SCUP
Planning for Higher Education Journal

Collaborative Planning Deepens Town-Gown Relationships

Carlow University Develops a Best-Practice Framework with the City of Pittsburgh
From Volume 53 Number 2 | January–March 2025
By Lisa Witzig, PhD, EdD, Michelle Figlar, EdD, and Joy Pugh, EdD
Planning Types: Campus Planning

Institutions referenced in this resource:
Carlow University

The president of Carlow University identified the university’s town-gown relationships as needing assessment as the institution embarked on a significant campus revitalization that required close coordination with the City of Pittsburgh. We developed a four-quadrant framework of best practices based on an extensive literature review. To assess town-gown interactions against the framework, we interviewed city and higher education leaders, reviewed the City of Pittsburgh’s and university documents, and analyzed the university’s social media presence. Our process generated specific, actionable recommendations that resulted in the university reorganizing senior leadership position descriptions and responsibilities, revamping its social media strategy, and aligning organizational efforts to increase its visibility.

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