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Coalition of Urban and Metropolitan Universities

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Coalition of Urban and Metropolitan Universities (CUMU)
AbbreviationCUMU
Formation1989
Typenon-governmental organization
PurposeServing and connecting the world’s urban and metropolitan universities and their partners.
HeadquartersTowson, Maryland
Membership
115+ colleges and universities and their partners worldwide
Executive Director
Valerie Holton, Ph.D.
Websitewww.cumuonline.org

The Coalition of Urban and Metropolitan Universities (CUMU) is an international membership organization of colleges and universities located in urban and metropolitan areas that share common understandings of their institutional missions and values. CUMU was founded in 1989 by 10 university presidents gathered at Wright State University who realized their unique challenges and opportunities as they looked to the future of higher education.[1][2] Today, CUMU works to build connections across its membership to create and share knowledge on the issues that face our urban and metropolitan campuses and the communities they serve.

CUMU is headquartered at Towson University in Towson, Maryland.[3][4]

The organization publishes Metropolitan Universities journal, a scholarly publication addressing the issues facing urban and metropolitan-serving institutions, such as civic engagement, leadership, and shared academic spaces. As of 2016, the journal has been published entirely online as an open-access journal.[5][6]

History

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The Coalition of Urban and Metropolitan Universities (CUMU) was founded in 1989 by a group of presidents and chancellors who gathered at Wright State University to recognize and affirm their shared mission to use the power of their campuses in education, research, and service to enhance the communities in which they were located. On this occasion, the founders of CUMU came together to create a viable niche in higher education for those institutions united through their philosophies. Member institutions pledged to enrich their communities while strengthening the campus’ core commitment to teaching and research.[7]

The first meeting of university leadership to define the “metropolitan university” was held at Wright State University. This first convening is sometimes considered the first CUMU Annual Conference. In 1990, 50 institutions signed the original Declaration of Metropolitan Universities, formalizing CUMU as an organization. In 1996, the first formal bylaws were written and approved.[1]

Headquarters

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Wright State University served as the first CUMU headquarters. During this time period the organization held conferences and published Metropolitan Universities journal, but did not formally collect membership dues. In 1994, CUMU headquarters moved to University of North Texas. In 2002, CUMU headquarters moved to Eastern Michigan University and CUMU was incorporated in the state of Michigan. In 2006, following a competitive bidding process, Towson University was named as the CUMU administrative home.[8]

Leadership & Governance

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CUMU is governed by a Board of Directors,[9] composed of presidents and chancellors of member institutions, and led by an executive director.[10] Board members are elected to two-year terms during the annual Presidents meeting at the CUMU Annual Conference in October.[11] In 2012, the President was Wendell Pritchett, former Chancellor of Rutgers University–Camden, Interim Dean and Presidential Professor at the University of Pennsylvania Law School, and Provost of the University of Pennsylvania. The current CUMU chair is Kristin Sobelik, Chancellor of University of Missouri–St. Louis.

Valerie Holton, Ph.D., LCSW, was named executive director in June 2022.[12]

Metropolitan Universities Journal

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Since 1990, the organization has published Metropolitan Universities journal, a scholarly publication addressing the issues facing urban and metropolitan-serving institutions.[13] As of 2016, the journal has been published entirely online as an open-access publication. The journal is hosted and supported by the IUPUI University Library.[14]

Editors

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  • Ernest A. Lynton (1990–1997) [15]
  • Barbara A. Holland (1997–2016)
  • Valerie Holton (2016–2023)
  • Patrick M. Green (2023–present)[16]

Membership

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United States

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*private

Canada

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References

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  1. ^ a b "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2013-10-22. Retrieved 2013-05-21.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  2. ^ "History - CUMU". www.cumuonline.org. 8 May 2017. Retrieved 2017-08-18.
  3. ^ "Headquarters - Coalition of Urban and Metropolitan Universities". Archived from the original on 2016-12-20. Retrieved 2016-12-12.
  4. ^ "Partnerships & Outreach". Towson University. Archived from the original on 2017-09-10. Retrieved 2017-08-18.
  5. ^ "Journal - Coalition of Urban and Metropolitan Universities". Archived from the original on 2016-12-20. Retrieved 2016-12-12.
  6. ^ "Metropolitan Universities Journal - CUMU". www.cumuonline.org. Retrieved 2017-08-18.
  7. ^ Smith, Arthur. "Declaration". CUMU. Retrieved 2023-10-12.
  8. ^ Smith, Arthur. "History". CUMU. Retrieved 2023-10-12.
  9. ^ ccregan. "Leadership Team". CUMU. Retrieved 2023-10-12.
  10. ^ "Executive Committee - CUMU". www.cumuonline.org. Retrieved 2017-08-18.
  11. ^ "Executive Committee - Coalition of Urban and Metropolitan Universities". Archived from the original on 2016-12-20. Retrieved 2016-12-12.
  12. ^ CUMU (2022-06-08). "Valerie Holton named executive director of CUMU". CUMU. Retrieved 2023-10-12.
  13. ^ "Metropolitan Universities". journals.iupui.edu. Retrieved 2023-10-12.
  14. ^ "About the Journal | Metropolitan Universities". journals.iupui.edu. Retrieved 2023-10-12.
  15. ^ Smith, Arthur. "Ernest A. Lynton Legacy". CUMU. Retrieved 2023-10-12.
  16. ^ CUMU (2023-06-07). "Patrick M. Green named editor of Metropolitan Universities journal". CUMU. Retrieved 2023-10-12.
  17. ^ "CUMU : Current Membership" (PDF). c.ymcdn.com. CUMU. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 20, 2016.
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