On May 18, 2009, Columbia University President Lee Bollinger and the President of the West Harlem Local Development Corporation (WHLDC) signed the West Harlem Community Benefits Agreement (CBA) marking a unique partnership between the University and the residents in Manhattan’s Community District 9. The agreement, along with commitments made to the City and the State over the course of the formal approval processes for the Manhattanville expansion project, encompasses not only a financial commitment on the part of the University, but also a commitment of both “in-kind” resources and advice and guidance on a range of issues and programs. While much of the CBA relates to financial or physical resources, the University responded to community desire to not simply focus on cash benefits, but to develop a more substantial relationship between the community and the academic resources of the University, especially with Columbia University's Office of Government and Community Affairs.  GCA, working with Office of the [...]