The history and status of the field of urban and public affairs are discussed, and some characteristics of the 13 existing graduate programs in this area are identified. Ways to organize a high-quality graduate degree program and to avoid common internal institutional obstacles are considered. Some new initiatives in metropolitan universities are…

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…

This article argues that metropolitan universities are well suited to respond to workforce development and maintenance needs, and ways in which institutions can gather the information needed to target their response are examined. A Northern Illinois University study is offered as an example of such an effort. The role of metropolitan universities…

A brief history and some observations are given of the federal Education Amendments of 1980, amending the Higher Education Act of 1965, which provides basic authority for a variety of federal student aid and college assistance programs. Much of the current legislation is extended intact, and most of the programs are reauthorized through fiscal…

This is the third of eight volumes consisting of series of publications of the Center for the Study of Liberal Education for Adults (CSLEA), such as Notes and Essays, Research Reports, Occasional Papers, and Conference Reports. These materials provide both theory and practice in the area of non-credit adult liberal education offered by colleges…