Partnerships is a multi-disciplinary, open access peer reviewed journal, exploring “effective partnerships between students, faculty, community agencies, administrators, disciplines” in higher education.

In 2003, Elizabeth Minnich published “Teaching Thinking: Moral and Political Considerations” (Change, September/October), which creatively combined political and moral questions with epistemology and pedagogy, and which eventually served as the basis for a seminar to explore “teaching democratic thinking.” The inaugural Elon Research Seminar on Engaged Undergraduate Learning, co-sponsored by Elon University’s Center for the Advancement of Teaching and Learning and the American Association of Colleges and Universities, brought together 27 faculty, staff, administrators and students to explore and research this nexus of normative, epistemological and pedagogical issues.

Building from that seminar — while expanding the scope of the discussion — this collection asks questions about the meaning of “democratic thinking”: what it looks like, if it is a goal higher educators should have, how one acquires it, and how/if it can be taught. The nature of the collection lends itself to a focus on multiple aspects of service-learning and community engagement in higher education, but from an unusual angle: that of thinking.

Among many other topics, papers might explore:

1. The habits of mind fostered through service-learning and/or community engagement
2. The role of perspective and perspective-taking in community action partnerships
3. How partnering leads to new and different ways of thinking
4. How to prepare students for the particular epistemological challenges of working in the community
5. The relationship between knowledge, authority and democracy
6. The pairing of critical reflection and political action

Sessions can include information and resources for any aspect of service-learning and civic/community engagement work, including curricular and co-curricular options, projects, and programs, along with capacity-building and institutionalization efforts. All presenters are encouraged to choose a presentation style (i.e., lecture, hands-on activities, panel presentation) that ensures clear delivery of the information, allows time for questions and answers, and provides participants with materials to take away from the session. In addition, proposals should indicate:

Target audience (newer civic engagement practitioners, experienced practitioners, researchers)
Type of session being proposed:

Nuts-and-Bolts/Skill-Building
Programmatic Practice
Research and Theory

Nuts-and-Bolts/Skill- Building Workshops: A “how to” session. Examples include: how to integrate service-learning into a student leadership program; how to develop a risk management policy; community-campus partnerships; and how to develop civic engagement projects for residence hall programs.

Programmatic Practice Sessions: “Best practices.” Examples include: models for integrating service-learning within academic departments; tools for implementing social entrepreneurship and philanthropy initiatives; case studies of Faculty Fellow programs to increase faculty leadership in service-learning; innovative models for building community engagement; and lessons learned from integrating service-learning within a student leadership program.

Research and Theory Sessions: Examples include campus-based research on the relationship between service-learning and retention rates; evolving theories of leadership in community development; national trends in student service and engagement; and evolving research topics that will deepen an understanding of community engagement.

More information, including selection criteria and online submission form can be found at the link above.

Sessions can include information and resources for any aspect of service-learning and civic/community engagement work, including curricular and co-curricular options, projects, and programs, along with capacity-building and institutionalization efforts.

Session Formats

• Nuts-and-Bolts/Skill-Building
• Programmatic Practice
• Research and Theory

Nuts-and-Bolts/Skill- Building Workshops: A “how to” session. Examples include: how to integrate service-learning into a student leadership program; how to develop a risk management policy; community-campus partnerships; and how to develop civic engagement projects for residence hall programs.

Programmatic Practice Sessions: “Best practices.” Examples include: models for integrating service-learning within academic departments; tools for implementing social entrepreneurship and philanthropy initiatives; case studies of Faculty Fellow programs to increase faculty leadership in service-learning; innovative models for building community engagement; and lessons learned from integrating service-learning within a student leadership program.

Research and Theory Sessions: Examples include campus-based research on the relationship between service-learning and retention rates; evolving theories of leadership in community development; national trends in student service and engagement; and evolving research topics that will deepen an understanding of community engagement.

Proposal Selection Criteria

More than 30 presentations will occur in four concurrent sessions. Two sessions will be 45 minutes in duration and two will be 60 minutes. All proposals, which include a 75 word abstract and a 300 word proposal summary, will be peer-reviewed according to the session themes as well as the following criteria:

• Contribution to Knowledge of Service-Learning and Civic/Community Engagement -Indicate how your presentation will build on or facilitate application of existing ideas and/or research in the field.
• Opportunities for Active Learning – Demonstrate how you plan to involve your audience in your session and discuss the techniques you will employ to encourage active participation. Indicate what presentation style(s) you plan to use (i.e. roundtable discussions, paper presentations, panel presentations).
• Incorporation of Diverse Perspectives – Consider multiple points of view as you plan your proposal. Broaden the focus of your presentation to accommodate the diversity of constituents in the field, including community partners and leaders, and diverse higher education staff/administrators.
• Trends/Innovation

Special consideration will be given to proposals that highlight innovative and/or cutting edge trends in civic/community engagement such as technology, philanthropy and social entrepreneurship.

Please join colleagues from across the country to share and examine promising practices in linking completion with quality and assuring optimal learning environments for the success of all students.

Visit the Call for Proposals to find out how to submit a proposal to share your work at this conference.

Core Activities

• Develop tools for assessing the civic health of campuses and communities;
• Expand our understanding of the current state of civic health on college campuses and in local communities;
• Identify and share ways that a college or university – in partnership with a local community – can improve the civic health of the campus and/or community; and
• Explore the interplay between campus and community civic health.

Expectations of Participating Campuses

Each campus selected to participate in this initiative will have five specific expectations:

• Participating campuses will be asked to create a campus team that will oversee the development of campus activities and projects. For operational purposes, most campuses will identify a campus team leader to provide leadership for the campus work. The project will greatly benefit from the inclusion of students. While it is not a formal requirement, we encourage participation by undergraduate students on the campus team.
• Send at least one faculty member to the ADP National Meeting for the June 7, 2012 Campus & Community Civic Health Initiative Summit, a pre-conference workshop, for the convening meeting of this initiative. This meeting will provide an orientation to the project, and establish the design and development phase of a set of tools and processes with which to begin to assess the civic health of our campuses and the communities in which they are situated.
• Serve as a pilot site to develop and test these civic health assessment strategies and tools. Each campus will have wide latitude to focus aspects of civic health specific to their institutional circumstances and what makes sense in their own local context. Some campuses may focus primarily on assessing campus civic health. Others may focus on both the health of their campus and the community in which it is situated. Focus may also be put on campus/community partnerships and their effects on campus and/or community civic health.
• Share project results at the national American Democracy Project meeting in June 2013 in Denver and at the June 2014 meeting in Louisville. In a pre-conference session of these conferences, provide NCoC and ADP with electronic copies of all materials developed and used in the pilot phase for distribution to ADP member institutions. Campuses will also be asked to provide general feedback on the successes and failures of this initiative. In addition, each campus will be asked to make a presentation during the conference about the experiences of the past year.
• Campuses will also be asked to engage in a follow-up discussion of their assessment results with appropriate campus and community stakeholders. Action plans to improve campus and community civic health should be developed and undertaken. Subsequent reports about these phases of the initiative should also be shared with NCoC and ADP, and should be presented at a subsequent ADP meeting

Benefits for Participating Campuses

This initiative offers a number of significant opportunities for campuses and individuals including:

Opportunities for Faculty, Staff, and Students:

• To become involved in an innovative national civic engagement project
• To collaborate with individuals on other campuses
• To create opportunities for presentations and publications
• To engage students in community-engaged research and civic action about civic health

Opportunities for Campuses:

• To gain national visibility as part of a research effort that reflects our roles as Stewards of Place
• Opportunity to measure actual student voter turnout for 2008, 2010 and 2012 elections via partnership with CIRCLE
• Opportunity to partner with NCoC on producing state and city-level Civic Health Index reports
• Opportunity to track campus civic work using Lyon Software’s Community Benefit Inventory for Social Accountability for duration of this project
• To develop relationships with other civic leaders and key stakeholders in the community focused around a civic health agenda

How much will it cost to participate?

There is no fee for participation in the project; overall costs should be minimal. There is no external funding for this project but we will try to keep any costs as low as possible. Some fundraising may be required for participation in specific research initiatives, such as partnership on a statewide Civic Health Index report. The only fixed expenses will be to send a representative to the national American Democracy Project meeting for the next three years — in San Antonio in June 2012, in Denver in June 2013, and in Louisville in June 2014 – where each campus will be expected to participate in a pre-conference workshop, as well as make a presentation about the project outcomes during the conference.

How do we apply?

Institutions interested in this project do not have to be participants in the American Democracy Project; the only requirement is that they are AASCU-member institutions or members of The Democracy Commitment. To apply, the chief academic officer (CAO) should send an email to Jennifer Domagal-Goldman, the ADP National Manager at AASCU (domagalj {at} aascu(.)org), with a brief statement about why your institution is interested in this initiative.

Submissions for Volume 1 will be accepted from now through June 30, 2012.

We invite submissions in five categories:

• Reflective Essays
• Analytical Essays
• Research done in partnership with a community organization in the form given to that organization, accompanied by a short, reflective essay
• Research Articles
• Open Category

For detailed information about the journal’s content and submission guidelines, please see our website at http://www.bk.psu.edu/Academics/journal.htm

October 11th and 12th, 2012 * Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH

The mission of this conference is to advance institutional engagement while helping our member institutions strengthen their ability to meet the standards of the Carnegie Classification for Community Engagement. Leaders in higher education will participate in workshops on campus-community reciprocity and impact, institutional change, and engaged scholarship. This conference will also include three pre-conference institutes 1.) For faculty teams to focus on institutional strategies for rewarding engaged scholarship in promotion and tenure; 2.) For Academic Leaders who aim to create a culture of the engaged campus and 3.) For faculty/staff focused on community based research and assessment practices.

Framing Questions:

• How can higher education leaders better document our community impact?
• What are some key strategies to support the highest quality of campus community partnerships?
• How can both campus and community constituents improve their capacity to engage in meaningfulpartnerships that contribute to our communities’ health?
• How can we best achieve our goals of educating students for social responsibility?

The Conference Planning Committee Seeks Proposals for Workshop and Poster Sessions

Your proposal should consist of a session title, a brief abstract, and a longer session descriptionaccompanied by presenter names, titles, and institutional/organization affiliations. The proposal should be clear and concise and your session title should accurately reflect the session content.

Reviewers will look favorably upon proposals that:

1. Highlight practice models and/or innovative strategies along with processes for applying the work to a range of institution types or campus roles
2. Reflect sound theory or research and their potential contributions to student learning and community outcomes and success;
3. Include findings from evaluation and assessment and ways to use the information to improve teaching and learning; and
4. Describe active learning goals and concrete take‐aways that participants should expect from the session.

Tips:

• Include facilitators who bring diverse perspectives and life experiences to your topic.
• Show how your session will be interactive, i.e. include reflection, question and answer, discussion,and strategic planning activities.
• Provide a clear sense of how your session will unfold and be prepared to discuss lessons learned and effective approaches for overcoming challenges along the way.
• Present work that has proven effective and is well beyond the planning stages.

Presentation Categories:

• Workshop‐ 90 minutes each
• Poster Session ‐ 60 minutes each

Workshop Information

A successful workshop proposal will : frame the topic, provide an overview of goals, describe the topic (model, strategy, practical examples that enhance participants’ learning), and discuss how you will guide participants through exercises or activities (including small groups) that will help them advance efforts on campus. In order to make the conference as dynamic as possible, we may ask presenters to collaborate on workshops.

Poster Session Category Information

Poster session will have 1‐2 facilitators at a table presenting a poster board display (specific size to be provided upon acceptance of your proposal). Electrical outlet and other supports can be provided upon request. Poster sessions combine visual displays of information with written materials and small group interaction to create an interactive learning experience. Text, diagrams,pictures, and/or graphs that depict program components, findings, samples of student work,community testimony and evidence.

Selection Process:

All proposals will be peer reviewed

Proposal Due Date:

May 1, 2012

Format for submission:

• Presentation Proposal Form (see attached)
• Word document that includes the following about your proposed presentation:
  • Presentation Title
  • Abstract
  • Full presentation proposal
  • Learning objectives (1‐3)

Submission of Proposals:

By email to Christina Cassella at cassella {at} compactnh(.)org

For any questions please contact Christina Cassellaat cassella {at} compactnh(.)org or 603-223-2302 x310

Universities in metropolitan and urban areas are positioned in locations, which afford them unusual and matchless opportunities to partner with other organizations, companies, and groups often not present in other areas. Their roles in the community are impacted by these connections and offer solutions to unusual problems and creative ideas for new directions.

This conference will explore how working together with all types of partners can augment the impact of a university and open new bridges to success for the future. Partnerships in the areas of enriching student learning, increasing faculty roles and impact both in the academic setting and in the community, augmenting the outreach of the university, creating projects, and developing academic opportunities that respond to and involve the local community are just a few examples of presentations which suitable for this theme. The conference will provide a forum for students, faculty and administrators to share ideas, experiences, and make recommendations concerning the leadership role that metropolitan universities must assume in creating the future.

Please join us for this exciting opportunity to learn about others’ successes and share through plenary sessions, paper presentations, special topic panels, roundtables, and poster sessions.

Suggested Topics Related to “Working Together Works: Partnering for Progress:”

• Real learning for real life: partners for progress
• University/community partnering
• Non-traditional educational infrastructure
• Environmental initiatives
• Wellness and public health projects and possibilities
• Community partnerships for student learning
• Faculty roles with strong ties to the community
• Extending the university’s reach through community partnerships
• Translational research and its impact on the community
• Local learning communities

Proposal Submission Guidelines

Individuals must submit written proposals in Microsoft Word (Arial font 10) related to the conference theme for paper presentations, panel discussions, roundtable discussions, or poster displays. Submissions must include the following information:

• Title of proposal
• Presentation type desired:
  • Individual paper (15 minutes)
  • Panel (4 to 5 thematically related presentations, total of 1hour)
  • Poster
  • Roundtable (two presenters per table, 50 minutes total)
• Intended audience for presentation (e.g., administrators, faculty, students, etc.)
• Name(s) of presenter(s), affiliation, address and e-mail contact information (student presenters should identify themselves as such, as some student presentations will be grouped in student-led sessions) For group presentations, an asterisk (*) after the name of the lead presenter will denote the corresponding presenter.
• Biographical sketch of presenter(s) (limit of two sentences per presenter)
• 250-word abstract describing the presentation and topic
• AV equipment needs (please note that presenters will need to bring their own laptop computer):
  • LCD projector
  • Overhead projector
  • Flip chart only

Proposals should be submitted to Deborah Arfken at deborah-arfken {at} utc(.)edu. Questions regarding the proposal format and content can also be sent to Deborah.

Submission Deadline

The submission deadline is June 15, 2012.

Selection and Notification

The Program Committee will evaluate proposals with regard to relevance to the conference theme, potential interest to attendees, and the significance of the topic to the mission of the coalition. Notification letters will be sent electronically by June 15, 2012 to the corresponding presenter. All presenters must be registered for the conference and are expected to pay all related costs. CUMU will invite conference presenters to submit papers to the editor of Metropolitan Universities journal for possible publication in the journal.

Selection and Notification

The Program Committee will evaluate proposals with regard to relevance to the conference theme, potential interest to attendees, and the significance of the topic to the mission of the coalition. Notification letters will be sent electronically by June 1, 2011 to the corresponding presenter. All presenters must be registered for the conference and are expected to pay all related costs. CUMU will invite conference presenters to submit papers to the editor of Metropolitan Universities journal for possible publication in the journal.

Submission Deadline:  May 4, 2012

We invite your participation in the Campus Compact Heartland Conference, October 11-12, 2012, in St. Louis, Missouri.  This conference will bring together individuals from across the nation to explore different perspectives on service-learning and civic engagement alongside colleagues from Kansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma, and provide an opportunity for service-learning professionals and community partners to share program models and best practices, and network with one another.

CONFERENCE AUDIENCE

Conference participants will include learners and educators from diverse constituencies: faculty, students, administrators, and service-learning coordinators; VISTA members; and government, community agencies and partners.  Similarly, we expect attendees with a wide range of experience with community engagement and service-learning – from those just beginning to those well-versed in it.

CONFERENCE GOALS

• Enhancing practical service-learning skills and deepening philosophical understanding of participants;
• Communicating ideas and practical solutions to service-learning challenges;
• Exploring engaged scholarship and community-based research;
• Offering provocative, inclusive and interactive conference sessions;
• Demonstrating evidence of effectiveness for student and community outcomes;
• Celebrating successes, rejuvenating, and connecting to the broader service community;
• Providing time for informal discussions and networking; and
• Building a regional network of service-learning colleagues.

2012 HEARTLAND POINT OF EMPHASIS

Using best practices in academic and co-curricular service-learning and community engagement to foster participatory citizenship among our students and in our communities.

CONCURRENT SESSION GUIDELINES

Length: Concurrent sessions will be one hour and 15 minutes in length – anticipate approximately 55 minutes for the presentation and the remaining time for questions/dialogue.

Presentation Summary: Provide a brief abstract of the presentation (No more than 300 words).  Please describe the substance of the presentation and the style in which you will present it (single speaker, panel presentation, hands-on practice, world café, etc.).  This abstract will be edited for inclusion in the program.

Be sure to include any information on co-presenters including name, title, and institution. This information will be used to make presenter selections.

Process and Selection Information:  A committee of faculty, service-learning staff, and Campus Compact staff will review and select the proposals. Presenters will be notified of their acceptance by email on May 25, 2012.

PROPOSAL SUBMISSION DEADLINE:

The deadline for submitting a concurrent session proposal is 5:00 p.m. CST on May 4, 2012. All proposals should be submitted electronically to Matt Lindsey at matthewl {at} k-state(.)edu.

CONFERENCE REGISTRATION INFORMATION

All presenters are expected to register for the conference. Registration questions may be directed to Melissa Mace via email at melissamace {at} missouristate(.)edu or by phone at (417) 836-3103. Online registration is available at http://associations.missouristate.edu/heartland.

IMPORANT NOTE: When registering, you must indicate whether you will also attend the awards luncheon.  There is no additional fee for the luncheon; however you must have a ticket to enter.

REGISTRATION FEES AND DEADLINES:

IMPORTANT NOTE: Community partners should register through the affiliated campus to get the Campus Compact member rate.

METHOD OF PAYMENT:

Payment online at time of registration is the preferable method of payment; however, purchase orders and checks will also be accepted.  Payment in full is required before the conference begins.

HOTEL INFORMATION:

Marriott Hotel St Louis-Union Station
1820 Market Street
St. Louis, Missouri 63103
Phone Reservations: (800) 410-9914
If reserving hotel by phone, please refer to the conference ID: Campus Compact Heartland Conference

Online Reservations: Stay Tuned!

Conference Rate: $125 plus applicable taxes (single and double occupancy)
The conference rate is only available through September 12, 2012.  
Check-In: 4 p.m.
Check-Out: 12 p.m.
Self Parking:   $16/day
Valet Parking: $24/day
In-Room Internet Access: $12.95/day

CONFERENCE INFORMATION:

Visit us at http://associations.missouristate.edu/heartland for up-to-date information regarding the conference.

The Gateway to College Model:
Gateway to College is a nationally-recognized dual credit program that serves youth who have dropped out of school or are significantly behind in credits and unlikely to graduate. GtC classes are taught on the college campus. Students begin with the Foundation Experience, a learning community where students take developmental reading, writing, and math. After completing Foundation, students transition to regular college classes where they continue working toward their high school diploma and, simultaneously, an associate’s degree. Each student is assigned a student support staff member who acts as a mentor and advisor by providing the support and individual attention that is vital to successfully serving this student population.

Gateway to College at the local level is inherently sustainable—the initial start-up funding pays for planning and early implementation costs until the program begins serving students and K-12 per-pupil expenditures start coming in. These local dollars fund an increasing percentage of program costs, with each program demonstrating a sustainable budget funded primarily by K-12 dollars by about the end of their second year serving students.

Successful applicants for start-up funds will demonstrate:
• Flexible systems that allow students to earn a high school diploma (either through the college or in cooperation with a K-12 partner) and provide access to public K-12 education funds for high school completion;
• Strong partnerships between the college and the local school district(s) involved in program implementation;
• The desire to embrace the Gateway to College academic approach and student support strategies at every level throughout the college; and
• Compatibility of the Gateway to College model with the mission and vision of the college and school district, in order to support the required commitment to working with dropout youth

About Gateway to College National Network:
At Gateway to College National Network, we believe in building the capacity of states, colleges, and school districts to expand educational opportunities for high school dropouts and underprepared college students so that all young people may attain academic credentials. We currently serve Gateway to College programs at thirty-five community colleges in twenty states. Our strategies include: creating and replicating innovative programs, building partnerships, influencing systems, conducting research and sharing what we know, helping effect policy and regulatory changes, and providing customized consulting services. We also provide ongoing technical assistance, data and evaluation services, and professional development opportunities to our partner programs across the country. Gateway to College National Network was recently awarded a four-year investment from the Edna McConnell Clark Foundation and the Corporation for National and Community Service’s Social Innovation Fund. We are also funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Carnegie Corporation of New York, The James Irvine Foundation, The Kresge Foundation, Open Society Foundations, and Tipping Point Community. Visit www.gatewaytocollege.org for more information.

International Association for Research on
Service-Learning and Community Engagement
2012 Annual IARSLCE Conference
September 23-25, 2012
Marriott Baltimore Waterfront Hotel
baltimoremarriottwaterfront.com
Baltimore, Maryland
Registration Opens May 1, 2012
at www.researchslce.org.

Submit a Proposal

Call for Proposals for the 12th Annual IARSLCE
Conference is available www.researchslce.org.
Five presentation formats are available.
Proposals can be submitted in one of nine different tracks.
Online submission opens: March 2, 2012
Online submission closes: March 30, 2012
Notification of proposal acceptance will take place by May 2012

The 12th Annual IARSLCE Conference in Baltimore seeks to break new ground by focusing our attention on transformative learning partnerships in our research and scholarship on community engagement, in our research with community partners, and in the kinds of connections those learning partnerships leverage and facilitate. The theme of the conference, CONNECTED KNOWING, is about the generative power of connections and relationships in research on service-learning and community engagement. In an effort to build on the Connected Knowing theme and honor the multiple voices and perspectives present in service-learning and community engagement research and programs, the 12th annual conference will include a Community Partner Fellows Program.

Host: University of Maryland, College Park; 2012 Program Chair: Dr. KerryAnn O’Meara

Co-Sponsors: Maryland Campus Compact, American University; George Washington University; Johns Hopkins University; Loyola University Maryland; McDaniel College; Montgomery College; University of Maryland Baltimore County

The editorial team Undergraduate Journal of Service Learning and Community-Based Research is seeking faculty mentors for this new undergraduate journal. Undergraduate Journal of Service Learning and Community-Based Research is a refereed, multi-disciplinary, online undergraduate journal open to all undergraduate students in the U.S. and across the globe. The journal is dedicated to publishing the intellectual and reflective work by undergraduates on service learning, community-based research, and all related curriculum- and/or research-based public community engagement activities. These go by many additional names, such as community-based learning, public scholarship, publicly-engaged learning/teaching, etc. The editorial team of Undergraduate Journal of Service Learning and Community-Based Research encourages undergraduates to pursue their own intellectual projects and to join the academic conversation.

Faculty mentors, scholar-teachers familiar with service learning and community-based research, are a crucial part of the journal’s review process.  We seek faculty mentors in a wide range of disciplines. For Volume 1, all submissions will first be read by the editor. She will send submissions that seem to fit the journal’s general specifications to a faculty mentor.  Every effort will be made to send submissions to faculty mentors in the student’s discipline. At this point, a faculty mentor will make one of four decisions: Accept, Accept with Minor Revisions, Revise and Resubmit, or Reject. Faculty mentors will one directly with potential authors through the revision process. We will generally commit to publishing an article if the student puts in sufficient time and effort to revise the draft based on the faculty mentor’s suggestions.

For detailed information about the journal, please see our website at http://www.bk.psu.edu/Academics/33679.htm.

If you’d like to be a faculty mentor, please email the editor, Dr. Laurie Grobman, at leg8psu.edu.

CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS

The editorial team seeks submissions from undergraduates for the new Undergraduate Journal of Service Learning and Community-Based Research. Undergraduate Journal of Service Learning and Community-Based Research is a refereed, multi-disciplinary, online undergraduate journal open to all undergraduate students in the U.S. and across the globe. The journal is dedicated to publishing the intellectual and reflective work by undergraduates on service learning, community-based research, and all related curriculum- and/or research-based public community engagement activities. These go by many additional names, such as community-based learning, public scholarship, publicly-engaged learning/teaching, etc. The editorial team of Undergraduate Journal of Service Learning and Community-Based Research encourages undergraduates to pursue their own intellectual projects and to join the academic conversation.

We invite submissions in five categories:

• Reflective Essays
• Analytical Essays
• Research done for a community organization in the form given to that organization, accompanied by a short, reflective essay
• Research Articles
• Open Category

Submissions will be accepted from now through June 30, 2012.

For detailed information about the journal’s content and submission guidelines, please see our website at http://www.bk.psu.edu/Academics/33679.htm.

Please direct all inquiries and questions to the editor, Dr. Laurie Grobman, at leg8psu.edu.

We invite  proposals for four different types of sessions:

- Skill-Building Session – sessions that focus on particular tasks or capacities that can be useful to various stakeholders in civic engagement.  Session leaders are expected to present some relevant knowledge, experiences, and resources, while also engaging participants in interactive work of some kind that supports their learning and application of the skills.  Sample topics include: Using Surveys to Assess the Student and Community Outcomes of Service-Learning; Building Strong Partnerships; or Students as Leaders and Colleagues.

- Issue-Focused Session – sessions that address specific public issues and/or issues within higher education and how civic engagement can contribute to positive change. Session leaders are expected to share their own related models and experiences, while also, as appropriate, drawing on others’ work and inviting participants to offer additional examples and insights.  Sample topics may include: Partnering to Improve Public Health; Supporting Economic Development through Campus-Community Partnerships; or Strategies for Advancing Environmental Sustainability.

- Big-Picture Session – sessions that engage all participates in discussing challenging issues related to civic engagement in higher education. Session leaders are expected to frame the discussion initially and to facilitate thoughtful interaction, not to speak as experts.  Sample topics include: How can we move from an array of civic engagement activities to a deep institutional culture of engagement? What does it mean that our states are among the highest in the nation in both civic engagement and racial disparities?

- Poster Session – posters reflecting model campus-community engagement projects are encouraged.  Posters can be submitted individually, or by a group or class.  Please include issues addressed by the community partners; impact of the service performed; impact of community projects such as capacity building, services provided or change created; and learning objectives which may include an academic connection to a course, civic understanding of community need, or self-awareness of individual change, connection to career, professional or personal goals.

Proposals are due Monday, March 12, 2012, and are accepted on a rolling basis beginning November 15, 2011. Notifications will be made by Monday, March 26, 2012.

Please join us in San Antonio, Texas for our 10th Annual American Democracy Project (ADP) National Meeting at the Marriott Rivercenter. The meeting begins on Thursday, June 7 and ends with a dinner Saturday evening, June 9. We have negotiated a hotel room rate of $185 for a single/double plus 16.75% tax (subject to change) at the Marriott Rivercenter. Conference registration fees are $395 for students and $545 for individuals. Institutions may wish to take advantage of our team rate of $485 per person.

Registration will open in a few weeks; more information about the national meeting, including deadlines for registration and information regarding how to register and when and how to book hotel rooms will be forthcoming.

The theme for this year’s meeting is: Civic Engagement 2.0: Re-Imagining, Strengthening and Deepening  Our Civic Work. In a recent ADP blog post, I described the ADP 2.0 efforts that Curt Brungardt, Director of the Center for Civic Leadership, and his colleagues are undertaking at Fort Hays State University (Kan.). Inspired by web 2.0 applications (e.g., social media, blogs, Wikis) that are not only the next iteration of an existing application, but also facilitate collaboration, information sharing, and user-centered design, Curt and his colleagues are considering the following questions during a year-long continuous improvement exercise:

In a year-long continuous improvement exercise, students, faculty, and staff are going to focus on a number of key questions.  For example:

• Are we doing the right things to develop citizenship?
• Are we doing them effectively?
• How can we improve our student and staff programming?
• Do our program activities produce the desired outcomes?

Our 10th national meeting will be a space for us to re-imagine, strengthen and deepen our civic work in ways that move the preparation of informed, engaged citizens for our democracy from margin to center on our campuses. As we celebrate the American Democracy Project’s 10th birthday, let’s envision our next 10 years together!

Civic Engagement 2.0 presentations might consider questions such as:

• How can we make existing civic education and engagement efforts more student and citizen-centered?
• What can we do to make ADP more interactive, participative and discovery driven?
• How can we harness new technologies to engage more students and/or to make our teaching and programming more effective?

THIS IS A CALL FOR PROPOSALS. We are interested in presentations that address both theoretical and practical issues: concepts of citizenship, civic engagement and democracy in higher education and in successful programs, partnerships and practices. When submitting proposals about programs, partnerships and practices, please be sure that you address analysis as well as description: what worked and what didn’t; what were the issues encountered during implementation; how was a partnership established; etc. We are particularly interested in topics that focus specifically on institutionalizing citizen preparation, civic learning, and engagement. This is not a traditional academic conference. We are interested in sessions that go beyond merely presenting a set of activities and instead describe step-by-step strategies for driving civic engagement work deeper into the heart of the higher education enterprise.

We are seeking Presenters for concurrent panel sessions and workshops and for a poster session.To submit a proposal for a presentation or poster:

1. Review the Suggested List of Topics for Presentations & Posters at ADP 2012.
2. Review the SAMPLE Presentation_ Proposal _Submission_ Form,_ ADP _National_Meeting_2012.
3. Complete this Online Proposal Submission Form.

Presentation sessions are 1 hour and 15 minutes in length, with a moderator/time keeper and approximately 3 presentations. Individual presentations should not exceed 10 minutes.Handouts are encouraged. LCD projectors for PowerPoint presentations will be available.

This year we’re adding a poster session to the program. This is a great way for students to participate in the conference and a way to showcase a program, initiative, partnership, or undergraduate research or service project. During the poster session, all poster presenters will have the opportunity to talk with and answer questions of conference participants about their posters. Posters should be on standard 24″x36″ foam core board (easel size) and must be brought with presenters to the conference.

Please note: If you submit a presentation in which you are the sole presenter and your proposal is accepted, your presentation will be placed in a concurrent session with other presentations on a similar topic. If you would like to link your presentation to another proposal(s) (from your institution, from colleagues at other institutions, community partners, etc.), please note this in the online proposal form.

Once you submit a proposal, you are agreeing to present during any of the time slots allotted during the June 7-9, 2012 program. We will notify you of your exact presentation time not later than Monday, March 26th, 2012.

The purpose of these sessions is to allow a substantial number of strategies and ideas to be presented in a short period of time, leaving time in each session for questions, discussion and dialogue.

Proposals are due by March 12, 2012. However, proposals can be submitted immediately.We use a rolling acceptance process, which means that proposals will be evaluated and decisions made weekly, so the earlier the submission, the sooner you will know if your proposal has been accepted. This early acceptance process may provide you with an opportunity to identify a source of funding support sooner, as well as to help clarify your summer plans.

If you have any questions about the submission process, please contact Jen Domagal-Goldman at 202-478-7833 or domagalj {at} aascu(.)org.

A limited number of accepted poster presenters will be invited to a deliver a presentation during a conference breakout session.

Please click on the link below to submit your proposal online by November 28, 2011.

https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/SES2012RFP

PDF version of RFP for reference only - please submit online with link above.

Please contact Liza Newman with any questions 317-274-6500

Higher education is changing. We are rethinking how we do everything on and off the campus. Colleges and universities across the country are re-structuring, re-branding, cutting degree programs, developing new initiatives, collaborating with new partners, etc. As François de la Rochefoucauld said, “The only thing constant in life is change.” Yet so many people are approaching this change from a very fearful resource-poor perspective. Let’s change that!

We invite you to collaborate with your colleagues to submit a proposal for the 2012 Continuums of Service Conference in Seattle, Washington.

The Continuums of Service Conference has a long-standing history of invigorating participants to explore issues from diverse perspectives. The 2012 Continuums of Service Conference promises to integrate collective ideas into a new vision that participants can take back to their colleges, universities, and communities.

Please join us in Seattle, Washington on April 11-13, 2012 to share your knowledge, skills, and ideas; and to network with colleagues from across the western region.

Visit the COS website for information regarding the proposal submission process.

See you in Seattle!

Sincerely,

California Campus Compact

Hawaii and Pacific Islands Campus Compact

Oregon Campus Compact

Washington Campus Compact

Once the 5 Campus Compact regional clusters are identified, individual Campus Compact member institutions will have an opportunity to apply for mini-grants through their regional cluster.  These grants are made possible by the generous support of the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS).

If you have specific questions about this opportunity, please contact Jacob Vennie-Vollrath at Wisconsin Campus Compact – 608.890.3976 or jacob.vennie-vollrath {at} uwex(.)edu.  Thank you!