Document Type
Conference Proceeding
Original Date
2013
Date of Submission
December 2014
Abstract
Partnerships with community organizations create increased opportunities for universities to promote community-engaged research, teaching, and service. Virginia Commonwealth University’s (VCU) mission states that the university is committed to "sustainable, university-community partnerships that enhance the educational, economic, and cultural vitality of the communities VCU serves." In recognition of its efforts, VCU is among a small number of institutions to be designated as very high research activity and community-engaged by the Carnegie Foundation. It is also a recipient of a NIH-funded Center for Translational and Sciences Award, which promotes community-engaged research.
In pursuit of the university’s goal to become a national model for community engagement and regional impact, the Division of Community Engagement (DCE) and Office of Planning and Decision Support (OPDS) – with representatives from across the university - sought to identify current community-university partnerships during 2012-13. The team developed a Pilot Inventory of Community Partnerships (PICP) to test a university-wide data collection process. The findings are presented along with recommendations for improving the long-term ability to count and describe the university’s partnerships. (This effort parallels the VCU Health System’s plans for a similar pilot to identify and document outreach efforts.) The resulting baseline information presented here helps to achieve the University Level Initiative 4 strategy, "Define and collate community partnerships and determine measures to leverage assets." The information gathered will provide a resource to our VCU and Health System communities to collaborate, build on existing efforts, and identify gaps.
Is Part Of
VCU Division of Community Engagement
Comments
Presented at the annual meeting of the International Association for Research on Service-Learning and Community Engagement, Omaha, Nebraska.