Long-Term Goal 5: Active Community Engagement. Achieve an integral and indispensable relationship with Illinois and the St. Louis metropolitan area; work cooperatively within SIU to make the whole greater than the sum of its parts.
1. Data Sources for Measuring Achievement of Long-Term Goal 5:
SIUE has a variety of measures of community engagement. These measures include faculty, student, and alumni reports about their behavior through the UCLA study, the NSSE study, and baccalaureate follow-up studies. Data are also available about alumni living and work patterns, student involvement in cooperative study and internships, attendance at campus events, and external funding for community engagement. The data from these various sources are displayed in Appendix 5.
2. Status in Achieving Long-Term Goal 5:
The University promotes engagement by educating students to be active citizens who choose to live and work productively in the community. As the data in Appendix 5 show, the number of SIUE alumni residing in Illinois and the St. Louis metropolitan area continues to grow at approximately 4% per year. The number of cooperative educational placements increased 2% in FY06.
The percent of senior students who plan to or have done community service has been variable, but shows an increase from FY04 (54%) to FY06 (60%). This percentage is similar, yet still below the NSSE urban consortium average of 65%. In FY 04, forty-seven percent of SIUE faculty indicate that instilling in students a commitment to community service is important to them (as compared to a peer average of 38%) and 63% agree that preparing students for responsible citizenship is important (compared to a peer average of 62%). The FY06 percentage of SIUE seniors who have or will be participating in a practicum, internship, field experience, or clinical assignment has risen since FY02 (63% for SIUE vs 65% for NSSE peers) and now is above that of the NSSE urban consortium peers (75% for SIUE vs 73% for NSSE peers). From the most recent 2000 data 90% of recent and older graduates indicate that their college education is important to their community life.
Budgetary constraints have forced the University to more strongly focus its resources on its core educational programs. This has had an impact on resources applied to public service in terms of both total dollars (state and non-state) and staff years (state and non-state). In FY06, both total dollars and staff years have shown a decrease (-0.5% and -8.1%, respectively).
Highlights from FY07 in Pursuit of Long-Term Goal 5
Highlights of activities in FY07 in pursuit of Long-Term Goal 5 include:
a. Trained first round of pre-service and in-service educators through the Southern Illinois Regional Professional Development Center.
b. A new director of the NCERC was named and the Center received $4 million in funding from the State of Illinois (DCEO) for $3 million capital upgrades to the facility and $1million in operating costs.
c. On February 3, 2007, the SIU Dental School provided an estimated $37,475 in free dental care to a record number of needy and underserved children in the 4th Annual Give Kids a Smile Day.
d. The first SIUe DAY was a great success. Results included a participation rate of greater than 25% of faculty and staff and the number of employees opting to use payroll deduction for their gift increased by 88%. Overall, gifts and pledges received totaled over $108,000 for the 2006 SIUE DAY effort.
e. SIUE continues to expand involvement in organizations in southwestern Illinois and the St. Louis area. Highlights of this year include Chancellor Vandegrift's appointment to St. Louis Civic Progress and his receipt of the Salute to Southwestern Illinois award in March, 2007, presented by Leadership Council in recognition of his role in the University's growth and its impact on economic development in the region.
f. A reorganization in the Kimmel Leadership Center will focus on expanding and increasing student involvement in service learning, civic engagement, and volunteer services.
g. SIUE Counseling Services received $20,000 from the Attorney General Violent Crime Victims Assistance Program for free individual and group counseling, advocacy, education, training, information and referral for those who have experienced sexual assault and/or sexual abuse either as adults or children.
h. In partnership with the Edwardsville School District, the Early Childhood Center was awarded $58,776 in a Pre-K Block Grant with $20,000 used to fund Pre-K services for at risk 3-5 year old children, $20,000 to subsidize Pre-K teaching staff and classroom materials, and the balance remained with the Edwardsville School District for parent programs, workshops, and home visits for participating families.
4. Short-Term Goals and Plans:
Fiscal Year 2008
During FY08, SIUE will focus on the following short-term goals and plans relative to Long-Term Goal 5:
a. Continue the training of pre-service and in-service educators through the Southern Illinois Regional Professional Development Center.
Responsibility: Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, Dean of Education
Source of Funds: IBSE: $1,900,000
Rationale: Provide multi-level professional development and technical assistance to support schools in designing a continuum of services between general education and
special education.
b. Expand efforts to encourage and enhance economic development and support the full operation of the National Corn-to-Ethanol Research Center (NCERC).
Responsibility: Chancellor, Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, Director, University Park, Director, NCERC
Source of Funds: Existing staff time and budget and renewable fuels grant
Rationale: Enhance operations of University Park facilities including the Biotechnology Laboratory Incubator and the National Corn-to-Ethanol Research Center as well as technology centers such as the Southwestern Illinois Advanced Manufacturing Center to support regional technology needs.
c. Develop an ongoing partnership between the academic units and the East St. Louis Center to support and develop programming for at risk students, including effective college recruiting initiatives.
Responsibility: Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs Director, East St. Louis Center, Academic Deans
Source of Funds: Existing staff time and budget
Rationale: The mission of the University is better served through a strong partnership between the academic units and the East St. Louis Center.
d. Continue Health Services' participation with Madison County Health Department and the Disaster Planning Committee to address preparedness for bio-terrorism. In addition, continue collaboration with the St. Louis Area Pandemic Preparedness Task Force in anticipation of avian flu.
Responsibility: Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs, Vice Chancellor for Administration, Director of Health Services
Source of Funds: Existing staff time and budget
Rationale: Proactive responses to these health and safety issues are critical to the welfare of the University community.
e. Enhance efforts of Kimmel Leadership Center Service Learning Program by developing new partnerships and opportunities in leadership, volunteer services and community outreach with Edwardsville, Glen Carbon and other communities.
Responsibility: Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs, Assistant Director, Kimmel Leadership Center
Source of Funds: Existing staff time and budget
Rationale: To serve the citizens of the State of Illinois and to place greater emphasis on encouraging students to become civic-minded and more engaged as student leaders.
f. Continue Lobby Day.
Responsibility: Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs, Student Government
Source of Funds: Existing staff time and budget
Rationale: To further SIUE interests with the legislature and to thank legislators for their support.
g. Continue Legislator Recognition Program.
Responsibility: Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs, Student Government
Source of Funds: Existing staff time and budget
Rationale: To recognize and thank legislators for supporting SIUE and higher education, in general.
h. Seek a mobile dental clinic for the SDM "Give Kids A Smile" program.
Responsibility: Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, Dean, School of Dental Medicine
Source of Funds: Existing staff time and budget
Rationale: The School of Dental Medicine and the East St. Louis Center offer invaluable services to southern Illinois.
i. Add new tenants to University Park, with a diversity of enterprise, to enhance the economic development of the region.
Responsibility: Chancellor Director, University Park
Source of Funds: Existing staff time
Rationale: Attracting additional private sector investment will expand the benefits of University Park on the economic health of the region.
j. Coordinate 15 paid internship opportunities for undergraduate students interested in professional careers in politics and state government through the Vince Demuzio Governmental Internship Program.
Responsibility: Chancellor
Source of Funds: State appropriation
Rationale: Provide college students with an opportunity to work in and observe the benefits of careers in public service while providing a service for area legislators.
k. Continue and enhance the Chancellor's Residence Program hosting visiting trustees, legislators, and executives from local and regional businesses and industries.
Responsibility: Chancellor
Source of Funds: Existing staff time and budget
Rationale: The contacts are invaluable for informing area leaders about SIUE's successes and challenges in fulfilling its mission within the SIU system.
l. Complete and implement the University Park integrated marketing and communications plan.
Responsibility: Director, University Park Chancellor
Source of Funds: Internal allocation
Rationale: Provides the basis for efforts to attract private sector tenants and private sector investment to the Park.
m. Implement second annual SIUE Day in cooperation with the Edwardsville/Glen Carbon Chamber of Commerce, and with the assistance of 150 volunteers, to support outreach to local businesses.
Responsibility: Vice Chancellor for University Relations
Source of Funds: Existing staff time and expanded volunteer participation
Rationale: Increased local business participation will lead to greater good will in the community.
n. Launch new "Community Connection" publication that is inserted into Chamber of Commerce newcomer's packets.
Responsibility: Vice Chancellor for University Relations
Source of Funds: Existing staff time
Rationale: Increased local appreciation and understanding of ways to engage with SIUE.