Despite the improving economy, the outlook for the higher education sector is still poor, especially between the endowment haves and have-nots. Another factor playing a critical role in the success or failure of institutions: their location.
"What’s long been said about real estate is increasingly true for colleges as well—it’s all about location," reports Jeffrey Selingo.
Although education institutions have provided economic development opportunities in many urban areas, colleges and universities in rural areas are in danger of being left behind. "We are seeing creative juices and financial rewards flowing to a more select group of cities and urban areas. This has significant consequences for colleges in struggling towns and declining manufacturing cities," writes Selingo.
Remaining relevant and competing in an urbanizing country, according to Selingo, is "a task that colleges in those struggling towns often can’t afford." To make the case for the uncertain economic situation of higher education, Selingo cites a report released earlier this month by Moody's Investor's Services issuing a negative outlook for the higher education sector in the United States. In fact, the location of many colleges correlated to their financial performance. According to Selingo, "the credit-rating agency found that a quarter of regional public institutions—usually located in sparsely populated areas of their states—saw declines last year in their net tuition revenue, the cash that colleges have left after giving out financial aid to students. Among private colleges, Moody’s found 'a growing disparity between tuition-dependent colleges and market-leading universities with diverse revenue sources.'"
FULL STORY: Location, Location, Location. Urban Hot Spots Are the Place to Be.
The University and The City: Location and Structure
Institutional structure and culture can matter as much as location to the success and survival of urban universities.
Coronavirus College Clusters Stress Town and Gown Relationship
College towns that have been observing public health guidelines and seen relatively few COVID-19 cases are now seeing infections spike as young people return to take classes. The New York Times has been tracking cases in colleges and college towns.
Foreign Firm Wants to Bring Privately Run Student Housing to Boston
The British firm Scape says it wants to spend $1 billion to build privately operated student housing in Boston. Unaffiliated with any one school, the concept is already popular in London.
The Slow Death of Ride Sharing
From the beginning, TNCs like Lyft and Uber touted shared rides as their key product. Now, Lyft is ending the practice.
Cool Walkability Planning
Shadeways (covered sidewalks) and pedways (enclosed, climate controlled walkways) can provide comfortable walkability in hot climates. The Cool Walkshed Index can help plan these facilities.
Congestion Pricing Could Be Coming to L.A.
The infamously car-centric city is weighing a proposed congestion pricing pilot program to reduce traffic and encourage public transit use.
How San Diego Camping Ban Could Impact Neighborhoods
An ordinance supported by the city’s mayor would bar people from sleeping on the street near shelters or services, but critics say it will simply push people to other neighborhoods and put them farther away from the supportive services they need.
Expanding Access to Golf in South Los Angeles
L.A. County’s Maggie Hathaway Golf Course getting up to $15 Million from U.S. Open Community Legacy Project to expand access to the sport in South L.A.
Opinion: Failed Housing Bills Could Signal California-Style Housing Crisis in Texas
Legislators in a state that so often touts its policies as the opposite of California’s defeated several bills that would have made housing construction easier, leading to concerns that a constricted housing market may exacerbate the housing crisis.
Wichita-Sedgwick County Metropolitan Area Planning Department
City of Bangor
Park City Municipal Corporation
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Montrose County
Wichita-Sedgwick County Metropolitan Area Planning Department
City of Lomita
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
