OKLAHOMA CIVIC HEALTH INDEX 2010

1. OKLAHOMA CIVIC HEALTH INDEX 2010 Strategies for Strengthening Oklahoma’s Civic Energy 1

2. OVERVIEW • History of the Civic Health Index • Oklahoma Research Team • Summary of Oklahoma Civic Health Index • Call to Action • Small Group Discussions • Shared Challenges and Solutions

3. History of Civic Health Index • National Conference on Citizenship (NCoC) founded in 1946 and chartered by Congress in 1953 – charged with the mission of strengthening the nation’s civic health • Produces annual national report • State reports started in 2009 (six states) • Oklahoma Civic Health Index (first report in 2010) • Oklahoma’s Process • Plan for the future

4. Civic engagement • “..working to make a difference in the civic life of our communities and developing the combination of knowledge, skills, values and motivation to make that difference. It means promoting the quality of life in a community through both political and non-political processes.” • Thomas Ehrlich in Civic Responsibility and Higher Education

5. Research Team • Partnership between Oklahoma Campus Compact and the University of Central Oklahoma • Faculty and student research team • Civic Scholars • Convergence of theory and practice – students engaged in community-based research with dissemination plans that include publication and community forums

6. Research Team

7. Five Key Findings • Oklahomans invest in family connections and private sociability. • Social actions such as working with neighbors to solve community issues help strengthen communities. • Civic responsibility is an important tool of democracy • Oklahomans with more education tend to be more civically engaged. • Oklahomans continue to increase their commitment to volunteering and service.

8. Politics in Oklahoma

9. Politics in Oklahoma

10. Connecting with Others • Eating dinner with family • Exchanging favors with neighbors and talking with friends • Communicating with family and friends using the social media and email

11. Group Association and Leadership • Belonging to and leadership in groups • Native Americans • Religion in Oklahoma

12. Role of Education • Service statistics for Oklahoma • Students • Faculty and administration • Community partners • The mission of higher education • Correlation between education and civic engagement

13. Public Policy • Serves as an incentive and guide • Oklahoma City • Metropolitan Area Projects (MAPS) • MAPS for Kids • 54% of voters approved a one-cent sales tax for seven years and nine months to support MAPS 3. • Tulsa • Oklahoma Main Street Program • Oklahoma Academy • 60% of voters approved a one penny 13-year sales tax to support a growth package of 32 projects

14. Call to Action • We invite you to think creatively and work together to propose ways we can renew the civic health of our communities and our state • How can we strengthen state and community ties? • What can we do on our campuses?

15. The Challenges We Face • The Unique Heritage of Oklahoma • Educational Aspirations • Health Care Aspirations • Political and Social Aspirations • Business and Industry Aspirations • Leadership Aspirations

16. Small Group Discussions • As an Individual: • 1. Identify the area in which you would like to make a change within your own discipline. • 2. Identify the change you would like to make. • 3. Identify the challenges that would prevent you from doing this work. • As a Group: • 4. Share the solutions you or your campus have envisioned for the future or have enacted already. • 5. Select one or two problems and solutions to share when back in the large group.

17. SHARED CHALLENGES AND SOLUTIONS • When we come back together, the groups will share a summary of their discussions and pose questions or solutions to the larger group for feedback. • Results will be recorded and shared with the group in an electronic format.

18. Oklahoma Civic Health Index To access the Oklahoma report, please visit: www.ncoc.net/OK 18