Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs, CSU, Chico
Public Engagement
We emphasize not only the obligation of public service, but also the value of service to others as a defining characteristic of our institution. We will maintain extensive continuing education, public service, performing and fine arts, multicultural, and information programs that serve the needs and enrich the lives of our neighbors and constituencies in the North State and beyond.
The AASCU's Task Force on Public Engagement offered the following definition of a publicly engaged institution: “The publicly engaged institution is fully committed to direct, two-way interaction with communities and other external constituencies through the development, exchange, and application of knowledge, information, and expertise for mutual benefits,” in Stepping Forward as Stewards of Place, American Association of State Colleges and Universities, May 2002, p. 9. The nature of that two-way interaction between the university and its external constituents is elaborated upon in Renewing the Promise: The Public Universities in a Transforming World, American Association of State Colleges and Universities, November 2005.
The AASCU's Task Force proposes that Public Engagement is:
Place-Related. While the demands of the economy and society have forced institutions to be nationally and globally aware, the fact remains that state colleges and universities are inextricably linked with the communities and regions in which they are located. Exercising “stewardship of place” does not mean limiting the institution's worldview; rather, it means pursuing that worldview in a way that has meaning to the institution's neighbors, who can be its most consistent and reliable advocates.
Interactive. The etymology of the word “engage” speaks to the intertwining or meshing of entities. In this context, engagement refers to a spirit of give and take by the university and its partners. For institutions, this means occupying the role of learner as well as teacher. For community and regional partners, this means looking to the university as a resource, not necessarily as “the answer.”
Mutually Beneficial. Engagement should inure to the benefit of both parties involved. These initiatives should expand the learning and discovery functions of the institutions while enhancing community capacity to address and resolve the issues they confront. The work of the engaged institution is to be responsive to public needs in ways that are appropriate to the institution's mission and academic strengths. Engagement initiatives should also build greater public understanding of and support for the role of the campus as a knowledge asset and resource.
Integrated. At a campus level, engagement must permeate all levels of the institution, and be integrated into its policies, incentive structures, and priorities. At a departmental level, engagement cuts across the imperatives of teaching and scholarship to bring unparalleled opportunities for the entire campus community—faculty, staff, and students.
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