Stylus Publishing (VA) Neighborhood Democracy: Building Anchor Partnerships Between Colleges and Their Communities (A Sasso and Devitis Book)

Review Dr. Guarasci has show that liberal arts colleges can do remarkable good in society by developing partnerships with the community, especially communities in economic need. Guarasci shows that higher education can effect change in tangible, meaningful ways. Should be required reading for all college presidents.--Kurt M. Landgraf "former President of Washington College, COO of DuPont, and President of the Educational Testing Service""Neighborhood Democracy is an incredibly timely and important book, which rightly highlights the interdependence between American democracy and higher education. It is incumbent upon higher education to renew its civic mission in order to strengthen an increasingly fragile democracy. Dr. Guarasci appropriately challenges higher education to take responsibility for its unique role in democratic societies. As enduring organizations remaining in their geographic areas, institutions of higher education are anchor institutions within and around neighborhoods in which the impact of a crisis in democracy and persistent inequities are experienced. As Dr. Guarasci maintains, this continuous local presence of colleges and universities is essential to how higher education can deepen democratic civic engagement with a wide array of stakeholders in neighborhoods with a special emphasis on communities of color. This responsibility is not a departure from higher education's mission and purpose. In fact, the civic learning and practice stressed in Neighborhood Democracy is a fundamental and mutually transformative pursuit for colleges and universities in our contemporary context and into the future."--Dr. David Maurrasse "Founder and President of Marga Incorporated; Director of the Anchor Institutions Task Force; Adjunct Research Scholar at the Earth Institute; Adjunct Associate Professor at the School of International and Public Affairs at Columbia University"A timely, informative, and inspirational book highlighting the importance of educating for democratic citizenship. It speaks to transformative university and community partnerships with an exciting vision to help solve society's grand challenges: climate change, education access, immigration, mass incarceration, public health, race and inequality, and voter engagement. A must read for Presidents, Provosts, and faculty who are working to develop the next generation of exceptional leaders our society needs.--Jan Risë Liss "Executive Director, Project Pericles"American democracy and our system of higher education both face perilous times. Drawing on his years of innovation and community engagement as president of Wagner College, Richard Guarasci makes a compelling case that these bedrock institutions can be revitalized through meaningful university neighborhood partnerships. Moving beyond theory to actual practice, Neighborhood Democracy is both an important call to action and a helpful guide for solution-seeking institutional leaders everywhere. Well worth reading!--Beverly Daniel Tatum "President Emerita, Spelman College" Product Description Higher education and America stand at a perilous moment brought about by economic and social inequality, racism, and the fracture of civic cohesion and structures.From its origins, the mission of American higher education was to promote democratic governance and a free, fair, and orderly society through the education of responsible citizens. Just as its mission has become more urgent, it is being undermined as colleges and universities find themselves trapped in a fiscal crisis that threatens their very institutional viability―a crisis in large part brought about by the very perpetuation of economic and racial inequity, and the consequent erosion of consensus about civic purpose and vision.This book argues that higher education can and must again take leadership in promoting the participatory processes and instilling the democratic values needed to build a vibrant and fair society. How to do that when,