Division of Social Science
Essex Community College
Baltimore County , Maryland 21237
URBAN DEVELOPMENT
ASSISTANT PROJECT
Community College of Baltimore
Essex Community College
/Ih €DUCi4TIOM/1L Response
TOTHeuRMncMiience
FINAL REPORT
The purpose of the project described in this
report is the design and demonstration of a two-
year junior college curriculum to train
assistants to city planners and to professional
personnel in the urban development and
renewal fields.
Project Dates: 1964-1969
"This Urban Renewal Demonslralion Project and the
pubticaliuii of this report were made possible ibrinigb
an Urban Renewal l>enionstration (iraiil awarded by
the Deparlinenl of Mousing and Urban l)cvclo|imcnl,
under the provisions of Section .114 of the I lousing
Act of 1954, as amended, to the Hoard of Triislccs
of Essex Community College, Baltimore County,
Maryland.
March, 197.1"
2
FOREWORD
The Urban Development Assistant curriculum
has completed its shakedown cruise and is now
an operating element in the community.
Although its quantitative impact has not yet
been great. I believe that its effect has been most
observable in the actual lives of those persons
who, having taken the courses, are now serving
in the community planning and development
fields. In addition, the effects of this education¬
al project may be observed in the continuing
support of those professional people with whom
the Urban Development Assistants work and
finally, in the lives of the residents of those geo¬
graphic areas with which they are concerned.
Locally. I believe that the program will gradual¬
ly. but perceptibly, grow in enrollment and in
effectiveness. On a national scale, it is very clear
that the concept of this course of studies which
is so relevant to the needs of our growing popu¬
lation has taken hold and adaptations of the
curriculum are being offered in a number of
communities in the United States and Canada.
With the help of the Federal grant, the Urban
Development Assistant program has reached far
beyond the boundaries of the Baltimore
metropolitan area in which it began.
Moses S. Koch, President
Essex Community College
September. 1969
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Summary of Findings 7
Part I The Cnrricninm 11
Initiation and Development
Fart 11 The Program 15
Administration and Operation
Part 111 The Student 21
Recruitment, Training and Employment
Part IV Evaluation 27
The Project, the Curriculum, the Student
Part V Conclusions and Recommendations
Appendix 36
4
ESSEX COMMUNITY COLLEGE
Dr. Moses S. Koch, President of the College
COMMUNITY COLLEGE OF BALTIMORE
Dr. Harry Bard, President of the College
Board of Trustees
T. Bayard Williams, Jr., Chairman
Mrs. John M. Crocker, Vice-Chalrman
William S. Sartorius, Secretary-Treasurer
H. Russell Knust
Alvin Loreck
H. Emslie Parks
Dr. Richard W. Tracey
Mrs. Richard K. Wueifel
Board of Trustees
Dr. John H. Moxley III, President
Dr. Harry Bard, Secretary-Treasurer
Louis Doering
James Dorsey
Mrs. Maurice Freedlander
Mrs. Elizabeth Murphy Moss
Samuel Nocella
Charles Tildon
ACKNOWLEDG MENTS
The Urban Development Assistant Project staff,
faculty and advisory board members wish to ex¬
press their appreciation for the continued sup¬
port and assistance of the following:
American Institute of Planners, Baltimore Area Chapter
American Society of Planning Officials
Baltimore City Department of Housing and Community Development
Baltimore City Department of Planning
Baltimore City Public Schools
Baltimore County Board of Education
Baltimore County Department of Personnel
Baltimore County Office of Planning and Zoning
Citizens Planning and Housing Association
Civil Service Commission of Baltimore City
Community Research and Development of the James W. Rouse Co.
Greater Baltimore Committee
Higher Education Council on Urban Affairs
League of Women Voters of Baltimore City
League of Women Voters of Baltimore County
Maryland Commissioner of Personnel
Maryland State Department of Education
Maryland State Planning Department
Maryland State Roads Commission
Regional Planning Council of Maryland
This report was prepared and edited by:
Bettye B. Gardner
With the cooperation of:
Dr. Harry Bard
Dr. Moses S. Koch
Richard L. Trent
Design by:
Interpreting Institutions
URBAN DEVELOPMENT
ASSISTANT PROJECT
Staff
Moses S. Koch, Ed.D.,
Project Administrator
Pricilla M. Woolley,
Project Director - 1964-1967
Bettye B. Gardner,
Project Director - 1967-1969
Part4ime Faculty
Bernard L. Berkowitz, M.C.P.,
Baltimore City Department of Planning
Sidney N. Brower, M.C.P.,
Baltimore City Department of Planning
Use M. Darling, M.A.
Robert Tennenbaum, M.C.P.,
Community Research & Development,
James W. Rouse Co.
Robert D. Williams,
Baltimore City Department of Planning
Edward W. Wood, Jr., M.C.P.,
Baltimore City Department of Planning
Advisory Board Members - 1964-1969
Chairman; Franz J. Vidor, Director,
Division of Planning,
Baltimore City Department of Housing
and Community Development
William Boucher III, Executive Director
Greater Baltimore Committee
Arthur E. Cohen, Executive Director
Citizens Planning & Housing Association
Philip Darling, Development Coordinator
Office of the Mayor of Baltimore City
Dr. Homer E. Favor, Director
Urban Studies Institute, Morgan State College
Mrs. Frances M. Froelicher, Executive Director
Citizens Planning & Housing Association
Leslie H. Graef, Deputy Director of Planning
Baltimore County Office of Planning & Zoning
Mrs. Hugh E. Kabler
League of Women Voters of Baltimore County
William C. Litsinger, Director
Baltimore County Department of Personnel
Philip R. Macht, Vice-President
Welsh Construction Company
Stanley Z. Mazer, Chairman
Urban Affairs Department
Community College of Baltimore
Thomas J. Murphy, Director
Baltimore City Civil Service Commission
Gardner D. Pond, Chairman ^
Social Science Division, Essex Community College
William H. Potts, Jr., Past President
American Institute of Planners
Baltimore Area Chapter
Dr. H. David Reese, Assistant Director
Certification and Accreditation
Maryland State Department of Education
Larry Reich, Director
Baltimore City Department of Planning
Richard Steiner, Director
Baltimore Urban Renewal & Housing Agency
Mrs. Camilla Stivers
Regional Planning Council
Mrs. Donald A. Thompson
League of Women Voters of Baltimore City
Miss Emma Williams, Supervisor of Guidance
Baltimore County Board of Education
Samuel B. Woodward, Manager, Intake & Placement
Maryland State Employment Service
Dr. Robert N. Young, Executive Director
Regional Planning Council
ex officio;
Dr. Harry Bard, President
Community College of Baltimore
Dr. Moses S. Koch, President
Essex Community College
Hard
I B R A R Y
In April, 1964, two Maryland
community colleges, Essex
Community College and the
Community College of
Baltimore (then Baltimore
Junior College), entered into a
cooperative effort, the Urban
Development Assistant Project,
to develop, operate and test a
two-year, post-high school
career education program to
train students for employment
as support personnel in the
broad field of urban planning
and development. The Urban
Renewal Administration and
two local groups, the Greater
Baltimore Committee and the
Regional Planning Council,
aided the community colleges
with financial support and
technical advice for the
operation of the pilot project.
With an enrollment of 35
students, the Urban Develop¬
ment Assistant Project began its
first academic year in Sep¬
tember, 1964. By September.
1969, at the conclusion of the
five-year project period sum¬
marized in this report, a total of
145 students had enrolled in
the course of studies. There are
a total of 62 permanent em¬
ployees of 15 planning and
development agencies in the
Baltimore region who have
received instruction as students
in the Urban Development
Assistant program. The first
graduates in the curriculum
received their Associate in Arts
degrees in June. 1967. During
the two years since that date, all
of the 15 graduates in this
career curriculum have been
hired as full or part-time em¬
ployees of planning and/or
housing agencies in the
Baltimore Metropolitan Area.
Concurrent with their em¬
ployment. 13 of these Urban
Development Assistant gradu¬
ates have continued their
studies in four-year colleges or
universities.
Numerous educational and
professional planning groups in
this nation and abroad have
recognized the relevance of and
lent their support to the con¬
cept of the Urban Development
Assistant program and have en¬
couraged the initiation of
similar curriculums in more
than 20 higher education cen¬
ters in the United States and
Canada.
The following conclusions may
be derived from an analysis of
the five-year operation of the
Urban Development Assistant
Project:
1. There is a continuing local
and national need for aides
to professional planning
and housing agency staff
members.
2. The Urban Development
Assistant curriculum offers
a sufficiently comprehen¬
sive educational base from
which an agency staff mem¬
ber or a high school grad¬
uate may progress as a
productive employee of an
urban development office
and/or may continue his ed¬
ucation in a four-year
college, if he so desires.
3. This career preparation
curriculum lends itself to
adaptation to meet the par¬
ticular requirements of
local communities and is
serving as a model for the
development and operation
of an ever-increasing num¬
ber of urban career-
oriented instructional pro¬
grams across this nation.
net
wo
8 Introduction
The involvement of two Balti¬
more Metropolitan Area com¬
munity colleges in the activities
of the Urban Development
Assistant Project has provided
both an inner-city and a subur¬
ban educational setting in
which this unique curriculum,
the first of its kind in this coun¬
try. might be tested in
operation. The Project has been
administered by a project direc¬
tor. with the aid of an advisory
board, technical faculty mem¬
bers and administrative and
academic staff members of the
two community colleges.
The primary goal of the Urban
Development Assistant Project
was to respond to the need of
professional planning and
housing agency staff members
who required the assistance of
trained personnel capable of
collecting, organizing and
presenting, in graphic form, the
basic data on which the plan¬
ning/development process is so
dependent. With the aid of such
support personnel, the profes¬
sional in the urban develop¬
ment field could be freed to ap-
ply his more advanced
knowledge and experience to
the exacting tasks involved in
planning for the orderly growth
and revitalization of the
nation's cities and suburbs. The
Project has been successful in
organizing and putting into
operation an associate degree
program which has served to
equip 62 pre-service and in-
service students for their
present employment and op¬
portunities for advancement in
15 urban development offices
in the Baltimore region.
Characteristics of the Program
The fundamental premises from
which the Urban Development
Assistant curriculum has
evolved are as follows:
1. The specialized courses
should offer a beginning
student a strong philoso¬
phical and technical foun¬
dation to assure his
professional competence at
the entry-level in the urban
development field.
2. The Urban Development
Assistant course offerings
should afford the agency
staff member (in-service
student) an opportunity to
broaden his existing profes¬
sional and academic skills.
3. The total curriculum
should be so structured as
to provide the Urban De¬
velopment Assistant gradu¬
ate with the highest degree
of mobility on the job and
in continuing his studies
beyond the associate
degree level.
The present Urban Develop¬
ment Assistant curriculum is
the product of a continuing
process of evaluation and adap¬
tation and reflects the current
needs of the student, the em¬
ployer and the community. The
curricum guide recommends a
total of 64 semester hours of in¬
struction from among special¬
ized. related and general educa¬
tion subjects, as follows:
9-14 semester hours of
Career-Oriented Subjects:
Urban Development Theory/
Techniques. Drafting/
Graphics, Community Organ¬
izations.
18 semester hours of Career-
Related Suhjects:
Urban Geography. Urban
Sociology. American Govern¬
ment, State and Local Gov¬
ernment. Economic Devel¬
opment. Public Speaking.
24 semester hours of General
Education Suhjects (Mary¬
land State Requirements):
English Composition/-
Rhetoric. English Literature,
History of Western Civiliza¬
tion or^nited States History.
General Science andjor
Mathematics, Physical Edu¬
cation. Personal Health
6-11 semester hours of Elec¬
tive Subjects:
Elementary Statistics. Data
Processing. Technical Writ¬
ing. General Psychology.
Fundamentals of Design
13-week Field Work Assign¬
ment: Full-time students are
encouraged to spend the sum¬
mer months between their
first and second academic
years in the full-time employ
of local urban development
agencies. No academic credit
is granted for this period of
on-the-job training.
Description of
Project Accomplishments
The Urban Development Assist¬
ant Project has initiated, tested
and established a basic curricu-
lar framework for the educa¬
tional preparation of competent
planning and housing agency
staff aides. During the process,
the Project has developed
methods for the successful
operation of the new career
program within the educational
and professional communities.
The pilot project has produced
evaluation tools and techniques
for the measurement of the
relevance of the course of
studies to the needs of the pro¬
fession and of the effectiveness
of the urban development
career student and graduate in
job situations.
Conclusions
and Recommendations
For the benefit of those educa¬
tional. professional and civic
interest groups who might con¬
template the inclusion of a
similar course of studies in the
educational offerings of their
local higher education institu¬
tions. the Urban Development
Assistant Project submits the
following conclusions and re¬
commendations:
1. The educator has a valid
role in responding to the
obvious needs of this
nation's population centers
and should recognize an
implicit obligation to his
community which challen¬
ges him to mold study
programs to meet local
requirements for profes¬
sionally competent support
personnel in the urban
career fields.
2. A two-year career curricu¬
lum is, by definition, a
course of studies which has
been created for the prepar¬
ation of a degree candidate
to participate in a specific
field of employment. How¬
ever. the educator should
strive to meet the several
levels of expectation of the
matriculating students who
may view their enrollment
in the career program as an
opportunity for increased
knowledge to be utilized in
their present occupational
field; as training for a final
career level; or. as an entry
into a professional field for
which added years of educa¬
tional preparation will be
necessary.
3. The Urban Development
Assistant Project has suc¬
ceeded in producing a two-
year. post-high school
career curriculum which
meets the requirements of
the planning profession and
the community college
student in the Baltimore
region. The findings of this
project may best serve other
communities contemplating
the initiation of similar cur-
riculums if the Urban De¬
velopment Assistant pro¬
gram of studies is regarded
as a pattern which should
be adapted to meet specific
local needs, thus serving as
a relevant educational
response to the growth of
this nation's population
centers.
Summary Statement
The Urban Development
Assistant Project has produced,
operated and evaluated a career
education curriculum for the
training of assistants to
professional urban planning
and renewal personnel. At the
conclusion of this period of
Federal support for the ad¬
ministration of the Project, the
career education program is in¬
tegrated into the departmental
structures of the two com¬
munity colleges and will con¬
tinue to operate as long as there
is a community demand for sup¬
port personnel to staff the ur¬
ban development agencies in
this area and there are com¬
munity college students who
seek to serve in this career field.
INITIATION
Historical Background
City planning is as ancient as cities. However,
the education of urban planners, as an accepted
and distinctive instructional discipline, has only
emerged in this century in England and the
United States.
In 1909, a series of events heralded the "coming
of age" of the planning profession: America's
first National Conference on City Planning was
held in Washington, D.C.; England's first plan¬
ning and housing legislation was passed; the city
of Chicago published its first plan for growth
and development. During the next decade,
professional societies such as the Town Plan¬
ning Institute, in London, and the American In¬
stitute of Planners were formally established.
Harvard was the first American university to
create an independent department of urban
planning, when its School of City Planning was
founded in 1929. Other U.S. colleges followed
this lead with their introduction of 60 graduate
and 24 undergraduate planning curriculums
during the next 35 years. Essex Community
College and the Community College of
Baltimore were the first higher education cen¬
ters in the country to offer a two-year city plan¬
ning curriculum. The first students were
enrolled in the Urban Development Assistant
program in September, 1964.
Documentation of Need
The need for a program which would prepare
aide-level personnel to assist members of the
urban development profession was documented
in the doctoral dissertation* of Moses S. Koch
who, at that time, was the Dean of Essex Com¬
munity College. A survey of the needs of local
and national city planning, urban renewal, and
community development agencies, as reported
in this research paper, provided well-defined
evidence that:
1. Professional planners were in increasingly
greater demand to meet the existing
problems of the city and to confront the
challenges of the population centers of the
future.
2. The capabilities and energies of these plan¬
ners were underutilized in the completion
of necessary, but time-consuming, routine
tasks which usurped as much as three-
quarters of their on-the-job hours.
3. Trained support personnel could perform
tasks such as the gathering, organization
and graphic presentation of the vital data
on which the planning process depends.
4. The educational preparation of personnel
to assume this supportive role could be ac¬
complished within the context of a com¬
munity college program of instruction.
Financial Support
With substantial proof of the existence of a real
need for support personnel in local, regional
and national planning and development offices,
the discussion of methods for developing the
curriculum and implementing the program'was
the next priority. As a result of a thorough
examination of the question of financing the in¬
troduction and operation of such a unique
career education program in the Baltimore
Metropolitan Area, an agreement was reached
between the two junior colleges to present a
request to the Department of Housing and Ur¬
ban Development for support of a cooperative
career-education program.
On April 3, 1964, the Urban Renewal Ad¬
ministration awarded Essex Community
College, with the support of the Community
College of Baltimore, the Greater Baltimore
Committee, and the Maryland Regional Plan¬
ning Council, a grant of $33,353 to be matched
by cash and services from the two colleges and
the local agencies, for a total budget of
$50,300. An application for an extension of the
original Demonstration Project MD. D-3 to
September, 1969 was granted and an additional
grant of $30,524 was to be matched with local
contributions. The total budget was thereby in¬
creased to $97,591 to cover the five-year period
of the Project. Whereas the initial period of the
demonstration project was to plan, organize
and establish the career program, the second
portion of the period was to be used for testing
and evaluation of the program operation.
On April 4, 1964, the Project Director was ap¬
pointed and the Urban Development Assistant
program was launched.**
*Moses S. Koch, "Procedures for Developing an Associate
in Arts Degree Curriculum to Train Urban Planning
Assistants", umpublished doctoral dissertation. University
of Maryland, 1961.
**A more detailed description of these initial phases
preceding project operation may be read on pp. 12-15. Ur¬
ban Development Assistant Project, Interim Report, June.
1966.
12 DEVELOPMENT
Preliminary Research
During the period of research for his doctoral
thesis. Dean Koch received the willing
cooperation of local and national leaders in the
urban planning and development fields. A con¬
tinuing dialogue between the researcher and the
professional community resulted in the
delineation of certain job skills needed at the
entry-level. The scope of the required technical
courses was thereby defined. General education
subjects were evaluated to determine which
would best complement the student's
speciali^ed training. Possibilities for on-the-job
learning opportunities were explored. The con¬
clusions derived from these preparatory
discussions were included in the doctoral paper
and set forth as a proposed curriculum.
Thus, the pilot project was funded, staffed and
equipped with a model curriculum ready to be
tested in operation. Further development of the
course of studies could only be accomplished as
a result of actual experience.
Present Status
Even during the early stages of the project, the
debate on the need for a curricular emphasis on
the acquisition of general knowledge versus the
demand for a specific focus on the employer-
required technical skills had emerged. The par¬
ticipants at two occupational education con¬
ferences sp on so red by the American
Association of Junior Colleges (Washington,
D.C., January, 1966; Chicago, Illinois, October,
1967) reiterated the "generalists" vs. "spe¬
cialists" concepts of career education. The con¬
ferees at the Annual Meeting of the American
Society of Planning Officials (San Francisco,
May, 1968) voiced the claims for both sides of
opinion.
In actual practice, the local debate has been set¬
tled through a process of evolution. Today,
both community colleges offer, as an elective
choice, a highly technical course in Elementary
Statistics, which was a required subject in the
early program of studies. Both colleges have in¬
dicated in their latest evaluation reports that
curricular choices for Urban Development
Assistant students should be broad; technical
studies should be required only as they are of
proven value in meeting actual job
requirements.
In both colleges, the curriculum content
remains lately as presented in the Summary of
Findings of this report. Opportunities for paid
field work positions have drawn students to the
program and have result'bd in year-round em¬
ployment for many of them. Discussions within
the two colleges about alternatives to the sum¬
mer practicum have not, as yet, culminated in
any change in the time period established in the
earliest phases of the program.
Most notable among the course content changes
in the five-year project period is the con¬
densation of two courses. Urban Planning Draf¬
ting (3 semester hours credit) and Graphic
Presentation (2 semester hours credit) into one
4 semester hour course in Drafting-Graphics.
The annual articulation with students during
field work evaluation sessions provided
justification for the condensation of the two
courses, which were repetitive in content and
teaching techniques.
While the basic contents of the original
technical courses have remained unchanged,
new titles and numbers have been assigned to
the specialized UDA subjects. This action was
taken in order to prevent what has proved to be
an inhibiting factor in a student's choice of
courses. With the primary identification of the
career program labels, UDA subjects which
could have been of real educational value and
interest to many students were regarded as of
benefit only to the career program candidates.
Thus, current guides to the Urban Development
Assistant program of studies now list the
specialized courses under the more familiar and
less self-limiting educational headings of
sociology, history and engineering science.
Relationship to the Community-at-Large
As has been illustrated above, the development
of a new curriculum and the organization and
operation of a career program does not begin
and end within one academic year, nor does it
emanate solely from the dictates of the
professional educators. Many groups and in¬
dividuals lent their efforts in the preparation of
the Urban Development Assistant curriculum
and in adapting the course of studies to the
changing needs of the profession and to the ex¬
pectations of the community college students.
Chart I indicates the relationship between the
community colleges and those groups which
aided in the formulation of a viable educational
program.
CHART I. RELATIONSHIP TO LOCAL AND NATIONAL GROUPS
13
During the first stages of project operation,
local planning and development agencies
established job classifications, assuring the
UDA graduate of an entry-level position for
which he could qualify. Throughout the project
period, these same agencies accepted UDA
student applicants for field work assignments,
prepared detailed evaluation reports on each in¬
dividual student's performance and on the
general effectiveness of UDA courses, and.
where applicable, offered permanent em¬
ployment to the career program graduates.
Nationally, the American Institute of Planners
and the American Society of Planning Officials
promoted discussions of the new program and
offered guidance in the operation of the
Baltimore-based pilot program. Various AlP
chapters supported the initiation of similar two-
year career programs in other sections of the
country. The Metropolitan Baltimore AlP
chapter offered student memberships in the
professional society and provided annual
tuition scholarships. (See Appendix 2.)
The American Association of Junior Colleges
disseminated information about the unique
career curriculum and arranged national con¬
ferences. with municipal government officers,
housing and rehabilitation administrators, plan¬
ners and educators in attendance. These
meetings provided much needed opportunities
for the exchange of information and for ob¬
jective appraisals of the UDA curriculum and
program operation.
Private enterprise witnessed its interest in. and
support of. UDA project activities. The Sears
Roebuck Foundation funded two conferences
of local community groups; members of the
Greater Baltimore Committee gave financial
assistance and served as community advisors.
Volunteers from among the ranks of the local
urban renewal and planning professions served
as guest speakers to students in high school
classes and with adults in community im¬
provement associations. Agency staff members
supplied additional time in promoting the ac¬
ceptance of Urban Development Assistant
course credits in the transfer of career graduates
to four-year colleges and universities. The com-
munity-at-large demonstrated its shared belief
in the relevance of the basic concepts of the Ur¬
ban Development Assistant program and its ex¬
pectation that such a two-year course of studies
should be recognized as a valid foundation for
additional years of education in local four-year
learning institutions.
ADMINISTRATION
To picture the changes which have occurred
during the five years of the demonstration
project period, it is helpful to consult the chart
of administrative operation prior to May. 1968
(Chart II) and the chart which represents the
current administrative organization of the Ur¬
ban Development Assistant curriculum as a part
of the departmental or divisional structure of
the respective colleges. (Chart 111)
CHART II INTERNAL COLLEGE ORGANIZATION — 1964-1968
The director of the Urban Development
Assistant Project acted as the coordinator of
both academic and job-oriented interests and
activities within the two colleges. In addition,
the project director maintained contact with the
policy-making Advisory Board, implementing
the board members' suggestions and decisions.
With the energetic and informed support and
active participation of this volunteer advisory
panel, the Urban Development Assistant
program was directed toward its objectives and
guided through the formative stages of its
growth. The Advisory Board served to unify,
clarify and promote project activities within the
two academic centers which were
geographically separated by 21 miles of urban
and suburban terrain.
16
CHART III ADMINISTRATIVE ORGANIZATION 1969
•Higher Education Council on Urban Affairs
The present channels of administrative com¬
munication are closer in this integrated (depart¬
mental or divisional) approach to the process of
directing the career education program. It is
worth noting that while the lay Urban Develop¬
ment Assistant Advisory Board has been
removed from the administrative structure,
there is every opportunity for communication
between the two colleges through the auspices
of the Higher Education Council on Urban Af¬
fairs. a volunteer group of educators and com¬
munity leaders united to work for better urban
communities.
OPERATION
Role of Director
As has been pointed out, the present operation
of the Urban Development Assistant program
represents a step toward coordinating the func¬
tions once required of the project director
within the instructional divisions of the
colleges. From May, 1968 through September,
1969, the project director performed the func¬
tions as indicated in the revised Job Description
included below;
REVISED JOB DESCRIPTION
JOB TITLE: Director of the Urban Develop¬
ment Assistant Project
To be responsible for coor¬
dination, research and report¬
ing, community relations and
placement in the Urban Devel¬
opment Assistant Program.
DUTIES: Under supervision of the Chair¬
man of the Social Science
Division:
1. Acquaints agency officials,
high school counselors and
teachers, students, potential
employers and others with
the scope of the program
and solicits their continuing
support.
2. Acts as liaison between the
College and the community.
3. Recruits students.
4. Coordinates student field
work assignments in operat¬
ing agencies.
5. Places graduates in housing
and planning agencies.
6. Maintains a continuing eval¬
uation procedure.
7. Prepares and publishes re- 17
ports.
8. Promotes the Project and its
results in pertinent agencies,
organizations and profes¬
sional societies, both locally
and nationally.
9. Engages in public relations
activities directly or indir¬
ectly related to the Project.
10. Encourages the active par¬
ticipation of the College in
public activities involving
community development,
both physical and social, by
serving as liaison between
the College and the civic or
service organizations.
During the final stages of the demonstration
project period, many of the director's staff
duties were assimilated by the various offices of
the colleges, e.g. job placement, student recruit¬
ment and counseling, and the preparation of
promotional releases.
Application to Other
Educational institutions
Other educational centers may benefit from the
experience of the UDA Project in regard to the
necessity for the services of a full-time director
during the initial phases of program operation.
The early duties of this staff member included
the hiring of instructors, purchase of textbooks
and drafting supplies, preparation of in¬
formational materials, recruitment, counseling
and placement of students, scheduling of
classes, and evaluation of courses, instructors,
textbooks and field work experiences.
Once the operational patterns of the career
program have been established, it is then
possible to maintain these activities on a part-
time schedule. The UDA Project was directed
by a full-time staff member during the first three
academic years. In the fall of 1967. a part-time
director was employed to coordinate the
program. By the summer of 1968. both colleges
had integrated the career program into the
division or department to which it was related,
and many of the project director's duties had
become the routine functions of the appropriate
college offices.
18 Role of Academic Division Chairman
As the urban development career program
became an integral part of the institutional ad¬
ministrative structure, the chairman of the
educational division to which it had been
assigned took on a more active role in the fur¬
ther development and promotion of the course
of studies, both within the college community
and beyond the campus. Prior to the ad¬
ministrative reorganization depicted in Chart
HI, student attitudes toward career curricula
had been surveyed and analyzed by academic
^aff members. It was found that the full poten¬
tial of career studies was not being realized
while the administration and presentation of
these programs to the prospective students
seemed to imply that the career curricula were
somehow unrelated to conventional college
courses. Therefore, direct responsibility for the
administration of existing career programs was
given to the respective chairmen of the
academic departments to which the subject mat¬
ter was most closely allied.
Benefits and Problems
of Integrated Operation
No longer solely identified by students or
faculty members as a "career program" and
therefore separate and distinct from the "trans¬
fer" programs offered by the community
college, the Urban D^elopment Assistant
course of studies has received tangible benefits
from the reorganization. The division chairman
has the full responsibility for the scheduling of
classes, hiring of qualified instructors and
dissemination of program information. A full-
time faculty member is expected to maintain
current records, as well as to teach one or more
of the courses. Spokesmen for the UDA
program are no longer limited to part-time staff
members, interested community leaders and
representatives of the various professional
groups. A more detailed understanding of the
course contents has led to the specialized UDA
subjects being offered as elective or required
courses in other curricula. The total education¬
al offerings of the colleges have thereby
benefited.
Problems encountered in this integrated
operational system have stemmed, in the main,
from the necessity for making additional
demands on the time and energies of the respec¬
tive administrative, academic and staff per¬
sonnel. However, this type of difficulty is faced
daily in this country's colleges, where the
pressures caused by limited education budgets
and increased community demands are facts to
be reckoned with and obstacles to be overcome.
Since the Urban Development Assistant
curriculum is based upon the requirements of a
career field which is new to many prospective
students, recruitment information and
procedures must provide for a full explanation
of the planning assistant's role. This type of in¬
formation is not as essential a part of the
recruiting data for more widely known career
fields, such as nursing, secretarial work or ac¬
counting. Effective UDA career recruitment
materials and presentations must be designed to
include an accurate job description. In ad¬
dition, student personnel office staff members
and guidance counselors must be fully prepared
to describe and discuss the urban development
aide's duties and functions and to supply other
career information of a very specialized nature.
Contacts for field work assignments and job
placement must be maintained on a current
basis. All of these procedures which are so very
necessary for the successful operation of the Ur¬
ban Development Assistant program must first
be learned and then utilized by the appropriate
college personnel.
This period of transition, from the initial ad¬
ministration of the urban development
curriculum as a demonstration project to its
final assimilation as an operative career
program, was a time for confronting these ad¬
ditional challenges to staff members of the two
community colleges.
Role of Advisors
At the same time that college staff members
were assuming new responsibilities for the
operation of the Urban Development Assistant
course of studies, the project advisory board
was preparing for the termination of its official
participation in the program. At its final
meeting as the UDA Advisory Board, it was
proposed that the two community colleges con¬
tinue their intercollegiate cooperation and com¬
munication on the career program under the
auspices of the Higher Education Council on
Urban Affairs (HECUA). This local council of
community leaders was initiated in the spring of
1965 as a direct result of two area-wide con¬
ferences which were planned and implemented
by the UDA office and Essex Community
College staff members. With its orientation
toward improvement of the urban environment
and its four years of active experience in the
promotion of interest and cooperation within
the Baltimore metropolitan area, HECUA was
selected in the Fall of 1969, as the group most
capable of providing the vital liaison between
the Community College of Baltimore, Essex
Community College and the community-at-
large.
THE STUDENT
Recruitment
Since 1964, when Essex Community College
and the Community College of Baltimore first
offered the Urban Development Assistant
curriculum, the one area of activity in which the
Project has met with the smallest success has
been in the recruitment of new students to the
program. For this reason, it would be well to
examine the methods which have been utilized,
with a special reference to those activities which
proved most fruitful.
As is customary with the introduction of any
new curriculum, wide newspaper coverage was
given the introduction of the Urban Develop¬
ment Assistant curriculum. In addition,
brochures and counseling materials were mailed
to all of the local feeder high school counselors.
Private interviews were set up with the high
school guidance personnel. All of these
contacts were kept up on a yearly basis.
In the spring of 1968, teams of professional
planners and college students (graduates of the
UDA program or those still seeking their
Associate in Arts degrees who worked as mem¬
bers of a planning or housing agency), spoke to
the members of the senior Social Science classes
in the feeder high school area. In the course of
the talks to and with over 2000 senior high
school students, the UDA speaking teams were
able to encourage an interest in the community
planning program which has had its residual ef¬
fects. In the enrollment of Fall, 1969 students,
interviews with the entering students have
revealed that these visits to the high schools in
1968 formed the basis for their introduction to
the Urban Development Assistant program.
Students present in the classes relayed the in¬
formation about the program potential to their
friends and acquaintances. Teachers in the
Social Science Divisions of the local high
schools were able to recommend the Urban
Development Assistant program as a college
curriculum related to the problems of the cities.
To date, the 1968 classroom visits have en¬
couraged the enrollment of 27 full-time
students, in Baltimore County alone. (See Ap¬
pendix 7.)
Since it is not possible to arrange classroom
visits on such a large scale on an annual basis, it
would seem most feasible to arrange a yearly
presentation to the Social Science teachers in
the secondary school system of the local college
feeder school area (not Just the senior high
school classes). Because of the residual factor.
where one visit to a group of classroom teachers
might have a two, three or four year carryover
effect in contacting interested students, the
number of visits to Social Science teachers
might be reduced to a smaller total, as the
program matures.
The second most fruitful field of recruitment
has been on the college campuses, among the
enrolled students. It has been found that the
college students are interested in career ap¬
plications of the learning that they receive in
"traditional" or academic subject fields. The
students might term this "usable education"
Therefore, promotion of the UDA curriculum
among the students and college faculty members
should be considered of great benefit to the
process of student recruitment.
Charts IV and V provide a summary of the total
enrollment of students during the five-year
project period.
( H AR I IN t.NROI IMFM Si MMARN -KSSFX COMMl NITY COLLEGE-SEPTEMBER 30, 1969
Ncailctiiic N oat
I i»lal Annual
Sludoni I nrollincnt
T i)(al -l- nicring
SiuJcnis
Ttnal-Ctintinuing
Siudcnls
Tiuai-
Oraduatcs
TtHal-
VN'ilhdrawals
17
1 Till
IM -7
1 ^
I T III
IM 7
12
TT X
IM -7
5
FT-5 1
PT-0 1
IS
I-1 III
IM - X
h
IT-X
PI ■ 1
17
KI 4
PI -X
1
FT-I .1
PT-0 J
IVhfi- 1467
1 ->
1 r-i:
IM IX
III
TT-I
PI "
1 7
II - 7
PI-III
4
II 4
PI -0
7
FT-2
PT-X y
146"'-i46S
:i
t I s
IM 1 7
4
II 1
PI I
1X
II 4
IM -1 1
X
U-4
PI 2
1
FT-I
PT-0 §
146M-|4h4
Z'l
1 1 1 1
IM 1 X
14
1 1 '
PI "■
2X
1 I h
IM 1 4
1
KI 1
PI-l)
1
FT-I •
PT4)
1464- |4^t)
M
1 1 r
IM 14
1 ^
Tl 14
IM I
—
—
totals lo n.no 6S ( 1 40 4 H-7 IS FT-IO
IM -:s P T-: PI-5 ' ,
Kl )
Coniinuinfi Students ■ Students remaining in the program through June
h T - Full-time students {tho)se attempting i 2 or more semester hours of vsork per semester)
PJ ■ Part-time students (those students attempting less than 12 semester hours per semester)
ithdra\\als - Students v^ho hase furmall) vsithdravsn from the course, curriculum, or college This column would not in¬
clude the number of part-time students who might not enroll in classes every semester, hut who will consider themselves as '
enrolled in the program
CHART V ENROI 1 MKM SI MMAR^-tOMMl MIV ( ((I 1 K.
F OF BAI TIMORE-SEPTEMBER 30. 1969
■Xx.idcnuc X c.ii
1 ->l,ll ,-\lllul.l
Siuslciil l ull
t Imcni
1 oi,tl 1 iKcring
Siudcnis
I o(,il -Continuing
Siiulciiis
Total-
(iraduates
Total-
W Khdrawals
14x4- I4(>X
l.x
1 1 4
PI 14
1 K
If 4
PI 14
1 4
1 t 4
PI 1(1
X
FT-I
PT-4
I4XX 14f.(.
--
II III
P1 1 2
4
F1 7
PT 2
1 X
FI 6
IM 1 2
4
FT-4
PT-0
I4hx 140^
42
1 1 1 1
PI 21
14
IT X
PT- 4
2X
FI - 4
PT 21
1 FT -1
PT-tl
6
FT-6
PT-0
1467.I46X
11
11-11
PI 2:
X
I I- 7
PI- 1
4(1
FT 7
PT-24
2 FT 1
PT 1
s
FT-2
PT-0
I46X 1464
42
Mil
PI 41
1 2
II 4
PI X
4X
FI 14
PI 24
4 FT- 4
Pf 0
1
FT-0
PT-I
1 4(i4- 1 4111
44
11-14
PI 4(1
16
FI X
PI X
—
—
—
1 itl.lls 6' D-lIC
KI )
FI 4X
IM 42
6 FT-X
PT-I
IX
FT 1,4
PT X
Continuing Students - Sludentx remaining in the prngram through June
K T - Full-time students (those attempting 12 or more semester hours of work per semester)
PI - Part-time students (those students attempting less than 12 semester hours per semester)
^ ithdrawals - Students w ho have tonnully withdraw n from the course, curriculum, or college. This column would not in¬
clude the number of part-time students who might not enroll in classes every semester, but who will consider themselves as
enrolled in the program
Student Profile
Among the 145 program participants who com¬
pleted one or more Urban Development
Assistant courses were students drawn from
widely diversified backgrounds of education,
interests and experience. UDA classes included
representatives from the current high school
graduating classes and matriculating college
classes, as well as a number of adults who were
re-entering the work force or were seeking in-
service training while continuing in their
existing planning and/or housing agency jobs.
However, it is possible to draw a general profile
of the Urban Development Assistant student, as
derived from a two-year study of UDA
graduates and undergraduates through Sep¬
tember, 1969.
Scholastic Interests and Achievement
A predominant interest and accompanying
scholastic success in high school social science
and language arts subjects was evident among
the career program enrollees. Following up on
this discovered interest in the social sciences,
UDA recruitment teams visited Baltimore
County high school classes with favorable
results in attracting potential participants in the
UDA course of studies. It was in these classes
that an understanding of the plan¬
ning/development process was introduced to
students who already had a keen interest in the
survival of individuals dwelling in decaying
cities and burgeoning suburbs. It was in these
"Current Issues in Social Studies' classes that
the prospective UDA student could be reached
most directly.
A wide range of scholastic achievement levels
among the entering urban career students was
recorded in the above-mentioned study of UDA
enrollees. Three-quarters of the UDA students
ranked as average or slightly below average in
academic performance, when compared to the
achievements of their fellow high school
graduates. Were it not for the aptly named
"Open Door Policy" of today s community
colleges, one-half of the Urban Development
Assistant students might not have been granted
the opportunity to attempt college-level studies;
low academic standings would have, in all
likelihood, eliminated their chances of ac¬
ceptance in today's crowded four-year colleges.
Job Experience
A majority of the community college students
who enrolled in the Urban Development
Assistant curriculum found it necessary to hold
a part-time or full-time job while they pursued
their studies. As an example of the high per¬
centage of UDA students who were employed
while attending college, 14 of the 15 UDA
graduates held jobs during their two year
college careers. Of these same graduates, 9 had
held part-time jobs while they were still in high
school; all of the graduates were permanently
employed after they had earned their Associate
in Arts degrees.
Predominance of Male Students
Male students were attracted to the career
program in larger numbers than female
students. The ratio of male to female enrollees
in the Urban Development Assistant course of
studies was roughly 6 to I. This may have been
due to the required Urban Planning Draf¬
ting/Graphics courses. The teaching of these
skills has been limited traditionally to male
classes at the high school level. After it was
discovered by the UDA staff that this was an
inhibiting factor on the selection of the UDA
program by females, these specialized subjects
were discussed with prospective students with
emphasis placed on the highly successful per¬
formance of previous female UDA students and
a higher enrollment of women resulted.
24 Profile of Graduates may be noted that the general profile sum-
Chart VI provides an opportunity to examine a marized above is borne out in the specific data
more detailed profile of the 15 graduates of the depicted on the Chart.
Urban Development Assistant curriculum. It
CHART VI STUDY OF GRADUATES - 1967 - 1969
Toial Number 15 graduaies
Sex Female 2 Course Load Full-time 1> Years of Graduation 1967 3 graduates
Male 13 Pari-limc 2 196H - 8 graduates
1969 - 4 graduates
Prior to Graduation
Married .3 Living tn parental home 13
Hmph>yed* 14 Required financial aid 2
F-ligible for military service 12 Served military duty 2
Academically dismissed I Received schtdastic award 3
Placed in field work assignment 1 1
After Graduatitm
Employed in planning and t>r housing agency 15 Full-time 5
Employed by field wurk agency 8
Part-time 10
Salary level tt>r those employed S5.t.HX)-S6.(XK) 6 S6.(K)0-S7.(HX) 4
Employed at Planning Assistant entry level - 1 1
Employed below Planning Assistant entry level 1
Employed above Planning Assistant entry level 3
Over S7.(KH) - 5
Graduated wiih hi»nt>rs • 2
Transferred to four-year college 13
Academically dismissed frttm four-year ct>llege 1
Granted degree from tour-year college 1
Continuing for pi>st-graduate study I
'Full or part-time, other than field work
Financial Aid
Entering students in the Urban Development
Assistant program have received no specific
educational assistance funds (beyond those
available to any college freshman). However, af¬
ter the student has attended either college for
the period of one year, there are awards which
provide partial tuition assistance for promising
and deserving UDA students. (See Appendix 2.)
By eliminating the entering student from the
possible benefits of this financial aid, the
colleges may be discriminating against the
disadvantaged member of society. If it were
possible to do so, it might be helpful (in the
presentation of any tuition assistance) to widen
the scope of the awards and include entering
students. This broadening of the reach of
assistance funds would, of course, be dependent
upon the group or individual providing the
funds and subject to any restrictions imposed by
them.
Field Work Experience
Students returning from the opportunity to put
their learning to use in a field work assignment,
during the summer between their first and
second years of academic work, have been the
strongest advocates of this work-study pattern.
No academic credit is assigned to the field work
experience at Essex Community College or the
Community College of Baltimore, but the
students are paid a temporary employee's wage
(approximately $2.35 per hour, depending on
the hiring agency) for their average 37-hour
work week.
At the end of the summer employment period,
the student is in no doubt if he has chosen the
correct field for his career. In addition, he
begins to apply the subject matter of the courses
offered him in the second academic year to the
job situation in which he has Just served. In¬
deed, he is the most valuable critic of the course
content of his first college year and through his
work experience can relate his second year's
work in the college to its utility on the job. He
becomes, thereby, a more discerning student,
better able to relate theory to reality.
As a result of a study of the second year
academic achievement records of the Urban
Development Assistant students returning from
the exposure to job reality, it has become
evident that the academic success of the student
has increased significantly. In comparison to his
academic achievement in the first year of
college, the sophomore student, on an average,
has raised his grades a full step, if not higher.
As an example of this academic "success story,"
there is the case of one part-time student who
had received only grades of "D" and "F" in his
freshman Urban Development Assistant courses
and the general education courses which he at¬
tempted. Following the student's assignment to
a full-time job on a planning agency staff (of
which he is still a member), this student's grades
rose to "B" and "C." Though this is a dramatic
change in academic achievement, it only serves
to highlight the possibility of "rescuing" an
academically poor achiever with a practical ex¬
perience in the application of his learning. As is
done in the Urban Development Assistant
program, an employer evaluation of this work
experience should be considered essential. (See
Appendix Sa.)
It would be well to note that summer field work
placement should be started in January or
February preceding the summer of employment.
As more and more college and university
students become aware of the job potential in
the planning, housing and allied career fields,
there have been increasing numbers of ap¬
plications for summer work received from four-
year college students. Therefore, a firm com¬
mitment for summer placement should be ob¬
tained as early as possible in the Spring
Semester.
The effects of this summer field work are sum¬
marized in Part IV of this report.
Occupational Outlook
In a 21-month period (October, 1967-June,
1969), salaries for planning assistants have been
increased by as much as $1,000 at some levels
for employees of planning and housing agencies
in the Baltimore Metropolitan Area. The
average salary increase for a 2-year program
graduate in the urban-oriented career fields has
been $400.00. Three public agencies in the
Baltimore Metropolitan Area which offer plan¬
ning assistant or comparable ratings are the
State of Maryland, the City of Baltimore, and
Baltimore County.
In the 21-month period cited, the remuneration
for a two-year college graduate with a
specialization in the career field has risen as
follows:
October, 1967 June, 1969
State of
Maryland $5,386-$7,075 $5,871-$7,715
Baltimore
City
Baltimore
County
$6,025-$7,6IO $6,402-$8,085
$5,354-$6,3l4
$5,668-$7,202
As a point of comparison, the latest available
salary figures for a graduate (at an equal
educational level) in Pinellas County, Florida,
are $5,012 - $6,406.
In the Baltimore Metropolitan area, 62 per¬
manent employees of urban development agen¬
cies have prepared for their chosen careers or
enhanced their opportunities for advancement
by participating in the Urban Development
Assistant program at the Community College of
Baltimore or at Essex Community College.
These UDA students and graduates have proven
to be the most able ambassadors in recruiting
new candidates to the career program.
Continuation of College Studies
Among the graduates of the urban development
program, there has been a decided trend toward
entering four-year colleges. Chart VI shows that
13 of the 15 Urban Development Assistant
graduates elected to continue their education;
when they first entered the community colleges,
only 6 of the group of 15 students were plan¬
ning to earn a Bachelor's degree. Following
their work experience, 7 of the degree can¬
didates reset their academic goals to include
two additional years of learning. Thus, the ex¬
pectations and desires of the UDA students ad¬
ded a new dimension to the development of the
Urban Development Assistant curriculum.
EVALUATION
Methods of Appraisal
In any program where an attempt is made to
resolve an existing need through an innovative
or untested approach, the twin processes of
evaluation and adaptation must precede
meaningful growth. Facets of the Urban
Development Assistant Project have been ap¬
praised, modified and retested throughout the
five academic years of the demonstration
project.
All criticisms, comments and suggestions for
modification of the UDA program of studies
were channeled through the Urban Develop¬
ment Assistant Advisory Board. This panel of
community volunteers met on a bi-monthly
schedule to discuss the periodic progress
reports prepared by the project director. The
duties of the project director, the practicality of
administrative techniques, the quality and ef¬
fectiveness of technical instruction and the
practice of intercollegiate coordination and
cooperation were among the topics which
received the continuing attention of the board
members. Far from serving as a mere advice-
giving group, the members of the UDA Ad¬
visory Board formed a steering committee; each
board meeting was an evaluation session.
Annual reports on the enrollment in all career
programs offered by the two community
colleges were provided by the respective ad¬
ministrative offices. These statistical summaries
served to pinpoint the readily discernible need
for new recruitment techniques in seeking Ur¬
ban Development Assistant students. Periodic
meetings between the project director and UDA
technical faculty members, all of whom were ur¬
ban development professionals, resulted in both
operational and curricular changes in the UDA
program. In counseling sessions with UDA
students, an assessment was made of course
content and the usefulness of the information
gained during the academic year. Weekly
evaluation meetings were held during the three
months of the field work experience; both em¬
ployers and student interns voiced their
opinions on the relevance of instructional
methods and materials. At the end of the intern
period, each employer submitted a written sum¬
mary of the achievements of the individual
student(s) with whom he had been in close con¬
tact. In addition to the critiques of the Urban
Development Assistant program received from
these local sources, responses gained from
national conferences, cited earlier in this
report, provided both comprehensive and ob¬
jective analyses of the progress of the career
education project.
The Project Goals
At periodic intervals, the record of UDA
project activities was examined to determine if
its stated objectives remained valid and if these
aims were being met. Was there a continuing
need for an associate degree curriculum for ur¬
ban development aides? Was the Urban
Development Assistant student or graduate able
to achieve a measurable degree of success com¬
parable to the extent of his career preparation?
Was the employer satisfied with the quality and
the amount of work performed? Was the UQA
degree candidate or graduate assigned to
meaningful tasks, for which his college studies
had laid a sound basis?
The answers to these questions concerning
UDA project goals were provided both in writ¬
ten reports forwarded to the Urban Develop¬
ment Assistant Office and in the actions of the
supervisors in the various hiring agencies.
As to the need for trained urban development
support personnel, the agency supervisors con¬
tinued to provide summer field work em¬
ployment and. more often than not, year-round
employment for those summer interns who were
working their way through college. In addition,
the employers of UDA students arranged work
schedules so that the full-time students could at¬
tend daytime classes at the community colleges.
Where permanent employees of planning and
housing agencies expressed a desire to enroll in
the UDA program, these in-service students
received the encouragement of supervisory per¬
sonnel and the added benefits of either partial
or total tuition payments made by the em¬
ploying agencies. It was evident that urban
development aides were serving as productive
employees and that their employers were eager
to retain them as staff members. Equally as im¬
portant. it was clear that the employers con¬
sidered that participation in the Urban
Development Assistant course of studies could
be beneficial as in-service training for agency
staff members.
Responses from evaluation questionnaires sent
to the supervisors of UDA graduates and un¬
dergraduates (See Appendix 5a. 5b.) showed
that the two year college program was con¬
sidered to be an effective educational base from
which a Planning Assistant could perform the
entry-level duties assigned to him. The majority
of graduates and undergraduates who had
worked in urban development agencies ex¬
pressed the opinion that the UDA curriculum
had provided adequate preparation for their
jobs.
In sum, the Urban Development Assistant
demonstration project has achieved its primary
goal of developing and implementing a two-
year. post-high school curricular program to
prepare urban development aides for the suc¬
cessful performance of their assigned duties. As
the UDA project period drew to a close, there
were two significant areas in which im¬
provement was needed in order to be even more
effective in fultllling this stated goal: a larger
number of female degree candidates should be
attracted to the career program and there
should be a continued effort to inform the
general public of the scope and potential of ur¬
ban development careers. Given the tools and
techniques formulated and tested during the lat¬
ter part of the UDA project period, the respec¬
tive administrative offices of the two community
colleges should be in a favorable position to
perform these functions.
Program Operation
For the first three years of its operation, the Ur¬
ban Development Assistant project was ad¬
ministered as a curricular program with almost
total autonomy within the academic structure of
the two community colleges. In the months
following May of 1968. the career program was
gradually integrated into the Social Science
Division at Essex Community College and the
Department of Urban Affairs at the Community
College of Baltimore. This assimilation of the
UDA program has provided an opportunity for
more complete realization of the project ob¬
jectives.
Full-time academic staff members now have
direct and continuous contact with and control
of the curricular program. The chairmen of the
academic departments have met with their
colleagues in four-year colleges and have ob¬
tained agreement on the transferral of UDA
course credits to these four-year learning cen¬
ters. thus erasing the stigma of a terminal or
"dead end" label from being applied to the Ur¬
ban Development Assistant curriculum.
Prospective students have thereby been satisfied
that the UDA course of studies provides the
educational mobility that many of the degree
candidates so desire. Better techniques for
student recruitment have been developed and
utilized, so that by the fall of 1969 the number
of entering urban development career students
had increased to a level comparable to other
career program enrollments.
With a uniqiie career curriculum under their
direct supervision, the academic division chair¬
men and administrative staff members must
shoulder added responsibilities in order to
maintain an efficient operation of the UDA
program. The weight of these additional duties
cannot be minimized: in order to continue its
present growth trend, the Urban Development
Assistant program must receive the advocacy,
continuing attention and full support of the
designated community college staff members.
The Career Curriculum
in preparing his doctoral dissertation. Moses S.
Koch sought answers to questions pertaining to
the content of the junior college courses which
would be required in order to offer a viable ur¬
ban development career curriculum. An
analysis of the responses received from
professionals in the urban planning and
development field formed the nucleus of the Ur¬
ban Development Assistant curriculum. The
basic components of this original course of
studies remain unchanged. The only
modifications in the UDA curriculum have been
made in the methods of presenting the technical
information and skills and in selecting com¬
plementary general education courses and elec¬
tive subjects which have been found to be of
most benefit to the degree candidate.
Basic Concepts and Skills
Employers, undergraduates and graduates, as
well as the technical instructors have agreed
that certain basic concepts must be included in
the Urban Development Assistant curriculum,
in order to provide a theoretical foundation for
his chosen career, it was found that the career
student must be acquainted with the history and
goals of the city planning and development
profession. In addition, the UDA student must
be equipped with a knowledge of the political,
economic, and social stimuli which affect the
growth of a community. To round out his
theoretical background, it was determined that
the urban development degree candidate was
benefited by a study of group dynamics and the
effects of one group's interaction with another.
Two courses, the Survey of Planning and the
Community and its Organizations, were created
to supply these basic concepts. Throughout the
five-year project period, these courses have
been required of every UDA degree candidate.
The technical skills which were found to be
essential to the entry-level urban development
aide were a knowledge and practice in drafting
and graphic presentation and a familiarity with
the fundamentals of design. Some of the en¬
tering students had been able to complete an
elementary drafting course in high school, in
which case, the drafting requirements were
waived upon the approval of the course in¬
structor. Aside from these career special¬
izations. the students and employers em¬
phasized a need for acceptable skills in written
and oral expression. Since the urban develop¬
ment aide would be expected to communicate
his findings to the general public in reports,
speeches, letters and telephone conversations,
the values of a Public Speaking course and a
Technical Writing course were reiterated during
every curriculum evaluation discussion.
During the third year of the career program, a
new request for skill development was received.
Since most agency offices were dependent on
data-storing equipment, it became necessary to
add an introductory course in Data Processing
to the list of suggested electives. Thus, changing
office techniques dictated the need for the in¬
clusion of an additional course in the career
preparation of urban development aides.
Adaptation to Community Needs
The curricular base for the UDA career
program was proposed in a doctoral thesis
presented in 1961. Three years later, the
program testing began, with the first enrollment
of Urban Development Assistant students in
1964. A reorganization of the basic information
to be imparted to the student took place in the
years between 1964 and 1969. As has been
shown, changes were made to suit the needs of
the students and the agencies within the
Baltimore metropolitan area.
Another test of the curriculum was in its degree
of adaptability to meet the requirements of
other communities in this country and abroad.
Information on the initiation of the curriculum
was made known to the readers of the journal of
the American Association of Junior Colleges
and of various publications of the professional
planning and housing groups. When it became
generally known that the pilot project was un¬
der way, requests were received for information
on all phases of the UDA program. In separate
requests, 123 universities, colleges and junior
colleges asked for facts on the curriculum, the
job specifications and the operative methods
developed by the career education project. By
September of 1969, 22 community colleges in
the United States and one in Canada had
established similar urban career programs. No
two of the aide-level curricula were identical;
all of the study programs had been adapted to
serve the local communities in which they were
offered. It was apparent that the Urban
Development Assistant curriculum had
provided a useful pattern for these subsequent
educational offerings.
BeneHts of Summer Field Work
For years, educators have discussed among
themselves the provpn and the theoretical
benefits to be derived from a work-study
program. Some of these discussions involved
questions about the most practical scheduling of
the on-the-job training and the classroom lec¬
tures.
Other educational leaders argued the merits of
awarding scholastic credit for the work ex¬
perience versus the benefits of paying a wage to
the student intern. It was decided that the
Urban Development Assistant student be placed
in a 3-month, paid field work assignment during
the summer months following his first year of
college studies. A written summary of his duties
and an assessment of the quality of his work
were to form a part of his college records.
In order to determine what effect his work ex¬
perience might have on his scholastic per¬
formance during the second college year, the
achievement record of the 15 Urban Develop¬
ment Assistant graduates was compared with a
random sampling of graduates who had earned
their Associate in Arts degrees during the same
years as the career program graduates. The fin¬
dings of this study are summarized on Chart
VII.
CHART VII COMPARISON OF SCHOLASTIC
PERFORMANCE - 1967 - I969
UDA GRADUATES (15) RANDOM SAMPLING GRADUATES (15)
High School Quinlile
: 1st
h :nd
6 3 rd
2 4th
0 5ih
Course Load
13 . Eull-T ime 13
2 Part-Time 2
Curriculum Selected
I) Transfer 12
15 Career 3
Change in Grade Average'
Cumulative'" Semester" Semester" Cumulative'"
13 II Raised 6 8
0 I Same 2.. ,0
2 3 Lowered 7 7
Grade Average at Graduation
2 A 2
0 B I
13 - , C 12
'For semester following summer field work for II UDA graduates
"Change in grade average for one semester only.
"'Change in grade average for all semesters to date
Unresolved Curricular Needs
Though the content of the technical courses
(See Appendix 6a-6d.) has provided a valid and
usable educational base, there is a need for text¬
books which are specifically geared to the
requirements of the Urban Development
Assistant curriculum. Most of the assigned
readings for the course of studies were made
available through the community college
libraries. However, for the most effective
teaching of such specialized subjects, it would
be preferable to have a textbook geared to the
needs of the undergraduate student.
A need which emerged during the final years of
the project period was not anticipated in the
earlier plans. As more graduates of the com¬
munity colleges received their Associate in Arts
degrees, they urged college personnel to aid
them in their desire to enter four-year colleges
in the immediate locale. In 1964, there were no
local colleges or universities which were
prepared to follow up with urban study
curricula to complement the UDA courses. By
1969, there were several educational centers
which were prepared to accept credits for
specialized courses and to offer the Urban
Development Assistant graduate an opportunity
to continue his college education in his chosen
field or in a closely allied field. This represents
measurable progress in intercollegiate coopera¬
tion, but it is an area of program operation
which will require the continued efforts of com¬
munity college administrative and academic
staff members.
The Career Student
In evaluating the success of any undertaking
which involves the performance of an in¬
dividual, the human variables must be taken
into account and compared to a realistic stan¬
dard of performance. In the case of the Urban
Development Assistant student, the job stan¬
dards were set and the student's activities were
judged by the employers; the academic stan¬
dards were established and the student's
achievement was assessed by the college per¬
sonnel.
At the same time, the student was checking his
own progress and satisfaction in both his
professional and his academic accom¬
plishments.
Professional Growth
The employer expressed his satisfaction with the
concepts of the educational program and the
performance of individual UDA students. Not
only did the hiring agencies provide field work
employment during the summer months, but a
majority of the students were retained .as em¬
ployees during their second academic year. In
addition, as the supervisors became more
familiar with the capabilities of each individual
student, it was possible to provide him with
even more challenging duties than those listed
in the job descriptions for a Planning Assistant.
(See Appendix 4a-4c.) By the time that the
degree candidates had received their diplomas,
it was entirely possible that they had served as
part-time planning aides for a full year and
their assigned tasks required the assumption of
more responsibilites. Some examples of the
more challenging duties are: handling and
recording of subdivision requests; preparing
and recording project cost estimates;
preparation of correspondence concerning
general highway planning; marketing research;
preparation of computer program formats;
photo interpretation; ^oning analysis and
recommendations for changes; and supervision
of a seven-man drafting team. These are but a
few of the types of responsible tasks which were
assigned to the career students. Heightened in¬
terest in his job and a desire for even more
demanding assignments marked the student's at¬
titude following this year of on-the-job ex¬
perience.
Scholastic Improvement
It has been seen in the summary of the
scholastic performance depicted on Chart VII,
that the assigned field work (and continued em¬
ployment for a majority of the summer interns)
produced a pronounced change for the better in
the grades of those who had the benefit of on-
the-job training. During the second academic
year, it was possible to apply practical ex¬
perience to the subject matter offered in the
UDA courses. It is equally significant to note,
that for those graduates recorded in the random
sampling who had not had an opportunity for
field work, there was a rise in grades following
the 3-month summer vacation for only 6
students, as compared to 11 UDA students who
improved. Roughly twice as many urban
development degree candidates were more suc¬
cessful scholastically.
Resetting Academic Goals
It is evident from the actions and attitudes of
both the supervisors and the UDA students
whom they employed, that the twin incentives of
increased responsibilities and improved grades
were an encouragement to the urban career
student to reset his academic sights to include
two more years of college studies. In a career
field where it is quite common for the
professional staff members to have earned both
a bachelor and master's degrees, the planning
aide might be considered realistic to seek fur¬
ther education. It is not surprising to find that
some of the career graduates were not satisfied
to continue in the more elementary tasks, once
they had observed the more demanding role of
the professional planning and development
agency staff members. It was as a result of these
graduates and undergraduates that the Urban
Development Assistant program was required to
adjust its earlier goals to meet the challenge of
student expectations.
The Urban Development Assistant Project has
completed five academic years of operation and
from the experience gained during this period
the following conclusions and recom¬
mendations are drawn:
1. Continued inter-group articulation has
proven essential to the progress of this
career-education program.
Strong channels of communication should
be maintained with members of the
professional field, with fellow educators,
and with present and prospective com¬
munity college students. The Advisory
Board has provided an excellent op¬
portunity for the exchange of ideas and.for
informed decision-making. The Higher
Education Council on Urban Affairs offers
opportunities for contact with educators of
both two-year and four-year colleges and
the College can meet with the professional
planner at this gathering place or in the
professional society meetings to which the
urban planners have offered the educators a
warm welcome. Visits to the high school
social science classes have served to im¬
prove relations between the College and its
feeder schools and have encouraged in¬
creased student enrollments.
2. The content of a curricular program for
such a broad and dynamic career field
should be geared to meet changing em¬
ployer-needs and the several levels of
student expectations.
The urban planning profession and those
participating in it are not locked in place,
but are consistently asked to perform an in¬
creasing number of duties within the urban
society. The modification of job descrip¬
tions in the employing agencies and the
creation of new job opportunities within the
career field necessitate an alert response
from the educators.
The majority of the graduates of this career
program have sought further education in
four-year colleges. Curriculum planners
should allow for the widest possible
latitude in options for the career program
graduate.
3. Professionals in the urban planning field
have aided, and should continue to aid, the
educators in putting the planning career
potential before the general public.
As an emerging profession, urban planning
must be recognized and understood by
larger segments of the community in order
to attract greater numbers of capable and
enthusiastic career degree candidates. The
local chapters of professional societies may
take a leading role in identifying the goals
of the urban planner, as they have done in
the Greater Baltimore Area.
4. The administrator of the career program
should be in full contact with members of
both the academic and technical faculties
and have ready access to other ad¬
ministrative personnel of the College.
A program of career education is an
amalgam of technical and general
education. The career program can best
serve the student, the employer and the
community when it operates as an integral
part of the total instructional program of
the college.
5. At present, technical courses in both
colleges are offered only during the evening
sessions and there is a resultant feeling of
isolation inherent in this situation.
Scheduling is awkward and discouraging
for the full-time students who attend day
classes and must then remain at, or return
to, the College for evening sessions. The
technical faculty members, usually planning
agency employees, may spend only the few
hours during class time on the campus and
usually find it impossible to attend college
meetings scheduled during their workday.
When the College must schedule courses
exclusively during evening classes, a deter¬
mined effort should be made to include
part-time instructors and the students at¬
tending their classes in the observance of
traditional events and campus activities.
34 6. The great value of work experience
associated with classroom learning in a
career curriculum has been attested to by
the educators, the employers and the
students associated with this career
education program and it is recommended
that an opportunity for field work be in¬
cluded. whenever feasible, in the planning
for similar educational programs in other
communities.
In addition to providing the students with a
practical framework for their academic
studies, it has been found that all of the
students were able to earn sufficient funds
during their period of employment in the
agencies, to finance the second year of their
college studies. As a result of the on-the-job
observation of field work employees, the
professional planners have been better able
to define the role of the Planning Assistant.
Employer evaluations of the student interns
serving in field work assignments have
enabled the educators to assess the ef¬
fectiveness of course offerings and to make
the indicated corrections in the in¬
structional program.
7. Locally and nationally, the Urban Develop¬
ment Assistant Project has had an op¬
portunity to create a greater awareness of,
and to propose an educational response to,
the needs of the city. Professional planners
and educators throughout the United States
have recognized the concept of an associate
degree program for the preparation of ur¬
ban development aides as a realistic
response to the needs of community plan¬
ning and development agencies and,
therefore, as a long-term investment in the
nationwide effort to improve the quality of
life in urban and suburban America.
THE URBAN DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANT
PROJECT has designed, operated and
evaluated a career-education curriculum for the
training of assistants to professional urban
planning and renewal personnel. To date, 62
employees of 15 planning and development
agencies in the Baltin\ore region have received
career training through the Urban Development
Assistant course of studies.
At the conclusion of the demonstration project
period, the Urban Development Assistant
curriculum has been integrated into the depart¬
mental structures of the Community College of
Baltimore and Essex Community College. The
curricular program will continue in operation
in these colleges as long as there is a community
demand for support personnel to staff the urban
planning agencies in this area and an active in¬
terest on the part of community college ^udents
who wish to serve in the urban development
career field.
In view of these findings, it is judged that THE
URBAN DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANT
PROJECT has effectively achieved its stated ob*
jectives.
1. Urban Development Anlstant Project
Revised brochure.
2. UDA Awards
3. Career Opportunities Open to Gradnates
4. Job Descriptions
a. Baltimore City
b. Baltimore County
c. State of Maryland
5. Evaluation Questionnaires
a. Field work
b. Graduates
6. Suggested Course Outlines, Textbooks
and Classroom Supplies
a. Survey of Planning Course
b. Urban Pianning Drafting
c. The Community and its Organiia-
tions
d. Graphic Presentation
7. Newspaper Articles
REVISED UDA
INFORMATION BROCHURE • 1968
37
This updated Urban Development Assistant career folder
was prepared in 1968 for distribution to prospective Essex
Community College students and to local and national
planning and housing agencies, high schools and colleges,
and community groups.
PLAN
THE
VERY
BEST
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ADMISSION REOUlRr.MLNTs
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TUTTION AND FEES
fiiiiTi--
IM S: .. Ra *
ESSEX
COMMUNITY
COLIJICE
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NATIONALLY, I " ilAVi :". HI"! IDCALi-
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l*>0(Vim RU> V(H; can IMfOtlAM IN IlLTHLtM. -HIIM nvi>
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RMk RMl pun* aa
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FUtTNU i^TTrtMATIGM AND
AmiCAT
THE ARTHUR McVOY
MEMORIAL AWARD
To be awarded each year to the most promising
student in the Urban Development Assistant
Program at either Essex Community College or
the Community College of Baltimore by the
Baltimore Chapter of tl^ American Institute of
Planners.
The award shall consist of a minimum amount
of $100, which shall be credited directly to the
recipient's tuition account by his school.
The recipient of the award shall be chosen each
spring by the UDA faculty, from among those
first year, full-time students in both Colleges
who appear to be the most promising, subject to
the approval of the Deans of the Colleges.
LESLIE H. GRAEF AWARD
Awarded anmially to a student in the Urban
Development Assistant program in honor of
Mr. Graef, the Deputy Director for the
Baltimore County Office of Planning and
Zoning, for his contribution to the program.
The award consists of a SSO.OO scholarship,
payable in two semester installments, credited
to the recipient's tuition at Essex Community
College.
The recipient is selected by the U.D.A. faculty
and director. Both full-time and part-time
U.D.A. students are eligible.
FRANZ J. VIDOR AWARD
Awarded annually to a student in the Urban
Development Assistant program in honor of
Mr. Vidor, the Director of Planning for the
Baltimore City Department of Housing and
Community Development, for his contribution
to the program.
The award consists of a SSO.OO scholarship,
payable in two semester installments, credited
to the recipient's tuition at the Community
College of Baltimore.
The recipient is selected by the U.D.A. faculty
and director. Both full-time and part-time
U.D.A. students are eligible.
URBAN DEVELOPMENT
ASSISTANT PROGRAM
Career Opportunities Open to Graduates
Planning, Urban Development,
and Urban Renewal
Assistant Planning Analyst
Draftsman or Designer
Public Administration Aide
Technical Writer
Planning Assistant
Research Assistant
Public Housing
Housing Inspector
Tenant Area Coordinator
Area Project Aide
Real Estate, Property Administration,
Private Commercial and Industrial
Development
Property Management Assistant
Shopping Center Management Assistant
Field Executive Assistant in Property
Construction and Development
Public Development (State and Local)
Assistant in:
Industrial Development Commissions
Conservation of Natural Resources
Parks Administration
Water Resources Control
Public Works, Health, Protective Services
Assistant to Professionals in :
Traffic Control
Highway and Roads Commissions
Public Utilities
Police, Fire, and Health Departments
Community Activities and
Human Relations Activities
Assistant to;
Directors of Recreation Councils
Race Relation Organizations
Welfare Agencies
Planning & Housing Associations
PTA Councils
Administrative Control 39
Property Control Clerk in
Urban Renewal Agency
Maintenance Control Clerk
Statistical Clerk
Administrative Secretary
Editorial Secretary
Personnel Assistant
Non-Profit Organizations
Administrative Assistant in:
Improvement Associations
Philanthropic Organizations
Civic and Service Groups
Fund-Raising Groups
Political Organizations
Historical Societies
Labor Unions
Religious Groups
Political Action Groups
CO
%
CIVIL SERVICE
COIV1MISSION OF BALTIIViORE
CLASS TITLE;
PLANNING ASSISTANT
Minimum Qualifications: Graduation from a
junior or community college of recognized
standing with specialization in urban develop¬
ment.
Examples of Duties:
Assisting in collecting and compiling planning
data;
Making statistical computations;
Conducting field or office land use surveys;
Preparing maps, drawings, sketches, and plans
of land use, public facilities, streets, and ex¬
pressways;
Constructing models and relief maps;
Preparing graphic presentations of statistical
data, including maps, charts, graphs and tables;
Assisting in the writing of technical reports.
PLANNING ASSOCIATE
Minimum Qualifications: Graduation from a
university or college of recognized standing
with a degree in city or regional planning, ar¬
chitecture. or landscape architecture, or urban
studies;
or
Graduation from a junior or community college
of recognized standing with specialization in
urban development and two years of experience
in city planning work.
Examples of Duties:
Assisting in preparing planning studies on
various economic, social and population fac¬
tors;
Compiling source material from maps and field
visits;
Applying statistical or other technical methods
to historical data to derive predictions and
estimates.
Analyzing and verifying data;
Preparing maps, drawings, sketches, and plans
of land use, public facilities, streets, and ex¬
pressways;
Making planning studies and writing reports on
specifically assigned problems.
BALTIMORE COUNTY
OFFICE OF PERSONNEL
CLASS TITLE;
PLANNING ASSISTANT II
Minimum QualificatK^ns: Graduation from a
recognized high school and two years of ex¬
perience in sub-professional planning or a
closely related field;
or
Equivalent combination of training and ex¬
perience. (Undergraduate work in college or
university of recognized standing may be sub¬
stituted for experience on a year for year basis.)
Examples of Duties:
Compiling data for use in planning studies;
Preparing plans or sketches of planning studies,
legal descriptions, and assessment records;
Preparing charts and tabular reports;
Making field or office land use surveys;
Making perspective illustrations;
Assisting in reviewing and revising plans for
subdivisions and building;
Preparing base maps.
PLANNING ASSISTANT I
Minimum Qualijications: Graduation from a
university or college of recognized standing
preferably with orientation toward the field of
planning;
or
Graduation from a recognized high school and
four years of experience in sub-professional
planning or in a closely related field
or
Equivalent combination of training and ex¬
perience.
Examples of <1 uties:
Collecting various data from County planners,
compiling the data and using it to prepare
graphic exhibits of the information, such as
maps and charts;
Assisting in preparing detailed studies on
population, land use, highways, zoning, sub¬
divisions, public facilities and site planning;
Reviewing and revising plans for subdivision
and building;
Developing statistical data for use in planning
studies;
Recommending solutions for project planning
problems;
Supervising subordinate personnel engaged in
planning studies or map work.
COMMISSIONER OF PERSONNEL
OF THE STATE OF MARYLAND
CLASS TITLE:
PLANNING ASSISTANT I
Minimum Qualilications: Graduation from an
accredited junior or community college with
specialization in urban planning or develop¬
ment
or
Graduation from an accredited Junior or com¬
munity college, without specialization, plus one
year of recent experience in drafting, illustra¬
ting. commercial art. personnel and budgeting,
technical writing, public relations, photogra¬
phic interpretation, cartography, programming,
systems analysis, community organization, or
subprofessional engineering.
or
Graduation from a standard high school and
three years of experience in any of the above
fields,
PLANNING ASSISTANT II
Minimum QualificatMus: Graduation from an
accredited junior or community college with
specialization in urban planning and develop¬
ment and three years of related experience or
two years of planning experience.
or
Completion of 60 semester credits in an ac¬
credited college or university and five years of
related experience or three years of planning
experience
or
Graduation from a standard high school and
eight years of related experience or five years of
planning experience.
PLANNING ASSISTANT III
Minimum Quulijicaiions: Graduation from an
accredited junior or community college with
specialization in urban planning and develop¬
ment and six years of related experience or four
years of planning experience
or
Completion of 60 semester credits in an ac¬
credited college or university and seven years of
related experience or five years of planning ex¬
perience.
or
Graduation from a standard high school and ten
years of related experience or seven years of
planning experience.
Examples of Work Performed by Planning 41
Assistants:
Assisting in the development, promotion and
coordination of local, regional, or State tran¬
sportation planning programs;
Assisting in obtaining and compiling statistical
data on such areas as population, housing, tran¬
sportation and zoning;
Assisting in reviewing and analyzing such fac¬
tors as the natural resources and socio¬
economic conditions of a given area or com¬
munity;
Assisting in developing and preparing charts,
maps, diagrams and other graphs and illustra¬
tive materials;
Assisting in the preparation of simple reports
and publications;
Assisting with the filing and indexing of library
materials and maps;
Operating a calculator;
Performing simple drafting work;
Training in the use of standard statistical
methods and procedures used in planning
studies and programs.
URBAN DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANT PROJECT
EVALUATION OF UDA STUDENTS IN SUMMER FIELD WORK
Name of Employing Agency
Name of Student Employed
Name and Title of Student's Supervisor
Dates of Student's Employment: From To
Wage Rate (per hour or week)
Average Work Load (hours per week)
If the student worked overtime, was he paid for this or given compensatory
time?
Describe briefly the project(s) in which this student was involved:
PERSONAL EVALUATION
Evaluate the student objectively, comparing him with other students of
comparable academic level, with other personnel assigned the same or
similarly classified jobs, or with individual standards.
RELATIONS WITH OTHERS
Exceptionally well accepted
Works well with others
Gets along satisfactorily
Has some difficulty working with others
Works very poorly with others
JUDGMENT
ATTITUDE - APPLICATION TO WORK
Outstanding in enthusiasm
Very interested and industrious
Average in diligence and interest
Somewhat indifferent
Definitely not interested
DEPENDABILITY
Exceptionally mature
Above average in making decisions
Usually makes the right decision
Often uses poor judgment
Consistently uses bad judgment
Completely dependable
Above average in dependability
Usually dependable
Sometimes neglectful or careless
Unreliable
ABILITY TO LEARN
Learns very quickly
Learns readily
Average in learning
Rather slow to learn
Very slow to learn
QUALITY OF WORK
Excellent
Very good
Average
Below average
Very poor
FIELD WORK EVALUATION (cont'd.)
ATTENDANCE: Regular Irregular
PUNCTUALITY: Regular Irregular
OVER-ALL PERFORMANCE: Outstanding Very Good Average Marginal
Unsatisfactory
What traits may help or hinder the student's advancement?
Would you consider this student for permanent employment in your agency,
following his graduation?
Additional remarks (Use back of this page, if necessary.)
Has this report been discussed with the student?
GENERAL INFORMATION
In your estimation, will this be the type of work this student will be
expected to perform upon graduation from the UDA program?
If not, indicate what other jobs you might expect an Urban Development
Assistant to perform:
Taking into consideration the fact that first year UDA students have
had only two technical courses , Survey of Planning and Urban Planning
Drafting, do you feel this particular student's preparation was:
Good Adequate Poor
What type of college training do you feel an Urban Planning Assistant
should receive (both academic and technical), in specific subjects?
Give a rough estimate of the -number of Urban Development Assistants
your department might use during the next few years.
Will you be willing to employ one or more UDA students during sub¬
sequent summers?
Additional remarks
Signed:
(name)
(title)
Date
UDA GRADUATES
SUPERVISOR'S QUESTIONNAIRE
URBAN DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANT PROGRAM
Essex Community College
Community College of Baltimore
URBAN DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANT paduate ,
has been under your supervision (or a member of the staff) since
(His, Her) current job classification is
with a salary of (approximately) per year.
I. Duties Performed (most recent)
JL
II. Performance of Tasks Assigned
Excellent Average
Very Good Poor
III. Additional Skills Needed (not present in employee)
IV. How does employee (UDA graduate) compare with other staff members
with equal job experience, but without Urban Development Assistant
educational preparation?
A. No apparent different in employee's performance
B. Urban Development Assistant graduate better prepared to assume
assigned responsibilities
Comment:
UDA GRADUATES (cont'd.)
V. Does employee show signs of professional growth? Yes No
Explain:
VI. Ten of the twelve Urban Development Assistant graduates (to date)
are now attending four-year colleges or universities. Would you
favor offering an option of a 15 semester hour certificate program
as well as the present 62 semester hour Associate in Arts degree
program now offered beginning Urban Development Assistant students
Yes No
If so, what skill or theory courses would you consider essential?
(Please check as many as you feel are required.)
Survey of Planning (Theory, history, community planning and urba'n
renewal problems)
Drafting Data Processing _
Graphic Presentation Office Procedures
Community and its Organizations Cartography
Urban Sociology Urban Geography _
Others:
If not, explain:
VII. Would you recommend that an Urban Development Assistant graduate
continue beyond his two-year college education and the Associate
in Arts degree level?
Yes No
Explain:
VIII. In your opinion, is the employee (UDA graduate) growing profes¬
sionally at such a rate that he should receive an increase in
salary or an advance in job classification within the next year?
Yes No
IX. Would you recommend that men and women interested i-n urban develop¬
ment careers seek educational preparation in the present Urban
Development Assistant curriculum?
Yes No
Explain:
SURVEY OF PLANNING
DESCRIPTION OF COURSE
This course has, as its major goal, the in¬
struction of urban development assistants whose
responsibility will be to produce technical
materials which will be the basis for planning
and renewal activities, within the framework of
federal, state, local and public-private relation- ll.
ships. In order to achieve this proficiency,
students must first obtain an understanding of
the skills necessary to produce the required
material; second, understand the relation bet¬
ween the different planning studies; third, grasp
the role of this material and these studies-in the
planning and renewal process.
The Survey of Planning course is to assist the
student in obtaining this proficiency by
reviewing the needs, purposes, and contents of
community planning and renewal and by
presenting the methods and techniques upon
which planning and renewal decisions are
based. Attention, in all instances, will be
devoted to the physical, social, and economic
aspects of urban existence.
COURSE OUTLINE
1. Urban Development and the Need for
Planning
Historical Development of the City
Brief review of the functions and charac¬
teristics of pre-industrial cities; the
development of the modern city; and the
evolution of the modern city with em¬
phasis on the social, economic and tech¬
nological factors involved. HI
The Land Use Structure of Urban Areas
Examination of the patterns of land use in
urban areas; topographic, transportation,
economic, social and public interest de¬
terminants of urban structure.
Urban Problems
The major problems faced by urban areas
today, for example; slums and obsole¬
scence, the flight of higher and middle in¬
come groups to the suburbs, the concen¬
tration of lower income problem families
in the inner city, the decline of the central
business district and other older commer¬
cial areas, traffic congestion, urban
sprawl, finance and taxes, etc.
The Need for Planning
How city planning can help solve urban
problems; the limitations of physical plan¬
ning as a means of solving the problems;
complementary economic and social pro¬
grams that are needed; and the problems
of reconciling planning and individual
freedom in a democracy.
The Concepts.
Organization and Contents of Planning
General Concepts.
Organization and Contents of Planning
Basic concepts: planning, plans, the plan¬
ning process, programs; plans, as distin¬
guished from forecasts and inventories,
standards, density, etc.
The Organization of Planning
The legal basis and legislative framework
of planning in the U.S., the hierarchy of
planning agencies from local to national,
relationship of organization to the plan¬
ning process — viz., the complex of
relationships between staff, commission,
governmental policy makers and private
interests.
Contents of Planning
Description of the various facets of plan¬
ning including; the master plan, site and
project planning, subdivision control,
zoning, urban renewal and related social
and economic programs.
The Methodology of Planning
The steps involved in the planning
process.
The Techniques of Planning
A. Planning Studies
Information for Planning
The types of maps used in planning,
information recorded on maps, the
importance of data, sources of data,
and how data is handled and stored.
Statistical Methods
Construction of tables, graphs and
charts and description of selected
statistical techniques and concepts
used in planning studies.
Social and Demographic Factors
The purpose of population analyses
and projections, and description of
techniques of analyzing and forecast¬
ing population growth and change.
Economic Studies
The purpose of economic studies in
planning; types of economic studies
and how such studies are utilized in
planning.
Land Use Studies and Planning
The categories of land use and their
locational characteristics, the land
use inventory and land use studies,
determination of future land use
requirements, determining the poten¬
tial land suitable for the various uses,
and achieving balance between future
supply and demand and between uses.
Transportation
Types of transportation facilities, the
elements of a circulation system, in¬
terrelationship between land use and
transportation, traffic studies and the
comprehensive land use tran¬
sportation study.
Utilities and Land Use
Description of water supply, sewerage
and other utility systems, general ap¬
proach to planning of such facilities
and their influence on land use pat¬
terns.
Urban Design
Concepts and theories of urban
design, design as a structural element
in the plan, the image of the city, ar¬
chitectural and historic preservation,
etc.
B. Programs and Methods of Plan Ef¬
fectuation
Zoning
Concepts in zoning, the elements of a
zoning ordinance, studies required in
preparing an ordinance and the ad¬
ministration of Zoning.
Subdivision Regulations
Definition and explanation of land
subdivision; and the role, content and
administration of subdivision regula¬
tions.
Housing and Other Codes:
Related Governmental Programs
Description of the housing code and
of certain other regulatory measures
which relate to urban development;
description of related municipal
social and economic programs.
Capital Improvement Program
The concept of the capital improve¬
ment program, its use as a tool for
plan effectuation and for rationaliz¬
ing municipal finance and relation of
the program to political reality.
Urban Renewal and Slums
1. History of slum clearance in the
U.S.; the "housing movement";
the public housing program; and
the evolution of the urban renew¬
al program.
2. Urban renewal operation; types
of programs; steps in renewal; the
workable program; the general
neighborhood plan and the com¬
munity renewal program.
RESOURCES
Reading
Texts to be purchased:
Slums <S Social Insecurity. 1st Ed.. Schoor
The Urban Pattern: City Planning & Design
Local Planning Administration. International
City Managers' Association
Cities. Scientific American. 1965
Reading assignments will be given throughout
the course from the texts and also from material
available in the Library. Some of these readings
will be required, others will be optional and for
those students who wish to pursue particular
subjects in greater depth.
URBAN PLANNING DRAFTING
1 hour of lecture - 4 hours of studio work per
week
DESCRIPTION OF COURSE
Basic drafting for urban and regional planning
work. Practice in drawing maps and plans,
gaining experience in the use of drafting in¬
struments. materials, and techniques and
related lectures.
COURSE OUTLINE
Lectures (not necessarily in order of presen¬
tation)
1 Map and plan reading. (Types of maps
and plans, understanding and interpre¬
tation)
2- The land use plan. (Introduction to
drawing of map)
3 - The design plan. (Slide lecture of
evolution of 2 plans. Urban Renewal
and Columbia project)
4 - Data maps. (Types, methods of data
collection)
5 - Contour maps. (Analysis and reading of
contours)
6 - Illustrative she plans. (Shadows, ren¬
dering)
7 - Review of drafting aids. (Generally,
those not used during studio work)
8 - Reproduction methods. (Advantages
and disadvantages and costs of methods)
9 - The kind of work the UDA student will
do.
10 - Criticism and general discussions of
student work. (At periodic intervals)
Projects
Exercise in drafting and lettering.
The first problem will be an Urban Renewal
Plan (project to be determined).
1 - Base map (Block and lot outline only)
2 - Existing land use (Color)
3 - Existing land use (Black and white Zip-A-
Tone)
4 - Illustrative site plan (Showing shadows
and trees)
The second problem will be a regional project
using Columbia as a base.
5 - Regional location map (Color)
6 - Work contour map (Grade survey, ridges.
trees)
7 - Final project
TEXTBOOK AND MATERIALS NEEDED
FOR URBAN PLANNING DRAFTING
General Drafting, by Fryklund and Kepler
Materials:
Drawing Board
T—Square
Triangle. 30-60 degree
Triangle. 45 degree
Drafting Tape
Eraser, pink pearl
Erasing Shield
Drawing Pencils or Mechanical Pencil and
leads. 2 H. H. 3H
Engineer's scale
THE COMMUNITY AND ITS
ORGANIZATIONS
DESCRIPTION OF COURSE
The purpose of this course is to provide
students with:
(1) An understanding of the history of the
voluntary community organization and its
importance both to individual citizens and
our democratic society.
(2) A knowledge of the characteristics of com¬
munity organizations and their members
and some of the problems of organizations
in our modern urban society.
(3) A familiarity with the operations of com¬
munity'organizations structure,
techniques of group dynamics, the role of
the member, leadership, and methods of
group action.
(4) A knowledge of some of the most im¬
portant community organizations con¬
cerned with the problems of the urban area
and how these organizations fit into the
community structure.
(5) An understanding of the reasons for lack
of citizen participation among urban slum
dwellers and some of the proposals for
solutions.
COURSE OUTLINE
Section I. History and Significance of the
yoluntary Organization in America
Factors in our history which have made the
voluntary organization a distinguishing
characteristic of American life. Description
i>f some of the organizations which have
had a great influence on American life. The
role of the voluntary organization in a
democratic society and some of the dif¬
ferent functions which such organizations
fulfill.
Required Reading:
Cohen. Nathan E.. The Citizen Volunteer.
Chapters 1. 2. and 3
Smith. Bradford. Why We Behave Like
Americans. Chapters VI and Vll
Tocqueville. Alexis de. Democracy in
America Volume 1. Chapters Xll and XIV;
Volume II. Second book. Chapters IV - VII
and Appendix II. pages 389-444.
Section 2. Characteristics of Voluntary
Organizations and Their Members
Definition of the community organization,
kinds and numbers of organizations, and
the fields in which they operate. Who joins
organizations and why? What is the extent
of participation in tite United States? Some
of the problems of organizations today.
Required Reading:
Cohen. Nathan E.. Op cit.. Chapter 16. 17,
and 18
Section 3. How Community Organizations
Operate
Structure of organizations in a democracy,
leadership techniques and training and
taking action in the community. Methods
for insuring the effective and democratic
operation of organizations with a maximum
of membership participation, with an in¬
troduction to group dynamics.
Required Reading:
Group Dynamics and Social Action
Handbook for Leaders of Organizations
Taking Action in the Community
McKee. Elmore. The People Act. Preface.
Chapters VIII and IX
Section 4. Community Organizations in the Ur¬
ban Metropolis
Definition of the community and the
metropolitan area. Characteristics of the
population and housing of the Baltimore
area which are the basis of many of its
problems. Some of the problems of the
Baltimore area and the important com¬
munity organizations which are trying to
solve them. Relationships of such
organizations to government agencies.
Required Reading:
Baltimore City. Department of Planning,
Population and Housing.
Baltimore Section. National Counoilof Jew¬
ish Women. TVie Unaccepted Baltimoreans
Hunter. David R.. The Slums Challenge
and Response. Pages 1-107. Steering
Committee for a Plan for Action. To Open
that Door.
Section 5. Community Organizations in Urban
Slum Areas
The lack of citizen participation by residents.
Inability of community organization to
relate programs to felt needs of such
residents. Proposals for solution such as
Baltimore's Community Action program.
Harlem Park Neighborhood Association.
Mobilization for Youth in New York, and
program of the Industrial Areas Foun¬
dation.
Required Reading:
Hunter. David R.. The Slums Challenge
and Response. Chapters III-VIII,
Silberman. Charles E., Crisis in Black and
White. Chapters I and X
Survey of Action Area Residents
(Books and articles listed as required reading
are available in the college Library.)
GRAPHIC PRESENTATION*
DESCRIPTION OF COURSE
The purpose of the course is to enable the
student to effectively present data in graphic
form. Subject matter will include the principles
of graphic presentation, methods by which
statistical and descriptive material and spatial
and organizational relationships may be
represented, and the limitations and op¬
portunities presented by different methods of
reproduction and presentation. Lecture classes
will be accompanied by studio periods during
which students will prepare graphic information
relating to specific problems such as might be
encountered in planning practice.
Materials:
Students will be expected to have acquired the
equipment needed for the Urban Planning Draf¬
ting course. In addition, each student should be
prepared to spend $3 - $5 for materials and
costs of reproduction.
COURSE OUTLINE
Four studio projects will be assignetf. Each
assignment will be graded separately and
together they will be taken to indicate the
student's graphic ability. There will be no final
examination. Assignments will cover the
following subjects:
1. Regional map - Identification of a par¬
ticular locality relative to large-scale land
and development patterns - towns, air¬
ports. roads, rivers, etc.
2. Site plan Identity and layout of natural
and man-made features within a par¬
ticular locality - trees, buildings, play¬
grounds. etc.
3. Statistical chart or graph Graphic
representation of numerical relationships
- population growth, composition,
movement, etc.
4. Diagram - Graphic representation of ab¬
stract ideas or concepts - spatial relation¬
ships. growth patterns, recording sequen¬
ces. etc.
No less than three sessions will be allowed for
each assignment. These sessions should be mat¬
ched by an equal amount of time spent on the
project at home.
* After 1968, this course was added to Urban
Planning Drafting in a combined Draf¬
ting /Graphics course.
The Community Press—316168
Dundalk High Seniors
Planning^
Urban Development Discussed
At a part of tbeir study of
the prcbleins Ihciivtbenatlan's
citlea aod suburbs, over 450
Dundalk Senior Ugh School
social science students dis¬
cussed planning and urban de-
velopmeit srith professional
planners and Essex Cosnmunlty
CbUege planning students
during the past month.
Scheduling for the guest
speakers was arranged by
Harold Psarsan,soclal science
division chairman at Dundalk
Senior High Schoid, nith the
assistance of Mrs. Bettye
Gardner, directar of the Urban
Development Assistant pro¬
gram at Essex Community Col¬
lege.
Meeting with students during
regular class sessions in Feb¬
ruary, the visitors included two
veteran planners, Mrs. Connie
Barker and Burton Cohen and
two Essex Community College
students, Mrs. Jean Eaton
and Leroy Ogle, Mrs. Barker
and Mrs. Eaton are staff mem¬
bers of the Regional Planning
Council. Mr. Cohenlaaprinci-
pal city planner for the Balti¬
more Urban Renewal and
Housing Agency, while Mr. Ogle
is employed as a planning
specUUst with the BaRimore
County Ofllce of Planting and
Zoning. As employees of plan¬
ning and housing agencies, all
of the speakers discussed
specific problems caused by
papulation increases in Balti-
more County, Baltimare City
and nearby areas.
Among the visitors who met
with Dundalk students was Mrs.
Jean Eaton, a Dundalk resi¬
dent and the mother of two
teenagers. Sherrle and Tim.
in addition to caring for her
family and attending college,
Mrs. Eaton Is a full-time em¬
ployee of the Regional Planning
Council.
A deep-rooted interest In good
community life led Mrs. Elaton
into local volunteer work in
the Girl Scouts and on to her
present career in the planning
profession last October, she
was called upon to share her
experiences with women b'om
every state in the nation when
she participatad in a New York
gathering of the National Coun¬
cil of Women in the United
States. Jean Eaton is a living
example of the sesakm topic,
"New Waya of Using Women
to Attack Urban Problems".
In her talks with Dundalk
students, Mrs. Eaton stressed
the need for varied talents in
the planning prefeaslon, "We
cant ail he writers at statiMi-
clana or draftmen. but all of
these are needed in this new
field. What is needed most
is the person who wants to
improve his community, topre-
vent problems through prepara¬
tion."
Similar preseigations are
scheduled to take place In other
senior high schools In Balti¬
more County during the months
<t March, April and May. Pr<^
(easional pUmers and Urban
Development AsaialnntstndeHta
at Essex have vobugeered their
time to addreea social adanee
classes whenever their serv¬
ices are regpeeted. ArrenBi-
mems for the apeekers are
coordinated by the Urban De¬
velopment AaalstaM oOlee, Es¬
sex Community CoDege, B^i-
more County, Maryland 212S7,
or by calling Mrs. Gardner at
682-6000, ext. 217
The Evening Sun—7126168
Jefferson iim —9112168
Planners Visit Essex College
CMcmop* CMmtv VvTMH]
Two intematisnal planners
are visiting the Essex Commuiv
Ity College campus today to
learn nrsl-hand what is king
done in the urban development
assistance program at the col¬
lege.
Domenico de Caro, chief of
the Training Division of the
Foimdation for Community
Development and Planning,
Caracas, Venexuela, and Don
Ook Kim, asaoclated with the
Korean Miniatry of Construc¬
tion, srlll visit Mrs. Bettye B.
Gardner, directar of the urban
develo|»Mt assistance curri¬
culum at Essex.
Arranged By U.S.
The visit was arranged by
Bruce Daniels, program officer
of the Division of International
Affairs at the United States De¬
partment of Housing and Urban
Devekgunait.
Five additional planners from
foreign countries also are visit¬
ing Baltimore area planning
and tmban development training
carters in an attmpt to gather
information for instituting urban
developmort training centers in
two and four'^w colleges in
their own countries.
Essex Commmity College and
the Community CoUege of Balti¬
mare were die first colleges in
the United States to int^uce
two-year urban development
training cturlculums.
Urban Oeve/opmeat Program At
Essex Stresses Human Vahies
"Community planners and as¬
sistants to community planners
must care about the lives of the
people living within the com¬
munity," according to the theme
of a new urban development as¬
sistant curriculum brochure
published by Essex Community
College.
Mrs. Bettye B Gardner, direc¬
tor of the Urban Development
Project at Essex, states that the
concept of humanization of a
community is the real concern
of the planner "He, or she. is
not so concerned with bricks
and mortar that he overlooks
the health, safety, morals, pros¬
perity and general welfare of
the residents of the commun¬
ity," she says.
The new brochure centers a-
round the slogan, "If You Care
Enough . . . Plan the Very
Best." Designed to familiarise
the reader with (he scope and
content of the Urban Develop¬
ment Assistant Program offered
at Essex Community College,
the brochure contains a sum¬
mary of the career of a planning
assistant and a description of
the specialised courses offered
in urban development.
Included in the two-year as¬
sociate in arts program are basic
courses in arts and sciences, re¬
lated courses in sociolofy, poli¬
tical science and public speak¬
ing, as well as the spedalixed
courses In urban development.
In addition, a portion of each
full-time student's program is a
field work assignment of em¬
ployment in an operating plan¬
ning agency, according to the
brochure.
The Urban Development As¬
sistant Program is made possible
through a grant from the U.S.
Department of Housing and Ur¬
ban Development as a demon¬
stration project involving Essex
Community College and the
Community College of Balti¬
more. Twenty-one full and part-
time Essex Community College
and Community College of Bal¬
timore Urban Development As¬
sistant students are now employ¬
ed in local planning or housing
agencies.
Copies of the Urban Develop¬
ment Assistant brochure and ap¬
plications for admissions may
be obtained from: Essex Com¬
munity College, Director of Ad¬
missions, Baltimore County, Md.
21237, or by calling 682-6000.