Abstract
Purpose. The purpose of this study was to investigate how town-gown relationships (partnerships between public administrators and colleges/universities) contribute to civic engagement, specifically examining the linkage between public administrators and higher education institutions in Los Angeles County.
Theoretical Framework. The theoretical framework is based on the research foundations of the spectrum of public participation, collaborative public management, the governance/democracy cube, and the town-gown typology.
Methodology. The subjects were public administrators, higher education institutions, and civic leaders in the City of Burbank (Woodbury University), the City of Carson (California State University, Dominguez Hills), the City of Long Beach (California State University, Long Beach), and the City of Whittier (Whittier College). Structured interviews were conducted using questionnaires tailored for the subject categories. The instrument focused on civic engagement, town-gown relationships/formal strategic alliances, and local civic engagement efforts. The interviews were supplemented by secondary data analysis, including demographic statistics, public meeting notes, accreditation reports, media analysis, and community-specific data related to civic engagement.
Findings. Data analysis revealed various approaches and differing levels of perceived value toward town-gown relationships. Secondly, while civic engagement is not always operationalized in policies and procedures, there are varying degrees of resource allocation and prioritization of these partnerships.
Conclusions and Recommendations. The results support the conclusion that public administrators have not fully used colleges/universities as an asset in addressing civic engagement efforts or in support of local government operations. Without a widespread, collective definition of civic engagement, examples of collaborative public management arrangements may exist, but evaluating impact is challenging. Further research is advised to understand how local governments define and articulate civic engagement initiatives. Another recommendation is to replicate this study with a larger sample, particularly with the inclusion of community college representation.