Things haven’t been easy for Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter since he took office two years ago. With the economy in the tank, he has been forced to make difficult decisions and put some of his initial goals on the back burner.

But Nutter has made strides in an important domain: fostering relationships between the City and local universities. The mayor’s interest in turning to colleges to help solve the City’s problems is one that will serve both City Hall and College Hall well.

Philadelphia’s colleges are some of the largest organizations in the City and play a major role in its economy. Regular meetings with about 25 university presidents, including Penn’s own Amy Gutmann, allow Nutter to gain insight into — and maybe even find solutions for — some of the City’s problems. Open lines of communication between the mayor’s office and colleges also make it easier for Penn and other schools to involve City government in their projects when necessary and for Nutter to receive support from higher education groups for his initiatives.

Nutter’s commitment to education in Philadelphia is admirable and consistent with the University’s goals. His plan to establish a college office in City Hall — which we have praised in the past — and his constant dialogue and consultation with universities hopefully will help the mayor achieve objectives, like increasing college acceptance rates for Philadelphia high-school students and the number of college graduates in Philadelphia. This dedication to higher education issues should be continued and hopefully expanded further when the economy begins to recover.