The Indispensable University: Higher Education, Economic Development, and the Knowledge Economy (review)

Professors Eugene Trani and Robert Holsworth, both of Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, Virginia,¹ have produced in this book an interesting, insightful, and notably wide ranging discussion of what they see as a key aspect of modern higher education—its role in community and economic development. They offer this perspective largely from the vantage point of institutional leadership but, given that, the span is wide. There are chapters on "The Emergence of Urban Universities," "The Reinvention of the Land-Grant University," "Community College—A Uniquely American Invention," "British and Irish Higher Education: Ancient but thoroughly Modern," "Middle Eastern Higher Education: Two Oases in the Desert," and "Higher Education in Developing Countries: The BRIC Nations," in addition to introductory (two) and concluding chapters. The two initial chapters set the main theme firmly as both include "economic and community development" in their titles. These authors clearly see the engaged academic institution—both economically and socially engaged that is—as the emergent dominant academic institutional form around the globe.

The authors derive much of their analysis from their experiences at Virginia Commonwealth during Trani's long presidency, from 1990 to 2009, including experiences with VCU's institutional partners abroad. Prior to Trani's presidency, according to the authors, the school's relations with its immediate neighbors were distant and strained at best while Richmond itself was somewhat depressed and struggling economically. Trani led and Holsworth evidently played an important role in a policy of institutional civic engagement that included the development of service learning programs and consulting relationships to engage with the community; collaborative decision-making with campus neighbors on projects not only to expand the campus but also to improve the neighborhood in ways it desired; involvement in broader regional strategizing and decision-making; and development of academic and applied research programs linked to the local economy. Since VCU has a medical school, the institution had some special opportunities to visibly aid local populations, not only in treating their health problems but also training and employing them in rewarding jobs. Of course, the university worked to make all aware of its broad strategy of engagement. The authors note how this makes friends for the institution and creates incentives for legislative support.

Throughout the book the authors emphasize the constructive community partnerships that academic institutions can build by virtue not just of the expertise and energy they can offer (e.g., from students) but as well from their roles as large-scale employer, purchaser of goods and services ("buy local" where possible), and real estate developer. They offer numerous examples not limited to VCU, as the above chapter titles suggest. For example, the chapter on the urban university offers a case study of the University of Pennsylvania's widely admired programs to become a part of its surrounding community, which was formerly badly deteriorating, rather than simply exist next to it. Penn has pioneered service learning and community involvement programs as well as community partnerships for urban revitalization (pp. 48-55) while also partnering with the city and state on research-based efforts and technology transfer as an integral part of regional and state economic development strategies (Geiger, 2010). This chapter also provides a nice case study of the University of Southern California's efforts under President Steven Sample, whose tenure closely paralleled Trani's, to help rebuild its surrounding community and engage with it. Like Penn, USC was faced with serious strategic problems in attracting faculty and students as its inner city surroundings declined and became unsafe. Similarly, the chapter on the reinvention of the land grant university emphasizes urban "experiment stations" in profiling Ohio State and the Universities of Minnesota-Twin Cities, and Wisconsin-Madison.

The chapter on community colleges uses Miami-Dade, Montgomery College in suburban Maryland, and the Maricopa Community Colleges in the Phoenix area to explain how two-year colleges also fit...