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Mayor Freeman-Wilson (right) with Daley (left) and University of Chicago President Robert J. Zimmer before Tuesday's news conference at the University of Chicago.  [Photo courtesy City of Gary]

The University of Chicago and former Chicago Mayor Richard Daley are launching a new collaboration with the City of Gary.  Chicago Harris School of Public Policy students will be under Daley's guidance as they examine a number of policy areas.  The idea for the project began to take shape, city officials say, after Gary Mayor Karen Freeman-Wilson reached out to Daley last winter for his counsel on some of the Gary’s challenges. Their discussions led to Freeman-Wilson’s participation in Daley’s speaker series at Chicago Harris on urban policy.  Students started some initial work this spring and summer, including the development of data collection strategies and policy research to help address the thousands of abandoned buildings in Gary. They have also looked at transportation issues, waste conversion, Gary's airport and have provided background research to help guide the city in preparing its 2013 budget.

Mayors Daley and Freeman-Wilson chat with U of C students who are participants in the partnership. [Photo courtesy City of Gary]

Mayors Daley and Freeman-Wilson prepare to address reporters at the news conference. [Photo courtesy City of Gary]

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