PROVIDENCE, R.I. — May 11, 1999 — The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Renewal will co-sponsor a New England regional conference on “Building Partnerships to Build Communities” with the University of Rhode Island’s Urban Field Center at the Alan Shawn Feinstein College of Continuing Education, at the URI Providence campus. About 200 participants—HUD staff, universities and colleges, community organizations and foundations—will be present on May 14 to discuss the fundamentals and benefits of rebuilding your neighborhood by collaborative teaming. The HUD Office of University Partnerships (OUP), the New England HUD secretary’s representative, URI President Robert L. Carothers, and Providence Mayor Vincent Cianci will welcome all to a full day of discussion. All six New England land-grant universities will be in attendance. Dr. Marcia Marker Feld, professor of community planning at URI and founding director of HUD’s OUP, said: “This conference represents an acknowledgment by HUD of the pioneering efforts of URI to create partnerships with community groups, school districts, public housing and local governments for the collaborative development of a high quality of life in every neighborhood.” URI, through the University’s Urban Field Center, has partnerships with Providence and Pawtucket schools department. In addition, thanks to a HUD grant, the University, through numerous collaborative projects, is revamping the Woodlawn neighborhood in Pawtucket. For More Information: Dr. Marcia Marker Feld, 401-277-3982 Jan Sawyer, 401-874-2116