Towson University's 2015 Community Engagement Classification from the Carnegie Foundation

Towson University’s 2015 Community Engagement Classification from the Carnegie Foundation for Advancement of Teaching

December 4, 2014 Kelsey Beckett Program Manager Towson University 8000 York Road Division of Innovation and Applied Research Towson, MD 21252 Dear Kelsey: On behalf of the Carnegie Foundation, congratulations! Your institution has been selected to receive the 2015 Community Engagement Classification. We are pleased to inform you of this classification decision before its public release on January 7, 2015, when we will announce the entire set of classified institutions.

Your application documented excellent alignment among campus mission, culture, leadership, resources, and practices that support dynamic and noteworthy community engagement, and it responded to the classification framework with both descriptions and examples of exemplary institutionalized practices of community engagement. The application also documented evidence of community engagement in a coherent and compelling response to the framework’s inquiry.

Your campus is one of 361 institutions that now hold the Community Engagement Classification.

It is heartening to see this level of commitment and activity. Clearly, higher education is making significant strides in finding ways to engage with and contribute to important community agendas. There is much to celebrate.

There are also areas where more work must be done. During the selection process, the application reviewers noted that even among the most effective applications, there are areas of practice in need of continued development. As a way of improving your institutional practices and to position your campus for successful re-classification in the future, we encourage you to attend to the areas of (1) assessment, (2) reciprocal partnerships, (3) faculty rewards, and (4) integration and alignment with other institutional initiatives: (1) The assessment practices required by the Community Engagement Classification must meet a broad range of purposes: assessing community perceptions of institutional engagement; tracking and recording institution-wide engagement data; assessing the impact of community engagement on students, faculty, the community, and the institution; identifying and assessing student learning outcomes in curricular engagement; and providing ongoing feedback mechanisms for partnerships. That range of purposes calls for sophisticated understandings and approaches in order to achieve the respective assessment goals. We urge institutions to continue developing assessment toward those ends.

2015 Community Engagement Classification Letter

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(2) Partnerships require a high level of understanding of—and intentional practices specifically directed toward—reciprocity and mutuality. Campuses have begun to attend to processes of initiating and nurturing collaborative, two-way partnerships, and are developing strategies for systematic communication. Maintaining authentically collaborative, mutually beneficial partnerships takes ongoing commitment, and we urge institutions to continue their attention to this critical aspect of community engagement.

(3) With regard to faculty rewards for roles in community engagement, it is difficult to create a campus culture of community engagement when there are not clearly articulated incentives for faculty to prioritize this work. We would like to see more examples of campuses that provide evidence of clear policies for recognizing community engagement in teaching and learning, and in research and creative activity, along with criteria that validate appropriate methodologies and scholarly artifacts. We urge Community Engagement Classified institutions to initiate study, dialogue, and reflection to promote and reward the scholarship of engagement more fully.

(4) Community engagement offers often-untapped possibilities for alignment with other campus priorities and initiatives to achieve greater impact—for example, first-year programs that include community engagement; learning communities in which community engagement is integrated into the design; or diversity initiatives that explicitly link active and collaborative community-based teaching and learning with the academic success of underrepresented students. There remain significant opportunities for campuses to develop collaborative internal practices that integrate disparate initiatives into more coherent community engagement efforts.

Included with this letter is a digital file of a seal signifying your achievement as a Carnegie Community Engaged campus. We hope you will use this seal as you publicize your accomplishments. We also hope that you will use the announcement of the classified campuses as an opportunity to capitalize on the self-study process you undertook in completing your application, creating opportunities to reflect on what you learned about community engagement on your campus and ways that you can advance and deepen your practice.

The classification you have achieved is valid until 2025, at which time you will need to seek reclassification if your campus intends to retain its Community Engagement Classified status. If you choose to re-classify in 2025 (starting the process in 2023), you will be asked to provide evidence of how community engagement has become deeper, more pervasive, better integrated, and sustained on your campus.

We also hope you will find ways to support campuses that are in earlier stages of institutionalizing community engagement. Your guidance will contribute significantly to the strength of community engagement across higher education.

As noted above, the announcement of the 2015 Community Engagement Classification is scheduled for public release on January 7, 2015. Once again, congratulations to you, your faculty, staff, students, and community partners on this achievement.

2015 Community Engagement Classification Letter

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If you have any questions, please contact John Saltmarsh, Director of the New England Resource Center for Higher Education, at john.saltmarsh@umb.edu.

Sincerely,

Anthony S. Bryk, President Carnegie Foundation

John Saltmarsh, Director New England Resource Center for Higher Education

Amy Driscoll, Consulting Scholar Carnegie Community Engagement Classification

cc: Dr. Maravene S. Loeschke

Towson University’s 2015 Community Engagement Classification from the Carnegie Foundation for Advancement of Teaching Table of Contents I. Foundational Indicators a. President’s Leadership Statement.................................................................................................................. 1 b. Institutional Identity and Culture................................................................................................................... 6 c. Institutional Commitment.............................................................................................................................. 13 i. Infrastructure........................................................................................................................................ 13 ii. Funding............................................................................................................................................... 14 iii. Documentation and Assessment.......................................................................................................... 18 iv. Impact on Students............................................................................................................................. 22 v. Impact on Faculty................................................................................................................................. 22 vi. Impact on Community......................................................................................................................... 23 vii. Impact on Institution.......................................................................................................................... 24 viii. Professional Development................................................................................................................. 24 ix. Faculty Roles and Rewards.................................................................................................................. 25 x. Student Roles and Recognition............................................................................................................ 33 xi. Supplemental Documentation............................................................................................................. 34 II. Categories of Community Engagement a. Curricular Engagement................................................................................................................................. 36 b. Outreach and Partnerships............................................................................................................................ 48 Outreach................................................................................................................................................ 48 Partnerships............................................................................................................................................ 50 III. Wrap-Up............................................................................................................................................................ 55 Appendix 1 – Partnership Grid................................................................................................................................... 57 Appendix 2 – Carnegie Working Taskforce.................................................................................................................. 61

I. Foundational Indicators A. President/Chancellor’s Leadership Statement 1. Provide a letter from the President/Chancellor or Provost (Vice President for Academic Affairs) In addition to the letter, provide evidence of recent statements of affirmation of community engagement. In the grid below, provide excerpts from the relevant documents and a web link to the full document if it exists.

Annual addresses/speeches: Presidential Inauguration At her inauguration, the President spoke about her institutional priorities, forming the basis for the TU 2020 strategic plan: 

“To achieve all of these goals and the essence of our Strategic Plan, we seek partnerships with corporate, government, healthcare and educators. We value any opportunity to partner for the betterment of students and the health of Maryland. “

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“The university’s involvement in civic engagement solidifies the opportunity for leadership development.”

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“The College of Health Professions is a primary generator for Towson to be an active participant in the Towson community and beyond.”

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“We are restructuring the Division of Economic and Community Outreach to create a Division of Innovative and Applied Research to better serve the community and workforce development…”

Spring Address In her Spring 2013 address, the President discussed her solidified TU 2020 strategic plan, noting how community engagement is woven throughout the ten priorities: 

“They [the priorities] are supported by the importance of outside grant funded and volunteer outreach to our community, region and state.”



She discussed the priorities in more depth, “Towson University’s applied research commitment facilitates collaborations and strategic partnerships that fulfill our mission to educate students while serving and meeting the needs of the state and region.”

Commencement President Loeschke addressed the campus community during commencement exercises, noting how TU affects the community:

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“As you can see, an education at Towson University not only serves our region and the state of Maryland, but also reaches across the nation and around the globe.”

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“…you will notice a number of graduates, as well as faculty and staff wearing black and gold pins, signifying their support of the Tiger Commencement Pledge. This pledge is a voluntary commitment by our graduates to become more active in their communities, and to work for positive change in social and environmental conditions and practices.”

IWB Opening At the opening of the Institute for Well-Being, President Loeschke said, “The IWB is a unique educational opportunity for our students that simultaneously addresses community needs. This collaborative organization brings together four existing centers to provide a range of clinical services and promote community health and wellness through disciplinary and interdisciplinary programs.”

FCSM Fall Forum The Dean of the Fisher College of Science and Mathematics addressed the College at the 2012 Fall Forum, “Our STEM education, teacher preparation and outreach initiatives are all focused on the STEM pipeline from cradle to grave.”

New Student Open House The Vice President for Student Affairs addresses incoming students at an open house annually. Part of her presentation focuses on how students can become engaged in the community through leadership roles, service and civic engagement, and internships.

TU Showcase At the 2013 Showcase, the Vice President for Innovation and Applied Research said, “It showcases the university’s commitment to partnerships with business, government, and non-profits in order to ensure that our workforce is able to maintain our region’s competitiveness in the national and international arena. This year we are focused on innovation and how we can affect changes in classrooms at all levels.”

Published editorials: Baltimore has its first ‘street newspaper’ run by homeless Word on the Street, Baltimore’s first street newspaper which is produced by homeless people and their advocates, was covered by the Baltimore Sun. TU graphic design students work on the layout of the paper. Jessica Ring, the faculty member leading the class said, “The class is about connecting students to the idea their work can [serve] the greater good and make a statement.”

Towson University unveils Institute for Well Being at Towson City Center

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The grand opening of the Institute for Well-Being was included in the Baltimore Sun. Dr. Charlotte Exner, Dean of the College of Health Professions, said, “This institute delivers the intellectual, academic and professional expertise to the community while allowing Towson students extraordinary educational opportunities and real-time, real world professional and inter-professional instruction across our many health professions.”

Baltimore County Executive Kevin Kamenetz stated, “It [the IWB building] really will make this connection, to allow the university to grow into downtown Towson and to not be limited by traditional boundaries of the campus itself."

Towson discusses plans for Port Deposit’s turtle population A partnership was formed between TU and the Town of Port Deposit, based around the Northern Map Turtle. The Cecil Whig covered the partnership celebration event on May 7, 2013. The President said, “Towson is here to serve the students and the community.”

Towson U. students help Cedar Cafe owner market her business The Enactus student business group was featured in the Baltimore Sun for the work that they did with a local restaurant. The group’s advisor, David Brannon, said, “There are other student groups that do activism and community work, but Enactus is unique by combining business and social action.”

Towson incubator gives nontechies a place they can call home TowsonGlobal, the university’s business incubator, was featured in the Baltimore Business Journal. Along with a focus on technology, the incubator aims to tie its strengths to that of the university. Clay Hickson, TowsonGlobal Director said, “It’s almost as if technology has gotten overemphasized and the rest deemphasized even though it’s just as important. It’s better to look at it as innovation, rather than technology.”

Campus publications: TU 2020 Strategic Plan The TU 2020 plan includes five underlying principles, including community outreach. The following priorities are focused on community engagement: Innovation, Entrepreneurship, and Applied Research; Internships and Experiential Learning Opportunities; A Model for Leadership Development; and Student, Faculty, Staff, and Community Well-Being.

In the Innovation and Applied Research 2012 Annual Report, the President stated, “For over 146 years, Towson University has been a committed steward, convener, and partner for regional businesses, nonprofit organizations, schools, and government agencies. Community engagement and applied research have been a core mission of ours from the very beginning.”

The 2012 Report also included four principles that support the TU 2020 plan including, “Support community welfare and economic development.”

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Testimony President Loeschke focused her 2013 Testimony to the Maryland General Assembly on the TU 2020 plan saying, “We appreciate the Governor’s and the Maryland General Assembly’s recognition of higher education’s pivotal role in moving the State’s economy forward.”

Her testimony goes on to discuss ten priorities, including “Innovation, Entrepreneurship, and Applied Research – The Division of Innovation and Applied Research is a catalyst for developing partnerships focused on innovation, workforce development, education, entrepreneurship, and technology transfer with Maryland’s businesses, non-profit organizations, government agencies, and community members.”

These comments also discuss two applied research projects that involve partner organizations.

“Internships and Experiential Learning Opportunities – 36% of all undergraduates participated in an internship or experiential learning opportunity.”

“Model for Leadership Development - The Corporation for National and Community Service has honored Towson University with a place on the 2012 President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll.

The achievement marks the sixth consecutive year that TU has been recognized for its exemplary service efforts and contributions to America’s communities.”

“Student, Faculty, Staff, and Community Well-Being - Towson University’s new Institute for Well-Being is dedicated to promoting and enhancing health and wellness in the community while providing outstanding student education.”

Magazine The importance of community feedback in the formation of the TU 2020 plan was noted in the Winter 2013 issue of Towson magazine, “In January 2012 I started my tenure with a listening tour, hearing challenges and opportunities directly from our faculty, staff, students, alumni, partners and the community. During those discussions, several common themes emerged and informed the nine institutional priorities of the new strategic plan, TU 2020: A Focused Vision.”

Other Publications The Vice President, Innovation and Applied Research stated in the 2012 Annual Report, “Our economic development role has expanded to include bringing university resources and talents, educated students, faculty expertise, arts, culture, athletics, civic engagement and more to the community, weaving it into the fabric of the region and the state to create prosperity. Importantly, the university’s role is to serve as an unbiased venue or forum where the greater community can convene and create platforms that advocate together for a prosperity agenda for the greater community.”

The VP’s message in the Administration and Finance 2012 Annual Report states, “Efficiency and effectiveness, innovation, and engagement are some of the core values that mold this institution while focusing on tomorrow’s future.”

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Other: Institute for Well-Being The Hussman Foundation, which provided a gift of $1.25 million to the Center for Adults with Autism, signed an MOU which states, “The Hussman Foundation’s philanthropic investment in the Center for Adults with Autism will ensure the participation of future generations of students in experiences that increase their understanding of autism, to create change in their communities beneficial to adults with autism, and to support the development of programs of excellence for autistic adults that can be replicated throughout the country.”

Dr. John Hussman, the major benefactor of the Hussman Center for Adults with Autism, offered these remarks at the opening of the Institute for Well-Being, “That’s the vision behind the Center for Adults with Autism – to embrace people with autism here and now; to develop model programs and best practices that can be used both here and elsewhere to serve adults across the autism spectrum; to connect people with autism with students who will go on to be teachers in our schools; to provide people with autism social opportunities on their terms, as they are.”

The Institute for Well-Being’s mission states, “The Institute's faculty and staff provide a wide range of professional and inter-professional opportunities that develop and evaluate best practices, promote professional development, facilitate research, and enhance the lives of community members through outreach programs.”

Academic Colleges The College of Business and Economics’ mission says, “The mission of the Towson University College of Business and Economics is to prepare students for success in business and the larger community through its unique combination of experiential learning, applied research and community outreach; to support high-quality faculty who are actively engaged in teaching, scholarship, service and citizenship; and to promote the economic, educational and societal advancement of Maryland.”

The College of Health Profession’s mission statement states, “The College of Health Professions contributes to the well-being of Towson University students, faculty, and staff and many off-campus communities through educational activities, applied research, professional practice, outreach, and key partnerships that enhance collaborative endeavors.”

In his opening letter in HONORS magazine, Spring 2013, the Dean of the Honors College says, “…if you have ever been active in any one of a number of different kinds of groups…then you understand in a certain sense what it is to be the member of a community.”

Other Donors to the University have the option to give to community engagement initiatives including TU Tutors for Outstanding Reading; Institute for Well-Being; Service Learning Projects; Student Leadership Initiatives; and more.

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The TU in the Community White Paper, which describes the creation of the engagement database, says, “TU in the Community was launched at Towson University in 2009 as a way to connect members of the university with the larger community that it serves. The website fits in with the university’s mission, which emphasizes the importance of cooperation between internal and external partners. In keeping with this mission, the creators of TU in the Community sought input from over 125 faculty, staff, community members, and business partners.”

B. Institutional Identity and Culture 1.a. Does the campus have an institution-wide definition of community engagement (or of other related terminology, e.g., civic engagement, public engagement, public service, etc.)?

Yes. Please identify the document or website where the institution-wide definition of community engagement appears and provide the definition: TU adheres to the Carnegie Foundation definition of community engagement, which states “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,” (Carnegie, 2006).

TU’s definition for community outreach says, “Community outreach describes services that are carried out by the University for/in the community, rather than with the community.”

The following supplemental definitions are used to describe activities that fall under these two broad categories (http://www.towson.edu/tuinthecommunity/partnershipsActivities.aspx): 

Service-learning is a form of experiential learning in which students do projects in the community to supplement their learning in the classroom and can include civic engagement initiatives and other practical experiences for students.



Internships, practicums, and clinicals are short-term professional experiences that students complete at businesses, non-profits, and government agencies around the region, as well as offices on campus. Internships can be paid or unpaid and completed for credit or for experience only.

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Community-relevant research focuses on the issues facing our community and involves the community in each stage of the research process. It aims to produce outputs/outcomes of both academic and community value and can include a variety of research methods, such as community-based research.



Economic development activities are done to promote the economic well-being of the community and region surrounding the university and can include governmental agencies, 6

businesses, and non-profits as partner organizations. Economic development can include talent attraction activities aimed at drawing talented individuals to the region. 

Civic engagement and leadership activities are outcomes of the teaching agenda that produce students who are civically engaged and who are prepared to be leaders in their communities.

This category encompasses active citizenship, community involvement, awareness of social issues and injustices, and the development of personal and social responsibility.



Community service is completed at a 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization, or serves a community or provides a needed skill, without receiving payment or remuneration for services completed.

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Applied research & contractual services are performed by professional staff members and are focused on solving practical or technical problems for clients such as businesses, government, and non-profits. Services include business and economic analyses, project management, application development, GIS mapping, event planning, and more and are based on contractual agreements (fee-based or free).

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Extension, cultural, educational, and training programs extend university resources to the community. This category includes customized workforce training programs designed to address critical skill gaps in the state and region. Services include curriculum development, learning management, and facilitator training. It also includes cultural events on campus that are open to the public.

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Social and community development initiatives seek to build stronger, more resilient communities by empowering citizens to effect change in their own communities. Activities in this category include neighborhood revitalization initiatives that aim to stabilize neighborhoods and promote a higher quality of life for residents.

1.b. How is community engagement currently specified as a priority in the institution’s mission, vision statement, strategic plan, and accreditation/reaffirmation documents? Provide excerpts from the relevant documents and a web link to the full document if it exists.

Mission or vision statement: “Towson emphasizes excellence in teaching, scholarship, research and community engagement responsive to the needs of the region and the state. In addition to educating students in the specialized knowledge of defined fields, Towson’s academic programs develop students’ capacities for effective communication, critical analysis, and flexible thought, and they cultivate an awareness of both difference and commonality necessary for multifaceted work environments and for local and global citizenship and leadership. Towson’s core values reflect high standards of integrity, collaboration, and service, contributing to the sustainability and enrichment of the culture, society, economy, and environment of the State of Maryland and beyond.”

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“Towson University responds to the needs of the region and greater metropolitan area by serving as an engine of change in Maryland’s academic and socioeconomic environments. Towson strives to create a productive future for our students and our region by enriching the lives and opportunities for all members of its community.”

“Towson University’s faculty and staff work actively to enable students to develop as citizens and leaders of the community by combining classroom learning with out-of-class experiences (internships, practica, service-learning, and related experiential opportunities).”

“The University values and rewards equally the scholarships of discovery, teaching, integration, and application. Faculty members also engage in a wide range of activities, which support the University's institutional outreach programs to government, health care organizations, nonprofit groups, education, business, and the fine arts in its region.”

Strategic plan: The TU 2020 strategic plan was unveiled in the President’s 2013 Testimony to the Maryland General Assembly. The testimony outlines the ten priorities. The priorities that are most related to community engagement are outlined below, “TU 2020 is the evolution of Towson University’s two previous strategic plans, TU 2010 and TU 2016, and focuses their 46 action items on 10 institutional priorities. Each is aligned with potential funding opportunities from the state of Maryland, the University System of Maryland and the private sector.

Rooted in the philosophy that a liberal arts education is the base for all undergraduate programs, the success of the 10 priorities is threaded through and dependent upon these underlying principles:     

Faculty teaching/scholarship/research/service and staff commitment and development Expanded interdisciplinary credit and noncredit experiences Undergraduate and graduate education Community outreach The contributions of Cook Library

Innovation, Entrepreneurship, and Applied Research Towson University’s focus on innovation and entrepreneurship facilitates collaborations and strategic partnerships with the community and the state.

Internships and Experiential Learning Opportunities Towson University will expand its emphasis on internships and experiential learning, and significantly increase corporate, educational, government and health care partnerships to help provide these opportunities.

A Model for Leadership Development

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Towson University is rooted in our strong commitment to civic engagement, civility and ethics. The university supports personal and professional growth by recognizing and developing positive leadership philosophies and styles. Our primary goal is to instill in our students the qualities essential for outstanding, lifelong leadership in all aspects of their lives. We are also committed to increasing credit and noncredit opportunities in leadership development for our faculty, staff and students.

Student, Faculty, Staff, and Community Well-Being Towson University is a major educator of health professionals in our region. We are dedicated to continue to empower our campus and our greater community to make choices for lifelong well-being and effective stewardship of our natural resources.”

Accreditation/reaffirmation document/QEP: Middle States Accreditation Towson University is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education at the institutional level. Community engagement is affirmed in several sections of the latest self-study, completed in 2011.

In the introduction, TU stated, “The university embraces the ideals of the teacher-scholar model, and actively recruits and rewards faculty members who hold a commitment to excellence in teaching, pursue either primary and/or applied scholarship, and engage the campus, profession, and local and regional community to promote both civic engagement and economic vitality.”

The first chapter discusses TU’s mission and goals, “Towson serves a diverse population through its academic programs, as well as through its community and business outreach that contribute to economic development and social progress. Through partnerships, mutual problem solving, applied scholarship, internships, service learning, and the like, Towson University has established strong linkages with the surrounding community and region.”

Service is measured in faculty annual evaluations, “The annual review process is directed by the university’s Criteria and Procedures for Evaluation, Reappointment, Promotion, Tenure, Merit, and Librarian Permanent Status and focuses on teaching, scholarship, and service…Towson University has a highly qualified, credentialed, and intellectually engaged faculty committed to teaching, scholarship, and service both at Towson and in the community.”

For students, “The commitment to civic engagement is embedded in multiple course and program offerings. Virtually every department offers internships, independent studies, research opportunities, professional experiences, and other experiential learning opportunities.”

It goes on to discuss the new University Core curriculum, “…the requirements align with the university’s mission and reflect current assumptions about the 21st century learning goals for undergraduate education. A greater emphasis is placed on global perspectives and courses and/or activities reflecting Towson’s commitment to community engagement and its identity as a metropolitan university.”

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These opportunities are expanded upon, “Many departments offer at least one experiential course, including internship, practicum, clinical experience, or student teaching. Some departments also use such vehicles as independent study or research courses to award credit for experiential learning, depending on the content.”

College of Education Accreditation The College of Education accreditation documents say, “The unit and its school partners design, implement, and evaluate field experiences and clinical practice so that teacher candidates and other school personnel develop and demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and dispositions necessary to help all students learn. Most significantly, collaborative partnerships with P-12 schools provide the structure and clinical context to integrate University coursework for initial candidates and other school personnel with applications in field experiences and clinical practice.”

College of Business and Economics Accreditation The accreditation documents for the College of Business and Economics discuss strategic priorities, including, “Promote the economic, educational, and societal advancement of Maryland.”

It notes, “All undergraduate business and accounting students are required to complete an approved internship in the Professional Experience (BUSX 460) course.”

For faculty, “The CBE demonstrates its commitment ‘to support high-quality faculty who are actively engaged in teaching, scholarship, service and citizenship’ through development opportunities and supporting policies at the university and college levels.”

Other: University System of Maryland The mission statement of the University System of Maryland, of which TU is a part, says: “The mission of the University System of Maryland (USM) is to improve the quality of life for the people of Maryland by providing a comprehensive range of high quality, accessible, and affordable educational opportunities; engaging in research and creative scholarship that expands the boundaries of current knowledge; and providing knowledge-based programs and services that are responsive to the needs of the citizens of the state and the nation.”

The USM 2020 Strategic Plan adheres to the following Core Values: 

the advancement of knowledge and the use of that knowledge for the benefit of Maryland’s citizens.



the development of engaged citizens and leaders who have the knowledge, skills, and integrity to effectively transform the lives of people and organizations.

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A respect for—and promotion of—the ideals that are the hallmark of higher education: scholarship, learning, shared governance, freedom of expression, tolerance, and service to others.

The following strategic themes from the USM 2020 plan affirm the importance of community engagement: 

Maryland’s economic development and the health and quality of life of its citizens—ensuring Maryland’s competitiveness in the new economy.

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Transforming the academic model to meet the higher education and leadership needs of Maryland’s 21st century students, citizens, and businesses.

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Identifying new and more effective ways to build and leverage the resources available to the USM for the benefit of Maryland and its citizens.

Coalition of Urban and Metropolitan Universities The 21st Century Declaration of the Coalition of Urban and Metropolitan Universities, for which TU serves as the international headquarters and is a founding member of, states, “We, the leaders of urban and metropolitan universities, declare that our future as knowledge organizations will continue to be forged by sustained, reciprocal engagement with our cities. With its founding in 1989, the Coalition of Urban and Metropolitan Universities took the lead in defining the concepts of university-community engagement and stewardship of place, driven by a commitment to knowledge exchange and reciprocity.”

Maryland-DC Campus Compact TU belongs to and was a founding member of the Maryland-DC Campus Compact, whose mission says, “MDCCC mobilizes the collective commitment and capacity of higher education to actively advance our communities through civic and community engagement.”

2. Briefly discuss any significant changes in mission, planning, organizational structure, personnel, resource allocation, etc. related to community engagement etc., since the last classification: Since 2008, Towson University has undergone two refinements to its institutional strategic plan. The TU 2016 Strategic Plan built upon the TU 2010 Plan, which was discussed in depth in TU’s 2008 Carnegie application.

Upon the arrival of our new president, the action items of the TU 2010 and TU 2016 Plans were focused into ten institutional priorities for the TU 2020 Plan. The plan has five underlying principles, one of which is community outreach. The principles of engagement are woven throughout the ten priorities and specific examples are listed in the Strategic Plan part of Section I. B., Question 1.b.

Towson University has multiple points of entry for the community, including through Academic Affairs, Development, Athletics, the Career Center, Student Affairs, and the Division of Innovation and Applied 11

Research. In order to enhance community access to the university, the following structural and personnel changes have been made to increase collaboration among engaged faculty, students, and staff, as well as increase the support for assessment and management of community engagement partnerships: 

In 2012, the Office of External Affairs was created as a part of the Division of Innovation and Applied Research, formerly the Division of Economic and Community Outreach. The OEA was created to better connect and engage the community with the university. The office supports student and faculty engaged research and serves as a primary point of contact for the management and assessment of university partnerships. A director for the office of external affairs, a program manager for partnerships, and a graduate assistant were hired.

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A new Office of Civic Engagement & Leadership was created which focuses on student engagement initiatives across campus. This office supports political engagement, environmental/sustainability initiatives, and service-learning courses. The Office staff includes a director, a coordinator for civic engagement, a coordinator of community programs and outreach, and an AmeriCorps Vista member. A coordinator of community service, within the Office of Student Activities, was hired to oversee student community service activities at TU.

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Additional structural changes within the Colleges have taken place since 2008. These have helped to further integrate community engagement into each College. More detailed information about these can be found in Section I.C., Question 1.

In addition to human resources, the university has invested in IT infrastructure to support community engagement. In 2008, we were just developing a new database to connect external partners to faculty, staff, and students on campus and allow faculty and staff to share their community engagement projects and help community members navigate the institution. Today, this website and database serve as key tools in furthering our community engagement, assessing our work, and building new connections. The website is accessible at www.towson.edu/tuinthecommunity.

3. Specify changes in executive leadership since classification and the implications of those changes for community engagement: A new president and a new provost arrived at Towson University in 2012 and 2013, respectively. While these leadership changes do influence the university, community engagement is deeply rooted in our academic programs, research, partnerships, and programs and not dependent on the interest or priority of a single administrator. As already articulated in the mission statement, engagement is a core part of our university and we are fortunate that our president and provost are deeply committed to engagement.

President Maravene Loeschke introduced her new strategic plan, TU 2020: A Focused Vision for Towson University, at her inauguration in 2012. This plan, as outlined in Section I.B., Question 1.b., weaves the principles of community engagement throughout its ten priorities.

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The priorities all address the community connection and include initiatives such as innovative collaboration with the community and the state, increased opportunities for internships and experiential learning, and programs focused on the well-being of our faculty, staff, students, and community.

Of particular note is “A Model for Leadership Development,” which outlines leadership initiatives, especially as they relate to the community, as a major priority for the institution and its students. This priority aims to produce students who value leadership and service to their communities. Its initiatives include civic engagement, civility, and ethics activities in collaboration with community partners.

TU 2020 has been embraced by faculty, staff, and students and already has led to successful programs that support its priorities.

Our new provost, Timothy Chandler, shares the president’s vision as articulated in the TU 2020 plan. His office supports community engagement initiatives across the colleges, including engaged scholarship, entrepreneurship, service-learning courses (in collaboration with Student Affairs), and community partnerships.

In support of the TU 2020 plan, Towson University has undergone structural reorganization to give the institution a greater emphasis on community engagement, including the redefining of the Division of Economic and Community Outreach to the Division of Innovation and Applied Research and the creation of the Division of University Marketing and Communications. These changes will help enhance partnerships between the university and our community partners, while also better sharing these connections and the stories of our community engagement work.

C. Institutional Commitment Infrastructure 1. As evidence for your earlier classification, you provided a description of the campus-wide coordinating infrastructure (center, office, etc.) to support and advance community engagement and you reported how it is staffed, how it is funded, and where it reported to.

For re-classification, describe what has changed, if anything, with this infrastructure, its mission, staffing, funding, and reporting since the last classification. Provide any relevant links that support the narrative.

Towson University continues to intentionally apply a decentralized strategy to promote and implement community engagement. Since 2008, the institution has made significant financial and structural investments to support community engagement. Each Vice President is responsible for promoting initiatives and polices that are in alignment with their division’s goals. These initiatives and goals are in alignment with the TU 2020 strategic plan and its priorities.

The following changes have occurred since our 2008 classification: 

The Office of External Affairs was created in the Division of Innovation and Applied Research.

OEA was created to strengthen the ties between the university and the community by 13

supporting engaged research and serving as a point of contact for partnerships. It offers many services such as marketing services, partnerships coordination, and the oversight of the TU in the Community engagement database. Upon creation of OEA, two full-time staff members – a director for the office and a program manager for partnerships – and a graduate assistant have been hired. All of the positions are new since the 2008 classification. 

The Office of Civic Engagement and Leadership was created in the Division of Student Affairs. Its responsibilities are in the areas of political engagement, environmental/sustainability initiatives, and service-learning along with the Collegiate Readership Program and AmeriCorps grant programs (e.g., VISTA, Students of Service, etc.). The creation of the office brought with it the hiring of a full-time director. Previously, it was operated by a contingent staff member who was replaced every one to two years. Included in the structure are a full-time director, a coordinator of civic engagement, a coordinator of community programs and outreach, along with an AmeriCorps VISTA and student interns.

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In 2011, the Office of Student Activities’ assistant director for community service & leadership position was split into two positions to create the assistant director, focusing on leadership initiatives, and the coordinator of community service. The coordinator of community service supervises a graduate assistant.

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The Towson University Center for STEM Excellence (TUCSE) was created within the Jess and Mildred Fisher College of Science and Mathematics in 2010. TUCSE leads STEM programs for K12 students and their teachers across the state of Maryland. This Center includes bioscience education and outreach programs and the Baltimore Excellence in STEM Teaching program, which offer resources such as lab equipment and teacher training to area schools. One part-time and four full-time staff members were hired to support the TUCSE.

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The Institute for Well-Being (IWB) was created, bringing together four centers: the Hussman Center for Adults with Autism; the Occupational Therapy Center; the Speech, Language, and Hearing Center; and the Wellness Center. The Institute was established in downtown Towson to better coordinate offerings and provide easier, more accessible parking for community members. There is an IWB director, five full-time staff members, and one part-time staff member.

All of these centers and offices work closely together to ensure that community engagement efforts at Towson University are facilitated and supported.

Funding 2.a. As evidence provided for your earlier classification, you described internal budgetary allocations dedicated to supporting institutional engagement with community.

For re-classification, describe what has changed, if anything, with the internal budgetary allocations since the last classification.

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Towson University continues to allocate a large amount of funding toward institutional engagement with the community. However, since 2008 there has been a shift in the way the money is being allocated. In the previous classification, funds were mostly directed toward programmatic costs. As discussed in the previous question, the institution has adopted a more systematic approach to community engagement and it has made significant investments in the funding and structure of community engagement initiatives on campus. This has helped us to grow our community engagement initiatives and the structures that support them. In light of these changes, a large portion of our budget for community engagement still goes toward individual programs, but more funds are being directed to the structures and staff that support them.

Approximately $4.5 million is allocated for institutional engagement activities, an increase of 200%. This funding supports these structures and programs: 

Academic Affairs uses funds to support service-learning courses, professional development opportunities, and other community engagement initiatives. Funding in Academic Affairs also supports the Office of Academic Innovation, which, in turn, supports developing the talents of university faculty as leaders in teaching, scholarship, and service.

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The Fisher College Center for STEM Excellence was created in 2010. Its budgetary allocations support the staff of the center, as well as the activities that it implements.

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The Office of External Affairs allocates its funds toward staff that support partnerships, as well as toward operational costs, such as the maintenance of the TU in the Community database.

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The Institute for Well-Being’s budgetary allocations support the four units that fall under the IWB and the staff members who ensure the entire Institute is running smoothly.

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The Cherry Hill Learning Zone uses its funds to support the Cherry Hill AmeriCorps Vista member and the programs that benefit that community.

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The Office of Civic Engagement and Leadership allocates funds toward student civic engagement initiatives and leadership programming. This office also uses funds to support the ServiceLearning Faculty Fellows program, which provides development opportunities for faculty leading service-learning courses.

2.b. As evidence provided for your earlier classification, you described external budgetary allocations dedicated to supporting institutional engagement with community.

For re-classification, describe what has changed, if anything, with the external budgetary allocations since the last classification.

In 2008, most of our external budgetary allocations directed toward community engagement supported engaged scholarship and community engagement programs. This is still the case at Towson University and since our previous classification our research portfolio and the funding that supports it has grown.

More faculty members are leading and involved in engaged scholarship and they are receiving more 15

grants and contracts related to these activities. Additionally other areas on campus, such as the structures that support community engagement and their associated activities, are also continuing to secure external funding through a variety of channels.

On average between FY 09 and FY 13, Towson University received $26 million in external funds. We estimate that well over 75% of those funds support community engagement related projects and programs.

2.c. As evidence provided for your earlier classification, you described fundraising directed to supporting community engagement.

For re-classification, describe what has changed, if anything, with fundraising activities since the last classification.

Towson University continues to direct a significant portion of its fundraising dollars to community engagement.

Towson University’s Enriching Lives Campaign which began in 2004 and was completed in 2011, spanned both the earlier and current review period. The campaign, which had the goals of building student scholarship and faculty development funds, creating new partnerships, and strengthening the university’s long-term support through endowment, raised $50 million. Several major gifts, including two of the largest gifts made during the campaign, were made in support of community engagement: $1 million from the Whiting Turner Corporation in 2006 to establish a quasi-endowment to sustain the Hackerman Academy, which through school visits and Saturday workshops open to the community aims to attract more students into STEM majors, and $1.1 million from the Osher Foundation in 2009 to establish an endowment to sustain the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute, which provides opportunities for learning and social engagement to individuals aged 50 and over.

Beyond the campaign, donor interest in community engagement initiatives has remained strong, including several major gifts to our Institute for Well-Being and two more seven-figure gifts in 2012: The Hussman Foundation contributed $1.25 million in support of the Center for Adults with Autism which supports student learning and adults with autism as they develop the tools needed to lead meaningful lives as engaged members of their communities, and a second gift of $1 million from Whiting Turner that was approved to be designated for the Innovation in Teacher and Leader Preparation initiative which is working to create a national model for the preparation education professionals.

Broad support for community engagement is realized through the Towson Fund Annual Giving Campaign. Alumni, parents, faculty, staff, and students can contribute to a variety of engagement initiatives such as the Institute for Well-Being and the Cherry Hill Learning Zone in response to a phonathon or direct mail solicitation or via on-line. Additionally, the university’s signature fund raising event, the Towsonopoly Tournament and Gala, has supported community engagement initiatives each year since its inception four years ago. The event features a Monopoly-like tournament, as well as casino games with proceeds from the ticket sales going toward a designated cause. Past tournaments have 16

supported the Hackerman Academy, the Institute for Well-Being and also the T. Rowe Price Finance Lab which offers students from area schools the opportunity to learn more about the financial markets. The 2013 event raised funds for the Towson UTeach program, which takes an innovative approach to the recruitment and preparation of students for certification as secondary science and mathematics educators through early immersion in the classroom and work experience at area non-profits. This past year’s event raised more than $75,000 for the Towson UTeach program.

2.d. In what ways does the institution invest its financial resources externally in the community for purposes of community engagement and community development? Describe the source of funding, the percentage of campus budget or dollar amount, and how it is used. Provide relevant links related to the results of the investments, if available.

Improving Education and Lifelong Learning TU invests significant resources to improve schools, improve college readiness, and address education inequities, which has contributed to Maryland’s being the highest ranked school system in the country

by EdWeek magazine. Since 2008, approximately $13 million in investments has been made and major programs at TU include: 

The Innovation in Teacher and Leader Preparation initiative is improving K-12 teaching. TU is training teachers to enter the STEM fields through Towson UTeach, facilitating conversations about 21st century education through the Signature Forums series, and preparing pre-service students to become certified to teach AP courses in the STEM fields. Funding from the President’s Office. http://www.towson.edu/president/presidentialscholar/

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The Cherry Hill Learning Zone provides educational programs for a low-income community in Baltimore and gives TU students the chance to apply knowledge outside of the classroom. Since its creation, 50% of Cherry Hill schools no longer need corrective action. Funding from the College of Education. http://www.towson.edu/tuinthecommunity/cherryHill.aspx

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The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute provides educational programs for people age 50 and older. Osher helps Maryland’s citizens continue to learn after traditional schooling. Funding from Division of Innovation and Applied Research (DIAR). www.towson.edu/olli

Civic Engagement TU invests approximately $300,000 in civic engagement initiatives annually to increase community involvement and raise awareness of critical social issues. Programs include service-learning, communitybased research, and experiential learning. Events are open to the public and include the Baltimore Immigration Summit, EnviroFest, and Deliberative Polling events. Funding from Student Affairs and academic departments.

Economic Development

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To improve the economic vitality of our region, TU invests significant resources in our economic development initiatives. TU has invested approximately $4.8 million since 2008 that includes: 

The Northern Map Turtle Partnership helps the Town of Port Deposit attract new tourists by implementing ecotourism initiatives, such as the renovation of a historic building into a visitor’s center and an audio walking tour. Funding from Fisher College of Science and Mathematics. http://www.towson.edu/main/stories/backonthemap.asp

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The Regional Economic Studies Institute (RESI) completes economic impact studies around the region. These have helped stakeholders make informed decisions. Funding from DIAR. http://www.towson.edu/innovation/resi/

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The TowsonGlobal Business Incubator provides early-stage companies with resources to grow their businesses. TowsonGlobal has created 73 jobs and delivered an economic impact of $3.1 million. Funding from DIAR. www.towsonglobal.com

Healthy Communities and Vulnerable Populations TU is strongly committed to healthy communities and supporting vulnerable populations. We invest approximately $630,000 annually in the community through health initiatives, including: 

The Institute for Well-Being (IWB) provides programs through the Hussman Center for Adults with Autism and services through the Occupational Therapy Center, the Speech, Language, and Hearing Center, and the Wellness Center. The IWB has increased access to these services by providing a centralized location for community members. Funding from College of Health Professions (CHP). http://towsoniwb.com/

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The Department of Nursing works with homeless populations to address health disparity issues.

Health services have become more readily available for this vulnerable population through these initiatives. Funding from CHP.

Documentation and Assessment 3. Provide narratives addressing the following: a. How does the institution maintain systematic campus-wide tracking or documentation mechanisms to record and/or track engagement with the community? Who is responsible for gathering data, how are the data managed, how often is it gathered, and how are the data used? What changes are apparent in this data since the last classification? What tracking or documentation mechanisms does the campus still need to develop? Provide relevant web links.

TU has several mechanisms to track engagement: 

TU in the Community (www.towson.edu/tuinthecommunity) is TU’s community engagement database that tracks community engagement projects happening across campus. The Office of 18

External Affairs maintains the database. Data is gathered on an on-going basis and is used to provide reports on what types of projects are happening and where they are happening. This database was in its infancy in 2008 and has grown into a robust website. 

ComplianceAssist is the campus-wide tracking and assessment tool used by the President’s Office and the Office of Assessment. Individual units upload their goals, as they relate to the TU 2020 strategic plan. Each unit tracks its own goals and reports through the system. It is maintained by the Office of Assessment and the President’s Office and reports annually. This is a new system since 2008.

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Faculty Annual Reports continue to be used to document faculty members’ involvement in community engagement through their teaching, scholarship, and service. Academic departments, colleges, and the Provost’s Office compile these reports annually.

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The Student Engagement Record is a co-curricular transcript used to track student involvement in community service, internships, and other community engagement activities. It shows a short description of the activity and the hours dedicated to it. These transcripts are updated by the student and the system is maintained by the Division of Student Affairs through the Involved@TU (www.towson.edu/involvedtu) website. Reports can be generated at any time by the student or by Student Affairs.

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The National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) is administered to measure student attitudes and behaviors related to community engagement. It is another mechanism used to track student involvement in engagement activities. This survey is administered annually through the Provost’s Office.

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Students’ participation in internships at area non-profits, government agencies, and businesses is tracked by the Career Center. Data can be pulled at any time.

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Individual faculty members administer pre- and post-surveys to their students who are involved in service-learning or another type of community engagement. These are usually administered on a semester basis at the start and end of the faculty member’s course.

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Starting in the Spring 2014 semester, faculty can now designate courses as service-learning in the online class schedule. The note reads, “Class requires 10-30 hours of service outside of scheduled class periods. Service may be on or off campus. Contact instructor for additional information.” This designation will help the institution track the number of service-learning courses being offered every year.

A Community Engagement Recording and Reporting System will be implemented in 2014. It will build upon current efforts to better track community engagement initiatives at TU and will include mechanisms to track the number of students involved, the hours dedicated to each project, the timeframe, etc. It will be managed by representatives from the Office of External Affairs, Student Affairs, the Office of Assessment, 19

and the Career Center. Reports will be generated annually to measure involvement in community engagement. b. Describe the mechanisms used for systematic campus-wide assessment and measurement of the impact of institutional engagement. Who is responsible for gathering data, how are the data managed, how often is it gathered, and how are data used? What assessment and measurement mechanisms does the campus still need to develop? Provide relevant web links.

Many of the mechanisms discussed in Question 3.a. also have assessment and measurement pieces to determine the impacts of TU’s community engagement activities. They are discussed below: 

TU in the Community also provides information about the categories into which the university’s engagement programs fall , as well as some basic information about the goals of the projects. The database is maintained by the Office of External Affairs.

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The ComplianceAssist system, in addition to tracking the activities of units on campus, also assesses their impacts. The units must not only submit their progress toward achieving their goals, they also must develop improvement strategies based on analysis of the data. The assessment cycle currently is set at a five-year cycle, with reports and reviews of progress occurring annually. The system is maintained by the Office of the President and the Office of Assessment. The data are used to track progress toward the TU 2020 strategic plan.

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Faculty Annual Reports are used for assessment purposes. In addition to tracking the types of community engagement activities in which faculty members are involved, the reports also measure the impact of these activities on the faculty members and how it relates to teaching and workload.

The reports are managed by academic departments, colleges, and the Provost’s Office and used in promotion and tenure decisions.

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The Student Engagement Record also is used to determine the impacts of the community engagement activities in which students are involved. It assesses the impact to the student, as there is a space for self-reflection that the student fills out. This is managed by Student Affairs, with the student adding the information.

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The Regional Economic Studies Institute (RESI) recently conducted a productivity study to determine the economic and fiscal impacts of TU’s budget, student populations, and arts and athletics programs on Maryland. Included in the study was information about experiential learning, student engagement, partnership impacts, and promotion of our community engagement activities. This study was performed by RESI at the request of the institution.

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The NSSE tool measures student perceptions of engagement and the impacts that it has on themselves and the community. This survey is administered through the Office of Assessment.

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Individual departments and programs on campus measure student learning outcomes related to community engagement to assess how students are benefitting and learning from programs.

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Individual faculty members administer pre- and post-surveys to measure the impacts that their community engagement projects have had on their students.

As mentioned in Question 3.a., the newly-created Community Engagement Recording and Reporting System is set to be launched in 2014. It will include mechanisms to determine the impact of the project on the faculty or staff member leading it and the students and community members who are involved. This mechanism can be completed at any time, but it is requested that the impacts be reported annually at the end of each academic year. This will help the management team put together an annual report to be shared with stakeholders on- and off-campus. c. What are the current findings from the mechanisms used for systematic campus-wide assessment and measurement: and how are these different from the findings since the last classification?

Since the 2008 classification our findings have changed, along with our mechanisms. Previously, we measured community engagement in an ad hoc way, which meant that the findings were also disparate.

In the intervening years, TU has adopted a more systematic approach to measuring community engagement, which has helped us to get a more robust picture of what is happening on campus and its impacts.

Through our mechanisms, we have found that community engagement is deeply embedded in the work that our faculty, staff, and students are doing. Community engagement at Towson spans across categories to include service-learning, engaged scholarship, civic engagement, leadership, community service, and many other initiatives. We determined the following: 

Faculty members are regularly performing community engagement in a variety of ways, including through teaching, scholarship, and service. They are recognized and rewarded for this involvement, as outlined in university, college, and department promotion and tenure documents. This involvement is assessed through their faculty annual reports.

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Students also are deeply involved with community engagement initiatives across campus. The Student Engagement Record reflects that students participate in a number of service and civic engagement projects and programs throughout the year and that they are seeing positive impacts from their involvement.

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Through our assessment mechanisms, we also have found that we are having a positive impact on the community. Our community partners appreciate the work that we are doing in the areas of engagement and economic development and they are seeing results. In a recent impact report, TU found that FY 11 expenditures supported 3,486 jobs and $428.9 million in output, which has helped benefit the region’s economy.

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Our review of the information collected in TU in the Community, ComplianceAssist, faculty annual reports, and the Student Engagement Record indicate that the community engagement work that our faculty, staff, and students are doing is targeted around the strategic priorities of the institution. The most prominent work that our faculty, staff, and students are doing is 21

related to the priorities of the university through the following categories: increasing educational attainment, creating healthier community, increasing the number of students entering STEM degree programs and careers, filling workforce development shortages, and addressing economic and community development challenges.

Impact on students d. Describe one key finding from current data and indicate how you arrived at this finding: Dr. Alison Rios Millett McCartney started a course entitled "Civic Engagement and International Affairs" after creating a Model United Nations program in cooperation with Baltimore County Public Schools.

Her work with both the conference program and her course impelled her to begin research on the role and impacts of service-learning education in political science pedagogy. Dr. McCartney's resulting book, Teaching Civic Engagement: From Student to Active Citizen, was published by the American Political Science Association in 2013. She is a regular presenter at conferences to advance her research on civic engagement education in political science.

In one of the book chapters, Dr. McCartney addresses how to connect civic engagement to international relations. She asks the question, “Do students from [international relations courses with a servicelearning component] remain civically engaged after the classes end, especially after graduation?�

She found, through a survey she administered as a part of her course, that of those students who took the first service-learning course, over 80% of eligible undergraduate students continue working with the Model UN Conference either for credit or as volunteers.

Based on an additional survey that Dr. McCartney sent out to former students who had graduated, she found that a majority of those students who took her international relations classes with a servicelearning component continue to be civically engaged after graduation. Approximately 80% of those students surveyed regularly participate in community service activities.

The results of these surveys show that students enjoy being civically involved when given the chance, even when not for a course or when they have graduated. The impacts that service-learning courses, such as Dr. McCartney’s, have on students is overwhelmingly positive. The students are able to learn valuable skills that help them to be productive, engaged citizens upon graduation.

Book link: http://community.apsanet.org/TeachingCivicEngagement/Home/ Impact on faculty e. Describe one key finding from current data and indicate how you arrived at this finding: Based on information from TU in the Community, ComplianceAssist, and faculty annual reports, faculty at Towson University are deeply committed to community engagement. One key finding, gleaned from looking at faculty annual reports, involves Dr. Matthew Durington and the anthropology work that he is doing in the community.

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Dr. Durington, of the Department of Sociology, Anthropology, and Criminal Justice, leads a program called “Anthropology by the Wire,” which brings together community college students to perform anthropological research projects in urban communities around Baltimore. Methodologies used by the students in this project include visual anthropology, participant observation, and social network analysis.

The students learn how to research and analyze social issues in an urban community, while increasing awareness of those issues. This project is supported by the National Science Foundation with a $375,000 grant for urban anthropology and community engagement using media.

Dr. Durington exhibited this project at the TU Showcase, an annual event that highlights innovative projects happening across campus and invites partners in government, non-profits, and business to attend. He saw great impacts from his participation in the event. He was approached by the Baltimore County Department of Labor Relations and the Baltimore City Mayor’s Office of Economic Development about ideas for expansion of his project. His plans to focus on deindustrialization resonated with those entities and because of his exhibit at the Showcase, he was able to make a connection.

Dr. Durington’s involvement in community engagement projects, as well as his eagerness to spread the word internally and externally, have helped him to extend his research. By making contacts at those two government agencies, he has gained support that will help him expand his project to have a better reach across the region.

Impact on community f. Describe one key finding from current data and indicate how you arrived at this finding: A review of the TU in the Community database shows that our projects and programs are having significant impacts on the community. One such project that has had a tremendous impact on the community is the Young Gardeners Program in Cherry Hill.

Towson University has an AmeriCorps VISTA member who works in the Cherry Hill neighborhood of south Baltimore. In the 2012-2013 academic year, the VISTA position was in its second year. The VISTA works with stakeholders in the community to develop and implement programs that address the education and health needs of youth in Cherry Hill. The VISTA also gets TU students involved as volunteers and through service-learning courses.

One community engagement project that the VISTA is involved in is the Young Gardeners Program, which is done in collaboration with Higher Achievement Baltimore. This program aims to create a space for Cherry Hill students to expand their understanding of health, nutrition, and gardening in a creative way. In 2012-2013, 15 middle school students participated in the program through weekly workshops.

An important impact resulting from this project is the increased awareness of nutrition and health in Cherry Hill. The students work in school gardens that are accessible by the public, which demonstrates the importance of healthy eating to the surrounding community. The middle school students that are involved are also learning invaluable lessons about the importance of nutrition in their lives.

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Involvement in the Young Gardeners Program has helped to raise awareness about food issues in Cherry Hill and has contributed to changing the eating habits of its residents.

There are plans to expand the program to include more students in the future. This will help to spread the message of the program even further and involve more community members in the process.

Impact on institution g. Describe one key finding from current data and indicate how you arrived at this finding: Following a review of TU in the Community, faculty annual reports, and ComplianceAssist, it is easy to see that Towson University’s commitment to community engagement has had significant impacts on the institution itself. The Institute for Well-Being is a great example of how community engagement is embedded at TU. The Institute for Well-Being (IWB), opened in September 2012, brings together four centers and is focused on promoting and enhancing health and wellness in the community. The four centers are the Hussman Center for Adults with Autism; the Occupational Therapy Center; the Speech, Language, and Hearing Center; and the Wellness Center. In addition to providing services to the community, the IWB prepares students for entry into health careers by providing them with the opportunity to gain hands-on experience.

The IWB was created because the university realized that there was strength in the work that each center was doing, but it wanted to increase collaboration among the programs and services. By creating a centralized location for the centers, they could work together more easily and better serve the community. The Institute for Well-Being is located in a state-of-the-art building in downtown Towson, which offers it and TU high visibility. The IWB also hosts regular events for the public, including Wellness Wednesdays and Saturdays on the Spectrum, a lecture series aimed at developing an understanding of adult autism.

The IWB has helped the community see Towson University’s value as a steward of the community. It has also shown the university community how important community engagement is. It helps advance our mission, while providing services to help the community. The greatest impact from the creation of the IWB is that faculty, staff, students, and community partners realize the role that community engagement has within a university and its importance.

Professional Development 4. As evidence provided for your earlier classification, you described the ways the institution offers professional development support for faculty, staff, and/or community partners who are involved with campus-community engagement.

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For re-classification, describe what has changed, if anything, with professional development for community engagement. How have the content, program, approaches, or audience for professional development changed since the last Carnegie classification? What have been the results?

Towson University continues to offer significant and frequent opportunities for professional development for faculty and staff involved in community engagement. The following opportunities are available: 

The Office of Civic Engagement & Leadership still offers the Service-Learning Faculty Fellows Program which provides support for faculty members interested in developing and implementing a service-learning course. Faculty Fellows attend workshops and seminars that pertain to servicelearning, which is a new addition to the program since 2008.

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The newly created Office of Academic Innovation (OAI) provides support for faculty members involved in community engagement through their teaching, scholarship, and service. The aim of OAI is to transform the quality of the academic experience for faculty and students in a variety of ways.

The Office regularly offers events and seminars for faculty interested in integrating innovative approaches, such as community engagement, into their work. One such event is the Spark series, which brings together faculty from across the university to share about their teaching, technology, and research. Past events have featured a number of presentations that address community engagement, such as service projects in class, internships, and a variety of other engagement projects.

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The Division of Innovation and Applied Research has become better connected with faculty since 2008 and offers professional development opportunities for those involved in community engagement. The Division staff offer workshops, one-on-one consulting, and group sessions about working with community partners.

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The Office of Sponsored Programs and Research (OSPR) offers development opportunities for faculty doing engaged scholarship and research. OSPR hosts an annual faculty breakfast to discuss its services, including how it relates to community engagement research. The office also offers regular counseling for faculty members involved in community-engaged research.

Similar to 2008, Towson University continues to offer the following opportunities: 

The January Conference, hosted annually by the president and the provost, brings faculty members together to discuss important issues. Sessions have included how to integrate experiential learning into courses, internships, and the importance of community engagement.

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Faculty and staff members also attend various national conferences focused on community-engaged scholarship including the Coalition of Urban and Metropolitan Universities Conference, the Engagement Scholarship Conference, and the Maryland-DC Campus Compact President’s Institute.

Faculty Roles and Rewards

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5. Does the institution have search/recruitment policies or practices designed specifically to encourage the hiring of faculty with expertise in and commitment to community engagement?

Describe (word limit: 500): Towson University has specific hiring practices designed to encourage community engagement.

Towson University’s mission statement reflects the institution’s commitment to community engagement both inside and outside of the classroom. As evidenced in the key findings section, TU’s faculty are performing this type of work in a variety of ways. The faculty annual reports regularly demonstrate that faculty members value the inclusion of community engagement in their work.

This emphasis on community engagement draws in new faculty members looking to continue that tradition at TU. The university seeks to hire these individuals because of their interest and involvement in community engagement activities. Community engagement also is recognized as an area of service in the Towson University Policy on Appointment, Rank, and Tenure of Faculty (ART) and TU searches for faculty members who excel in this area and may reward them through merit and/or promotion.

The ART document specifies that primary duties of the position must be listed in the vacancy announcement, including non-teaching duties such as service.

Each college and department determine their own responsibilities and qualifications for a vacant faculty position announcement in accordance with university, college, and department hiring policies. Certain departments place more emphasis on community engagement than others, though service to the community is rewarded across campus.

A recent position vacancy announcement illustrates the importance of engagement: 

The Department of Family Studies and Community Development is accepting applications for a tenure-track faculty member at the rank of Assistant Professor beginning August 2011.

Candidates should have earned a doctorate in Family Science/Family Studies, Social Work, Human Service or a related field. Applicants must possess a strong commitment to excellence in teaching and will be responsible for teaching a variety of courses including research methods in family studies, theories of family functioning, community services through service learning, family resources and services for children and youth. The successful candidate must show a potential for a productive scholarly program and demonstrate a willingness to engage in service to the department and University.

6. In the period since your successful classification, what, if anything, has changed in terms of institutional policies for promotion (and tenure at tenure-granting campuses) that specifically reward faculty scholarly work that uses community-engaged approaches and methods?

The Towson University Policy on Appointment, Rank, and Tenure of Faculty (ART) was updated in 2010 and includes practices related to community engagement including: 26

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The new ART policy allows colleges and departments to reward faculty by the criteria that they (colleges and departments) establish. These criteria often include community engagement activities.

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The ART document states, “Each college shall develop a PTRM document that adheres to University standards, criteria, and/or expectations pertaining to annual review, reappointment, third-year review, merit, promotion, tenure, and comprehensive review. Each college shall develop its own specific standards and expectations. These must be accompanied by clear criteria for evaluation and must not be in conflict with those established by the University.” This allows colleges and departments to implement their own criteria for promotion and tenure, as long as they align with the mission of TU.

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All of TU’s colleges, as well as many of its departments, in addition to demonstrating alignment with the university mission, specify community engagement as a priority. Most of the units address service to the community as a part of their promotion and tenure policies. The combination of the mission statements and the promotion and tenure policies indicates that colleges and departments do value and reward community-engaged approaches and methods.

7. Is there an institution-wide definition of faculty scholarly work that uses community-engaged approaches and methods?

Please describe and identify the policy (or other) document(s) where this appears and provide the definition.

Towson University uses the Scholarship of Application definition to classify community-engaged approaches and methods. This type of scholarship is defined as, “applying knowledge to consequential problems, either internal or external to the University, and including aspects of creative work in the visual and performing arts.” This definition can be found on page 3-13 of the Towson University Policy on Appointment, Rank, and Tenure of Faculty (ART).

This definition covers many of the scholarly activities that TU’s faculty are involved in. It specifically mentions applying knowledge to problems outside of the university, which covers community engagement projects, research within the community, and service-learning courses. As this type of scholarship is covered in the ART document, this indicates its level of importance when evaluating the work of faculty members on an annual basis.

The ART document also defines civic service, as it relates to promotion and tenure policies. It states, “Civic service includes participation in the larger community (local, regional, national or global) outside the University in ways that may or may not be directly related to one's academic expertise, but in ways which advance the University's mission.”

8. Are there institutional level policies for promotion (and tenure at tenure-granting campuses) that specifically reward faculty scholarly work that uses community-engaged approaches and methods? Yes. If needed, use this space to describe the context for policies rewarding community engaged scholarly work: 27

Towson University’s mission statement emphasizes the university’s commitment to community engagement and high standards of collaboration and service. Community engagement is also a major tenet of the TU 2020 strategic plan. Since all of the work that faculty members do is related to the mission and strategic plan of the institution, this commitment to community engagement extends to the promotion and tenure policies of TU. Faculty members across campus are performing engaged scholarship in various ways, such as community-based research, service-learning courses, and service to the community. 

As stated above, the ART document specifies the Scholarship of Application as a specific type of scholarship that is rewarded. Different colleges and departments place varying emphasis on the four types of scholarship from the Boyer Model, but the Scholarship of Application is accepted and rewarded in all. This type of scholarship encompasses much of the work that TU faculty members are doing inside and outside of the classroom to address critical issues in Maryland.



Service to the community is another category that is evaluated in Faculty Annual Reports. The ART document says, “Civic service includes participation in the larger community (local, regional, national or global) outside the University in ways that may or may not be directly related to one's academic expertise, but in ways which advance the University's mission.” This means that even though a faculty member’s service to the community may not be directly related to his or her academic expertise, it still will be rewarded, as long as it upholds this mission of Towson.



This type of work is so ingrained in the mission of the university that it spans across disciplines, types of scholarship, and teaching methods. Almost every faculty member is performing some type of community engagement, whether it is explicitly specified in their promotion and tenure policies or not. Towson University continues to strive to pass this commitment to the community on to new faculty members, students, and our partners.

9.a. Is community engagement rewarded as one form of teaching and learning? Yes. Please describe and provide text from faculty handbook (or similar policy document): Community engagement is a valued part of the teaching and learning model at Towson University. At the institutional level, on page 3-11, the ART document specifies, “Teaching takes a variety of forms, including the use of technology, development of new courses and programs (including those involving collaborative or interdisciplinary work and civic engagement), faculty exchanges and teaching abroad, off-site-learning, supervision of undergraduate and graduate research and thesis preparation, emphasis on pedagogy including the various learning outcomes defined in a specific curriculum, and other aspects of learning and its assessment.” 

The document specifically states collaborative work and civic engagement, though community engagement fits into every form of teaching at TU.

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Individual colleges and departments also have specific policies rewarding community engagement as a form of teaching and learning. Most departments offer at least one servicelearning course and a few require service-learning of their students.

9.b. Is community engagement rewarded as one form of scholarship?

Please describe and provide text from faculty handbook (or similar policy document): As stated above, Scholarship of Application is one way that community engagement is rewarded as a form of scholarship. The definition, on page 3-13 of the ART document, states that it is, “applying knowledge to consequential problems, either internal or external to the University, and including aspects of creative work in the visual and performing arts.” This definition encompasses much of the work that TU’s faculty members are doing, including service-learning courses and community-based research. 

Since community engagement is such an integral part of the mission of the institution, many departments place a stronger emphasis on the Scholarship of Application when reviewing candidate dossiers.



Individual colleges and departments may choose to reward scholarship that includes community engagement at a higher level than others.

9.c. Is community engagement rewarded as one form of service?

Please describe and provide text from faculty handbook (or similar policy document): Civic service is a specific form of service that is rewarded at Towson University. Page 3-14 of the ART document says, “Civic service includes participation in the larger community (local, regional, national or global) outside the University in ways that may or may not be directly related to one's academic expertise, but in ways which advance the University's mission.” 

Faculty members are expected to participate in the larger community, based on their workload.

This can include community engagement projects, consulting services, lectures for the public, and more.

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Individual colleges and departments may place a stronger emphasis on community service than others, though all reward it in some way.

10. Are there college/school and/or department level policies for promotion (and tenure at tenure-granting campuses) that specifically reward faculty scholarly work that uses community-engaged approaches and methods? Yes. Which colleges/school and/or departments? List Colleges or Departments:  

College of Business and Economics College of Education 29

    

College of Fine Arts and Communication College of Education College of Health Professions College of Liberal Arts Jess and Mildred Fisher College of Science and Mathematics

                                 

Department of Accounting Department of e-Business and Technology Department of Economics Department of Finance Department of Management Department of Marketing Department of Early Childhood Education Department of Educational Technology and Literacy Department of Elementary Education Department of Instructional Leadership and Professional Development Department of Secondary Education Department of Special Education Department of Art and Design, Art History, Art Education Department of Dance Department of Electronic Media and Film Department of Mass Communication and Communication Studies Department of Music Department of Theatre Arts Department of Audiology, Speech-Language Pathology and Deaf Studies Department of Health Science Department of Kinesiology Department of Nursing Department of Occupational Therapy & Occupational Science Office of Collaborative Programs Department of English Department of Family Studies and Community Development Department of Foreign Languages Department of Geography and Environmental Sciences Department of History Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies Department of Political Science Department of Psychology Department of Sociology, Anthropology, and Criminal Justice Department of Women and Gender Studies 30

    

Department of Biological Sciences Department of Chemistry Department of Computer and Information Systems Department of Mathematics Department of Physics, Astronomy, and Geosciences

What percent of total colleges/school and/or departments at the institution is represented by the list above?: 100% Please provide three examples of colleges/school and/or department level policies, taken directly from policy documents, in the space below: College of Education 

The College of Education Promotion and Tenure Document states, “As parts of a whole, each category allows faculty opportunities to demonstrate their ability to contribute to the overall mission of the university and more specifically, to the mission of the college.” (pg. 4)

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The document goes on to say, “As the ‘State’s Metropolitan University’ with ‘certification and professional development of educators’ central to the University’s future, we define and articulate scholarship relative to the university’s mission, and specifically as scholarship pertains to the unique roles and responsibilities of College of Education faculty.” (pg. 4)

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It says, “The scholarship of discovery is often considered ‘traditional’ scholarship, and a category frequently used for promotion and tenure decisions at institutions of higher education.

However, embedded within the mission of a metropolitan university, a category akin to the traditions of the land grant institution, scholarship seeks to link ‘basic investigations with practical application’ (The Coalition of Urban and Metropolitan Universities (CUMU), Declaration of Metropolitan University, http://cumuonline.org/downloads/2010Declaration.pdf). In the land grant model, members of the surrounding community brought to the university practical problems and issues that were relevant to their locale. Problems were contextual to the immediate population with solutions focusing on pragmatic applications, addressing the immediate needs within the community. The metropolitan university, therefore, seeks to forge ‘interdisciplinary partnerships [within the community] for attacking complex metropolitan problems’ (CUMU).” (pg. 5)

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Finally, it notes, “In light of the mission of a metropolitan university the scholarship categories that are germane to the workload of COE faculty and the ones that will take a central role in promotion and tenure criteria are the categories of application, integration, and teaching. Our goal is for a representation of scholarship that is more inclusive than that of traditional scholarship of discovery and openly acknowledging that ‘Scholarship is widely interpreted and takes on many forms’ (ART Document, p. 13).” (pg. 5) 31

Department of Nursing 

The Department of Nursing Promotion and Tenure Document states, “Scholarship involves the investigation of the significance and meaning of knowledge, undertaken through critical analysis and interpretation. Scholarship may be applied, where knowledge is applied to real world problems to gain an understanding of how the knowledge can be used to help individuals and institutions resolve such problems.” (pg. 16)

College of Liberal Arts 

In the discussion of evaluation of teaching, the College of Liberal Arts Promotion and Tenure Document says, “Faculty may choose to include in evaluation portfolios assessment outcomes related directly to the faculty member’s work or copies of assignments that demonstrate creativity, high expectations, community engagement, effective educational practices, or other qualities the faculty member wished to place in consideration.”

11. Is there professional development for faculty and administrators who review candidates’ dossiers (e.g., Deans, Department Chairs, senior faculty, etc.) on how to evaluate faculty scholarly work that uses community-engaged approaches and methods?

Describe the process, content, and audience for this professional development and which unit(s) on campus provides the professional development: Each College and academic department outlines the evaluation methods for candidate dossiers in their promotion and tenure documentation. The documents provide the criteria that candidates should fulfill in the areas of teaching and learning, scholarship, and service. As part of the review process, evaluators also must keep the mission of the university and its strategic plan in mind.

As stated above, different colleges and departments place varying emphasis on community engagement activities, which is specified in the individual promotion and tenure documents. The Provost’s Office also periodically issues memos that indicate changes to promotion and tenure policies and how that affects the review process.

There is also a University Promotion, Tenure, Reappointment, and Merit Committee that approves promotion and tenure documents for each college and department. This committee is available to offer guidance to reviewers and to help them understand the processes in place to evaluate candidates’ dossiers.

12. If current policies do not specifically reward community engagement, is there work in progress to revise promotion and tenure guidelines to reward faculty scholarly work that uses community-engaged approaches and methods?

Describe the process and its current status: 32

As discussed in the previous questions, community engagement is deeply embedded in the mission of Towson University. Our previous strategic plan, TU 2010, as well as our current plan, TU 2020, recognizes community engagement as integral to all of the work that the university does. This commitment spans across disciplines and includes individuals from every area of campus.

It is because of this commitment that TU has chosen not to create new promotion and tenure policies to include more language about faculty scholarly work that uses community-engaged approached. Faculty come to Towson University because of the culture of community engagement, so their work naturally includes elements of it.

The university will continue to instill the importance of the mission of TU, which stresses the importance of community engagement. This will ensure that community-engaged approaches to scholarship continue to be recognized and supported in promotion and tenure decisions.

Student Roles and Recognition 13. Provide a narrative that speaks broadly to involvement of students in community engagement, such as the ways students have leadership roles in community engagement (give examples), or decision-making roles students have on campus related to community engagement (planning, implementation, assessment, or other). How has student leadership in community engagement changed since the last classification? How is student leadership in community engagement recognized (awards, notation on transcript, etc.)? Provide relevant links.

Student involvement in community engagement has seen a great number of changes since the last classification, including: 

Both the Student Government Association (SGA) and the University Residence Government (URG) have added a director of civic engagement to their boards. These directors are responsible for developing civic engagement and service initiatives for TU students and to work with the administration of the university to advance those goals. Other student groups, both academic and extracurricular, also demonstrate a strong commitment to community engagement.

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Student groups on campus are required by the SGA to complete community service hours to be considered a student group and to maintain funding for the group. Each organization appoints a community service representative to be the liaison between the board and the group.

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TU students also have the opportunity to participate in LeaderShape, a national program featuring an intensive leadership development experience for freshman and sophomores. The program’s goal is to provide students with the leadership skills necessary to work in the community and enhance society. TU’s program format has been adopted by the Baltimore Collegetown Network, which connects Baltimore’s 14 colleges and universities with the community. The CollegeTown program is specifically aimed at addressing issues in Baltimore City.

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Students have been represented on all university standing committees, including three representatives on the Civic Engagement Advisory Board and two students on each of the five civic engagement subcommittees. Student leaders sit with upper level administrators on community boards including the Towson Chamber of Commerce and the Greater Towson Council of Community Associations University Relations committee.

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Students not only interact with the outside community but also work with community members and university staff to plan activities. The inaugural Towson Clean Up Day brought nearly 500 students and community members together to beautify the town while becoming acquainted.

Students served on the Tomorrow’s Towson Steering Committee to help develop a blueprint for a more vibrant, lively downtown attractive to and connected to the rest of the Towson community.



Student involvement in community engagement is recognized in a few different ways. The Student Engagement Record notes student involvement in various clubs, service projects, and internships. This is meant to accompany the traditional transcript to show how the student is engaged outside of the classroom. The Division of Student Affairs also sponsors the annual Leadership Awards program. There are Outstanding Community Service Awards for both an individual and an organization that reward exemplary service to the community.

Supplemental Documentation 14. Is community engagement noted on student transcripts? NO If yes, is this a change from your prior classification? N/A 15. Is community engagement connected with diversity and inclusion work (for students and faculty) on your campus?

Please provide examples: Community engagement is connected with diversity and inclusion work in a variety of ways on TU’s campus. 

One of the priorities of the TU 2020 strategic plan is for Towson University to become a national model for diversity. There are strategic goals associated with this priority, one of which is “Support Community Enrichment.” Objectives under this goal are: continue to host Special Olympics; enhance cultural awareness through dance programs and art exhibits; and engage the community at athletic events. These objectives are aimed at getting faculty and students involved in activities that include a diverse set of participants.

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The Center for Student Diversity (CSD) offers programming throughout the year that seeks to raise awareness of diversity and inclusion work on- and off-campus. The Retreat for Social Justice gives students the opportunity to interact with people from diverse backgrounds. It teaches them ways to create an inclusive and welcoming environment in the community.

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The CSD also hosts a diversity speaker series that brings culturally relevant speakers to campus for events open to the public. Past events have included a discussion of race and class in east Baltimore and a trip to West Virginia to interact with communities involved in mountain top removal.

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The CSD offers the Community Enrichment and Enhancement Partnership (CEEP) Award, which is designed to increase the access and success of culturally diverse and traditionally underserved undergraduate students. CEEP students are required to participate in diversity activities in order to develop leadership in community-building initiatives.

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The Cherry Hill Learning Zone is also an initiative that includes elements of diversity. Cherry Hill is a low-income community in south Baltimore. Students doing community engagement work in the community have the opportunity to interact with individuals who come from different backgrounds than their own.

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The Students Achieve Goals through Education (SAGE) program fosters academic achievement for entering first-year underrepresented students. It pairs new students with peer mentors. The SAGE program sponsors many programs throughout the year, including ones related to community engagement. Many of the programs are about interacting with other cultures, both on-campus and off. Students get to learn about diversity and its importance to community engagement.

16. Is community engagement connected to efforts aimed at student retention and success?

Please provide examples : Towson University works to excel in retention and graduation rates. In the 2012-2013 academic year, the retention rate from first year to second year was 86%. In past years, it has regularly been above 80%.

As this application shows, TU is also a highly engaged institution. Our students participate in a wide variety of community engagement initiatives, such as service-learning, community service, and community research.

Based on these factors, we assume that community engagement plays a large role in student retention rates and their success. Students who are engaged are more likely to feel a connection to the university and the surrounding community, which influences their decision to continue their studies.

One community engagement program aimed at student retention and success in the Tigers Serving Others residential learning community. This is a living option for students who are interested in being involved in community engagement and outreach efforts throughout the year. Students live in the same area to build a sense of community and interact with other people who share the same interest in making our community better.

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Incoming freshman and transfer students also have the option to participate in Project Serve, a community service experience that takes place before orientation. This experience gives participants the opportunity to volunteer at organizations around Baltimore City and Baltimore County and then share their experiences with others through team building exercises and social activities. Project Serve gets students involved early to foster a sense of belonging and pave the way for success both in the classroom and out.

II. Categories of Community Engagement A. Curricular Engagement Curricular Engagement describes the teaching, learning, and scholarship that engages 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.

NOTE: The questions in this section use the term “service learning” to denote academically-based community engaged courses. Your campus may use another term such as community-based learning, academic service learning, public service courses, etc.

1. As evidence provided for your earlier classification, you described an institution-wide definition of service learning used on campus. a. For re-classification, describe what has changed, if anything, with the definition of service learning and explain the purpose of the revisions.

Towson University continues to use the same definition for service-learning, which states, “Servicelearning is a form of experiential education in which students engage in activities that address human and community needs together with structured opportunities intentionally designed to promote student learning and development. Reflection and reciprocity are key concepts of service-learning” (Jacoby, 1996).

However, a new set of criteria for service-learning courses was adopted in 2009 by the Service-Learning Subcommittee of the TU Civic Engagement Advisory Board. The criteria were developed to clarify to faculty what components need to be included to identify a course as service-learning. The criteria help standardize what courses are identified as service-learning across campus. The specific criteria used to classify service-learning courses are: 

Meaningful Connection to Discipline: The service-learning experience is explicitly related to course content and discipline. Students are exposed to an array of diverse perspectives that exist beyond the confines of the university. A service-learning course should include a minimum of 15 hours of service to the community partner.

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Preparation: Faculty will prepare students for the service-learning experience. This preparation may include research on the mission of the community partner and/or the population to be 36

served. Preparation will include a thorough explanation, also included in the syllabus, of servicelearning expectations and requirements. In-class preparation will include discussion of the value of the service-learning experience. 

Partnership and Reciprocity: The service project is mutually beneficial to the university and community partner (CP) as it meets an existing need for the CP and enhances student learning.

The faculty member and CP agree upon project details and timelines prior to the start of the course. There should be a written agreement between the university and CP with course and project specific information, including project goals and any deliverables expected of students.

The faculty member and CP should be in continuous contact throughout the semester to ensure that the needs of both parties are being met.



Reflection: Meaningful and structured student reflection occurs throughout the service-learning experience. Through reflection students demonstrate an understanding of the connection between course content and the service-learning experience. Reflections may include journaling, discussions, presentations, periodic logs, and/or other forms as stipulated by the faculty member.

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Assessment and Evaluation: Evaluation of the service project is included in the project plan and is completed by the CP, faculty member and students to determine the project’s effectiveness in meeting stated goals. Community partners also assess student performance based on measures agreed upon with the faculty member. This assessment should be reflected in the grading matrix.

Some form of evaluation should occur halfway through the project to allow time for improvements if necessary. Evaluations should be reviewed to make future improvements in the service-learning experience.

b. If there is a process for identifying or approving a service learning course as part of a campus curriculum, explain the process; if there have been changes in that process since the last application, please explain the changes.

Towson University has made several improvements to the process for identifying service-learning courses as part of the campus curriculum. To be identified as service-learning by the Office of Civic Engagement & Leadership, and by the university as a whole, a course must adhere to the criteria described in statement 1. a. As indicated, before the adoption of these criteria, TU used the campus definition, which was adopted in 2003. Prior to the adoption of the service-learning criteria, there was no requirement for number of hours that the course involved. This new set of criteria clearly defines what is and what is not a service-learning course and takes out the subjective way of classifying these courses.

TU also has made additional enhancements in the way that the institution identifies service-learning courses for students in the academic course schedule. An identifier has been developed, which faculty members can choose to utilize on the listing for their course, that designates a class as service-learning.

This identifier states, “Class requires 10-30 hours of service outside of scheduled class periods. Service may be on or off campus. Contact instructor for additional information.” Service Learning is defined as “a 37

form of experiential education in which students engage in activities that address human and community needs together with structured opportunities intentionally designed to promote student learning and development.”

This identifier allows students who are registering for courses to tell whether a class has a servicelearning component. This helps them prepare for the course by knowing whether outside work with the community is required.

2. Fill in the tables below using: a. data from the most recent academic year (2012-2013) b. data based on undergraduate FTE Number of service learning courses

Percentage of total courses

107

Change in number of courses since last application 893

Number of departments represented by service learning courses 30

Change in number of departments since last application 1

Percentage of total departments

Number of faculty who taught service learning courses 42

Change in number of faculty since the last application 208

Percentage of total faculty 2.5%

Percent change in number of faculty since last application -83.2%

Number of students participating in service learning courses 2,196

Change in number of students since last application 5304

Percentage of total students

Percent change since last application

12%

-70.7%

1%

75%

Percent change in courses since last application -89.3%

Percent change in departments since last application -3.2%

3. Provide a description of how the data in question 2 above is gathered and used (how it is compiled, who gathers it, how often, how it is used, etc.). Provide relevant links.

The data in questions 2.a. and 2.b. appear to show a reduction in the number of service-learning courses and the number of faculty and students involved. In our 2008 application, section II.A., question 1.a., we stated, “Information provided in 1.b. – 1.e. is estimated from recent faculty and department surveys and dialogue. The Service Learning Subcommittee will also work in the next year to: establish more systematic ways of collecting applicable information using the new interactive Engagement web site and include more specific questions about service learning in Faculty Annual Reports.” Since 2008, TU has 38

fulfilled these goals and made significant enhancements in the way we classify and track data related to service-learning.

Also to be noted is that internship and other experiential forums are not counted in the service-learning numbers. These curricular experiences are highly valued at Towson University and there are many students involved in them. However, the institution keeps track of everything separately so as to count the number of students involved in each accurately. The number of students completing internships has increased since our last application, leading to an overall increase in the number of engaged students.

The Office of Civic Engagement & Leadership tracks faculty who are teaching service-Iearning courses and identifies these courses based on the definition and the criteria. This office coordinates the Faculty Fellows Program and administers the service-learning grants, which gives them data about the number of faculty teaching service-learning courses, as well as the number of courses they teach.

4. As evidence requested for your earlier classification, you were asked whether you have institutional (campus-wide) learning outcomes for students’ curricular engagement with community.

For re-classification, describe what has changed, if anything, regarding assessment of institutional learning outcomes associated with curricular engagement. What are the outcomes, how are these outcomes assessed, and what are the results of the assessment? Provide relevant links.

Significant changes have been made since 2008 in how Towson University assesses institutional learning outcomes for students’ curricular engagement with the community. The Office of Assessment has seen changes to its assessment of institutional learning outcomes. The ComplianceAssist program was implemented to help the university better track and measure objectives and goals related to the TU 2020 strategic plan. There are specific student learning outcomes related to community engagement that are measured through this system. These include: “Working in Multifaceted Work Environments” and “Local and Global Citizenship and Leadership.” These student outcomes are measured across each college. Data are collected through ComplianceAssist on an annual basis to determine progress toward the goals of the strategic plan.

The new criteria for service-learning courses, as well as the classification of service-learning courses in the academic class schedule, have led to clearer definitions of learning outcomes and their measurement and assessment. The Office of Civic Engagement & Leadership receives information from faculty about the outcomes for each of their courses. This office supports faculty to help construct these course outcomes through the service-learning Faculty Fellows program and individual consultations. The service-learning Faculty Fellows program also requires each of the participants to complete student learning assessments for any service-learning courses that they teach. Link: http://www.towson.edu/studentaffairs/civicengagement/serviceLearning/faculty/tools.asp The office strives to develop more civically engaged students. It administers a pre- and post-Community Service Attitudes Scale Survey to measure the change in students’ attitudes towards community service before and after they participate in a service-learning course. This measurement is done each semester.

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The Career Center provides tools for faculty members wishing to assess their students’ internship experiences. These assessments help faculty members and the Career Center measure student learning outcomes and compare the results over time.

Significant outcomes have been measured through these mechanisms, including: 

Working within the community strengthens the knowledge that students are learning in the classroom.

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Students have a chance to apply their skills in real-world settings. It also helps them to see the importance of community engagement in their lives beyond graduation.

5. For each curricular activity listed below, indicate whether or not community engagement is integrated into it, and then describe what has changed since the last classification. Provide relevant links if available.

Student Research Students continue to be involved in community-based and applied research with faculty members. Those students who are involved in this research receive credit either through a class or through an independent study. Since 2008, more students have become involved in this type of community research. Student involvement in research also has garnered more attention via news stories both on and off campus. Some notable examples include: 

A team of graduate and undergraduate students has been working with a professor to study the Northern Map Turtle, an endangered species in Maryland. They are studying the nesting patterns and the habitat of the turtle, as well as how to conserve the population. http://www.towson.edu/main/stories/backonthemap.asp

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The Environmental Science and Studies major includes many classes and seminars that focus on research of environmental problems of the surrounding region. www.towson.edu/ess

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Students have worked with a faculty member in the Department of Sociology, Anthropology, and Criminal Justice to conduct archaeological research and a public dig about the first peoples in this region. This work has received an award from the Maryland Historical Trust.

Student Leadership Courses While Towson University always has been committed to leadership among its students, since 2008 those principles have become more deeply embedded into the curriculum. When we talk about leadership at TU, we are talking about civic engagement. The institution made a big commitment to both areas when it combined leadership and civic engagement into one office. To further emphasize this commitment, one of the ten strategic priorities of the TU 2020 plan is, “A Model for Leadership Development.”

The President’s Office has a website called “Leadership at Towson” (http://www.towson.edu/president/leadership.asp) which discusses the opportunities for students to 40

become involved in leadership initiatives at the university. It says, “Through these programs and initiatives, we advance leadership on campus and encourage mutually beneficial partnerships between the university and its community.” This language demonstrates how intertwined leadership and civic engagement are at TU. There are many academic courses at the university that include the principles of civic responsibility and ethical leadership. Undergraduate classes include: 

Fundamentals of Leadership in the Non-Profit Sector

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Organizational Leadership

Graduate classes include: 

Leadership Theory and Practice

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Leading with Integrity

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Leadership, Learning and Change

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Women and Not-for-Profit Leadership: Governance and Advocacy

TU offers educational leadership tracks in the Human Resource Development and Special Education Master’s Programs. Post-baccalaureate certificates are offered in Action Research for School Improvement, Education Administration, Management and Leadership Development and Organizational Change.

Internships/Co-ops The number of students who participate in internship and co-op experiences has increased since 2008 from 1,500 students participating in 2008 to over 6,700 participating in the last academic year. These students are interning at about 1,100 organizations. Since 2008, 268 non-profit organizations have posted internships on the Career Center website. For more information: http://www.towson.edu/careercenter/ The College of Health Professions, the College of Business and Economics, the College of Education, and the Honors College are all very committed to work within the community. 100% of students in all four colleges are required to complete an internship or practical experience in the community. In addition, several departments require their students to complete internships in the field.

In our strategic plan, the president places significant emphasis on internships and other experiential learning opportunities for students. TU will increase partnerships with educational, government, health care and other organizations to provide those opportunities. The goal is to get more students out into the community obtaining real-world experiences to enhance their in-classroom learning.

Study Abroad 41

TU's Study Abroad office continues to offer both credit and non-credit study abroad opportunities that incorporate community engagement. One such program is “TU Environmental Education and ServiceLearning in the Tropics.” The program gives students the opportunity to work side-by-side with local community members to complete an environmental action project.

Students have additional opportunities to volunteer abroad through a variety of organizations and programs. Volunteer opportunities include community development, health projects, educational outreach, and other community-based projects. These opportunities can be a part of a class or a separate service activity.

Another facet of the study abroad experience is Towson University’s International Walkway project. The walkway, established by President Loeschke in 2012, gives donors the opportunity to buy a flag for the walkway, with a portion of their donation going to the Study Abroad Fund. These donations support trips that help students become more productive in the global community.

6. For each curriculum area listed below, indicate whether or not community engagement been integrated into the curriculum at the institutional level, and then describe what has changed since the last classification.

Provide relevant links if available.

Core Course Many majors at Towson University require courses with a community engagement component as part of their required courses. The number of students taking these required major courses has increased since 2008. Some examples of core courses include: 

Students majoring in Family and Human Services must complete required courses that require them to work with community support and service programs.

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Nursing students must complete required courses that cover such topics as community health, leadership, older adults, family health, and child health. These courses all have a community component to them.

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As part of their required courses, students in the Department of Art + Design, Art History, Art Education are required to spend seven weeks as interns in elementary schools and seven weeks in secondary schools.

General Education In 2011, Towson University adopted new General Education requirements, called the Core Curriculum.

The change was the result of a three-year process by the General Education Review Committee to overhaul the general education requirements at TU to better reflect contemporary conceptions of important objectives for undergraduate education. The University Core better aligns with the university’s mission and reflects current assumptions about 21st century student learning goals. In the new Core Curriculum, a greater emphasis is placed on global perspectives and Towson’s commitment to community engagement.

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The Core Curriculum includes a slate of 14 courses to provide a well-rounded education for students, while expanding their knowledge of themselves and the world around them. Though community engagement is present in all of the course categories, there are four in particular in which it is heavily intertwined: 

Metropolitan Perspectives – Courses in this category examine the metropolis and associated issues. Students learn how to influence public decision and how to contribute to community well-being.

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The United States as a Nation – This category explores perspectives on the American experience, as well as culture and society.

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Global Perspectives – These courses help students acquire an understanding of global and world context and develop a better understanding of their own society.

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Diversity and Difference – This category exposes students to perspectives other than their own and provides opportunity for discussion and challenges to students’ beliefs and assumptions.

Courses in these categories include topics such as urban schools, family resources, and exploring the issues of a metropolis. These courses include serving in the Baltimore region and teaching students the skills needed to be productive members of an urban community.

First-Year Experience There are several components of the TU First-Year Experience that emphasize community engagement for incoming freshman. Every first-year student is required to complete a Towson Seminar (TSem) course, which introduces students to the expectations of college-level work. TSems cover a variety of topics, including community engagement and outreach. Topics for these courses include current issues in education, writing about Baltimore, environmental sustainability, and more.

The Center for Student Diversity administers the Community Enrichment and Enhancement Partnership (CEEP) Award, which is designed to increase the access and success of culturally diverse and traditionally under-served undergraduate students. One of the purposes of the CEEP Award is to develop student interest, involvement, and leadership in community-building initiatives.

Another diversity initiative aimed at first-year students is the Students Achieve Goals through Education (SAGE) program. SAGE pairs incoming students with a peer mentor to foster academic achievement and personal development. Students also are encouraged to get involved in campus organizations such as cultural organizations.

The Support for Student Success (S3) program also emphasizes community engagement. This initiative is centered on incoming, first-generation, low-income students who have the potential to succeed in college but might, for a variety of reasons, struggle academically and socially in their first year of college.

The S3 program incorporates proven first-year college success strategies that emphasize community, engagement, cooperation, participation and opportunity.

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Finally, all incoming students are encouraged to take the Tiger Pledge and to uphold it throughout their academic career. This pledge states: I will …

Treat others with civility and respect.

Inspire others with leadership and excellence.

Grow personally, professionally, ethically, and intellectually.

Engage in my community to make a difference.

Represent Towson University proudly.

Capstone Within all six colleges at Towson University, several departments have capstone experiences. Many of these incorporate community engagement aspects. Since 2008, the number of capstone options and requirements has increased, meaning that more students are taking capstone courses, including ones that include community engagement elements. Some colleges and departments that have capstone courses that incorporate community engagement are: 

The Family Studies and Community Development department has a capstone course for students majoring in family and human services. The course requires the student to integrate and synthesize the knowledge and community experiences acquired as a major in the department.



College of Business and Economics students must complete a “Professional Experience” course in their senior year, which requires students to complete an internship in the community.



College of Education students are required to complete a student teaching experience as part of their final year. This sends students into area schools to supplement their learning in the classroom.



Each student in the Department of Art + Design, Art History, Art Education is required to complete a senior project. Work from these projects is displayed at community galleries around the Baltimore area.



The Honors College offers an honors capstone for students in select majors. The capstone can be a field experience, where a student does work in the community. The departments that offer the honors capstone all feature community engagement in their curriculum.

In the Majors Several majors at TU continue to incorporate community engagement into their curriculum. The number of students taking courses in these majors has increased since 2008. Examples of courses in the majors that incorporate community engagement include:

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

All College of Health Professions students are required to participate in practical experiences within the community before graduation.



The Department of Family Studies and Community Development requires students to participate in service-learning and internship experiences that allow them to work with the community.



The Towson UTeach program is new since 2008. This program prepares secondary science and mathematics teachers through an advanced, field-intensive curriculum. In this program, students start teaching in local schools during their first semester. This gives students an extensive amount of experience in community schools throughout their curriculum at TU.

Graduate Studies Since 2008, there has been a significant increase in the number of graduate programs at TU and the number of programs that incorporate community engagement into their curriculum. Many of our programs emphasize working with the community to complement student learning. The following are some examples of programs that include a community engagement component: 

The Applied Gerontology program requires students to complete a gerontology practicum in a community organization.



The Master's degree in Child Life, Administration and Family Collaboration includes internships as part of the curriculum to enhance traditional in-class learning.



The Master’s degree in Occupational Therapy and the doctoral program in Audiology both require clinical rotations and/or field projects. These experiences include work both at the Institute for Well-Being and off-campus community locations.



The Master’s degrees in both Art Education and Music Education focus on teaching these topics at the K-12 level. Students attend workshops and conduct research related to education, which often includes working in local schools.



The Applied Information Technology Master’s program includes case study courses across several areas. These courses partner with non-profit organizations to solve issues related to information security, internet applications, networking technology, software engineering, information systems, and database management systems.

Other Towson University offers living options within its residence halls called Residential Learning Communities.

These communities enhance a TU student’s experience by allowing them to live among other students with similar interests. There are several options for the communities, including Tigers Serving Others.

Tigers Serving Others is an experience dedicated to making our community a better place. This Residential Learning Community offers students the opportunity to participate in community service 45

initiatives throughout the year. Students who live in this community also participate in Project Serve, a community service experience that occurs before move-in. Living in this community also allows students to participate in several learning experiences to enhance the service that they are performing.

7. How have faculty not only incorporated community-based teaching and learning into courses, but turned that activity into research to improve teaching and learning through the scholarship of teaching and learning (SoTL), i.e., publishing articles, making presentations, conducting studies of their courses, conducting workshops, etc.. Provide five examples of faculty scholarship to improve, critique, promote, or reflect on community engaged teaching and learning. Also, describe how this scholarship has been supported since your last classification.

Faculty at Towson University have incorporated community-based teaching and learning into their scholarship across the disciplines of the university. This work is supported through promotion and tenure policies of the university and each college and department. It also is supported through the Office of Sponsored Programs and Research (OSPR). OSPR assists faculty members in securing grants and contracts to support their scholarship related to community engagement. The institution also supports this work by providing funds for faculty members to present their work with students at academic conferences.

Some examples of faculty scholarship include: 

McCartney, A.R.M., Bennion, E.A, & Simpson, D. (Eds.). (2013). Teaching Civic Engagement: From Student to Active Citizen. Washington, DC: American Political Science Association. Dr. Alison McCartney, Political Science, is the lead co-editor on the book, which focuses on how to incorporate service-learning, civic engagement, and political engagement in the classroom.



Susan Radius, Health Sciences, presented at the American Public Health Association annual meeting. Her presentation was titled, “Do They Truly Matter? Assessing the Value of Internships in Developing Health Educator Competence”.



Dr. Matthew Durington, Sociology, Anthropology, and Criminal Justice, regularly works with students through applied research courses and external grant work. Dr. Durington has also included students as co-authors on several publications, including, “Civic Engagement and Gentrification Issues in Metropolitan Baltimore” in the Metropolitan Universities Journal, “Tagging Culture: Building a Public Anthropology through Social Media,” in the Human Organization journal, and a review of the book, Righteous Dopefiend ,in the North American Dialogue journal. These publications address community engagement at TU and the role of student involvement.



Miranda, R.J. (2012). Urban middle-school science teachers' beliefs about the influence of their Astronomer-Educator Partnerships on students' astronomy learner characteristics. Astronomy Education Review, 11(1), 010101-1. This article examines urban middle-school science teachers after their participation in Project ASTRO and determines that astronomer-educator partnerships likely enhance the students’ learning experiences and engagement with science.

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

Dr. Sonia Lawson, Occupational Therapy and Occupational Science, has an article in progress that examines students’ experiences working with senior adults to establish a community garden in the neighborhood of Cherry Hill.

8. Provide a summary narrative describing overall changes and trends that have taken place related to curricular engagement on campus since the last classification. In your narrative, address the trajectory of curricular engagement on your campus – where have you been, where are you now, where are you strategically planning on going? Provide relevant links.

Where We’ve Been Curricular engagement always has been a priority of Towson University since its founding as a teachers’ college. This is reflected in our mission statement and the activities and engagements of our faculty, staff, and students.

Where We Are Now As the institution has grown, so have its opportunities to work with the community. As a result, curricular engagement has become even more deeply embedded at Towson University since 2008. As shown in questions 5 and 6, community engagement continues to be a meaningful part of the curriculum at TU. There are many opportunities for students to work with the community and those opportunities are growing.

Also, as evidenced earlier in the application, community engagement is an integral part of teaching, research, and service at TU. Faculty include the community in service-learning courses, internships, research, and other types of service activities. Students are a part of all of this work and receive valuable experience working with the community to supplement what they are learning in the classroom.

The leadership at Towson, with a new president and provost since 2008, also has shown strengthened commitment to the principles of engaged learning and scholarship. This commitment is shown through the TU 2020 strategic plan, Maryland General Assembly testimony, and through various speeches and editorials given by the president and the provost.

A new Core Curriculum was adopted in 2011 that further reflects TU’s emphasis of community engagement for its students. The new Core Curriculum has four categories that focus on integrating the principles of community engagement and partnerships into our students’ experience. This leads to students who are more engaged with their communities both while in school and after graduation.

Another significant change is our striving toward better measurement and assessment of curricular engagement and student learning goals. TU has strengthened our definitions and criteria related to curricular learning, which has helped us to see where we are now and where we are going.

The ComplianceAssist program is integral to the measurement of the institution’s strategic goals. Several of these goals relate to curricular engagement and student learning. ComplianceAssist is helping each unit set goals to build upon our engagement efforts.

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Where We’re Going Curricular engagement will no doubt continue to become stronger at Towson University in the future.

The process of re-applying for the Carnegie Classification for Community Engagement is helping the institution to examine its current level of commitment to curricular engagement. We are able to see where our strengths are and where we can improve. This knowledge will help us to strengthen our programs and establish more partnerships with the community.

B. Outreach and Partnerships Outreach and Partnerships describe two different but related approaches to community engagement. The first focuses on the application and provision of institutional resources for community use with benefits to both campus and community. The latter 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.).

Outreach 1. What changes to outreach programs (extension programs, training programs, non-credit courses, evaluation support, etc.) have taken place since your last classification? Describe three examples of representative outreach programs: Outreach programs at Towson University have grown since 2008. The university continues to offer programs to community members of all ages and many of the programs that we discussed in our previous application are still happening. We have also added new programs and expanded upon existing ones.

The Division of Innovation and Applied Research, formerly the Division of Economic and Community Outreach, went through a renaming and realignment in 2013. This realignment allowed the Division to continue to provide applied research and technical services, continuing education, entrepreneurship and innovation, and external affairs to our external partners, while also developing new opportunities for faculty and students to become involved with our programs. The renaming and realignment have helped the Division provide our resources to a wider range of people and organizations.

The Center for Professional Studies (CPS) was created in 2011 and provides workforce development training opportunities and continuing education non-credit courses. All CPS programs lead to industryrecognized certification exams. The Center has also begun to build its own continuing education online courses with the help of TU faculty and has created six courses so far.

Since its creation, CPS has seen an increase in the development of non-credit training courses for clients in the government and corporate sector. CPS offers training in areas such as: 

Project Management



Information Technology 48



Personal Branding



Internet Literacy



Homeland Security



Procurement and Contract Management



Customer Relations



Human Resources

The Regional Economic Studies Institute (RESI) continues to provide evaluation support to external partners in business, non-profits, and government agencies. RESI provides economic and policy analysis, as well as business analysis and management, in order to help its clients make informed decisions.

Below are three examples of representative outreach programs at TU: 

The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) was awarded a $1 million endowment by the Bernard Osher Foundation in 2009. OLLI provides a variety of continued learning programs for adults over 50 and has memberships of over 550. Osher currently offers 28 courses in a number of disciplines. OLLI also offers social and cultural programs, book clubs, and interest groups.



Students of Service (SOS) is an AmeriCorps program that offers scholarships (education vouchers) to college students who serve as mentors to K-12 students in their community. SOS aims to connect colleges and universities with local communities to increase K-12 academic engagement through mentoring, as well as empower students in higher education to serve by sharing resources, skills, knowledge, and time.



The Saturday Morning Science Series at TU is part of the Hackerman Academy of Mathematics and Science. The programs feature presentations, performances, and demonstrations that generate enthusiasm and excitement for math and science. Past sessions have included “Reptiles: Diversity in Scale,” “The Science Behind Cyber Security,” “Bugs!,” and more. The programs are targeted toward students of all ages and are meant to show that science and math can be fun!

2. What changes have taken place regarding institutional resources (co-curricular student service, work/study student placements, library services, athletic offerings, etc.) that are provided as outreach to the community?

Describe examples of representative campus resources: Like our outreach programs, TU's institutional resources have grown since 2008. The quality and quantity of our programs have continued to increase since our last classification. Information about our institutional resources, as well as changes that have been made, is listed below: 

Personnel and structures: A coordinator of community service was hired in 2011 to oversee cocurricular student service. The Office of Civic Engagement & Leadership was created in 2013 to 49

support civic engagement initiatives. The Office of External Affairs was created in 2012 and serves as a primary point of contact for the management and assessment of university partnerships. 

Co-curricular student service: In the last academic year, 10,200 students performed 74,362 hours of service. This is an increase of 70% from the number participating in 2008. Students obtain these hours through various events throughout the year, such as The Big Event, Adopt-A-Campus, monthly First Friday service events, Town and Gown, and smaller events with individual organizations.



Work/study student placements: 91 out of 294 federal work study students were placed in community service positions in FY 2013, representing 30.94% of the total work study students.

Students work in a variety of programs, including TUTORS, America Counts, and the Albert S. Cook Library.



Library services: In addition to offering its resources to the community as a public library, the Albert S. Cook Library (www.cooklibrary.towson.edu) also offers many events open to the public throughout the year. One new program that the library now offers is the White Gloves Sessions, an innovative presentation format for exhibiting unique library and archival materials. These sessions can be on a variety of topics and allow the library to share its extensive collection with the community.



Athletic offerings: All TU athletic events are open to the public. The Athletics Department (www.towsontigers.com) also offers other public services. These include children's summer camps in a variety of sports, the Junior Tiger club (an opportunity for kids to attend TU athletic events), hosting the Special Olympics each summer, and more.



Arts and culture: In the past academic year, the College of Fine Arts and Communications offered over 150 events. A total of more than 29,400 people attended these events, with 13,446 of those people attending free events.



Health and wellness: The Wellness Center, part of the Institute for Well-Being (IWB), offers many resources to the community. Community members can take advantage of targeted wellness programs, such as the Comprehensive Cancer Wellness Program and the LIFEWORx Medical Fitness Program. The IWB also offers many informational workshops and programs throughout the year. The Therapeutic Program for Preschoolers provides a therapeutic environment to young children with communication challenges.



Radio station: TU’s radio station, WTMD, moved into a new space in downtown Towson in 2012. The station has increased its physical footprint, allowing it to offer more services to the community that showcase art and allow others to view it. Events include the Live Lunch series, movie screenings, and other live performances. WTMD has over 115,000 weekly listeners across central Maryland.

Partnerships

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3. Describe representative new and long-standing partnerships (both institutional and departmental) that were in place during the most recent academic year (maximum 15 partnerships).

See Appendix 1 4. In comparing the “partnership grid” from your previous application/classification and the grid from #3 above, please reflect on what has changed in the quality, quantity, and impact of your partnership activity.

Towson University has a number of diverse partnerships happening across campus. For this grid, we have taken the time to highlight a set of partnerships that are different from those included in the 2008 application. However, in looking back at 2008, 12 of the 15 partnerships that we highlighted are still active. All of our partnerships fit with the university’s mission and strategic plan and have a lasting impact on our faculty, staff, students, and community.

A recent institutional partnership survey revealed that TU has over 100 active partnerships currently happening on campus, with over 90% of them having direct impacts on the Baltimore area. Over 3,600 students are currently involved and contribute almost 200,000 hours in an average semester through service-learning, community service, and other work. The impacts span across disciplines and have effects on many different groups of people.

Comparing this grid, along with the results of the partnership survey, to our previous application shows that the quantity, quality, and impact of our partnerships have improved since 2008. The university is becoming more strategic about establishing partnerships that support our mission and demonstrate reciprocity with our partners.

In addition, a new partnership classification system has been developed and will be implemented that seeks to streamline the institution’s processes for establishing and supporting partnerships. This classification system will centralize coordination and ensure that partnerships across campus are wellsupported.

Overall, TU is continually striving to make our partnerships stronger to ensure sustainability. We want to make sure that we are working closely with our partners to have a lasting impact on the region.

5. What actions have you taken since the last classification to deepen and improve partnership practices and relationships—in initiating, sustaining, and assessing partnerships? How did these practices encourage authentic collaboration and reciprocity with community partners?

Partnerships have become more deeply embedded at Towson University since 2008. Our new president has included the principles of community engagement and partnerships as a theme across the institution's strategic plan. Several of the principles, including “Innovation, Entrepreneurship, and Applied Research” and “Internships and Experiential Learning Opportunities,” specifically mention building partnerships to achieve the goals of the strategic plan. The plan is helping to focus our relationships to be more strategic and reciprocal.

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The new ComplianceAssist program is being used to measure outcomes and goals associated with the TU 2020 plan. This program will help standardize how we are collecting information across campus and the data will allow us to determine areas of strength and weakness to continue improving our partnership practices.

The Office of External Affairs has also recently developed a system for classifying partnerships that will help the university determine where there exist opportunities for expansion or collaboration with other projects on campus. This system will also help determine those partnerships that will be managed more centrally through the university.

As a part of the classification system, these partnerships will be assessed through the Community Engagement and Outreach Recording and Reporting System. Like the information collected in the ComplianceAssist program, this information can be used to determine strengths and weaknesses within our partnerships so that we can improve them.

All of these practices are aimed at deepening and improving TU’s relationships with our partners. By collecting feedback from all parties involved in the partnership, including community partners, we are able to ensure authentic collaboration and reciprocity. We can see what is working and what is not so that we can continue to strengthen and improve our partnerships.

More information about our partnerships can be found at http://www.towson.edu/tuinthecommunity/partnerships.aspx 6. How are partnerships assessed, what have you learned from your assessments since your last classification, and how is assessment data shared?

As mentioned in Question 5, partnerships are assessed in a variety of ways. Many of the same tools used to report and measure community engagement and outreach initiatives are used to evaluate partnerships: 

The ComplianceAssist system is used to measure goals and outcomes related to the TU 2020 strategic plan. Individual units upload their goals, including those related to partnerships, and are responsible for tracking and reporting on their progress.



TU in the Community helps the university collect information about partnerships. Through this database, users can enter a description of their partnership, the external partners with which they are working, basic goals of the project, and the location. This allows the university to generate reports and determine what partnerships are happening and where they are happening.



The university recently completed an institutional partnership survey to determine how many partnerships are currently happening at TU, their goals and outcomes, and the impact on the university and the community. The data from this survey will serve as a baseline for future measurements to track how our partnerships are growing and improving.

The assessment data are shared with campus and community stakeholders in a variety of ways. Information about the TU 2020 plan is shared online and through the ComplianceAssist program. The TU in the 52

Community website (www.towson.edu/tuinthecommunity/partnerships) serves as a place to share data and information about partnerships both internally and externally.

These assessments have shown that our partnership efforts have increased since 2008. We have strengthened our commitment to partnerships with the community and are using these assessments to determine how we can expand our partnerships and make them better.

7. How have faculty collaborated with community partners to produce scholarly products of benefit to the community that are representative of co-created knowledge between academics and community partners resulting from outreach and partnerships (e.g., technical reports, curriculum, research reports, policy reports, publications, etc.). Provide five examples of faculty scholarship conducted with partners for community benefit or to improve, critique, promote, or reflect on partnerships. Also, describe how this scholarship has been supported since your last classification.

Faculty members at Towson University regularly collaborate with community partners to produce scholarship that explores university-community partnerships. These scholarly products address a variety of topics ranging from teacher preparation to economic development. This scholarship allows faculty and students the opportunity to work directly with community partners to address critical issues facing Maryland, the United States, and the world.

This work is supported through promotion and tenure polices at TU, as well as through the Office of Sponsored Programs and Research.

Some examples of this type of scholarship include: 

Dr. Richard Seigel of the TU Department of Biological Sciences presented, with representatives of the Town of Port Deposit, at the Turtle Survival Alliance in 2012. The presentation, titled "A Community-Based Approach to Conservation and Management of a State-Endangered Turtle,” highlights the ways that Dr. Seigel and his students are working in collaboration with Port Deposit on conservation efforts to protect the Northern Map Turtle.



Dr. Daraius Irani and the Regional Economic Studies Institute (RESI) of TU worked with the Maryland Center for Construction Education and Innovation (MCCEI) and the Sage Policy group to compile The Critical Path: Positioning Maryland as an Innovation Leader in the Global Construction Industry. This report determines the economic impact of the construction industry in Maryland and offers recommendations on how to fill critical skills gaps.



Lashley, M. (2008). Promoting oral health among the inner city homeless: A communityacademic partnership, Nursing Clinics of North America 43: 367-379. This journal article describes the work of Towson University and the Helping Up Mission to provide oral health services to the homeless population in Baltimore. Dr. Lashley presented information about this partnership with the program director of the Helping Up Mission at the Road to Recovery Annual Conference for Addiction Recovery Professionals.

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

Lorion, R. P. (2011). Understanding Sarason’s concepts of school cultures and change: Joining a community in school improvement efforts. American Journal of Community Psychology, 48, 147 – 156. This publication explores the partnership between Towson University and schools in Cherry Hill in an effort to improve academic performance of the students. This article was presented on receipt of the Seymour Sarason Award from the Society for Community Research and Action and reflects the efforts of TU and its community partners.



The Center for Professional Studies (CPS) partnered with Dr. Cynthia Ghent, Department of Biological Sciences, and industry professionals to develop and launch the Construction Design and Management Curriculum for the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) for Career and Technology Education programs statewide. High School students will now have the opportunity to learn the basic principles of construction management and technology innovation while they prepare for careers in the field.

8. Provide a summary narrative describing overall changes that have taken place related to outreach and partnerships on campus since the last classification. In your narrative, address the trajectory of outreach and partnerships on your campus – where have you been, where are you now, where are you strategically planning on going? Provide relevant links.

Where We’ve Been The principles of outreach and partnerships have always been a core part of our mission and of our identity as an institution. We have always recognized our position as a steward of the community and strive to make available our knowledge and resources.

Outreach initiatives and partnerships with the community have increased over the years as TU has grown as an institution. More faculty, staff, and students have become involved through participating in outreach projects or providing institutional resources.

Where We Are Now TU has over 100 active partnerships that are currently happening across campus. These partnerships impact many areas, spanning across disciplines. Every college and division on campus is involved in a number of partnerships, which have far-reaching impacts both in the region and around the world.

One hundred partnerships show just how much our efforts have grown over the years. These partnerships range from service events to outreach projects to resources for the community. They allow us to work with a wide variety of partners in non-profits, governments, and other private organizations.

Where We’re Going As we move forward, we will continue to be strategic about the partnerships that we pursue. We will establish and grow partnerships that are central to our mission as a university. The TU 2020 strategic plan will also help to guide us in pursuing partnerships that enhance the student experience and contribute to our reputation as a community-engaged institution.

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TU will also build upon the strengths of our current partnerships. Our outreach and partnership initiatives impact teaching, research, and service at the university. Our partnerships provide hands-on experience for students, they allow our faculty to disseminate findings to inform the community, and they affect measurable change in the community.

The university will continue to champion partnerships through a variety of means, including events such as the annual Showcase, news stories, and other outlets. We will spread the word about the great work that our faculty, staff, students, and community partners are doing to provide positive impacts in the region.

As we have worked through the process for the re-application for the Carnegie Classification for Community Engagement, we have been able to develop a path forward based on these strengths. As TU moves forward, our partnership and outreach efforts will continue to grow.

III. Wrap-Up 1. (Optional) Please use this space to describe any additional changes since your last classification not captured in previous questions.

A point to note is that student engagement is not included on the official university transcript, though it is included on the Student Engagement Record, a co-curricular transcript meant to supplement the official transcript. The record includes information about student involvement in service-learning, community service, internships, and other types of student engagement.

In addition to the services and resources that we provide to the community, Towson University has also stepped up to help the community in times of need. As an institution, we pride ourselves on being good neighbors and it shows in how we support our community during crises.

During a recent snowstorm, TU provided shelter to the Maryland State Police. The police force sent a request to all area universities to establish a base for the police during the storm and TU was the only institution to offer facilities.

In the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy, Towson University took in students from Maryland’s Eastern Shore who had been displaced by the storm. This allowed those students to continue their students while their own campuses were being cleaned up and repaired.

During state disasters, Towson University provides on-going resources and expertise to decision makers, first responders, and citizens. The Osprey Dashboard, which is a joint effort between TU’s Center for GIS (CGIS) and the Maryland Emergency Management Agency (MEMA), helps officials and citizens track storms and monitor the effects of them. Data includes information about power outages, traffic, shelters, and available hospital beds.

Towson University will continue to support the community in times of need through its many resources.

These resources and services are not necessarily permanent, but they are central to the mission of the 55

institution. We see it as our duty to not only promote long-term partnerships, but to act as a steward of our community.

2. (Optional) Please provide any suggestions or comments you may have on the documentation process and online data collection.

This process has helped Towson University examine its community engagement and partnership efforts to determine our strengths and where we can make improvements. The process is a good one to go through every couple of years to help keep us on the right track in the growth and expansion of our programs.

One thing that would make filling out the application easier in the future would be to make the wording clearer in the questions, especially when asking for data. In some questions, it clearly specified that information should come from AY 12-13. However, in others the wording just asked for what had changed since our last classification, leaving it very open-ended about what information we should include. More clarification would be helpful for us to include the correct and consistent information.

It also would be helpful if future applications allowed for formatting. In the online form, there is no way to bold or italicize words. It would make it easier for those of us entering information to break out or highlight certain things, while also making the text easier for reviewers to read.

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Partnership Name

1

2

3

4

Community Partner

Institutional Partner

Length of Partnership

Baltimore County Public Schools

College of Liberal Arts

This is a Model United Nations program with Ongoing since 4 faculty Baltimore County Public Schools. High November 2000 members school students represent a specific country annually and simulate a United Nations Session. They attend a 3 day program (1 day in fall and 2 days in spring), that exposes them to the way the United Nations operates and the issues that are discussed.

Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE); University of Maryland Baltimore County (UMBC); University System of Maryland (USM)

College of Education; Regional Economic Studies Institute

This partnership provides Maryland with the overall program evaluation promised in its Race to the Top application. The system will be able to be used beyond Race to the Top to track desired educational outcomes.

CAIRE is designing an external evaluation to determine, over the course of the four-year life of the grant and beyond, which Race to the Top strategies are successful and which strategies need to be revised or abandoned.

JACQUES Initiative at the University of Maryland; numersous politicians; Steelworkers from Sparrow's Point steel mill

Department of Anthropology, Sociology, and Criminal Justice, College of Liberal Arts

This partnership performs anthropological Ongoing since research projects on neighborhoods in urban 2010 Baltimore. It has established numerous community partnerships with different community groups focused on neighborhood improvement, health care issues and transportation oriented development. The latest iteration of the project in the summer of 2013 saw researchers move into a community partnership with groups assisting the labor transition of former steelworkers from Sparrow's Point attempting to reintegrate into the economy and workforce.

This entailed partnerships with both city and county labor groups.

2 faculty members annually

This partnership provides hands-on training July 2010 and mentoring opportunities to middle and June 2014 high school STEM teachers as well as outreach activities for their students. It provides STEM research opportunities for teachers by partnering them with a research scientist, mathematician, or engineer from a local university, government institution, or industry. The BEST program continues the following school year as teachers develop and implement lessons that translate their summer research experiences into engaging, learner-centered activities for their students.

3 faculty members annually

Hussman Center for Adults with Autism

Model UN Baltimore County Schools Partnership

Center for Application and Innovation Research in Education (CAIRE)

Ongoing since 2012

Number of faculty

The Hussman Center for Adults with Autism brings together Towson students and young adults on the autism spectrum to create a mutually-rewarding learning environment.

Social, educational and fitness programs support student learning and adults with autism as they develop the tools needed to lead meaningful lives as engaged members of their communities. New programs addressing work and life skills are being developed, allowing students at Towson to work with adults on the autism spectrum.

2 faculty members annually

Number of students

Grant funding

Institution Impact

Community Impact

More than 300 TU students have had mentorship experiences at the Center

More than $1 million from the Hussman Foundation for the creation of the Center

Faculty and students are gaining handson fieldwork and mentoring experience working with adults with autism. The Hussman Center is providing a valuable resource to the community that is not readily available elsewhere in the state.

The Hussman Center is providing needed services to adults on the autism spectrum through more than 250 unique experiences. In addition to mentoring experiences, it also provides educational seminars and workshops to help others learn more about the challenges associated with being on the spectrum.

Approximat ely 20 TU students annually

BCPS receives grant funding to be involved in the Model UN

This partnership helps TU build a stronger partnership with the Baltimore County Public School System. It also gives TU students the opportunity to work with BCPS faculty and students to organize the Model UN and mentor the students.

The program exposes high school students to the workings of the United Nations and gives them the chance to learn labout different countries. It also gives them an opportunity to work with Towson University students.

Approximately $5 million from Maryland State Department of Education's Race to the Top grant award

As a teacher's college, TU is demonstrating its commitment to strengthening education in Maryland and helping to improve college readiness. TU is providing valuable evaluative resources to help ensure the success of the strategies used in the Race to the Top program.

The work that CAIRE is doing has a direct impact on all of the public schools in Maryland.

The evaluations developed by the Center will be used to make decisions about which strategies to continue employing in the Race to the Top program.

12 TU students annually

This project has received $375,000 from the National Science Foundation Research Experience for Undergraduate s

This program allows undergraduate students to perform research in the field to address some of the most pressing issues facing Baltimore City. It also helps the university build positive relationships with community groups across the state.

The impacts of this program on the community are significant. The program is helping to find solutions to some of Baltimore's most prevalent issues, such as neighborhood improvement, health care issues, and transportation issues.

10 TU students annually; Hundreds of area middle and high school students are impacted every year

The project has received about $2 million from NASA.

The BEST Project connects TU faculty to grades 6-12 STEM teachers in order to strengthen STEM education in the state. The program contributes to TU's reputation as a leader in training STEM teachers.

To provide authentic scientific and engineering research experiences for classroom STEM teachers (grades 6-12); for area middle school and high school teachers to increase the level of inquiry in their classroom lessons; for these teachers to use their summer research and learning community experiences to engage students and encourage them to consider careers in STEM

November 2011 20 TU faculty 3 TU - September members students 2014 annually annually

Anthropology by the Wire Nine different public school Fisher College of Science systems; Over 20 institutes of and Mathematics higher education and research facilities

5

Purpose

Hussman Foundation; Arc of College of Health Baltimore (for film festival) Professions - Institute for Well-Being

Baltimore Excellence in STEM Teaching (BEST) project

Page 1

2015 CE Partnership Grid

Partnership Name

Community Partner

Town of Port Deposit, Port Deposit Chamber of Commerce, Exelon, Maryland Department of Natural Resources, Susquehanna State Park, State Highway Administration

6

7

8

9

Institutional Partner

Department of Biological Sciences, Fisher College of Science and Mathematics; Division of Innovation and Applied Research

Purpose

Length of Partnership

Number of faculty

Number of students

Grant funding

Institution Impact

Approximately $200,000 from Maryland Department of Natural Resources, U. S. Fish & Wildlife Service, State Highway Administration, and Exelon Corporation

Impacts include: Created widespread interest in the conservation of a state endangered species; Demonstrated how a wide coalition of government, educational, and private groups can work towards a common goal; Provided training opportunities for a variety of TU students

The partnership has raised awareness of the endangered Northern Map Turtle. It has also provided opportunities for economic growth in Port Deposit and the chance to pursue additional opportunities related to education, ecotourism, and more.

100-150 TU Approximately students $12,000 from annually NACCHO and $2,283 from the College of Health Professions

University students who are attending Operation STAT will apply incident command system principles to a mass casualty drill. University faculty and students will integrate concepts of situational awareness into the planning and execution of the mass casualty drill.

The drill allows area emergency management groups to gain experience in coordinating the response to a large-scale disaster event. It gives area middle and high school students the opportunity to apply emergency management principles to a real-world experience.

20 faculty members annually

80 total TU $278,000 in students scholarships and outreach grants

Students receive scholarships from the CIO Forum. The mission of the Forum’s scholarship program is to foster excellence in the Information Technology field by encouraging continued learning and academic scholarship. The partnership offers opportunities for those in the business and information technology fields to interact with peers both at TU and in external organiztions.

The Mid-Atlantic CIO Forum seeks to bring peers together in order to addresses issues and challenges in the business and information technology fields.

1 faculty member annually

12 TU students have been involved since the start of the project

The Center has been nationallyrecognized for proving the technological feasibility of a voice writing system. The Center allows TU faculty and students to work with NPR. TU students get hands-on experience.

The technology developed by the Voice Writing Center is bringing captioned radio to diverse audiences. It is providing individuals who are hard of hearing with the opportunity to read radio shows.

This partnership is centered on research of Ongoing since the Northern Map Turtle, a state endangered 2008 species found only in the Town of Port Deposit. Partnership opportunities are being expanded in the areas of conservation, research, education, and economic development.

1 faculty member annually

5 TU students annually

Maryland Defense Force; College of Health Friends School; Joppatowne Professions High School; Maryland Institute for Emergency Medical Services; American Red Cross; Baltimore County Health Department; Local police and fire departments

Operation STAT is a large scale mass casualty drill, involving over 500 participants from TU and many partners, that gives students hands-on experience responding to a mass casualty disaster.

Ongoing since 2008

30 faculty members annually

Burris Logistics; CAN Analysis & Solutions; Easter Seals Disability Services; Erickson Living; Glatfelter; HC; IDA; Keller; Knoll; Merkle; PHH; SC&H Group; Stinger Ghaffarian Technologies; Sheppard Pratt Health System; Shipley Energy; Stanley Black & Decker; Maryland State Retirement & Pension System; Maryland Department of Transportation; Maryland Department of Business & Economic Development; Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services; TeleCommunication Systems; Tessco; Textron Systems; Under Armour; Utz; WSFS Bank; Grace National Public Radio (NPR) Labs

Division of Innovation and Applied Research

The Forum is designed to foster excellence in Ongoing since business and information technology in an 2003 environment that promotes educational and networking opportunities for CIOs facing similar challenges and issues. CIOs participate with peers to share information and experiences, and to exchange best practices in peer-to-peer discussion sessions.

The Forum also offers scholarships for students and allows them the opportunity to network with CIOs at various events.

College of Liberal Arts; School of Emerging Technologies, Fisher College of Science and Mathematics

The Voice Writing Center combines "voice writing" technology and a proprietary editing system to efficiently capture radio programming for people with hearing loss.

Port Deposit Partnership: Northern Map Turtle

Community Impact

Operation STAT

Mid-Atlantic CIO Forum

Ongoing since 2008

Voice Writing Center for Radio Captioning

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Funding from the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research and TU's School of Emerging Technologies

2015 CE Partnership Grid

Partnership Name

10

11

12

13

Community Partner

Institutional Partner

Purpose

Length of Partnership

Number of faculty

Number of students

Grant funding

Institution Impact

8 faculty members annually, plus guest artists

24 TU students annually

$650 from Baltimore Partnership for Enhanced Learning; $4,999 from Patterson Park Charter School Mini-Grant; $13,500 from Baltimore City Public Schools Grant; $10,000 from Improving Teacher Quality Mini-Grant; $2,000 from Baltimore Symphony Orchestra's Arts Excel; $10,000 from Young Audiences of Maryland; Partnered with Montgomery County Public Schools on a $1 million U.S. Department of Education grant

The Arts Integration Institute helps TU build relationships with a variety of partners across the state, including arts organizations and local school districts.

The Institute also contributes to teacher education in Maryland by providing training for teachers in the arts.

The Institute provides training for Pre K-12 educators in Maryland. It provides teachers with the skills necessary to integrate the arts into their curriculum.

This partnership integrates developmentally Ongoing since appropriate dance methodologies with key 2013 concepts in pre-K standards in environmental science that improve school readiness and science proficiency for children ages 2 through 5 years old.

1 faculty member annually

$17,000 from the PNC Foundation

This partnership gives students and faculty in TU's dance education department the opportunitiy integrate the arts into STEM education.

Area students, aged 2-5, learn about the Earth's resources through dance and movement. This increased knowledge of STEAM is improving school readiness for these children and giving them the opportunity to learn in a different way.

Department of Computer and Information Sciences, Department of Biological Sciences, Fisher College of Science and Mathematics

Project Waveleaf is mapping the distribution and spread of wavyleaf basketgrass, an invasive species. The project includes outreach, training for indivduals wishing to participate, and awareness.

3 faculty members annually

$17,754 from TU's School of Emerging Technologies

Faculty and students are gaining experience mapping and tracking an invasive species. The project is also increasing the visibility of TU in the community.

Mapping the growth of the wavyleaf basketgrass will help bring it to the attention of lawmakers, policy writers, and funding agencies. Obtaining funding for the project will allow the team to perform studies and work to eradicate the species.

Division of Innovation and Applied Research; Event and Conference Services; Cook Library

The Baltimore Bee draws the top spellers Ongoing since from Baltimore City and Baltimore County.

2009 The winner of the Bee goes on to compete in the Scripps National Spelling Bee in Washington, D.C.

3-5 faculty members and 5 staff members annually

12 TU students annually; 320 preschooler s from the area 5 Computer and Information Sciences students working on app developme nt; 10 Biology students total 2-3 TU students and 75 K12 students annually

Funding from Josephine B. Scheffenacker Trust

Participants of the Bee benefit from improved spelling and vocabulary, increased public speaking skills, and an opportunity to make new friends.

1 faculty member annually

5-7 student interns and 30 student $25,000 grant volunteers from the Bank annually of America

The Bee brings students and their parents to campus and gives them exposure to TU. Faculty members serve as readers for the competition, which allows them the opportunity to interact with the children.

For the students participating, the program teaches valuable skills, both practical like filling out tax forms, to more intangible skills like customer service, while giving them a chance to make an impact on financial literacy in their community. It offers students an opportunity to become IRS-certified tax preparers. The tax prep site is entirely student staffed, which means the students must learn how to manage their time as well as their fellow students to have a successful flow of clients.

Arts Education in Maryland Schools; BSO Arts Excel Program; Center Stage; Maryland State Department of Education; Moving America: Maryland; New England Conservatory of Music; Young Audiences of Maryland; University of Maryland; University of Maryland Baltimore County; Johns Hopkins University; Nine school districts across the state

Department of Theatre Arts, Department of Art, Department of Dance, Department of Music, College of Fine Arts and Communication; College of Education

The Institute assists Maryland Pre K-12 educators in facilitating student growth and development through the arts. The Institute, working in close cooperation with the Maryland State Department of Education, provides timely, progressive educational course and workshops in response to the needs of practicing educators.

Port Discovery Children's Museum; PNC Foundation, Inc.’s Growing Up Great Initiative

Department of Dance, Community Dance, College of Fine Arts and Communication

Maryland Department of Natural Resources; Patapsco Valley State Park; NASA's Applied Sciences' DEVELOP Program; Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation; Patapsco Heritage Greenway

Learn It Systems; 30 Baltimore City and Baltimore County public, private, and parochial schools; Josephine B. Scheffenacker Trust

Ongoing since 2001

Arts Integration Institute

Moving to Learn: Grow Up Great with Dance and Science

Ongoing since 2009

Project Wavyleaf

Baltimore Bee VITA offers free federal and Maryland state income tax preparation services to low income individuals and families. The campaign works towards helping working families in the Baltimore region maximize their financial opportunities and resources.

14

Baltimore Cash Campaign; Maryland Council on Economic Education; Bank VITA Tax Prep Site Program of America

College of Business and Economics

Ongoing since 2010

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Community Impact

For the community members receiving free tax prep services, the program promotes their financial literacy by educating them about their finances and tax credits.

2015 CE Partnership Grid

Partnership Name

15

Construction Innovation and Education Partnership

Community Partner

Maryland Center for Construction Education and Innovation; Maryland State Department of Education; Whiting Turner

Institutional Partner

Division of Innovation and Applied Research

Purpose

Length of Partnership

This partnership is improving construction education across the state of Maryland by partnering TU with the Maryland Center for Construction Education and Innovation. It is providing research and guidance about construction education. It is establishing a standardized curriculum for teachers and students in Career and Technology Education (CTE) high schools in the field of Construction Design and Management (CDM). The partnership has also published a report on the impacts of the construction industry in the state and recommendations Ongoing since for moving forward.

2011

Page 4

Number of faculty

3 faculty members and 10 staff members annually

Number of students

Several students from CTE high schools in the area

Grant funding

Institution Impact

$25,000 Maryland Employment Assistance Right Now (EARN) Planning Grant through the Maryland Department of Labor, Licensing, and Regulation

This partnership gives faculty members the opportunity to assist in developing curriculum for the CDM program.

Strengthens TU's workforce development offerings.

Community Impact

The project aims at developing a pipeline that would take students through high school and exposing them to all aspects of the CDM industry with the purpose of developing skills that are transferrable to high level education, as well as the Maryland workforce.

2015 CE Partnership Grid

Carnegie Working Taskforce Co-Chair

Dyan Brasington

Vice President, Innovation and Applied Research

Co-Chair Program Manager

Deb Moriarty Kelsey Beckett

Vice President, Student Affairs Program Manager, Office of External Affairs

Provost’s Office

Luz Caceda

Assessment Analyst, Office of Assessment

Student Affairs

Chris Jensen

Director, Leadership and Civic Engagement

President’s Office Innovation and Applied Research

Marina Cooper Bobbie Laur

Deputy Chief of Staff Director, Office of External Affairs

Innovation and Applied Research

Marina Sevdalis

Graduate Student (Graduate Assistant in the Office of External Affairs)

Marketing and Communications

Louise Miller

Director, Integrated Marketing Services

College of Health Professions

Marlene Riley

Clinical Associate Professor, Occupational Therapy and Occupational Science

Student Affairs

Corinne DeRoberts

Coordinator, Community Services

Student Affairs

Glenda Henkel

Associate Director and Internship Program Coordinator, Career Center

President’s Office

Debbie Seeberger

University Advancement

Geannine Callaghan

Assistant to the President for Diversity and Equal Opportunity, Office of Diversity and Equal Opportunity Director, Foundation Relations

Provost’s Office

Aileen Trainer

Assistant Vice President for Assessment

Enrollment Management

Bob Giordani

Registrar and Associate Vice President for Enrollment Management

Student Affairs

Patrick Young

Coordinator, Veterans Services

Fisher College of Sciences and Mathematics

Mary Stapleton

Director, Bioscience Education and Outreach Program

Honors College

Bethany Pace

Director of Academic Support and CoCurricular Programs

College of Liberal Arts

Cathy Breneman

Department of Family Studies

Administration and Finance

Carol Wettersten

Assistant to the Vice President

College of Business and Economics

Arundhati Rao

Assistant Professor, Department of Accounting

College of Fine Arts and Communications

David White

Associate Professor, Department of Theater Arts

College of Education

Raymond Lorion

Dean, College of Education