VCU President Discusses Universities as Economic Engines in Chronicle of Higher Education Opinion Piece

By Pamela DiSalvo Lepley
Division of University Relations

Universities should invest time, energy and resources in their communities regardless of the economic climate because relationships built and nurtured over time serve the institution well, Virginia Commonwealth University president Eugene P. Trani wrote in an opinion piece in the Chronicle of Higher Education. 

"During hard times, both public and private institutions may be tempted to become more insular and reduce investment in activities that are sometimes considered tangential to our core missions of teaching, research, and service. A prime example is engagement with local and regional communities," Trani wrote in the May 16 issue. "But that temptation should be resisted. The connections between universities and our communities are essential to our core functions and are increasingly vital to our continuing success as well as the long-term prosperity of the nation's cities, regions, and states."

The article is available, by subscription or one-time fee, at this site: http://chronicle.com/weekly/v54/i36/36a03601.htm