An Urban Vision for the 21st Century:

The Urban Research and

Outreach/Engagement Center & the
University Northside Partnership

Senior Vice President Robert J. Jones

Associate Vice President & Executive Director of UROC
Irma McClaurin

Original Presentation to University of Minnesota Board of Regents, Educational

Planning and Policy Committee, July 9, 2008; Updated, October 15, 2008
 Overview
• An Urban Vision for the 21st Century

• The University Northside Partnership (UNP)

• The Urban Research and

Outreach/Engagement Center (UROC)
VISION: Improve the human condition through the
advancement of knowledge

MISSION: Dynamic public engagement

ESSENTIAL COMMITMENT: Address critical

needs of state, nation, world
 Why An Urban Vision?
• Majority of world’s
population lives in cities
• 60% of Minnesota
residents live in the Twin
Cities commuting area
• Minnesota is mosaic of
cities (Rochester, St.
Cloud, Duluth)
• Urban/rural interface
(Worthington, Willmar)
 The Need for Action
Close the Gap: The Case for
Change - Premieres April 6th at
6pm on tpt.
This new documentary series produced in
partnership with The Itasca Project examines
the widening gaps between Minnesotans. 

The Minnesota Legislative

Report Card on Racial
Equity 2007
Areas of Focus for the University’s Urban
Vision
• Strengthening Community – economic development,
job skills, reduce poverty
• Building Human Capital – education, early childhood
development
• Improving Health – eliminate health disparities, provide
evidence-based mental health services for children and
families, emphasize nutrition and healthy lifestyles
 The University
Northside Partnership

Creating an authentic
partnership with
residents, community
groups, local
governments, and the
philanthropy and business
sectors.
 UNP
University Northside Partnership

Convening mechanism for

partner organizations
NorthPoint Health & Wellness Center･
City of Minneapolis･
The Coalition of Black Churches/African
American Leadership Summit･
Hennepin County･
Northside Residents Redevelopment Council･
Northway Community Trust･
Phyllis Wheatley Community Center
 Anchoring our Presence

Urban Research and Outreach/Engagement

Center (UROC)

 Coordination & delivery mechanism for outreach,

research and engagement programs & activities in the
community

 Physical presence/facility for those programs

 Progress to Date
 Continued work to establish the Child and Family Center (Dr.
Dante Cicchetti)
 Received $750,000 three-year grant from the Foundation for
the Improvement of Post Secondary Education (FISPE)
 Received $300,000 two-year grant from City of MPLS
Empowerment Zone for the Center for Innovation and
Economic Development
 Hired liaisons to facilitate Community/University collaborations
 Purchased a facility to anchor our presence in the North
Minneapolis community
 Hired an Executive Director for UROC
 Accomplishments

• Programmatic
– UNP Work Groups
– FIPSE-UROC Work Groups
Synergy I
Synergy II
Synergy III
UROC SPACE-The Facility
Strategic Planning
Holistic Evaluation
 Next Steps
• Sustainable Partnership Development
– Fellowships for community leaders
– Community awards
– Community Opportunity Grants (modeled on the
Northside Seed Grant Program administered by CURA)
– Community-University conversation salons and social
events
 Next Steps (cont)
– First Interdisciplinary National Community
Partners conference
– Action Research Workshops
– Curricula development grants to integrate
local urban issues & action research
– Governance Structure for UNP & UROC
 Looking Towards the Future

• 2020 Vision
 A 21st Century Engaged Urban
University
“Driven to discover solutions to complex issues
facing urban communities ”
+
Community
Partners=
Success
A 21 Century Destination
st

• Through UNP &

UROC, the
University is
forging a new path
of urban
community
engagement.