Introduction
Web site: http://urban.csuohio.edu
The Maxine Goodman Levin College of Urban Affairs prepares students to address urban issues effectively with creative and innovative programming and problem solving. Levin College students undertake projects that address these issues in
- Public policy
- City management
- City planning
- Public safety management and homeland security
- Economic development
- Environmental and sustainability policy
- Organizational leadership
- Nonprofit administration
Research undertaken through the college directly links the university with the organizations addressing challenges in the Cleveland metropolitan area and across the state and nation.
The Urban Center
For over 30 years, CSU’s Urban Center has served as the focal point of applied research, technical assistance and public service in Ohio. The Center draws on the talented pool of professional staff and scholars at CSU’s Levin College of Urban Affairs, long considered a leader in City Management and Urban Policy. It is the largest resource in the state dedicated to urban policy research.
Research Areas
Community Planning and Development
The mission of the Center for Community Planning and Development is to strengthen the practice of planning and community development through independent research, technical assistance, and civic education and engagement. The Center works in partnership with public, private and non-profit organizations, local governments, and development and planning professionals.
Economic Development
The Center for Economic Development conducts research and offers technical assistance on urban and regional economic issues of interest to local, state, and national policymakers. Primary focus areas include regional economic analysis, regional indicators, economic impact analysis, innovation and entrepreneurship, manufacturing competitiveness, and the role of urban universities in regional development.
Public Management and Finance
The Center for Public Management provides technical assistance, policy analysis, applied research, organizational and staff development, and training services to a broad clientele. Since its inception in 1982, the center has served state and local governments, not-for-profit organizations, public works agencies, special districts, and policy and legislative organizations on a local, regional, state, and national basis. The Center’s mission is to serve as a resource for Ohio’s state and local governments and not-for-profit organizations by providing services to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of governance operations and public policy.The center works collaboratively with the Great Lakes Environmental Finance Center to provide services to the Ohio public sector. These collaborative relationships provide a multi-disciplinary approach to structure and deliver services designed to meet the current and future needs of the public and not-for-profit communities.
The Great Lakes Environmental Finance Center (GLEFC) is a partnership between the U.S. EPA and the Maxine Goodman Levin College of Urban Affairs. Its mission is to help communities and the states of U.S. EPA Region 5 (Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, and Wisconsin) build innovative, cost-effective, and high-quality strategies for environmental improvement and sustainable economic development. The GLEFC offers technical assistance, training, and research resources to state and local governments, the private sector, and nonprofit organizations. The center helps solve financial problems related to environmental facilities and resources.
The Center for Nonprofit Policy and Practice arose from the College’s involvement with community and neighborhood organizations in Cleveland dating back to the 1970s. The CNP&P was founded to support and foster the health of the nonprofit sector in our region through training and technical assistance that support the role of nonprofits in civil society, scholarly and applied research, and undergraduate and graduate education in the leadership and management of nonprofit organizations.
Demographic and Geographic Data and Analysis (NODIS)
The Northern Ohio Data and Information Service (NODIS) is designated by the State of Ohio and the U.S. Bureau of the Census as the regional data center for northern Ohio. U.S. Census information and other demographic and geographic data is made available to the university community, public administrators, civic organizations and the general public on a cost-recovery basis. NODIS is a leader in the use of information technology, particularly geographic information systems (GIS). Researchers provide data analysis, mapping and programming services, technical assistance and training.
Levin College Centers, Outreach and Training Programs
The Center for Emergency Preparedness has been the leader in Ohio’s emergency preparedness for over 25 years. Since its inception in 1984, the Center has continuously provided highly evaluated and outstanding programming. The mission of the Center for Emergency Preparedness is to provide the highest quality hazardous materials, homeland security and business continuity training, taught by professionals utilizing industry standards and best practices. The Center meets the needs of its clients through open enrollment and customized courses.
The Center for Energy Policy (CEP) is an organization housed within the Maxine Goodman Levin College of Urban Affairs at Cleveland State University. Research and educational activities are focused upon the human dimensions of the impending move to an advanced energy economy. The mission of CEP is to help overcome social and institutional barriers to the implementation of technical solutions to existing energy challenges by providing an objective channel for the free exchange of ideas, the dissemination of knowledge, and the support of significant energy-related research in the areas of public policy, economics, business and social science, thereby aiming to become widely-recognized as a leading center for creative and excellent research.
The Center for Leadership Development’s purpose is to create learning programs that fulfill the lifelong learning needs of both practicing and aspiring public leaders by developing their personal skills and organizational capacity for leadership. The center integrates theory, applied research, and models in order to advance the public leadership programming of the Levin College of Urban Affairs. The College has established a number of leadership development programs for policy makers, elected officials, public administrators, local ward leaders, and community leaders. Major Center activities include The Leadership Academy, Career Executive Service, Lead EFS, the Cleveland Management Academy, the Public Management Academy, and The Leadership Development Fellows program.
The Ohio Center for the Advancement of Women in Public Service, directed by Senator Grace Drake, works to promote the advancement of public service careers for women and men within the executive, legislative, and judicial branches of government and at the national, state, and local levels. It accomplishes its mission through educational programs designed to foster and encourage the selection of public service as a profession.
The Unger International Program for Local Government Leadership was established in November 2001 through a grant from Paul and Sonja Unger. The program is a collaborative effort of the Levin College to respond to the consulting, training, research and educational needs of local government leaders in emerging democracies. Its goal is to strengthen the management of public organizations and non-governmental organizations, to promote local governments that are professional, transparent, accountable, responsive, innovative, efficient, and characterized by reliance on the rule of law and active citizen participation. The program is committed to facilitating sustainable government reforms that result in long-term impact and systemic change. The program works with university faculties and local government leaders in emerging democracies to develop and implement academic and continuing education programs in public management for future and incumbent officials and managers in local governments and non-government organizations.
The Levin College Forum
The Levin College Forum is a focal point and catalyst for thoughtful public debate, innovative thinking, new ideas, and timely action addressing the critical urban issues that impact Northeast Ohio, the state, and the nation. All Forum programs are open to the community and Cleveland State University students, faculty, and staff. The work of the forum is based on the premise that an informed and engaged citizenry is a valuable asset for the region’s future growth and prosperity. In 2005, the Forum was recognized by Northern Ohio Live as “a springboard for economic and social progress throughout the region” and in 2003 received the national CivicMind award for its Millennium Program, which worked with area high school students to introduce them to careers in public service.
Albert A. Levin Chair of Urban Studies and Public Service
The Albert A. Levin Chair of Urban Studies and Public Service was the first endowed chair established at Cleveland State University. The chair is dedicated to the memory of Albert A. Levin, a Cleveland attorney involved in commercial real estate who was committed to the preservation of the city as a vital center.
The general purpose of the Levin Chair is to attract leading professionals in the field of urban affairs to Cleveland State University. The chair holder is involved with both the community and university, acting as a catalyst in relating the resources of the university to the needs and problems of the urban community.
Activities of the chair holder are directed toward providing diverse public lectures and engaging in significant research and problem solving with faculty, students, and community groups. The following distinguished individuals have held the Albert A. Levin Chair of Urban Studies and Public Service: David O. Meeker, deceased (1977-‘78), Wolf Von Eckardt, deceased (1978-‘79), Sarah Short Austin (1980-‘81), Martin Rein, (1981-‘82), Paul R. Porter, deceased, Edgar A. Rose (1982-‘84), Wilbur R. Thompson (1984-‘86), Phillip L. Clay (1987-‘88), David Perry (1989-‘90), James Banovetz (1991-‘93), Robert J. Waste (1994-‘95), Camilla Stivers (1996-‘03), Janet Kelly (2003-‘05) and Jeffrey L. Brudney (2007-2012).
Academic Programs
The college offers the Bachelor of Arts degree with majors in Environmental Studies, Nonprofit Administration, Organizational Leadership, Public Safety Management, and Urban Studies. Students in any discipline may elect to pursue a minor in Environmental Studies, Sustainable Urban Development, Nonprofit Administration, or Urban Studies.
The college offers undergraduate certificate programs in Public Management, Sustainable Urban Development, and Urban Geographic Information Systems.
Three accelerated five-year programs lead to degrees in the following areas:
- BA/MPA (Public Administration)
- BA/ MA in Environmental Studies
- BA/MNAL (Nonprofit Administration and Leadership)
The college offers the following programs in conjunction with the College of Graduate Studies:
- Doctor of Philosophy in Urban Studies and Public Affairs
- Master of Public Administration
- Master of Urban Planning, Design, and Development
- Master of Nonprofit Administration and Leadership
- Master of Science in Urban Studies
- Master of Arts in Environmental Studies
In conjunction with the Cleveland-Marshall College of Law, the college offers dual degree programs leading to the:
- JD/MPA
- JD/MUPDD
- JD/MA (Environmental Studies)
Office of Student Services
The Levin College’s Office of Student Services (OSS) is dedicated to meeting the diverse needs of students. OSS staff provides registration assistance and academic advising and coordinates internships, graduate assistantships, and scholarship awards. Career-development aids, such as mentoring, resume review, and job referrals, are available to current students and alumni. Additional information about the OSS is available on the Levin College Web site. In addition, students can access www.csucareerline.com to search for jobs and internships, post their resumes, research employers, and arrange to have job openings emailed to them.
Financial Assistance
The Levin College of Urban Affairs offers a number of scholarships to undergraduate students. Students interested in scholarships should contact the Levin College for application materials. (Also see the section on Expenses and Financial Aid at the beginning of this catalog.)
Degree Completion Programs
The Levin College of Urban Affairs maintains partnerships and degree completion programs with Cuyahoga Community College, Lakeland Community College, and Lorain County Community College. These programs include Urban Studies, Organizational Leadership, Public Safety Management, and Nonprofit Administration.
Graduates of community colleges with degrees in law enforcement, fire science, paralegal studies, public administration, nursing, environmental health and safety, and human services may complete their Bachelor of Arts degree through articulation agreements between their college and the Levin College.
Credit for life experience is available to students whose prior learning meets the criteria established by the faculty for academic credit toward the bachelor’s degree.
Undergraduate Requirements
Degree Requirements
The Bachelor of Arts degree is awarded to students who fulfill the following requirements:
- A minimum of 128 credit hours, of which 36 credit hours must be upper-division (300-and 400-level) courses
- Achievement of a grade-point average of 2.00 or better
- Completion of the foreign language requirement, if applicable. (Students who graduated from high school in 1987 or later and who did not complete two years of the same foreign language in high school must remove the foreign language deficiency by completing a first-year language sequence or two semesters of American Sign Language plus one approved foreign culture course.)
- Completion of ASC 101 - Introduction to University Life (freshmen only)
- Completion of university, college, and major-field requirements
College Requirements
Students in each Urban Affairs major must complete the following college requirements: