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The Coalition of Urban and Metropolitan Universities (CUMU) is an international membership organization of colleges and universities located in urban and metropolitan areas that share common understandings of their institutional missions and values. CUMU was founded in 1989 by 10 university presidents gathered at Wright State University who realized their unique challenges and opportunities as they looked to the future of higher education.^[1][2]

CUMU is headquartered at Towson University in Towson, Maryland.^[3][4]

The organization publishes Metropolitan Universities journal, a scholarly publication addressing the issues facing urban and metropolitan-serving institutions, such as civic engagement, leadership, and shared academic spaces. As of 2016, the journal has been published entirely online as an open-access journal.^[5][6]

The Coalition of Urban and Metropolitan Universities (CUMU) was founded in 1989 by a group of presidents and chancellors who gathered at Wright State University. Member institutions pledged to enrich their communities while strengthening the campus’ core commitment to teaching and research.^[7]

The first meeting of university leadership to define the “metropolitan university” was held at Wright State University. In 1990, 50 institutions signed the original Declaration of Metropolitan Universities, formalizing CUMU as an organization. In 1996, the first formal bylaws were written and approved.^[1]

Wright State University served as the first CUMU headquarters. During this time period the organization held conferences and published Metropolitan Universities journal, but did not formally collect membership dues. In 1994, CUMU headquarters moved to University of North Texas. In 2002, CUMU headquarters moved to Eastern Michigan University and CUMU was incorporated in the state of Michigan. In 2006, following a competitive bidding process, Towson University was named as the CUMU administrative home.^[8]

CUMU is governed by a Board of Directors,^[9] composed of presidents and chancellors of member institutions, and led by an executive director.^[10] Board members are elected to two-year terms during the annual Presidents meeting at the CUMU Annual Conference in October.^[11] In 2012, the President was Wendell Pritchett, former Chancellor of Rutgers University–Camden, Interim Dean and Presidential Professor at the University of Pennsylvania Law School, and Provost of the University of Pennsylvania. The current CUMU chair is Kristin Sobelik, Chancellor of University of Missouri–St. Louis.

Valerie Holton, Ph.D., LCSW, was named executive director in June 2022.^[12]

Since 1990, the organization has published Metropolitan Universities journal, a scholarly publication addressing the issues facing urban and metropolitan-serving institutions.^[13] As of 2016, the journal has been published entirely online as an open-access publication. The journal is hosted and supported by the IUPUI University Library.^[14]

• Ernest A. Lynton (1990–1997) ^[15]
• Barbara A. Holland (1997–2016)
• Valerie Holton (2016–2023)
• Patrick M. Green (2023–present)^[16]

• - University of Arkansas at Little Rock
• - Campuses of the California State University (Dominguez Hills, Fullerton, Los Angeles, California State University, Northridge, San Bernardino, and San Marcos)
• - Metropolitan State University of Denver, University of Colorado Denver, University of Colorado Colorado Springs, University of Denver*
• - American University*, Georgetown University*, University of the District of Columbia
• - Florida Atlantic University, Florida International University, Miami Dade College, University of North Florida
• - Northeastern Illinois University, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville
• - Indiana University Northwest, Indiana University – Purdue University Indianapolis, Purdue University Fort Wayne, University of Southern Indiana
• - University of Louisville
• - Louisiana State University in Shreveport
• - University of Southern Maine
• - University System of Maryland, Coppin State University, Morgan State University, Towson University, University of Baltimore
• - University of Massachusetts Boston, University of Massachusetts Lowell, Worcester State University
• - Oakland University, University of Michigan-Dearborn, University of Michigan-Flint, Wayne State University
• - Augsburg University*, Metropolitan State University, University of Minnesota
• - Jackson State University
• - Missouri State University, University of Missouri-Kansas City, University of Missouri-St. Louis - University of Missouri Extension
• - University of Nebraska at Omaha
• - University of Nevada, Las Vegas
• - Rutgers–Camden, Rutgers–Newark, Rutgers University – New Brunswick
• - Buffalo State University, College of Staten Island, Manhattanville University*, Medgar Evers College, Pace University*, Syracuse University*, Wagner College*
• - University of North Carolina at Charlotte, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, UNC Wilmington
• - Ohio State University, Wright State University, Cleveland State University
• - University of Central Oklahoma
• - Portland State University
• - Cabrini University*, Gannon University*, Temple University, Widener University*
• - Rhode Island College
• - University of South Carolina Upstate
• - University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
• - University of Houston–Downtown, University of North Texas at Dallas, Texas State University
• - Weber State University
• - Old Dominion University, Virginia Commonwealth University, Virginia Wesleyan University*
• - Washington State University Tri-Cities, Washington State University Vancouver
• - Marquette University*, University of Wisconsin–Green Bay, University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee^[17]

*private

• - MacEwan University
• - York University

• Coalition of Urban and Metropolitan Universities—Official web site
• Metropolitan Universities journal — Official web site