within its boundaries, and it has stimulated a consortium of 22 IHEs that annually educate over 224,000 students (“America’s Urban Campus”- see below). These colleges provide over 48,000 jobs, pump more than $10.8 billion into the economy, and provide higher education for over 60,000 Pell grant recipients. Fully 36.5% of these students are first-generation college students, many from among the dozens of immigrant communities in the city. Later that morning, I attended a session to learn more about the City’s MOUs with its partner universities: This workshop featured Chicago’s Planning Commissioner, David Reifman, and two reps from Northwestern and Loyola Universities. When Mayor Emanuel took office, the City began establishing formal agreements with the primary colleges in its jurisdiction. These range from 10-24 pp, and cover a list of projects to be undertaken by the City and the colleges, financing, and commitments to MWBEs, local jobs, and needed infrastructure. DePaul University has committed to $2.5 billion, Loyala to $1.8 billion, Univ of Chicago $3.5 billion, and Illinois Institute of Technology similar amounts. Colleges make varying commitments to housing their undergrads on campus. Around the U of Chic Hyde Park campus, the City had owned dozens of vacant properties that had been selling at below-market rates; now, as a result of their coordinated investment, the lots are bringing market prices. Chicago has regulatory power over each of these campus projects, but with sufficient collaboration from the well-organized neighborhood associations throughout most of the city, these MOUs are now going through with little controversy. The City now asks the question, “W hat can we do to get out of your way?” Projects that had required years of review are now approved in a matter of month. Although the presence of multiple neighborhood groups around each campus requires close coordination with the Aldermen representing those neighborhoods. College administrators are proud of the fact that the answers to all of their questions for City staff are only a phone call away. The City is proud of the fact that these colleges are committed not only to active hiring and contracting policies, but to specific commitments regarding enrollment of Chicago Public School students, and to sustainability including recycling and building design. 1 – 2 pm – Realigning Campus Resources to Attain Higher Levels of Accountability This workshop focused on the partnership developed by the University of Oregon – site ITGA Conference – Chicago 2016 John Ashbaugh of next year's ITGA conference – in order to enhance the livability of several neighborhoods bordering the campus. They’ve developed a “Communiversity” program that harnesses student volunteers to build and strengthen relationships with the City’s existing organizations, and identify ways to enhance neighborhoods and reduce complaints of noise, party behavior, and alcohol abuse. 2-3:30 pm – Performing Better Together: This workshop featured Partnerships between colleges and cities to develop performing arts venues, including a “Playhouse District” in Cleveland OH that involved restoration of a historic theater as well as new performance space benefiting the entire community. There are possible applications to our “Cultural Core” proposed for the downtown, with the collaboration of the Little Theater. 3:30 – 5:Transforming Policy: Government and Higher Education-Environmental Sustainability: Resiliency is breaking rapidly across campuses and communities to form the next wave of sustainable policies, partnerships, planning, design and construction. I joined a very interesting discussion centered on maintaining a vital, living and learning society within college communities as they prepare for the drastic impacts of climate change. This session featured an introduction to the new RELi Action List, apply its principles, and gain an understanding of resiliency - from the building to the government scale. The presenters included Pete Sandberg, Assistant Vice President for Facilities at St. Olaf College; Doug Pierce, Senior Associate, Perkins+Will and a Professor-in-Practice at the University Of Minnesota College Of Design; and Krisan Osterby, the Planning Practice Leader for Perkins+Will. They provided examples and identified a survey tool that enables an actionable understanding and access to Resilient Design practices. The SLO delegation gathered for dinner in downtown Evanston, home of Northwestern University and the Conference hotel. Evanston has an interesting history as a center of the temperance movement, and its most prominent early 20th century resident was Florence Willard who fought against alcohol abuse until she succeeded with the Prohibition movement in 1918. Florence Willard also gave her name to the College of Liberal Arts at Northwestern University. Tuesday, June 7 Before breakfast, I joined a small group of town and gown allies to learn about what is required in order host an ITGA Conference. This was my third such conference, and even at my first opportunity to join this group in 2014 in South Carolina, I had urged consideration of SLO as a conference host. The Loyola 2016 Conference attracted 320 attendees, with a budget requirement for the host of $75,000. Corporate sponsors were obtained for about $40,000; Loyola put in $15,000, Northwestern was in at $10,000, and DePaul University put in $5,000. I learned that in order to host an ITGA Conference, the host site should offer enough breadth to be attractive to a wide range of interests, but unique enough to convey a sense of place. Cal Poly and SLO have that unique blend that would make a very desirable conference site. The main constraint is the lack of suitable facilities, as it is widely understood that our existing Student Center with ITGA Conference – Chicago 2016 John Ashbaugh Representatives from Boston College and Georgetown tell their stories about how to improve quality of life in their respective neighborhoods Chumash Auditorium doesn’t have sufficient space for this group. As the Cal Poly student body rejected plans for a major expansion of the Student Center last April, it has delayed for several years before SLO could put together a proposal for ITGA. A Tale of Two Cities: Patrolling the Neighborhood – Education, Enforcement, and Building Community – I attended a workshop featuring the programs of Georgetown University and the Town of Georgetown, in a comparative framework with the Amherst Police and UMass Amherst External Relations. Both programs seek to improve town-gown and neighborhood communication and relations under a community policing philosophy, which emphasizes community engagement, partnerships and a problem- solving approach. There were many similarities with our own Neighborhood Services program, and I found it intriguing that Georgetown even calls its program “SNAP” just like ours. At lunch, I was very proud to join my colleagues and staff as the City of San Luis Obispo, Cal Poly, and Cuesta College received the Larry W. Abernathy Award. The Neighborhood Civility Working Group and "Neighborhood Wellness 2.0" was selected from among 8 applicants - a very competitive process within ITGA. The Abernathy awarded is sponsored by Clemson University and the City of Clemson in South Carolina; it is named for the late Mayor of Clemson. This award is offered to the city and higher education institutions that best represent the mission of the ITGA - "partnership through commitment and intention to strong interactions." The award is granted for a collaborative project that can be used by other college towns sharing similar circumstances and visions. City Manager Lichtig and Courtney Kienow acknowledged the dedication of the teamwork provided by many residents, Cal Poly students and staff, Cuesta students and staff, and city staff. This is a long term endeavor, but now we have a positive framework for Courtney Kienow, me, Christine Wallace, Katie Lichtig, Carlyn Christianson, Dan Rivoire, Connie Cox and David Moore of ITGA, and Michael Codron ITGA Conference – Chicago 2016 John Ashbaugh DePaul University rents ground-floor space to retail tenants where we go from here. Thanks to everyone who helped make this possible! 2:30 – 5:30 Walking tour of eight colleges in Chicago’s Loop (downtown): A group of about 20 of us were bussed down to the heart of the City’s downtown, in fact in the center of the Wabash Arts Corridor where we scrambled through eight separate colleges that are housed in the general area bounded by State Street, Michigan Ave., Van Buren and Roosevelt These included East-West University, Columbia College, Roosevelt College, DePaul University, John Marshall School of Law, School of the Art Institute of Chicago, Robert Morris University, and National Louis University. Each of these is privately- funded, some are secular but most have a religious affiliation – and together they enroll over 60,000 students in the very heart of the City. Several have an arts focus (Columbia, Roosevelt, SAIC), and three are comprehensive undergraduate colleges. Roosevelt has a very striking new building designed by a distinguished Chicago firm VOA, but most occupy historic buildings that had outlived their former lives as retail or office space. The City provided hundreds of millions in TIF (tax increment financing) funds, and all of these institutions and the remaining businesses in downtown Chicago support a Business Improvement District to maintain the public infrastructure in this vital downtown, so rich in history and spectacular architecture. We also got a briefing from the Chicago Loop BID Exec Dir). An additional stop was a privately-funded residence hall that meets the housing needs for several of the downtown IHE’s, adjacent to a Loop “El” station and within walking distance of over a dozen colleges. ITGA Conference – Chicago 2016 John Ashbaugh Chicago Skyline along Michigan Avenue from Millennium Park 6 pm – Reception at the University Club of Chicago – Conference attendees were plied with a substantial assortment of appetizers surrounded by several no-host bars at the historic Club where all of Chicago’s elite have gathered since 1889, overlooking Millennium Park and Lake Michigan. We got an inspiring pep talk from Dr. Kwang Wu Kim, the President of Columbia College who reminded us of the larger mission of all IHE’s – to develop students as complete human beings. ITGA Conference – Chicago 2016 John Ashbaugh ITGA Conference – Chicago 2016 John Ashbaugh At this reception, I had a chance to meet Mayor Tony Yarber of Jackson, Mississippi, who also spoke on Wednesday morning and gave a rousing account of how his administration is working with local IHE’s like Jackson State University to bring about an “Open Data Portal” for its citizens. The portal works essentially like our City’s new “Dashboard,” providing a means by which people can check on the City’s progress toward its goals and mission. Mayor Yarber is a young, articulate, charismatic leader who (in my opinion) would be a strong prospect for higher office. Check it out at https://data.jacksonms.gov/jackstats.