NationMaster - Encyclopedia: College town

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A college town or university town is a community (often literally a town, but possibly a small or medium sized city, or in some cases a neighborhood or a district of a city) which is dominated by its university population. The university may be large, or there may be several smaller institutions such as liberal arts colleges clustered, or the residential population may be small, but college towns in all cases are so dubbed because the educational institution(s) presence pervades economic and social life. Many local residents may be employed by the university, many businesses cater primarily to the university, and indeed the students population may outnumber the local population outright. Ronda, Spain Main street in Bastrop, Texas, United States, a small town A town is a community of people ranging from a few hundred to several thousands, although it may be applied loosely even to huge metropolitan areas. ... For other uses, see City (disambiguation). ... A neighbourhood or neighborhood (see spelling differences) is a geographically localised community located within a larger city or suburb. ... Local government areas called districts are used, or have been used, in several countries. ... For the community in Florida, see University, Florida. ... A liberal arts college is an institution of higher education found in the United States, offering programs in the liberal arts at the post-secondary level. ...

In Europe, a university town is generally characterized by having an old university often founded before, or in some cases shortly after, the industrial revolution. The economy of the city is closely related with the university activity and highly supported by the entire university structure which may include university hospitals and clinics, university printing houses, libraries, laboratories, business incubators, student rooms, dining halls, students' unions, student societies, and academic festivities. Moreover, the history of the city is often indissociable from the history of the university itself. Many European university towns have not been merely important places of scientific and educational endeavor, but also centers of political, cultural and social influence to its respective society throughout the centuries. Examples of these cities include, Durham, St Andrews, Leiden, Bologna, Salamanca, Coimbra, Leuven, Heidelberg, Göttingen, Pisa, Marburg, Ferrara, Uppsala, Siena, Pavia, Delft, Tübingen, or Poitiers. For other uses, see Europe (disambiguation). ... For the community in Florida, see University, Florida. ... A Watt steam engine, the steam engine that propelled the Industrial Revolution in Britain and the world. ... Durham (IPA: locally, in RP) is a small city and main settlement of the City of Durham district of County Durham in North East England. ... For other uses, see St Andrews (disambiguation). ... Coordinates: , Country Province Area (2006) - Municipality 23. ... For the food product, see Bologna sausage. ... Salamanca (population 160,000) is a city in western Spain, the capital of the province of Salamanca, which belongs to the autonomous community (region) of Castile-Leon (Castilla y LeÃ³n). ... Location - Country Portugal - Region Centro - Subregion Baixo Mondego - District or A.R. Coimbra Mayor Carlos EncarnaÃ§Ã£o - Party PSD Area 319. ... Geography Country Belgium Community Flemish Community Region Flemish Region Province Flemish Brabant Arrondissement Leuven Coordinates , , Area 56. ... For other uses, see Heidelberg (disambiguation). ... GÃ¶ttingen marketplace with old city hall, GÃ¤nseliesel fountain and pedestrian zone GÃ¶ttingen ( ) is a city in Lower Saxony, Germany. ... For other uses, see Pisa (disambiguation). ... , Marburg is a city in Hesse, Germany, on the Lahn river. ... Ferrara is a city in Emilia-Romagna, Italy, capital city of the province of Ferrara. ... Uppsala (older spelling Upsala) is a city in central Sweden, located about 70 km north of Stockholm. ... For the Catholic Liberal Arts College in New York, see Siena College. ... For the municipality in the Philippines, see Pavia, Iloilo. ... Coordinates: Country Netherlands Province South Holland Area (2006) - Municipality 24. ... TÃ¼bingen, Neckar front TÃ¼bingen, a traditional university town of Baden-WÃ¼rttemberg, Germany, is situated 20 miles southwest of Stuttgart, on a ridge between the River Neckar and the Ammer. ... Location within France Poitiers (population 85,000) is a small city located in west central France. ...

Besides a highly educated and largely transient population, a stereotypical college town often features a high number of people living non-traditional lifestyles and subcultures ("college town hippies") and high tolerance for unconventionality in general, an unusually active musical or cultural scene, and unusually left-wing politics. While relatively absent of heavy industry, many have become centers of technological research and innovative startups. For other uses, see Stereotype (disambiguation). ... For the British TV show, see Hippies (TV series). ... For other uses, see Music (disambiguation). ... In politics, left-wing, political left, leftism, or simply the left, are terms which refer (with no particular precision) to the segment of the political spectrum typically associated with any of several strains of socialism, social democracy, or liberalism (especially in the American sense of the word), or with opposition... (1) Startup (or start-up, aka System startup) refers to the short period of time, or system state a computer is in, immediately after switching it on. ...

[edit] North America

In North America, a college town or university town is a community (often literally a town, but possibly a small or medium sized city, or in some cases a neighborhood or a district of a city) which is dominated by its university population. The university may be large, or there may be several smaller institutions such as liberal arts colleges clustered, or the residential population may be small, but college towns in all cases are so dubbed because the educational institution(s) presence pervades economic and social life. Many local residents may be employed by the university, many businesses cater primarily to the university, and indeed the students population may outnumber the local population outright. North American redirects here. ... Ronda, Spain Main street in Bastrop, Texas, United States, a small town A town is a community of people ranging from a few hundred to several thousands, although it may be applied loosely even to huge metropolitan areas. ... For other uses, see City (disambiguation). ... A neighbourhood or neighborhood (see spelling differences) is a geographically localised community located within a larger city or suburb. ... Local government areas called districts are used, or have been used, in several countries. ... For the community in Florida, see University, Florida. ... A liberal arts college is an institution of higher education found in the United States, offering programs in the liberal arts at the post-secondary level. ...

[edit] Europe

Besides a highly educated and largely transient population, a stereotypical college town often features a high number of people living non-traditional lifestyles and subcultures ("college town hippies") and high tolerance for unconventionality in general, an unusually active musical or cultural scene, and unusually left-wing politics. While relatively absent of heavy industry, many have become centers of technological research and innovative startups. For other uses, see Stereotype (disambiguation). ... For the British TV show, see Hippies (TV series). ... For other uses, see Music (disambiguation). ... Left wing redirects here. ... (1) Startup (or start-up, aka System startup) refers to the short period of time, or system state a computer is in, immediately after switching it on. ...

[edit] Town-Gown relations

Main article: Town and gown

As in the case of a company town, the large and transient population attracted to the university may come into conflict with longstanding natives. Students may come from outside the area, and thus represent a different—sometimes radically different—culture. Furthermore, students are concentrated in a small, young (but still adult) age demographic, whose living habits may not be perfectly compatible with older members of society. Town and gown is a term used to describe the two communities of a university town; town being the non-academic population and gown the university community, especially in traditional seats of learning such as Oxford and Cambridge. ... A company town is a town or city in which most or all real estate, buildings (both residential and commercial), utilities, hospitals, small businesses such as grocery stores and gas stations, and other necessities or luxuries of life within its borders are owned by a single company. ...

Economically, the high spending power of the university and of its students in aggregate may inflate the cost of living above that of the region. Indeed, it is not uncommon to find that many university employees commute in from surrounding areas, finding the cost of living in town too expensive. For the concept in cosmology, see cosmic inflation. ... For other uses, see The Cost of Living. ...

Studentification, in which a growing student population move in large numbers to traditionally non-student neighborhoods, may be perceived as a form of invasion or gentrification. The phenomenon has several causes, including university enrollment expanding far beyond the capacity of on-campus housing, inadequate zoning enforcement, and student culture. At the same time as neighborhood associations work to limit conversion of family homes to student rentals, some local residents may oppose the construction of large on-campus dormitories or expansion of fraternity and sorority houses, forcing a growing enrollment to seek housing in town. Moreover, a single-family home can be converted into several smaller rental units, or shared by a number of students whose combined resources exceed those of a typical single-family rental—a strong incentive for absentee landlords to cater to students. In San Francisco, during the mid-1960s, the bohemian center of the city shifted from the old Beat enclave of North Beach to Haight-Ashbury (pictured) as a response to gentrification. ... The terms fraternity and sorority (from the Latin words and , meaning brother and sister respectively) may be used to describe many social and charitable organizations, for example the Lions Club, Epsilon Sigma Alpha, Rotary International, Optimist International, or the Shriners. ...

In the US, educational institutions are often exempted from paying local taxes, so in the absence of a system for Payments In Lieu Of Taxes (PILOT), the university population will disproportionately burden parts of the local public infrastructure, such as roads or law enforcement; however, others argue that students disproportionately underburden other parts of the local public infrastructure, such as local primary and secondary schools, by far the most costly line item in most North American city and town budgets, and provide tax revenues, through local sales tax and property tax paid by landlords. When a university expands its facilities, the potential loss of property tax revenue is thus a concern, in addition to local desire to preserve open space or historic neighborhoods.

As a result, members of the local population may resent the university, and especially its students. The students, in turn, may view the local residents as hypocrites who willingly take the jobs at the university provided by student tuition and fees, and who willingly accept the tax revenues (e.g., local sales tax, property tax on rented properties) that students generate, but take great issue with students' lifestyles. Some students refer to regular inhabitants as townies, a term with somewhat derogatory connotations.

This "town and gown" dichotomy notwithstanding, students and the outside community typically find a peaceful (even friendly) coexistence, with the town receiving a significant economic and cultural benefits from the university, and the students often adapting themselves to the culture of the town.

[edit] Settlement in college towns

While noise, traffic, and other quality of life issues have not been resolved, some advocates of New Urbanism have led the development of neighborhoods in college towns specifically capitalizing on their proximity to university life. For instance, some universities have developed properties to allow faculty and staff members to walk to work, reducing demand for limited on-campus parking; Duke University's Trinity Heights development is a key example. In many cases, developers have built communities where access to the university (even if not directly adjacent) is promoted as an advantage. New urbanism is an American urban design movement that arose in the early 1980s. ... Duke University is a private research university located in Durham, North Carolina, United States. ...

Student housing is also important component of college towns. In the United States most state universities have 50 percent or more of their enrolled students living off-campus. This trend, which began in the 1960s, originally meant the conversion of near campus single-family homes to student housing, creating "student ghettos." A student ghetto is a residential neighbourhood, usually in proximity to a college or university, that houses mostly students. ...

Purpose-built off-campus student housing areas began being created in the 1970s in more college towns. The Cotton District in Starkville, Mississippi is an especially well-designed example of such a development. Beginning around 2000 in the United States, nationwide real estate investment trusts and publicly traded corporations began developing student housing complexes. The Cotton District is a community located in Starkville, Mississippi built in the style of new urbanism. ... Starkville is a city in Oktibbeha County, Mississippi, United States. ...

Another notable development is the surge in popularity of retiring to college towns, since the 1990s. Reasons for retirees moving to college towns include presence of cultural and educational opportunities, college athletic events, good medical facilities (often at teaching hospitals affiliated with medical schools), a low cost of living, nostalgia, and often pedestrian- or public transit-friendly development pattern. Several development companies now specialize in constructing retirement communities in college towns, and in some cases the communities have developed formal relationships with the local institution. Refers to a set of physical activities comprising sports and games. ... A Teaching hospital is a hospital which provides medical training. ... Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center in Lubbock, Texas, USA. A medical school or faculty of medicine is a tertiary educational institution â€” or part of such an institution â€” that teaches medicine. ... For other uses, see The Cost of Living. ... Look up nostalgia in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Look up Pedestrian in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... A taxi serving as a bus Public transport comprises all transport systems in which the passengers do not travel in their own vehicles. ... A retirement community is a very broad, generic term that covers many varieties of housing for retirees and seniors - especially designed or geared for people who no longer work, or restricted to those over a certain age. ...

The demand for housing from students, faculty, staff, and retirees have kept college town home prices stable during the housing market downturn that began in 2005.^[1] The United States housing market correction is the market correction or bubble bursting of the United States housing bubble. ...

[edit] List of college towns

The college town is largely an American phenomenon, according to Blake Gumprecht, an assistant professor of geography at the University of New Hampshire who has researched the subject considerably[1]; in continental Europe and Asia, most institutions of higher education are found in major cities -- with considerable exceptions such as Cambridge, Oxford or Heidelberg. As new institutions are founded to serve growing student populations, however, the phenomenon of the college town is recognizable worldwide. University of New Hampshire (UNH) is a public university in the University System of New Hampshire (USNH), United States. ...

[edit] Australia

Armidale (University of New England)

Not to be confused with Armadale. ... The University of New England (UNE) was originally formed in 1938 as the New England University College, a College of the University of Sydney. ...

[edit] New Zealand

Dunedin (University of Otago)

Alternative meanings at Dunedin (disambiguation) Dunedin is the second-largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, located in coastal Otago. ... The University of Otago (MÄori: ) in Dunedin is New Zealands oldest university with over 20,000 students enrolled during 2006. ...

[edit] Philippines

University of the Philippines, Los Baños

Palm trees line the entrance to UPLB The University of the Philippines, Los BaÃ±os (U.P. Los BaÃ±os, or U.P.L.B.) is an autonomous constituent university of the University of the Philippines System situated at the foot of Mount Makiling in Los BaÃ±os, Laguna. ...

[edit] South Africa

Grahamstown from Fort Selwyn Grahamstown is a city in the Eastern Cape Province of the Republic of South Africa and is the seat of the Makana municipality. ... Rhodes University is a university in South Africa. ... St. ... Diocesan School for Girls is a private girls boarding school situated in Grahamstown, South Africa. ... Pietermaritzburg is the capital and second largest city of the province of KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa. ... It has been suggested that University of Durban-Westville be merged into this article or section. ... Stellenbosch from Botmaskop mountain looking towards Cape Town Stellenbosch (IPA: ) is the second oldest European settlement in the Western Cape Province, South Africa after Cape Town, and is situated about 50 kilometers (30 mi) away along the banks of the Eerste River. ...

[edit] Europe

[edit] Belgium

Geography Country Belgium Community Flemish Community Region Flemish Region Province Flemish Brabant Arrondissement Leuven Coordinates , , Area 56. ... The Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (Catholic University of Leuven in English) or in short K.U.Leuven, is the oldest, largest and most prominent university in Belgium. ... Ottignies-Louvain-la-Neuve is a municipality located in the Belgian province of Walloon Brabant. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Catholic University of Leuven (french-speaking). ...

[edit] Estonia

Tartu (University of Tartu)

County Area 38. ... The University of Tartu (Estonian: ; Russian: ; German: ) is a classical university in the city of Tartu, Estonia. ...

[edit] Germany

theatre in Giessen Architecture in Giessen Giessen (German spelling GieÃŸen) is a city in the German federal state (Bundesland) of Hesse, capital of both the Giessen district and the Giessen Administrative Region. ... Mainbuidling The University of Giessen (GieÃŸen), officially called Justus Liebig-UniversitÃ¤t GieÃŸen after its most famous member, the founder of modern agricultural chemistry and inventor of artificial fertiliser. ... GÃ¶ttingen marketplace with old city hall, GÃ¤nseliesel fountain and pedestrian zone GÃ¶ttingen ( ) is a city in Lower Saxony, Germany. ... The Georg-August University of GÃ¶ttingen (Georg-August-UniversitÃ¤t GÃ¶ttingen, often called the Georgia Augusta) was founded in 1734 by George II, King of Great Britain and Elector of Hanover, and opened in 1737. ... This article refers to the city in Baden-WÃ¼rttemberg. ... Albert Ludwigs University of Freiburg was founded 1457 in Freiburg by the Habsburgs. ... For other uses, see Heidelberg (disambiguation). ... Affiliations: LERU Coimbra Group EUA Website: http://www. ... , Marburg is a city in Hesse, Germany, on the Lahn river. ... University of Marburg - Department of Social Sciences and University library The old university The University of Marburg, officially Philipps-UniversitÃ¤t Marburg, was founded in 1527 by Landgrave Philipp I of Hesse (usually called the Magnanimous) as the worlds first and oldest Protestant university. ... TÃ¼bingen, Neckar front TÃ¼bingen, a traditional university town of Baden-WÃ¼rttemberg, Germany, is situated 20 miles southwest of Stuttgart, on a ridge between the River Neckar and the Ammer. ... A view of the campus Eberhard Karls University of TÃ¼bingen (German: Eberhard-Karls-UniversitÃ¤t TÃ¼bingen, sometimes called the Eberhardina) is a public university located in the city of TÃ¼bingen, Baden-WÃ¼rttemberg, Germany. ...

[edit] Italy

Bologna (University of Bologna)
Padova (University of Padova)
Pisa (University of Pisa, Scuola Normale Superiore)

For the food product, see Bologna sausage. ... The University of Bologna (Italian: , UNIBO) is the oldest continually operating degree-granting university in the world, and the second biggest university in Italy. ... The University of Pisa (Italian UniversitÃ di Pisa) is one of the most renowned Italian universities. ... The Scuola Normale Superiore di Pisa, also known in Italian language as Scuola Normale (English: Normal High School College of Pisa or Normal School), is with no doubt the most elitary college in the whole Italian universities world. ...

[edit] Ireland

WGS-84 (GPS) Coordinates: 53. ... The National University of Ireland, Maynooth (NUIM) was founded in 1997 by the Universities Act, 1997 as a constituent university of the National University of Ireland. ... WGS-84 (GPS) Coordinates: , Irish Grid Reference M300256 Statistics Province: Connacht County: DÃ¡il Ã‰ireann: Galway West European Parliament: North-West Dialling Code: 091 Postal District(s): G Area: 50. ... The National University of Ireland, Galway (NUI, Galway) (Irish Ollscoil na hÃ‰ireann, Gaillimh or OÃ‰, Gaillimh) can trace its existence to 1845 as Queens College, Galway and was known until recently as University College, Galway (UCG) (Irish: ColÃ¡iste na hOllscoile, Gaillimh or COG). ...

[edit] Netherlands

Coordinates: , Country Province Area (2006) - Municipality 23. ... Leiden University in the city of Leiden, is the oldest university in the Netherlands. ... Coordinates: Country Netherlands Province South Holland Area (2006) - Municipality 24. ... Founded in 1842, the Delft University of Technology, in Delft, the Netherlands, is one of the oldest, largest, and most comprehensive technical universities in the Netherlands, with over 13,000 students and 2,100 scientists (including 200 professors). ...

[edit] Portugal

Coimbra (University of Coimbra)

Location - Country Portugal - Region Centro - Subregion Baixo Mondego - District or A.R. Coimbra Mayor Carlos EncarnaÃ§Ã£o - Party PSD Area 319. ... The University of Coimbra (Portuguese: Universidade de Coimbra) is a Portuguese public university in Coimbra, Portugal. ...

[edit] Spain

For other uses, see Granada (disambiguation). ... The University of Granada is a university at Granada, Spain, first founded by the Moors in 1349 and then officially founded in 1531 by the Emperor Carlos V, with support of Pope Clemente VII. The University is home to foreign students from around the world at the Universitys Modern... Salamanca (population 160,000) is a city in western Spain, the capital of the province of Salamanca, which belongs to the autonomous community (region) of Castile-Leon (Castilla y LeÃ³n). ... The University of Salamanca (Spanish: Universidad de Salamanca), located in the town of Salamanca, west of Madrid, is the second oldest university in Spain (the first one is the university of Palencia, now disappeared), and one of the oldest in Europe. ...

[edit] Switzerland

Fribourg (University of Fribourg)

Fribourg (French), (German: or , often Fribourg) is the capital of the Swiss canton of Fribourg and the district of Sarine. ... For the German university, see Albert Ludwigs University of Freiburg. ...

[edit] United Kingdom

Aberystwyth, Wales (Aberystwyth University)
Cambridge, England (Cambridge University)
Durham, England (Durham University)
Loughborough, England (Loughborough University)
Oxford, England (Oxford University)
St Andrews, Scotland (St. Andrews University)

, Aberystwyth (IPA: , South Welsh: ) (in English: Mouth of the Ystwyth) is a historic market town, administrative centre and holiday resort within Ceredigion, Wales. ... This article is about the country. ... The University of Wales, Aberystwyth, a Member Institution of the federal University of Wales, was the first university institution to be established in Wales. ... This article is about the city in England. ... For other uses, see England (disambiguation). ... The University of Cambridge (often Cambridge University), located in Cambridge, England, is the second-oldest university in the English-speaking world and has a reputation as one of the most prestigious universities in the world. ... Durham (IPA: locally, in RP) is a small city and main settlement of the City of Durham district of County Durham in North East England. ... Affiliations 1994 Group European University Association Association of MBAs EQUIS Universities UK N8 Group Association of Commonwealth Universities Website http://www. ... Loughboroughs carillon Loughborough parish church The Brush engineering works Loughborough University Loughborough (pronounced locally as either , LUFF-burra or , LUFF-bruh, and more widely as [ËˆlÊŒfËŒb(É™)É¹É™]) is a town in Leicestershire, central England with a population of 57,600 as of 2004. ... Loughborough University is located in the market town of Loughborough, Leicestershire in the East Midlands of England. ... This article is about the city of Oxford in England. ... The University of Oxford, located in the city of Oxford in England, is the oldest university in the English-speaking world. ... For other uses, see St Andrews (disambiguation). ... This article is about the country. ... University of St Andrews The University of St Andrews was founded between 1410-1413 and is the oldest university in Scotland and the third oldest in the United Kingdom. ...

[edit] North America

[edit] Canada

Motto: Template:Unhide = E Mari Merces (Wealth from the Sea) Logo: Location City Information Established: April 1, 1996 Area: (former city) 79. ... Dalhousie University is a university located in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. ... St. ... Mount Saint Vincent University, commonly referred to as The Mount, is located in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. ... The Nova Scotia College of Art and Design University (NSCAD) is a post-secondary art school located in Halifax, Nova Scotia. ... Antigonish redirects here. ... St. ... Wolfville streetscape, spring 2006. ... Acadia University is a university located in Wolfville, Nova Scotia, Canada. ... Sackville Waterfowl Park Sackville (, AST) is a town in Westmorland County, located in South-Eastern New Brunswick, Canada, only eight km from the Nova Scotia border and 45 km from the regional city of Moncton. ... Mount Allison University is a Canadian liberal arts university located in Sackville, New Brunswick. ... â€œSherbrookeâ€ redirects here. ... The UniversitÃ© de Sherbrooke is a large university with three distinct campuses, two of which are located in Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada, and another, which is located in Longueuil, approximately 170 km west of Sherbrooke. ... Bishops University is an English-language liberal arts university located in the borough of Lennoxville, in Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada. ... Murney Tower, Kingston The Fort Henry Guard performing an historical demonstration The Prince George Hotel Kingston, Ontario, the first capital[1] of Canada, is located at the eastern end of Lake Ontario, where the lake runs into the St. ... Queens University is the name of more than one institution; see: Queens University, Belfast in Belfast, Northern Ireland Queens University, Kingston in Kingston, Ontario, Canada This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... The Royal Military College of Canada (RMC), is the military academy of the Canadian Forces and is a full degree-granting university. ... Nickname: Motto: Faith, Fidelity and Progress Coordinates: , Country Canada Province Ontario County Wellington County City Wards There are 6 Wards Founded April 23, 1827 Incorporated April 23, 1879 Government - Mayor Karen Farbridge (elected November 2006) - Governing Body Guelph City Council - MPs Brenda Chamberlain (LPC) - MPPs Liz Sandals (OLP) Area - City... The University of Guelph is a medium-sized university located in Guelph, Ontario, established in 1964. ... Lethbridge is a city in the province of Alberta, Canada. ... The University of Lethbridge (also known as U of L) is a public university in Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada. ... These cutbanks on the Nechako River are Prince Georges signature natural landmark. ... The University of Northern British Columbia (UNBC) is a small, primarily undergraduate university whose main campus is in Prince George, British Columbia. ...

[edit] United States

(Listed alphabetically by state)

Encyclopedia > College town

Contents

[edit] North America

[edit] Europe

[edit] Town-Gown relations

[edit] Settlement in college towns

[edit] List of college towns

[edit] Australia

[edit] New Zealand

[edit] Philippines

[edit] South Africa

[edit] Europe

[edit] Belgium

[edit] Estonia

[edit] Germany

[edit] Italy

[edit] Ireland

[edit] Netherlands

[edit] Portugal

[edit] Spain

[edit] Switzerland

[edit] United Kingdom

[edit] North America

[edit] Canada

[edit] United States