The Kentucky
Council on Postsecondary Education (CPE) has developed a Regional Stewardship
Program to support Kentucky's public universities as they position themselves
to serve as centers for regional and state improvement. Specifically the
Program supports university efforts to promote regional or statewide economic
development, livable communities, social inclusion, improved P-12 schools,
creative governance, and civic participation through public engagement
activities initiated by university faculty and staff.
CPE requires universities to
design and implement programs that align institutional resources and infrastructure
to create partnerships and activities that address regional and state
needs. One of the first priorities is for universities to assemble a Regional
Advisory Committee (RAC) of local government and community leaders, business
and industry representatives, education leaders, policy professionals,
interest groups, and citizens from across the university’s area of geographic
responsibility. Each University's RAC will identify regional needs, opportunities,
and stewardship priorities that align with the goals of the CPE Regional
Stewardship Program.
Glossary of Terms related
to Service and Public Engagement
(As agreed by the Kentucky
Regional Universities and CPE -March 2007)
Outreach refers
to the provision of programs, services, activities, and/or expertise
to those outside the traditional university community of faculty, staff
and on-campus students. Outreach is one-way, with the university being
the provider either on a gratis basis or with an associated charge.
Individual faculty and staff link their professional expertise to a
community organization or entity for mutual benefit. This does not encompass
volunteer activities outside the domain of an individual’s professional
expertise. Outreach takes resources and expertise to off-campus locations
or brings the public or subsets of the public onto the campus. Activities
cut across the triad of teaching, research, and service.
Regional stewardshipor public engagement is characterized by a partnership
between the institution or some part of it and an external constituency.
The partnership involves mutual definition of a regional need/opportunity,
planning to address the need/opportunity, and accountability. It typically
involves resources from all partners and is tied to outcomes and metrics
for measuring those outcomes. Activities cut across the triad of teaching,
research, and service.
Regional stewardship
activity funded by the Council’s Regional Stewardship Program
is defined as above but must be identified and approved as a priority
by a Regional Advisory Committee and must follow all of the guidelines
developed for these funds. Infrastructure funds from the Regional Stewardship
Program support data systems and infrastructure changes that encourage
broader public engagement and regional stewardship activities as well
as more targeted activities identified as part of the Regional Stewardship
Program.
Partnership
refers to a relationship between the university and external entity
or entities to work together toward a common goal. All parties involved
have specified responsibilities. Partnerships can range from informal,
short-term arrangements to formal, contractual long-term arrangements.
