Our Work: Partnering with Community Colleges for Civic Preparation

1. Our Work: Partnering with Community Colleges for Civic Preparation Dr. Robert W. Franco

2. Our Work: Partnering with Community Colleges for Civic Preparation 1) Historical Roots and Current Challenges 2) National Support Structures for this Work 3) Kapi’olani as Case Study 4) P-16 Partnerships: Palolo Pipeline Integrated throughout: • Considerations for Affinity and State Groups • Reactions from Tom Wisbey, President, New Hampshire Technical College, Manchester and Stratham

3. The Civic Work of Community Colleges: America’s Democracy Colleges • Community colleges were created to democratize American higher education and the students who came through their open doors.

4. The Civic Roots of “Junior” Colleges • 1910 - Dean Alexis Lange of the University of California “urged junior colleges to give high priority to programs that would prepare their students for effective participation in community life.” • The junior college is of, not simply in, a particular place.

5. The “Diversion Function” of Junior Colleges? • Lange, Harper, and Jordan feared that universities would be overrun by hordes of unqualified students.” (early 20th century latent Darwinism) • In a society emphasizing upward social mobility through education junior colleges were to be an essential safety valve that would satisfy the demand for access while diverting excluded segments from 4-year universities.

6. From Junior to Community Colleges: The 1920s • To the “Junior College” transfer role is added the training role to invent the American “Community College” • which becomes and remains a local and national workforce development engine. • An ongoing pendulum of emphasis on transfer or training.

7. New Role in Post-World II America • 1946, 43% of community college students are veterans of war. • 1947, Truman Commission calls for tuition-free higher education for all Americans, regardless of race, creed, color, sex, or economic or social status. • 1950s, WW II, Korean War veterans, GI Bill, and a sustained baby boom lead to an explosion in demand for higher education.

8. New Role in Civil Rights America • 1960s, America built nearly one community college per week. • Communities in the throes of the civil rights movement. • 1970 - 1,000 community colleges were serving 2.5 million students. • 1970s - majority of Americans have an “open door” community college with lenient entry requirements and free or low cost tuition within commuting distance of their homes and jobs.

9. Community College Culture, Our Shared Beliefs: We should… • Have a strong relationship to our communities, emphasizing civic participation. • Extend educational opportunity. • Value diversity. The community college is of, not simply in, the community.

10. America’s Democracy Colleges:2 Year Colleges In a “Perfect Storm” • Over the last 30 years, • fastest growing sector of American higher education, increasing in enrollments by 264 percent, • serving 55% of college students from the lowest socioeconomic quintile

11. America’s Democracy Colleges 2005: 2 Year Colleges In a “Perfect Storm” • 6.6 million credit students • 5.0 million non-credit students • 46 percent of all U.S. undergraduates • 45 percent of first-time freshmen • 58 percent women, 42 percent men • 62 percent part-time, 38 percent full-time • 1,157 Community Colleges • 200 members of Campus Compact

12. America’s Democracy Colleges: 2 Year Colleges In a “Perfect Storm” • 47 percent of Black undergraduate students • 56 percent of Hispanic • 49 percent of Asian/Pacific Islander • 57 percent of Native American • 95 percent of businesses that use them recommend community college workforce education and training programs.

13. America’s Democracy Colleges:In a “Perfect Storm” • Becoming a powerful learning nexus, an “essential educational player in cities, counties, states and nations,” • in a context of declining state and federal support. • Awareness that partnerships are the key to doing more with less.

14. Closing the Achievement Gap • Purposeful pathways from access to success must be developed, assessed and improved. • “America is still an ongoing experiment in diversity, and higher education’s part of the social contract has been to extend the possibility of a better life to new groups in society. It will be in the enlightened self interest of institutions to invest more heavily in partnerships with school systems to expand the potential college-bound and qualified pool. • Reaching out to help motivate and prepare more students for college is a long-term investment that will pay off for higher education and the nation. ” (Gladieux and Swail, 1998)

15. Closing the Achievement Gap • See Franco, The Community College Conscience: Service-Learning and Training Tomorrow’s Teachers (2000) at www.compact.org. • KCC Receives Five Year National Science Foundation Grant, “Roots, Resilience, and Reach: Strengthening the STEM Infrastructure. • NSF Vertical Integration Model to Support Minority Success in Stem Careers

16. Looking Forward: The Work of Democracy in a Global Age • “The most important thing an institution does is not to prepare a student for a career, but for life as a citizen.” Frank Newman. • The most engaged departments at community colleges are Social Science (sociology, political science, anthropology, human development, psychology), Language Arts, Health Sciences, Career programs moving from clinicals and practicums to service-learning through an emphasis on civic responsibility through reflection.

17. American Association of Community Colleges Defines Civic Responsibility • “Civic responsibility means active participation in the public life of a community in an informed, committed, and constructive manner, with a focus on the common good.” • www.aacc.nche.edu – See Service-learning clearinghouse • See also Community College National Center for Community Engagement, Mesa, AZ

18. About Campus Compact • Campus Compact is a national coalition of more than 900 college and university presidents—representing some 5 million students—who are committed to fulfilling the civic purposes of higher education. • To support this mission, Campus Compact promotes: • service initiatives that develop students’ citizenship skills • helps campuses forge effective community partnerships, and • provides resources and practical guidance for faculty seeking to integrate civic engagement into their teaching and research. • Campus Compact comprises a national office based in Providence, RI, and 30 effectively networked state offices.

19. The Indicators of Engagement Project Carnegie Corporation funded research, 2002-present • To document and disseminate best practices of civic and community engagement • To help campuses achieve broader institutionalization of civic and community engagement • To develop a series of models for civic and community engagement strategies for different types of institutions that have different needs. • Year 1: Community colleges • Year 2: Minority-serving institutions • Year 3: Comprehensive universities

20. Mission and purpose Administrative and academic leadership External resource allocations Disciplines, departments, and interdisciplinary work Faculty roles and rewards Internal budget and resource allocation Community voice Support structures and resources Faculty development Coordination of community-based activities Teaching and Learning Forums for fostering public dialogue Student Voice The Indicators of Engagement – go to compact.org – “community colleges” – for annotated summary

21. Major Project Activities For each type of institution: • Survey for the best practices of engagement • Conduct interviews and focus group meetings to learn more about civic and community engagement • Visit colleges to identify, document and disseminate best practices of civic and community engagement • Create online databases and printed publications highlighting successful engagement strategies

22. Key Lessons Learned- May Be Useful for Affinity and State Groups • Assets Trump Deficits. • Using the indicators to conduct an institutional audit of civic engagement, campuses discovered both assets and deficits. Successful campuses moved on their assets. • Successful colleges and universities recognized 2-3 strong assets, stimulated intellectual capital and individual passion around those assets, connected strategically with key campus leaders, community partners, and funders, and moved intentionally from innovation to institutionalization.

23. Themes The thirteen indicators cluster into the following 5 themes: • Institutional Culture • Curriculum & Pedagogy • Faculty Culture • Mechanisms & Resources • Community-Campus Exchange

24. New Opportunities for Community Colleges from Campus Compact • 200 Community colleges are currently members Campus Compact (all 7 Hawaii colleges) • Publication – The Community’s College: Indicators on Engagement at Two-Year Institutions – see www.compact.org • Collaboration with the Community College Survey of Student Engagement - 2006 • Low cost Service-Learning Training and Technical Assistance through State Campus Compact Offices.

25. Research Support for Service-Learning and Civic Engagement

26. Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching - “Community Engagement Classification” - 2006 • “Community Engagement describes the collaboration between higher education institutions and their larger communities (local, regional/state, national, global) for the mutually beneficial exchange of knowledge and resources in a context of partnership and reciprocity.” Foundational Indicators • - Institutional Identity • - Institutional Commitment Four Classifications of Community Engagement • - Curricular engagement • - Outreach and Service • - Partnerships • - Engaged Scholarship

27. A Regional Scan: Accreditation Commissions Support Civic Engagement and Service • North Central Accreditation (NCA) – Criterion Five – Engagement and Service to “improve the quality of life for all” - 19 States- all higher education institutions. • Western Association of Schools and Colleges WASC/ACCJC – “to prepare students for lives as ethical human beings and effective citizens” is a required general education learning outcome for community colleges. • Many SACS colleges developing Service-Learning as part of their specified academic improvement plans (Gulf-South Consortium) • New England a strong region for linking service-learning with both transfer and training.

28. Campus Compact, ELC, NCA, and WASC/ACCJC States and Territories • Eight states in red below are Campus Compact and “ELC states,” and have a regional accreditation commission’s imprimatur to promote service, civic responsibility and engagement. • Campus Compact States = CA, CO, CT, FL, HI, IA, IL, IN, KS, LA, MA, ME, MI, MN, MO, MT, NC, NH, NY, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, TX, UT, VT, WA, WI, and WV. • ELC States = AZ, CA, CO, HI, ID, IL, KY, ME, MI,MO,MN, NH,OR, RI, NC, SC, VT, WI. • NCA States = AR, AZ, CO, IA, IL, IN, KS, MI, MN, MO, ND, NE, OH, OK, NM, SD, WI, WV, WY. • WASC States and Territories = CA, HI, AS, GU, CNMI, Palau, FSM, Marshall Islands. • Gaining support from other regional as well as specialized, career-focused accreditors, would be an important development.

29. Civic Engagement as a General Education Program Outcome

30. Service-Learning at Kapiolani – Definition • Service-Learning is a teaching and learning method that integrates critical reflection and meaningful service in the community with academic learning, personal growth, and civic responsibility.

31. Definition Continued • Service-Learning encourages students and faculty to be active partners with community members in building stronger communities and provides students with opportunities to:

32. Develop and demonstrate… • Newly acquired knowledge, skills, attitudes • Deeper understanding and application of course content and broader appreciation of the discipline • Deeper understanding of their relationship and responsibility to local, national, regional, and global communities.

33. General Education – Rite of Passage to Lives of Civic Engagement • Written Communication • Critical Thinking • Information Retrieval and Technology • Quantitative Reasoning • Oral Communication • Understanding Self and Community-AAC&U Greater Expectations – “Developing Learners Responsible for Others”

34. Assessing Learning Outcomes Through a Capstone Reflection Essay 1) Awareness of Purpose of Service 2) Apply Theory to Service-Learning 3) Responsibility to Community 4) Impact on Student’s Personal Life 5) Critical Thinking Kapi’olani Community College

35. Student Outcomes • Since 1995, 6,000 students have completed more than 150,000 hours of meaningful service in the community. • Three replicated studies (1996, 1998, 2000) show statistically significant improvements in student attitudes about working as a team, making a difference in the community, and their faculty as caring individuals.

36. Student Performance Outcomes • More than 3,000 students have received evaluations from supervisors at service sites. • With 1 being “excellent” and 4 being “needs work” their average scores on the following evaluation items are listed below: • Responsibility and Reliability 1.2 • Sensitivity to Clients 1.4 • Willingness to Learn 1.3 • Communication Skills 1.2 • Overall 1.3 • These students have set a high bar for future students.

37. Civic and Career Learning Outcomes: Civics Prep, Grades 11-14 “Good citizens make good employees and executives.” ● Knowledge of community history and social networks • Development of their commitment to place • Knowledge of theory related to practice • Time management and teamwork in real world • Writing and oral communication • Critical thinking, decision-making, problem-solving • Ability to work in diverse teams, including communication, second language skills • Reliability and sensitivity to diverse clients and communities • Willingness to learn, serve and lead in strengthening communities • Community-based technology applications, bridging the digital divide. • Career exploration and commitment (reduce attrition in teaching and nursing) • Goal-setting for careers of “civic professionalism” in baccalaureate study, reflecting on how future careers can be “public-serving.” • Experience on the resume ** INTERESTED IN RESEARCH COLLABORATION?

38. Doing More With Less:Kapiolani Principles of Partnership Sustainable Partnerships are based on: • Clear lines of communication • Clear roles and responsibilities • Campus-community needs assessment and assets mapping • Strategic planning toward mutual goals • Evaluation and continuous improvement • Active and collaborative learning for all

39. Central Guiding Principle for the Work • Faculty and community partners take collective responsibility for students learning collective responsibility. • Service-learning cultivates a faculty collective culture that is crucial to learning outcomes assessment and improvement. On to e-portfolio reflections.

40. Partnership Outcomes • Service-Learning reached a community partners peak in 2003, with 107 community-based organizations and 42 K-12 schools. • Yikes! • Breadth/depth/civic impact? • New focus on deeper, more impactful, measureable outcomes.

41. Palolo Pipeline – East O’ahu • Colleges: • University of Hawaii at Manoa • Kapi’olani Community College • Chaminade University • Community Sites: • 1. Palolo Valley Housing • 2. Palolo Elementary • 3. Jarrett Middle School • 4. Palolo Recreation Center • 5. Kaimuki High School

42. Palolo Service-Learning Pathways Seven Service-Learning purposeful pathways connect courses with community issues AND courses across the general education, career, and transfer curriculum. Kapiolani Service-Learning supports: • Resilience and Success for P-20 Students • Healthy Lifestyles • Environmental Sustainability • Respect and Care for the Elderly • Community Safety • Diverse Communities, Cultures, and Histories • International Collaboration

43. Civic Responsibility in Hawaii’s Public Schools: Mapping Assets • Act 51, Session Laws of 2004, requires the Department of Education to develop a comprehensive accountability system that…assesses and tracks measures of academic achievement, safety and well-being, and civic responsibility of individual students at selected grade levels.

44. Civic Responsibility in Hawaii’s Public Schools: Mapping Assets • Civic responsibility reflected in the Department’s 2005-2008 Strategic Plan which embraces 3 student-oriented priorities: • 1)Achievement • 2)Civic Responsibility • 3)Safety and Well Being

45. Civic Responsibility in Hawaii’s Public Schools: Mapping Assets • “Transforming Student Acheivement: Encore” Superintendent Patricia Hamamoto’s (1-6-3) charge: • One vision of the public school graduate who embraces the future with confidence that stems from being well-prepared. • Six General Learner Outcomes, which serve them well as they become co-workers, spouses, parents, productive citizens, and tomorrow’s leaders in their own right. • Three student priorities –our community’s mandates to us to ensure academic achievement and civic responsibility among out students, while maintaining their safety and nurturing their well-being. (June 13, 2005)

46. Civic Responsibility in Hawaii’s Public Schools: Current Indicators • Participation in Young Voter Registration • Kids Voting Hawaii • School and Community Service • Student Aloha Program in collaboration with Aloha United Way • New indicators being refined

47. Civic Responsibility in Hawaii’s Public Schools: Graduation Requirements All Hawaii public school graduates will: • Realize their individual goals and aspirations • Possess the attitudes, knowledge, and skills necessary to contribute positively and compete in a global society; • Exercise the rights and responsibilities of citizenship; • Pursue post-secondary education and/or careers without need for remediation.

48. United for Learning: Hawaii’s P-20 Initiative • Making the Connection • If “United for Learning” can support the efforts in Palolo, both the community of Palolo and the state as a whole will move closer to achieving the outcomes we hope to achieve over the next five years:

49. United For Learning: Learner Outcomes • All learners enter school ready to succeed • All learners are reading proficiently by grade 3 • All learners graduate from HS prepared to pursue post-secondary education without the need for remediation

50. United For Learning: Learner Outcomes • All learners graduate from HS prepared to participate in Hawai`i’s workforce without the need for remediation and be fully competitive in the global economy • All learners demonstrate civic responsibility