ABSTRACT
For the first few decades of its relatively young existence, Cleveland State University (CSU) struggled between what it was and what it wanted to be. What it was—and has always been—is a comprehensive, state-assisted, urban university located in downtown Cleveland, Ohio, that was established to provide higher education for citizens of greater Cleveland and northeast Ohio. The CSU model addresses this concern by elevating the organizational infrastructure of the university as essential to the sustainability and prominence of the engagement agenda. It also offers a compelling case study for what a next-generation university can be: namely, an urban university that ties its very survival to the ability to effectively engage its city and region. The official Cleveland State University logo includes the words “Engaged Learning” with a trademark symbol next to them. The words and their exclusive positioning were the creation of the university’s marketing department under President Schwartz.
