2020 Carnegie Classification for Community Engagement

Classification for Community Engagement

The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching has recognized Utah State University with the Carnegie Community Engagement Classification. The Carnegie designation is the highest level of recognition for Community Engagement. USU is one of 359 institutions that now hold the Elective Carnegie Community Engagement Classification. The Carnegie Foundation noted that “USU has made significant strides in finding ways to engage with community partners, building on community assets, and addressing a wide array of community challenges. There is much to celebrate!” The Foundation cited USU’s “excellent alignment among campus mission, culture, leadership, resources, and practices that support dynamic and noteworthy community engagement along with exemplary institutionalized practices,” as the reason for the classification.

As a land-grant institution, community engagement is central to USU’s mission to serve the public through learning, discovery, and engagement. USU upholds its mission by responding specifically and concretely to community-identified needs throughout the state, both on its main Logan campus and on the 32 other statewide campuses across the state. All 33 of USU’s campuses are deeply rooted in their local communities and responsive to the needs of those communities, offering an unprecedented opportunity for community engagement.

Examples of university-wide community engagement efforts:

• In 2017-18 alone, USU had 1,465 active campus-community partnerships, 722 of which were led by faculty.
• USU rewards community engagement in the promotion and tenure process.
• USU celebrates community engagement with university-wide Presidential awards and departmental designations.
• USU’s General Education mission to graduate Citizen Scholars involves community-engaged learning that can be measured and assessed through established learning outcomes.
• The Center for Community Engagement serves as the USU hub for community engagement and ensures community voice and campus-community reciprocity through programs such as the Community Bridge Initiative.
• USU assesses interdisciplinary learning outcomes for community engagement in community-engaged learning classes, across designated community engaged departments, and through co-curricular community engagement.
• Aggies Think Care Act (ATCA), a campus-wide initiative for fostering diversity, human dignity, and social responsibility, serves as the umbrella organization for ensuring ethical and responsible engagement by students, faculty, and staff.
• USU’s Civic Action Plan serves as the strategic plan for community engagement.

The Community Engagement Classification is one of seven nationally recognized classifications established by the Carnegie Commission on Higher Education over 30 years ago to help “recognize and describe institutional diversity in U.S. higher education.” The Classification for Community Engagement is the Foundation’s only elective classification, meaning that it requires a voluntary application process by institutions. The classification is not simply an award; it requires extensive, evidence-based documentation of institutional practice to be used in an ongoing and forward-looking process of self-assessment and quality improvement for community engagement.

“This extensive application process enabled USU to define and create a culture of meaningful and pervasive community engagement across all USU campuses,” said USU Provost Francis Galey.

“USU has been actively preparing for the classification since 2016. The pursuit uncovered processes and policies to be strengthened, clarified, and enacted to better align with the values and spirt of community engagement. Most importantly, the process gave USU a common language and shared institutional goal to not only obtain the classification, but also deepen and improve partnerships across all USU campuses in ways that encourage reciprocity, community voice, and mutual benefit.” said Kate Stephens, Associate Director of USU Center for Community Engagement and Co-Chair of Carnegie Writing Team.

“The classification is a valuable tool for faculty and student recruitment, sending an important signal that USU values community engagement and takes seriously its land-grant mission. Likewise, the designation signals to community partners that we’re invested in high quality partnerships that result in collective impact.” said Dr. Jessica Lucero, Social Work Associate Professor and Co-Chair of Carnegie Writing Team.