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Campus-Community Connections
The official newsletter of the International Town & Gown Association™ September 28, 2020
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Get to Know ITGA Board Members and Leaders |
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With COVID-19 closing campuses and straining municipal budgets, the ITGA has never been more relevant. Our mission to strengthen town-gown partnerships comes to life through the work of our Board of Directors, particularly the members of the Executive Board whom we will be profiling, along with other board members, over the course of our weekly newsletters. "Relationships are everything," says Board President Emily Allen, and that is precisely what ITGA provides. Networking and relationships. Professional sharing and expertise. In-depth and sometimes difficult conversations on social issues rocking our nation. Get to know our board members and leaders. We think they will inspire you to become more deeply involved. This "family of like-minded professionals, as President-Elect Britany Waddell calls ITGA, is here to work with you as, together, we navigate a rocky academic year.
Beth Bagwell, MPA
ITGA Executive Director
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Meet ITGA's President Emily Allen |
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President Emily Allen, MS, Colorado State University
An eight-year member of the ITGA board, Emily Allen is returning as president in 2020–21. Her biggest priorities: keeping ITGA nimble enough to serve members’ shifting needs during a global pandemic and growing the organization to serve more colleges and universities, municipalities and others interested in college-community relations. The acting presidential liaison to the provost’s office at Colorado State University in Fort Collins, where she earned a Master of Science in Student Affairs in Higher Education, Emily has experience on both sides of the town-gown equation, having worked previously as community liaison between the City of Fort Collins and the university’s Office of Campus Life. “ITGA’s mission resonates with my own personal values,” she says, “serving colleges and their larger communities and helping them thrive.” That professional experience, along with a blend of strategic thinking and emotional intelligence, are helping her guide the ITGA board during a tumultuous, uncertain year. “I can look down the road to see where we want to head and backtrack to create a plan to get us there,” she says. “Relationships are everything, and I enjoy building and nurturing them.” You can contact Emily at emily.allen@colostate.edu.
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Town-Gown Weekly Community Briefings |
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Boulder, CO - Recognizing the growing concern about the increase in positive COVID-19 cases in Boulder, the City of Boulder, the Boulder County Health Department and the University of Colorado-Boulder will begin offering community briefings to provide updates to, and take questions from, the public. The sessions will be online and community members will need to register in advance to gain access. These briefings will be held on Thursday mornings until Nov. 20. City officials will be joined by a representative from Boulder County Public Health and will invite other partners based on the issues of concern that week. "We know the community is concerned about the speed among CU students in Boulder, and we are offering these briefings to provide Boulder residents and others with access to regular updates," City Manager Jane Brautigam said. City of Boulder
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City, University Collaborate for Scooter Pilot Program |
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San Marcos, TX - Electric scooters have started appearing around San Marcos after the city, in collaboration with Texas State University, signed a pilot agreement with Spin electric scooters. "The scooter pilot program offers the opportunity to evaluate the feasibility of motor-assisted scooter use in the San Marcos community," City Manager Bert Lumbreras said. The city said Monday that the pilot program established with Spin, "proactively addresses infrastructure limitations due to the restrictions placed on public transit in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, and meets a need for additional transportation options following the exit of Veo-Ride bikes from the community in August." San Marcos Daily Record
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Seniors and Students Paired During COVID-19 |
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New Brunswick, Canada - Hannah Crouse, a third year student at Mount Allison University in Sackville, began working with community groups delivering food to seniors. Wearing gloves and a mask, Crouse was invited into the first house she visited by the elderly woman who lived there alone. "I put the groceries away and then she started crying and crying, saying how sad she was and how no one had come to visit her since COVID started..." Not only was she lonely, but her cupboards were nearly bare. That night, Crouse came up with the idea for her program that pairs university students with seniors. The goal is for the students to visit their seniors once a week and share a meal. In the end, she paired 18 seniors with 20 students. CBC
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Being a Good Neighbour Program |
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Manchester and The University of Manchester Manchester is included in the "COVID-19 Communication Pack for HEIs." The communications toolkit contains: Key messages for students; Sharable assets to encourage good public health behaviours; Links to new guidance created specifically for HIEs; Examples and case studies from others HIEs of start of term communications and more. Manchester's Being a Good Neighbour program is available here. To view the entire toolkit, click here. Please note that these materials are cleared for use in England. Congratulations to our UK colleagues!
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A growing and impressive group of professionals from campus communities continue to network and share strategies for improving town-gown relations. Join us on Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram.
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