I just shared a panel at The Chronicle on Higher Education's Executive Leadership Forum with two CEOs for Cities members, VCU President Dr. Gene Trani and U of Akron President Luis Proenza. I always learn so much from both of them.

Dr. Trani admonished our audience of top university executives to go local and go deep. "You have to know your zip code," he told them. And he offered practical advice on how to do that. "Challenge you faculty," he told them, "to link their research to local challenges to gain local understanding."

He also warned officials that civic engagement is an ongoing process that never ends. It is not an event. "Don't surprise your community with your plans," he told them.

Dr. Proenza described the "New Landscape for Learning" he has created on campus with vast capital improvements. But he has also led the creation of a "New Landscape for Living" in neighborhoods that surround the campus. "The economic basis of our success lies in engagement with the community," he said. He emphasized the need for universities to be relevant to their communities. That's the way you survive over time.

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