Urban Universities: Meeting the Needs of Students

Urban universities play an increasingly significant role in post-secondary education; however, little attention has been directed at these institutions. While not attempting to provide a comprehensive set of generalizations predicting the behavior of these educational institutions, this article seeks to be a gateway to focus our attention upon and examine the distinctive character, mission, and activities of urban universities. To that end, we build the context of education by discussing the rise of public education, in general, and urban universities, in particular. Next, using the California State University system, we set out the environment, philosophy, and challenges that distinguish urban universities from their traditional counterparts. From this research, we are able to better define urban universities and their environments, to begin mapping policy responses to the challenges these institutions face, and to suggest future areas of research of these important learning centers.