For years, “town and gown” tension was the norm for college towns. Colleges and universities were perceived as living in their own little bubble, seemingly disconnected and frankly uncaring about the communities surrounding them. Tensions between students and local police, between campus and town planners and even some elitist hostility reigned.

Today, both academic and local government leaders have been embracing a more enlightened partnership approach. College administrators were finding that the surrounding town could be either a big draw or a major obstacle to recruiting students in the highly competitive battle for the best students. Town and county leaders began to realize that colleges were becoming even more valuable economic and community development assets, providing everything from new research centers that drew new money to cultural offerings that enriched the life of all citizens.

The University of Pennsylvania became a leader in this approach in the early 2000’s. Judith Rodin, Penn’s president at the time, launched a bold initiative to transform the inner city West Philadelphia neighborhood in which Penn existed. They launched a low-interest loan program for their professors to buy and rehab houses in the area. They began retail and office development projects. They even partnered with the School District of Philadelphia to build an entirely new elementary school that Penn would help manage. The result? Interested residents are clamoring to move into the neighborhood instead of escaping, property values have increased steadily, and Penn does not have the same crime and quality of life issues to inhibit their student recruiting.

What role could and should West Virginia colleges and universities play in our new economy and overall quality of life growth? Dr. Peter Barr, the new president of Glenville State College, has made this a clear priority at the early stage of his tenure at this small town, rural college. He realizes the same issues as Dr. Rodin at Penn – without a quality “place”, GSC will struggle to attract students. The town is eager to partner with GSC to address housing and economic development issues.

Some of the early initiatives include an innovative 13-county partnership in which GSC invests know-how and resources to help K-12 school districts send more students to college and a housing initiative in which the college will enter into a corporation to build more attractive housing to keep college and local Federal prison employees in town.

Other examples are beginning to percolate, but a more aggressive, proactive, innovative approach to college-community partnerships in West Virginia could be one of the primary catalysts to spark real change in our state.