Classification Description
Community Engagement Elective Classification
The classification for Community Engagement is an elective classification, meaning it is based on voluntary participation by institutions. Whereas the Foundation's all-inclusive classifications involve secondary analysis of existing national data sources available for all institutions, elective classifications involve additional data collection and documentation, with substantial effort invested by participating institutions. Elective classifications enable the Foundation's classification system to recognize important aspects of institutional mission and action that are not represented in the national data.
Because of their voluntary nature, elective classifications do not represent a comprehensive national assessment: an institution's absence from the Community Engagement classification should not be interpreted as reflecting a judgment about the institution's commitment to its community.
Also See
Community Engagement
Describes the collaboration between institutions of higher education and their larger communities (local, regional/state, national, global) for the mutually beneficial exchange of knowledge and resources in a context of partnership and reciprocity.
In 2006 and 2008, the classification included three categories:
Curricular Engagement includes institutions where teaching, learning and scholarship engage faculty, students, and community in mutually beneficial and respectful collaboration. Their interactions address community-identified needs, deepen students’ civic and academic learning, enhance community well-being, and enrich the scholarship of the institution.
Outreach & Partnerships includes institutions that provided compelling evidence of one or both of two approaches to community engagement. Outreach focuses on the application and provision of institutional resources for community use with benefits to both campus and community. Partnerships focuses on collaborative interactions with community and related scholarship for the mutually beneficial exchange, exploration, and application of knowledge, information, and resources (research, capacity building, economic development, etc.).
Curricular Engagement and Outreach & Partnerships includes institutions with substantial commitments in both areas described above.
NOTE: For 2010, campuses seeking the Community Engagement Classification
will no longer be able to apply under Curricular Engagement only or Outreach
and Partnerships only, which was the case in 2006 and 2008; there is only one
classification that includes substantial commitments in the areas of Curricular
Engagement and Outreach & Partnerships.
2010 Classification
The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching is conducting its elective
Community Engagement Classification in 2010. Campuses that have received the
classification in 2006 and in 2008 do not need to reapply in 2010.
The next opportunity to apply for the elective Community Engagement Classification
will be in 2015. After completing the 2010 cycle, the Community Engagement Classification
will fall into the same five-year cycle as the other classifications.
Application Process and Timeline
STEP 1: Registration
Campuses applying for the classification must register
in order to receive the online application. Registration begins on February
1, 2010 and will continue until March 31, 2010. REGISTER
NOW »
STEP 2:
Release of Online Application
Campuses that have registered to apply will receive
access to the application on April 1, 2010. The applications
are submitted electronically.
STEP 3: Submission of Application
Applications are due on or before 5:00 PM PST on September
1, 2010.
Campuses receiving the classification will be notified in December,
2010.
Additional Information
- A preview
of the Documentation Framework is available for your reference (updated 1/27/2010).
- Documentation Framework FAQs
- Workshops and Trainings: A variety of organizations will provide workshops and trainings for campuses seeking the Carnegie Foundation 2010 Elective Community Engagement Classification. For more information go to NERCHE.org and view the tab under "Projects."
Questions?
Questions and inquiries about the classification application process should be
directed to Amy Driscoll, Carnegie Foundation Consulting Scholar (driscoll@carnegiefoundation.org)
or John Saltmarsh at (john.saltmarsh@umb.edu).
2008 Classification
On December 18, 2008, The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching
is announcing the 2008 Community Engagement Classification, in which one hundred
and twenty (120) institutions were successfully classified (see below). The first
community engagement classification was released in 2006 (see list
of
2006 Classified Institutions).
