Coalition of Urban Serving Universities and APLU Examine and Elevate Promising Practices at Urban-Serving Universities

The Coalition of Urban Serving Universities (USU) and APLU have been awarded a grant from Lumina Foundation to leverage data to address the challenges and harness opportunities at urban-serving research universities.

Public urban-serving research universities have a wealth of national data available to them that have the potential to define and drive progress and success in this important sector. However, higher education does not often disaggregate and examine these data specifically for USUs. The current project draws upon the power of the Coalition of Urban Serving Universities as an intermediary for its 40 member institutions to leverage, organize, analyze, and disseminate the findings from existing national data. The work will elevate promising practices in student success, enhance urban university engagement to increase prosperity and opportunity in urban areas, and tackle key challenges for students and in our nation’s cities.

USU will produce and disseminate two series of reports for the project: case studies and national data findings. Researchers will disaggregate and analyze existing data to identify key findings, trends, issues, and opportunities unique to public urban-serving research universities. The effective analysis, reporting, and dissemination of these to a variety of audiences have the potential to inform practice, policy, and research at USU institutions, other APLU members, and for higher education, writ large. For further information or inquiries, please email usucoalition@aplu.org.