Campus-Community Connections The official newsletter of the International Town & Gown Association™ January 25, 2021

COVID-19: What Comes Next in Higher Ed?

Returning student populations may be at even greater risk than they were in the fall — not to mention their surrounding communities, where research has suggested greater outbreaks in college towns. Despite those concerns, colleges are pushing ahead. The stakes are high; enrollment plummeted at most colleges last semester, and the loss of income from in-person services like campus housing and dining could be devastating to schools that depend on that money. College towns would feel the economic pinch as well. But when administrators talk about the need for reopening, they focus on what went well in the fall — and the advantages of the full university experience. Illinois and other universities found little evidence of transmission among students in classrooms. Rather, outbreaks were more likely to occur in the off-campus spaces where students are least likely to wear masks or practice social distancing. USA Today

Opportunity for Collaboration?

For state and local governments, the pandemic has brought financial gloom: Tax collections are down, public health expenses are up, and their infrastructure backlog is growing. The fiscal challenges could spur new ways for the private sector to collaborate with state and local governments, said Gabriel Silverstein, managing director of SVN Angelic, a real estate investment and advising firm in Austin, Texas. “We are in one of those times that necessity is real,” said Mr. Silverstein, who has worked on public-private partnerships, known as P3s. He predicted that there may be “some interesting and creative things happening in the public-private partnership space.” Data suggests local governments will need all the help they can get. The National League of Cities estimates that nearly 90 percent of cities will be less able to meet their needs in fiscal 2021 than in fiscal 2020. Many state and local governments’ fiscal 2021 started in July 2020. Lenex Web

Upcoming Webinar: Town Gown Turn Around Series

"Town-Gown Turn Around Series: Where do we go from here? Save the Date: January 27, 12:00-1:00pm (EST). To see the full description and stellar line-up of panelists, click here. Seating is limited. Register by eob Tuesday. For questions, contact Beth@itga.org.

NEW Board Member Highlight: Meet Melissa Selesky

Melissa Selesky, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey Melissa Selesky has spent the bulk of her career at Rutgers University, most recently as senior director of community affairs. A new board member, she values ITGA for the “fully evolved perspective” on issues that affect colleges and universities and the towns and cities that they serve. Having been involved with ITGA for nearly a decade, she values the “accessible network of professionals” who face many of the same opportunities and challenges that Rutgers does in its three New Jersey locations. “It has never been more vital for higher education institutions and their host communities to work collaboratively on the challenges presented by the pandemic,” Melissa says. “ITGA will be crucial for sharing creative ideas and solutions across its membership to help during these unprecedented times.” To contact Melissa, click here.

Early Bird Virtual Conference Registration Extended

The virtual ITGA City & University Relations Conference is May 24-26. Due to member requests and the hardships that many of you are experiencing, we have extended this special rate to Friday, February 12. To register, click here. To learn more about the conference, visit www.itga.org.

2020 Census City Undercounts Webinar

On January 14, the NLC Cities Counts team held a webinar titled "2020 Census City Undercounts: Risks, Consequences, and Solutions." The webinar included specific focuses on university communities due to the impact and the University Communities Council's previous advocacy on the topic. You can access the recording here. See description below:  The 2020 Census response period may have ended, but the final count numbers are still in question, particularly in areas that saw mass movements of their population due to the pandemic, like college towns and snowbird cities. As the Census Bureau continues processing the 2020 Census data, questions remain for all cities concerned about an undercount; how, and how accurately, will the Bureau be able to fill in the gaps for cities' population counts and characteristics, data that ultimately impact federal funding allocation, federal grant eligibility, and where and who is represented in city council districts. Using the stark example of college towns after the exodus of students following COVID-related lockdown orders, learn about the sources and risks of an undercount in cities, obstacles to getting an accurate final count through data, and what cities may still be able to do ensure an accurate final count.

ITGA 2021 Conference: Call For Proposals

As college towns continue to evolve, engaging our broader communities as partners in identifying and responding to crucial issues remains a cornerstone for our future success. Marquette University is excited to partner with the City of Milwaukee and the International Town & Gown Association (ITGA) to host the 2021 Virtual Conference, “Innovating for Tomorrow, Together” from May 24-26, 2021. Please consider sharing the information below, along with the link to the Call for Proposals, with your network, and encouraging their participation. The virtual environment will provide a dynamic, international platform for the efforts they are advancing in collaboration with partners throughout their communities.  Track 1: The Rising: Innovative strategies that build consolation from the desolation: Key session themes: community economic (re)development, neighborhood revitalization, responding to the times, role of anchor institutions Track 2: Don't Stop Thinking about Tomorrow: Coalescing partnerships to mutually strengthen what are perceived to be disparate communities: Key session themes: model initiatives, city-corporate-neighborhood-university partnerships that disrupt business as usual, bursting the "bubble" Track 3: American Saturday Night: Finding peace, safety and common ground in off-campus neighborhoods: Key session themes: inspiring responsible student behavior, reducing harm for all "parties" through awareness, transforming city-landlord-tenant relationships REVIEW TRACKS IN DETAIL & SUBMIT A PROPOSAL Note: Registration Fees apply to presenters

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Join us on Social Media 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.

Have an ITGA story to share? Contact Beth@itga.org

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