Overview

A program of the Ohio General Assembly and the Ohio Board of Regents, the UUP is a unique network linking the resources of eight urban universities in Ohio with the communities and students they serve in cooperative efforts to improve the state's urban regions. Eight highly regarded center units at the University of Akron, Cleveland State University, Kent State University, The Ohio State University, The University of Toledo, Wright State University, Youngstown State University, and the University of Cincinnati, provide research and service to Ohio's Urban areas. This 25-year partnership with legislators, cities, and urban universities is unique to the state and nation. The member institutions greatly appreciate the support of both the General Assembly and OBOR. We have leveraged the state's investment with university dollars and outside grants and contracts; we have invested it in university research and outreach to meet community needs.

Roles & Responsibilities of the UUP

In 1994 the Roles & Responsibilities of the UUP were approved as revised by the Committee. The Levin College of Urban Affairs at CSU serves as the coordinator and administrator of the UUP. The Dean of the College serves as the Chair of the committee, providing leadership and serving as primary spokesperson for the UUP. Other specific responsibilities include preparing legislative funding requests and implementing program-planning activities.

The Levin College at CSU also has administrative and day-to day management responsibility for the UUP ("secretariat" responsibilities), including the fiscal management of the State Research and Technical Assistance fund and overall budgeting and accounting. To support these functions, 2% of the UUP base appropriation is allocated for UUP administration.

The Maxine Goodman Levin College of Urban Affairs at Cleveland State University

http://urban.csuohio.edu
Cleveland State University is designated as the flagship of the UUP by the Ohio General Assembly and the Ohio Board of Regents. The Maxine Goodman Levin College is a nationally recognized and respected resource serving as a UUP research and service unit as well as UUP administrative body. Acting Dean Ned Hill of the College serves as the Chair of the committee, providing leadership and guidance to member institutions and serving as primary spokesperson for the UUP.

As a respected source of expertise in public and nonprofit management, urban public policy, and regional issues, the Levin College maintains an esteemed reputation for outstanding scholarship and the production of information needed to address urban issues. Research from the Levin College has appeared in numerous prestigious journals, important books, and in reports for the community and public, private, and nonprofit sectors. The College's Research and Public Service Initiative provides applied research and outreach services to the community through a number of integrated centers and initiatives. These include the Center for Neighborhood Development, the Economic Development Program (an Economic Development Administration University Center), the Great Lakes Environmental Finance Center, the Housing Policy Research Program, the Nonprofit Connection, Northern Ohio Data & Information Service (NODIS), Ohio Center for Women in Public Service, the Public Management Program and the Urban Child Research Center. The collective mission of these programs is to serve as a source for the investigation of issues and challenges facing urban communities and to apply the College's resources to solutions. As a unit, the College's Research Initiative functions as the largest urban policy research center in Ohio.

The faculty's research and publications, as well as the technical reports from the Research and Public Service Initiative are indispensable resources for municipalities, public officials, agencies, and the private sector. The goal of all of the research produced at the College is to enhance the quality of life in urban communities locally, regionally, statewide, and nationally through applied research, policy analysis, technical assistance, training, database development and GIS services. The Program provides leadership to the collaborative research and public service goals of the Ohio Board of Regents Urban University Program and its Northeast Ohio Research Consortium and supports the research and training projects of the College faculty.

The College is now past its 25th year of successfully fulfilling its research mission. Over 50 professional and clerical staff, numerous graduate assistants, and undergraduate student assistants undertake a variety of research and training projects each year in collaboration with faculty members. The College's research programs and initiatives are headed by nationally prominent scholars and practitioners.

Undergraduate students who have been employed in the Research Initiative frequently continue their graduate work in the College and thus remain with the Initiative as graduate assistants. Frequently our graduate students return to the College in professional staff positions.

The Regents Advisory Committee on the UUP

This Advisory Committee meets quarterly to review progress, coordinate planning and projects, and exchange ideas and information. Each member institution is represented.

Public Policy Forums and Research Projects

Forum reports, and the most current Biennial Report, demonstrate the collaborative research and outreach efforts of the UUP member institutions. Each year (usually in February) we hold a public policy forum where legislators, university researchers and practitioners come together to discuss relevant UUP projects addressing current state policy issues.