SP 06-15 - Proposal to Establish a Center for Civic Engagement and Service Learning: A Mission-Specific Center

Since the community connections, legal contracts, and databases are very similar for all CE/CEL/SL, these tasks are more efficiently performed by a centralized office staff and create a user-friendly interface for interested community members, students, and faculty.  This center will provide a structure for developing the larger university vision and the curricular elements that require defined faculty oversight.  All learning that receives university credits require all the appropriate curricular approvals. This center will aid in assuring the integrity of academic credits.  

Like our Center for Multicultural Learning and Engagement, this is a cross-divisional center that pools resources in the areas of shared tasks and mission elements. 

Definition(s):
Civic engagement (CE): our working definition of educating for civic engagement is “enhancing the understanding, the skills, and the motivation that students need to be thoughtful, well-informed, active, and responsible members of their communities.”

Service learning (SL): CSUCI’s policy states that “Service learning is a teaching and learning approach that integrates community service with academic study to enrich learning, teach civic responsibility, and strengthen communities, while engaging students in reflection upon what was experienced, how the community was benefited, and what was learned.”

Co-curricular experiential learning (CEL): This proposal and the CCESL make a distinction between a) experiential learning for which students receive academic credit and/or that is part of the required training for a program and b) experiential learning that is not directly related to the academic curriculum.  The CCESL does not administer programmaticallyrequired experiential learning such as that required for degrees in nursing and education (type a).  To differentiate the type of experiential learning that falls within the purview of the CCESL (type b), the term co-curricular experiential learning will be used.  Cocurricular experiential learning administered under the auspices of the CCESL consists of learning experiences supported through university connections; such experiences might range from a year-long internship with a company to a weekend build for Habitat for Humanity. 

Policy:
The mission of the Center for Civic Engagement and Service Learning is to foster the development of civic engagement, experiential and service learning approaches to the creation, discovery, transmission, application, and dissemination of knowledge at California State University Channel Islands. 

Objectives and Goals:

1. Provide vision and leadership for CE/CEL/SL at CSUCI:

1.1. Work with all stakeholders to develop and regularly renew objectives/goals for CE/CEL/SL  
1.2. Work to develop a culture supportive of CE/CEL/SL at CSUCI
1.3. Celebrate the achievements of students, faculty, and community partners engaged in meaningful CE/CEL/SL experiences
1.4. Foster ongoing and long-term community partnerships
1.5. Educate the campus and community about the reciprocal benefits of CE/CEL/SL to the university and thv

2. Institutionalize CE/CEL/SL through the development of an infrastructure and shared resources in and across Academic Affairs (AA) and Student Affairs (SA)

2.1. Appoint Director and Associate Director to constitute and activate a Cross-divisional Senate Committee
2.2. Develop a Community Advisory Board that is representative of all stakeholders: community, students, faculty, staff, and administrators.
2.3. Organize the SL Administrator (currently under ORSP), and the CEL Administrator (currently in Career Services) to collaboratively manage the ongoing co-curricular and curricular operations including shared database development, risk management, developing and managing community partnerships, coordinating and monitoring student placements, and assessment.
2.4. Establish the center as a central resource for all stakeholders to develop CE/CEL/SL knowledge, skills, and connections. 

3. Build and sustain community partnerships and community involvement:

3.1. Cultivate community partnerships with a diverse group of organizations from the region through organized outreach efforts  
3.2. Assist community partners in building their relationships with the university and accessing university resources by developing an easy-to-use community/university interface
3.3. Help faculty to better understand the needs of the surrounding community and particular community partners through Community Advisory Board and community partner assessments
3.4. Help community to better understand the academic mission of the university and jointly develop high quality and mutually beneficial CE/CEL/SL opportunities 

4. At the curricular level, support, coordinate, and manage resources for faculty in developing and teaching SL courses and conducting scholarship of engagement:

4.1. Identify and secure sources of funding to support curricular innovations  
4.2. Provide faculty development opportunities to introduce faculty to the specific benefits and possibilities for enriching courses and research by incorporating SL & CEL to increase CE
4.3. Provide faculty development opportunities to improve the skills and knowledge of faculty familiar with CE/CEL/SL
4.4. Assist faculty pursuing the scholarship of engagement
4.5. Assist faculty in assessing learning outcomes in SL courses.
4.6. Provide a place for faculty and other stakeholders to exchange ideas and knowledge about CE/CEL/SL 

5. At the co-curricular level, support, coordinate, and manage student CE through CEL experiences such as internships and volunteer opportunities:

5.1. Assist in the preparation of students to enter/exit communities and professional environments respectfully
5.2. Engage SA staff and student leaders to provide opportunities for student leadership and mentoring that foster CE
5.3. Cultivate new opportunities for students to contribute to their communities
5.4. Provide a “one stop shop” for students interested in co-curricular community service, volunteer, and CEL opportunities (internships/fellowships/alternative spring breaks)

6. Serve as a centralized campus and community resource for CE/CEL/SL and facilitate the sharing of ideas:

6.1. Provide a centralized professional resource for faculty interested in incorporating CE/CEL/SL into courses
6.2. Provide a coherent and easy-access interface with community
6.3. Arrange community partnerships and conduct risk management for community partners
6.4. Serve as a liaison between the CSU Chancellor’s Office and CSUCI regarding reporting and system-wide funding of CE/CEL/SL initiatives
6.5. Support CE/CEL/SL assessment and evaluation across divisions 

Structure of the Center for Civic Engagement and Service Learning :

Organization:
The Center operates under the Division of Academic Affairs in partnership with Student Affairs to better share vision, insights, and resources to create a cohesive, single interface for students, community, staff, and faculty members.  The Director and Associate Director will be appointed by and report to the Provost and VP for Student Affairs respectively.  Together they will convene and co-chair the CCESL Cross-Divisional Advisory Committee and the CCESL Community Advisory Board to provide input, vision, and expertise for the Center.  The directors will also oversee the SL & CEL staff.

The SL administrative position will support academic service learning to work with students, faculty, and community members in strengthening existing and developing new service learning courses.  The CEL administrative position will support cocurricular service and experiential learning opportunities from volunteer opportunities to CEL internships.  Together they will oversee the daily operations of the center, providing a seamless interface between community and campus stakeholders in accessing and developing appropriate connections. 

The Director and Associate Director will work together with the SL/CEL administrators, the CCESL Cross-Divisional Senate Committee, and the Community Advisory Board to fulfill the following responsibilities:

• Collaborate on enacting the CCESL mission within the university and larger community
• Assess campus and community needs to guide the expansion of existing and new programs and services  
• Serve as CE/CEL/SL campus representatives at appropriate Chancellor’s office meetings and conferences
• Develop strategic plans for the CCESL
• Share responsibility for oversight of the CCESL
• Consult with the budgetary process for the CCESL and assist with the development of proposals for external funds
• Participate as CCESL representatives on appropriate internal academic and student affairs committees
• Work together to disseminate information about CSUCI’s innovative CCESL in appropriate forums 

The Director will work with the SL administrator to:

• Promote CE & SL curriculum development  
• Foster support for existing and new CE & SL courses
• Promote and develop support for the scholarship of CE & SL
• Develop and maintain a communication network for the exchange of scholarly and pedagogical information on CE & SL among faculty and administrators in undergraduate and graduate education
• Develop faculty community-based research opportunities that promote CE & SL opportunities  
• Participate in orientations with faculty, students, and community partners to develop CE & SL
• Consult with SA Associate Director and CCESL Administrators on budgetary matters including the development of proposals for external funds
• Review external fund proposals from faculty perspective
• Collaborate with other mission centers to share vision and resources that promote and support curricular/academic CE & SL 

The Associate Director will work with the CEL Administrator to:

• Develop and promote CE & CEL opportunities for all students
• Develop and implement co-curricular activities that support CE & CEL
• Work with programs to provide an infrastructure for CE & CEL including internship, volunteer, community service, and civic engagement opportunities  
• Work with Center staff to identify appropriate collaboration and funding opportunities with other mission-based centers, ASI, IRA, Office of Student Leadership and the student program planning board that promote the cocurricular CE & CEL mission of the Center
• Consult with Director and CCESL Administrators on budgetary matters including the development of proposals for external funds
• Review external fund proposals from Student Affairs perspective 

The CCESL Cross-Divisional Advisory Committee
Membership will consist of: the Director and Associate Director, two elected faculty members and two staff members from Student Affairs, two community partners from the Community Advisory Board, one student, one administrator from Advancement, and the SL/CEL administrators as ex officio.   The faculty members will serve as a steering committee and Academic Senate Advisory Committee on CCESL.
The duties of the committee are:

• Acting as the campus advisory body to the Center for Civic Engagement and Service Learning regarding curricular and co-curricular policy recommendations on campus-wide efforts that promote civic engagement, experiential, and service learning. This includes assessment/evaluation, course designation codes, reporting, and compliance and collaboration with Chancellor’s Office.  
• Consulting on budget issues submitted by the Director  
• Assisting the Director in developing the Vision and Strategic plan for the CCESL
• Assisting in assessment processes
• Create sub-committees as appropriate 

The CCESL Community Board  
Membership shall consist of at least five and no more than eleven community members dedicated to and/or engaged in CE/SL/CEL partnerships with the university.  They shall be nominated by the Advisory Committee and appointed by the Provost and VPSA to serve for a term of one year.  The advisory board should be broadly representative of community stakeholders and will work to link community members with campus and help with supporting community partnerships through workshops and outreach.  Two members of this board will serve on the Advisory Committee. 

SL Administrator (currently working under ORSP):

Manage day-to-day operations to implement SL goals and objectives including:
• Work directly with Directors and committees to develop and implement strategic plans to fulfill center’s mission  
• Work directly with Director support faculty in development of SL courses
• Oversee all center reporting and communications to assure that a coherent and mission-bound vision for CE/SL/CEL is presented to community, CSU, faculty, and student
• Cultivate community partners, students, and faculty relations to participate in SL courses
• Supervise all contracts between community partners and faculty to assure legality
• Seek and apply for appropriate external funding opportunities
• Work with the Chancellor’s Office regarding SL campus initiatives
• Supervise any additional staff and volunteers
• Oversee all budget processes for internal and external funding

CEL Administrator (currently working under SA):

Manage day-to-day operations to implement CEL goals and objectives including:
• Work directly with Directors and committees to develop and implement strategic plans to fulfill center’s mission  
• Work directly with Associate Director to support development of CEL opportunities
• Cultivate community partners, students, and faculty relations to participate in CEL programs and opportunities
• Seek and apply for appropriate external funding opportunities 

ADDENDUM
Proposal for the Establishment of
Center for Civic Engagement and Service Learning
(These projections are informational and not part of the proposal proper.) 

Projected Time Line
Pieces of the work consolidated under this Center currently exist and are funded under the Office of Research and Sponsored Projects (ORSP) and under Student Affairs.  Student Affairs currently has a career center that has resources that would be useful to the CE/CEL/SL missions and ORSP has been temporarily housing the SL, grant, and legal pieces necessary.  This proposal moves the center more directly under the purview of Academic Affairs in a clear partnership with Student Affairs and consolidates resources.

AY 2007-08
Service Learning funding that is currently under ORSP will move to the CCESL. Provost will appoint an appropriate director with appropriate compensation. In consultation with the Director, the VPSA will appoint the Associate Director (Administrator).  

3-Year Budget Projections

AY 2007-08:

The Director (tenure-track faculty) will be appointed by the Provost in the first year and thereafter the Cross-Divisional Committee for the CCESL will nominate a faculty member to be appointed by the Provost. Three units of WTUs assigned time per semester will be granted to the Director.  

The SL & CEL Administrators will continue under current funding.

The center will need office space, furniture, and computer equipment, supplies and operating for a total of $8,000.  

AY 2008-09

The Director of the Center will continue to receive three units of WTUs assigned time per semester.  The Associate Director will have parallel support provided by SA.  The SL & CEL Administrators will continue under current funding. A half-time staff member of 20 hours/week, and with an initial office supplies and a budget line of $10,000 will be added to assist with general office duties. The center will need supplies and operating for a total of $2,000. 

AY 2009-10

The Director of the Center will continue to receive three units of WTUs assigned time per semester.  The Associate Director will have parallel support provided by SA.  The SL & CEL Administrators and staff will continue under current funding.

Sources of Revenue:  
Base Budget for CSU Campus  
ASI
Funding from private, corporate, and government sources