The SGCI is happy to announce that our long-anticipated online Faculty Affiliate directory is now up and running! This is an important milestone for the SGCI’s initial messaging strategy, as we hope to make it easier than ever for colleagues and members of the public to find scholars and researchers of urban topics at UConn.

In addition to contact information, our new directory prominently displays research themes, self-described research interests, project descriptions, and recent cities-related publications for our 80+ Faculty Affiliates, who represent 30 departments and 6 colleges and schools. The directory can be viewed alphabetically by last name, or sorted by each Affiliate’s self-selected primary Research Theme.

The breadth of expertise among our Faculty Affiliates is one of the strongest arguments for a strengthened focus on city-related research at UConn, and the SGCI is dedicated to developing a long-term messaging strategy that will promote their collective work to both internal and external constituencies.  For our next phase of development, we plan on incorporating a more thorough listing of recent cities-related publications for each Faculty Affiliate.  Online profiles are added and updated on a rolling basis; if you are a Faculty Affiliate who wishes to add more information to their SGCI online profile, email us at sgci@uconn.edu. To learn more about the SGCI’s Faculty Affiliates program, visit our FA Program overview page.

As recently announced by the UConn Hartford Director’s Office, UConn Hartford is now one of the newest institutional members of the Coalition of Urban and Metropolitan Universities (CUMU), the longest-running and largest organization committed to serving and connecting the nation’s urban and metropolitan universities and their partners.

CUMU’s press release reflects the optimism and dedication to community felt by many of the higher ed professionals who call the campus home: “The Hartford campus serves as a model of community engagement and success for urban schools and will attract many new community partnerships with the city—as well as boosting the local economy and resurgence of their home community.”

Membership in CUMU includes access to several benefits and resources designed to help colleges and universities embrace their role as anchor institutions and better serve the urban communities in which they are located.  Members of the UConn Hartford community (faculty, staff, and administrators) can subscribe to CUMU’s online mailing list in order to receive updates about CUMU’s annual conference, their peer-reviewed journal Metropolitan Universities, their “Because Place Matters” newsletter, and other announcements and opportunities.

The full press release announcing UConn Hartford’s new role as a member of CUMU can be read on CUMU’s website.