Public-Private Partnerships in Action

Given that colleges and universities are facing daunting economic challenges, one strategy to raise funds to support educational outcomes is to seek a public-private partnership. Metropolitan State University of Denver (MSU Denver) has faced chronic underfunding from the state of Colorado legislature since its inception in 1965—in part, some argue, due to political bias against the university’s mission as a “College of Opportunity” for those Coloradans and others who might not have access to higher education. As necessity is the mother of invention, underfunding led to some creative solutions.

For example, when I managed MSU Denver’s curriculum process, I was approached by a faculty member who asked me to help her and other faculty in the engineering, aerospace science, math, and computer science fields to develop an interdisciplinary degree program in advanced manufacturing. The program would be used to attract talented students who could go on to become part of Colorado’s aerospace workforce. The program also would help attract investor dollars to build much-needed classroom and lab spaces. While the advancement team was looking for a one-time donation to fund construction of a new, state-of-the-art building, no takers stepped up. So administration got creative and proposed a lease opportunity. MSU Denver and York Space Systems became partners, and the 142,000-square-foot building opened in 2017.

York now rents the top floor of the four-floor building as an office and workspace to build satellites. Students in the advanced manufacturing, aerospace, and engineering programs gain skills working for a high-tech company without having to juggle a long commute from class. The internship and scholarship programs serve as an ongoing investment in human capital for York and provide a continual source of revenue for MSU Denver to support student learning. The reciprocal nature of the relationship brings ongoing benefits to both partners. While identifying the right fit was a challenge, the benefits far outweigh the effort.

I took a moment to enjoy the fruits of my labor when I recently got a call from my colleague in the advanced manufacturing program saying, “York wants to know—what’s our animal policy?” I was pleased to hear that, in addition to building satellites, they are integrating themselves into our community with a Bring-Your-Pets-to-Work Day.

Develop an interim policy process for extenuating circumstances

**The views expressed in this blog are my personal views and do not represent the official position of Metropolitan State University of Denver or ACUPA.**

When I drafted the expedited policy clause in Metropolitan State University of Denver’s “policy on policy,” which allows the MSU Denver president to enact interim policies “to address legal requirements or a significant institutional risk,” I did not have a worldwide, coronavirus pandemic in mind. However, as the daughter of two Vietnam vets and the wife of a military historian, I knew that an organizational threat might come from somewhere (or something) unexpected.

Balancing Inclusivity and Operational Effectiveness

MSU Denver’s policy process is designed to be inclusive and transparent. New and revised policies are reviewed by MSU Denver’s President’s Cabinet, by students and employees who serve on the Policy Advisory Council, by the shared governance groups, and by the university community at-large during an open review period. The inclusive process balances efficiency with effectiveness, in that publishing a policy quickly might not mean that a policy is communicated and implemented effectively.

Some circumstances, however, require quick, decisive action when it comes to policies. To address the current situation, MSU Denver’s leadership has instituted several interim policies related to moving courses online, working remotely, and allowing flexible grading options for students for the spring 2020 semester. Policies that were already in the works, such as a new social media policy, are still moving through the inclusive process, with meetings and document review occurring online.

Full Process

• Decision maker: Board of Trustees, president, or provost
• Review/Input:
  • Board of Trustees (for governance policies)
  • President’s Cabinet
  • General counsel
  • Policy Advisory Council
  • Student Government Assembly
  • Faculty and staff senates
  • University community open comment period
  • Ad hoc work groups based on expertise and operational area
• Documentation: Formal policy statement published online in University Policy Library

Interim Process

• Decision maker: President or provost
• Review/Input: Key constituents at president’s or provost’s discretion (in this case, a cross-functional taskforce, including the provost, general counsel, senior leadership team, and others was formed to address all things COVID-19)
• Documentation: Informal policy statements published online in the employee newsletter and MSU Denver’s COVID-19 Updates and Resources webpage

Staying Flexible

Including some flexibility in the policy process has saved me a great deal of stress during this time, as it allows me to focus on ongoing operations as senior leaders within the organization address current developments.