The Kansas City Star, by Mara Rose Williams

The town homes, constructed for $1.7 million and set in a row-house style on the north end of the campus, are the result of a fresh partnership formed between the university and residents of surrounding neighborhoods in an effort to create a more concentrated and efficient student community. Before Rockhurst and its neighbors formed this alliance, there had been years of friction. Within the last three years, the university noticed that many of the homes they own in surrounding neighborhoods needed costly repairs. Rockhurst officials decided it might be a good time to sell them off to permanent residents. With eight town homes, there's space for 32 students, bringing the total beds in on-campus housing to 931. "It has taken a long time for us to get here," Alicia Douglas, Rockhurst director of community relations and outreach, told people touring the new town house units. "This is that example of giving the conversation the time that it needs," she said.  

The Athens Messenger, by Staff Writers 

Ohio University President Roderick J. McDavis and City of Athens Mayor Steve Patterson were among the more than 115 people who participated in the inaugural Town and Gown Summit on July 20. The event brought together a variety of elected officials, city planners, safety officials, city administration, higher education professionals, community ambassadors and college stu-dents to discuss important topics related to community and university relations. Attendees were invited to participate in constructive conversa-tions with colleagues, establish new professional connections, and create strategies for a cohesive and thriving community. The discussions were designed to strengthen the relationships between Ohio higher education institutions and their respective municipalities. The idea for the Summit originated when representatives from Ohio attended the 2015 ITGA confer-ence at GWU and returned with a notion to initiate a similar event in Ohio. 

Inside Higher Ed, by Staff Writers

The U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration has issued an updated version of "A Day in the Life of College Students Aged 18 to 22." Some of the key findings are that, on an average day in the last year: 1.2 million full-time students (of a possible 9 million) had at least one alcoholic drink; just over 700,000 full-time students used marijuana; of the 2 million in the study, 239,000 had an alcoholic drink and 195,000 used marijuana; more than 2,500 students used alcohol for the first time; and more than 1,500 student used an illegal drug for the first time. College is often the first time when young people begin to engage in substance abuse. Findings in this report show that, on an average day, alcohol and marijuana were the substances most frequently initiated by both full-time and part-time college students. To see the full SAMHSA report, click here.  

LOCALSYR.com, by Staff Writers

The New York State Police will be launching a campaign to raise awareness about sexual assault on college campuses as students head back to school this fall. Their message will be heard in an eight-week radio, bill-board and social media campaign. The State Police Campus Sexual Assault Victims Unit was created by the landmark "Enough is Enough" legislation, which was signed into law in July 2015. The mission of the unit is to reduce the inci-dence of sexual assault through a prevention education program, which includes orientation for college students, faculty and support staff, and training for stakeholders. The unit will also investigate campus sexual crimes that are reported to the State Police, and provide investigative support as requested by campus and local law enforcement agencies. 

  Tech City News, by Staff Writers

A new UK-based property tech startup has been valued at $1.1 million after receiving investments from backers to completely transform the way university students search for and find their lettings. University Cribs pro-vides an online media platform for letting agents and student accommodation providers to share their proper-ties with the student market. Unlike other property letting websites, University Cribs is solely aimed at the student demo-graphic. The search model will simplify and streamline the process of finding housing for students by placing all agent-listed properties on to one site, as well as allowing landlords to access their market all in one place. The interactive website will also offer advice-giving articles and local neigh-bourhood guides to ease students into their new residences. 

A growing and impressive group of professionals from campus communities across the globe continue to network and share strategies for improving town and gown relations. Join us on Twitter and LinkedIn.  

The ITGA strengthens town and gown partnerships by providing a network of professionals and resources, identifying and sharing leading practices, innovative solutions and professional development opportunities for municipal and university communities.