On Sept. 3, 2005, I published a guest column in The Tennessean urging Tennesseans to explore the establishment of a Tennessee Campus Compact (TNCC) as one possible solution to higher education challenges.

The TNCC is governed by a voluntary presidents’ council, an executive board and an advisory committee. It serves as the statewide coordinator, convener and catalyst to advance civic engagement, service-learning and community service.

Service-learning, community-based initiatives and other forms of civic engagement, when done well, tend to improve student learning outcomes while addressing issues of access, diversity, retention and workforce development. Elements of engagement are being incorporated into Carnegie classifications, regional accreditation standards, and major research funding criteria. National indicators of engagement themes encompass institutional culture, curriculum and pedagogy, faculty roles and rewards, mechanisms and resources, and community-campus exchange.