American University
EN-13: Community Stakeholder Engagement

Maintaining good relations with our neighbors is a priority for American University and we welcome the opportunity to be a valuable and valued community partner. American University's main vehicle for stakeholder engagement is its Community Liaison Committee (CLC). The CLC was established to foster positive relations and to maintain regular communication between the university and its neighbors and is made up of individuals from neighboring community organizations and representatives from the university. Meetings are held on a quarterly basis and include updates on active construction projects, university initiatives, and other matters of interest to the community. In addition, AU has a full time Community Relations Director who works closely with neighborhood leaders and organizations on issues directly related to the impact of the university on the residential neighborhood. The Director also works to bring community members on to campus to take advantage of what the university has to offer. The Director regularly attends meetings of the local Advisory Neighborhood Commission (ANC) as other local civic associations.

American University is inclusive in its community engagement practices and opens up all meetings, events, and activities to any one who is interested. Information is shared far and wide in an effort to inform as many people as possible about the opportunities for engagement.

Advisory Neighborhood Commission 3D, Advisory Neighborhood Commission 3E, Advisory Neighborhood Commission 3F, Spring Valley/Wesley Heights Citizens Association, Neighbors for a Livable Community, Westover Place Homeowners Association, Embassy Park Homeowners Association, Fort Gaines Citizens Association, Tenleytown Historical Society, Tenleytown Main Streets, Van Ness Main Streets, Tenley Campus Neighbors Association, Tenleytown Neighborhood Association, Ward 3 Vision, Government of the District of Columbia (multiple agencies, Executive Office of the Mayor, Council of the District of Columbia), Mann Elementary School, Janney Elementary School, Metropolitan Memorial United Methodist Church

CLC meetings: attendance continues to grow as more people understand the benefit of the on-going dialogue between neighbors and the university. Community events: regular community events (D.C. Mayoral debates, outdoor movies, AU arboretum tours, and others) bring neighbors on to campus and show them first hand the benefit of living near the university. Community audit program: Neighbors age 60 and older who live near the university are able to audit any class at AU for only $100. This program makes lifelong learning possible for many in the neighborhood. Construction update meetings: Over the course of any university construction project, community stakeholders are kept up to date through regular meetings and other communications which details how the project may impact the neighborhood.