More recently, Austin is an example of a region that enacted a regionally coordinated vision, with the University playing an important role, to develop a knowledge industry cluster of international stature. In today s environment, it is not unimaginable that a university or universities might play an even more proactive or catalytic role in working to develop a long-range vision and supporting implementation of component strategies for specific industry growth. Most universities engage in local community development at least at a minimal level, for example, by opening their theaters and galleries to the public, through visitor spending, and through their employees and students who work and pay taxes. By enhancing the local cultural environment, economy, or workforce, universities contribute to the health of their local communities. In the Knowledge Economy, the ante will be raised.
All disciplines can actively contribute to the health of the university s local community.
Defined broadly, economic development depends not only on commerce and revenues, but also on a healthy educational system, clean environment, low crime and teen pregnancy rates, high literacy, thriving arts and literature, openness to diversity, and so forth. Open lectures and short courses, service on local service agency boards, activist research on local social problems and best business practices, and students serving as big sisters are all examples of community development initiatives. Taking a leadership role in community development implies that faculty and administrators will assume some responsibility for bringing leaders together for networking, forums on emerging issues, and other purposes, and facilitate their collaboration. It will mean total elimination of the old town-gown attitudes and full commitment to service. A more aggressive level of engagement, which could take a number of forms and which could be defined at several levels of constituency, is an opportunity to enact Collaborative Leadership.