Community Engagement Instead of PILOTs

Abstract

In the United States, the endowments of non-profit research universities are climbing into the 8-figures and the wealth disparity between research universities and their home cities are becoming increasingly evident. Some of these universities are calling to their community engagement initiatives, including service-learning programs, as substitutes for direct monetary contributions to their home cities. This research article seeks to investigate the extent to which the University of Pennsylvania devotes its institutional resources to support its service-learning program, Academically Based Community Service courses, which it highlights as one of its initiatives that supports its Philadelphia community. This case study ultimately finds gaps in the institutional support that the University of Pennsylvania provides. The article’s findings call into question the extent to which community engagement can substitute direct monetary assistance to Universities’ communities.