The American University Neighborhood Partnership  (“The Partnership”) is a shared forum connecting AU and leaders in the surrounding communities. Since its inception in 2018, the Partnership’s mission is to strengthen university and neighborhood relations through facilitated discussions, information sharing, and consensus-based collaboration on issues involving campus planning and university activities affecting adjacent neighborhoods.

The Partnership primarily operates through five standing Working Groups – each of which is co-chaired both by a neighborhood resident and a university representative – with guidance provided by a Steering Committee, as outlined below: 

Facilities Planning: Collaborates on issues related to physical campus facilities including existing and proposed development and renovation projects.

Student Life and Safety: Addresses neighborhood quality-of-life issues including off-campus student conduct, noise and trash management matters, student safety in the community, and on-campus student life.

Transportation and Parking: Addresses issues concerning travel to, from, and around the campus and provides input on efforts to mitigate the impacts of university-related traffic on the community.

Engagement and Communications: Ensures that neighbors are aware of and are encouraged to participate in campus events and activities and promotes opportunities for engagement and the benefits associated with having the university as a neighbor.

Data and Metrics: Provides guidance on the development and review of metrics for compliance and assessment associated with various components of the Campus Plan.

Steering Committee: Receives updates from and provides guidance to each of the Working Groups. The Steering Committee consists of each Working Group’s co-chairs, as well as representatives appointed by ANC 3D (representing Spring Valley, Wesley Heights, the Massachusetts Avenue apartments and condos, and students living on the campus) and ANC 3E (representing AU Park), and four neighborhood associations – specifically, Fort Gaines Citizens Association, Spring Valley Neighborhood Association, Westover Place Homes Corporation, and Ward 3 Vision – that represent numerous households neighboring American University and came together to facilitate the Partnership’s formation.

View Partnership Documents