Recent research has explored the connections between universities and the cities/places in which that are located. Increasingly, emphasis is placed on the economic role of the university and on universities as urban stabilizers that can mobilize investment and advance development goals. This article explores a different charge for the university: as a space for the advancement of critical urban politics. Drawing from our experiences teaching hybrid student/citizen courses on urban government and politics at a US university, we reflect on the challenges and opportunities associated with situating the university as an institutional agent in critical urban politics.