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Problem, research strategy, and findings: Small towns and cities outside of national parks, scenic public lands, and other natural amenities throughout the western United States are becoming increasingly popular places to live and visit. As a result, many of these gateway communities appear to be experiencing a range of pressures and challenges. In this study we draw on the results of in-depth interviews with 33 public officials and a survey of more than 300 public officials to shed light on the planning and development concerns across western gateway communities. Our results indicate that gateway communities throughout the western United States are experiencing a range of planning and development challenges, many of which seem atypical for small rural communities, such as challenges associated with housing affordability, cost of living, and congestion. These challenges seem to be more related to population growth than increasing tourism and stand out in stark contrast against the fact that these communities strongly value and identify with their small-town character. Our findings suggest gateway communities are doing a variety of things, some quite innovative, to address their planning and development challenges but often feel overwhelmed, behind the curve, and in need of additional capacity and planning support. Takeaway for practice: Our study highlights the importance of effective and proactive planning in gateway communities. It also suggests that to do forward-looking planning and to respond to the challenges they face, many gateway communities will need additional planning support and tools. We highlight gateway communities here to provide a platform for future efforts aimed at assisting these small, rural communities in protecting the qualities that make them such special places to live and visit amid the planning and development pressures and challenges they face.

Global challenges increasingly require interdisciplinary approaches to problem solving. This need should be facilitated by institutions of higher education. With increasing climatic and anthropogenic changes, graduate students must gain collaborative experience communicating and working across disciplines. The evolution of multidisciplinary problem-solving and global, sustainability-minded education provides the impetus for universities to reframe researchers' understanding of the environment and reimagine the spheres of curriculum, research, teaching, outreach, culture, and management. This paper describes a successful multidisciplinary approach at the University of Utah, centered on the project-based Global Changes and Society course. This method has brought about changes within the university and improved linkages to the greater community. Of particular importance is the development and implementation of the course framework, which transitions over time to address region-specific sustainability objectives. The results, pitfalls, and recommendations from this evolving venture are highlighted through a series of universal examples, with the potential to be applied at any institution of higher education focused on adapting the culture, environment, and structure to facilitate multilevel sustainability.

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