| Historically, colleges and universities have walled themselves off from their host communities. Community and government agencies, in turn, have often viewed colleges as islands, complaining about their tax-exempt status, physical encroachment, and noisy students. Although universities have spent millions of dollars to improve their relationships with their neighbors---funding nonprofit organizations, building community centers, and creating shared public spaces---such efforts have ended with mixed results. This study uses a quantitative survey to measure the engagement effort and comfort levels between an urban university and its community. The study focuses on organizational development, particularly the role of corporate social responsibility (CSR), plays in bridging the divide between universities and communities. This approach creates a standardized way for universities to measure the results of its corporate social responsibility plan as it relates to their civic engagement activities and creates a deeper understanding of the multiple dimensions of a community. |
