A Tale of Two Cities

Public-private partnerships aren’t new in higher education. But, in 2012, some especially compelling financial reasons accelerated development of public-private partnerships between public universities and private entities in their communities. Public institutions have never been under more pressure to find alternative sources of revenue to help close the resources gap resulting from lower state appropriations. Trusteeship asked leaders at public institutions in two different cities to describe how public-private partnerships are helping further their goals.

Metropolitan State University of Denver

By Stephen M. Jordan, President

Metropolitan State University of Denver is Denver’s newest hotelier. Our Hospitality Learning Center and adjacent SpringHill Suites® Denver Downtown opened last August on our campus. It’s a major example of what we hope will be the first of many public-private partnerships that will benefit students’ educational opportunities and our community long into the future.

When I was appointed in 2005, the board of trustees made it clear that it wanted to pursue a more entrepreneurial direction. There was a “sweet spot” for MSU Denver between two-year colleges that granted degrees focused primarily on workforce development and four-year research institutions. That sweet spot was where we wanted MSU Denver to be, offering theory and practice for career-oriented students.