Civic Engagement

Thoughts & Reflections

RCCI Institute Fort Worth, TX April 5, 2006

Dick Senese

Associate Dean, Community Vitality

University of Minnesota Extension Service

Why is it important?

“The complexity of modern life…means that in our communities, our nations and our world, nobody can possibly know enough to be in general charge of anything important or interesting.”

Nobody in Charge (2002)Harlan Cleveland

Tides affecting communities

• Globalization of the economy & worldviews

• Demographic changes

• Technological changes

Devolution

• Communities asked to address complex issues for themselves

• Requires a re-commitment to democracy

• An engaged civic infrastructure built on inclusive processes serves an executive function

One tree does not make a forest.

No matter how big it is.

Saying from Cameroon

Civic Engagement in RCCI

Engage with entire community to proactively develop and offer educational programs and services

RCCI Model of Civic Engagement

The Community

Extension ServicesCommunity & Tribal Colleges

Civic Engagement in RCCI

• We develop and do– Literacy programs– Economic development programs– Leadership development programs– Facilitating community dialogues– Community surveys and research

Huge variety of projects – confusing

Civic Engagement in RCCI

• To plant, nurture & grow– Bridging social capital– Self efficacy– Community efficacy

Short-term outcomes

Civic Engagement in RCCI

• In order to strengthen – Social and civic infrastructure– Community leadership network– One to seven of the community capitals

Longer-term outcomes

Civic Engagement in RCCI

• Because then– The odds are better for the community’s future– A stronger more vital community, ready to

envision and lead to its future

Ultimate impact Unfunded mandate of community colleges

Let’s CelebrateSuccess Stories

Best Practices

And go home…we have it down

WOW!!

Just what the heck is it?

• A characteristic of processes used within a community of place, identity and/or interest

• Description of how organizations work

• Paradigm for understanding scholarship

• Individual and collective action designed to identify and address issues of public concern

Just what the heck is it?

Can be at any level of ecological model

1. Individual

2. Interpersonal

3. Groups & Organizations

4. Community

Just what the heck is it?

• Is it a way of achieving outcomes and impacts in educational action?

• Is it an outcome and impact in and of itself?

In many ways, it must be both

First-order engagement factors

– Engagement as an activity toward some other goal

– Success is related to these activities – educational access or economic development or housing or whatever

Second-order engagement factors

– Engagement is the thing

– Success is related to the engagement process and infrastructures supporting it

– Can lead to inclusiveness and sustainability of effort

What’s our growth edge?

1. Develop clear models for understanding civic engagement

2. Create models for change mechanisms (social, political, psychological, & cultural factors)

3. Develop and evaluate interventions(qualitative & quantitative – embrace failure and success)

4. Build & disseminate effective models

Ann LandersAmerican advice columnist

Know yourself.

Don't accept your dog's admiration as conclusive evidence that you are wonderful.

Self Discovery

Relationship among community colleges, tribal colleges, & 1862 land-grant universities– Competitors– Cooperators– Collaborators

Isn’t it all three?Can we live with that?

What’s our growth edge?

RCCI opportunity for higher education systems to develop cooperative and collaborative relationships

Development

Fairly orderly for individuals, families, groups, organizations and collaborations

Development

Rule 1 – Have to be dependent before independent

We’ve all been warmed by fires we didn’t build and eaten of banquets we’ve not prepared

Development

Rule 2 – Have to be independent before interdependent

To thine own self be true, and it must follow, as the night the day, thou canst not then be false to any man.

PoloniusHamlet

Act I, Scene III

Bonding Social Capital

New national networks and support have emerged within:

Rural community collegesExtension partnership

BUT we need to know our niche what it is and isn’t

Development

Rule 3 – Have to be interdependent for true sustainable collaboration

America is nothing if it consists of each of us. It is something only if it consists of all of us.

Woodrow Wilson

28th President of the United States

Social Capital in Higher Ed

Civic Engagement in Higher Ed

Mutually influencing process that changes

community dynamics

vision & mission of higher education institutions

In relation to

communities served & co-created

each other

Challenge – Act where you stand

We can commit to sustaining collaboration within higher education or not.

We did not weave the web of life; we are merely a strand in it. Whatever we do to the web, we do to ourselves.

Chief Seattle

Suquamish tribal leader

Why not go out on a limb?

That’s where the fruit is.

Will RogersAmerican humorist

Civic Engagement

Questions & Reactions

RCCI Institute Fort Worth, TX April 5, 2006

Dick Senese

Associate Dean, Community Vitality

University of Minnesota Extension Service