Abstract

This research, professional, and organizational development project is using case studies of university-community engagement to build a practical theory of public scholarship in the national land-grant university system.

Issue

The "land-grant mission" has long been viewed as involving direct partnerships between university scholars and educators and communities, businesses, government agencies, and a variety of organizations. These partnerships have the potential not only to address instrumental problems but also to advance democracy. There is at present, however, no empirical literature on the ways this civic mission is pursued. This problem is of concern to all academic professionals, students, and stakeholders of the land-grant system.

Response

In relation to this problem, I have organized a team of scholars from across the national land-grant system to develop a set of case studies of engagement. These case studies, along with a great deal of interviews of engaged scholars have been analyzed under the theme of building a practical theory of public scholarship. Several journal articles from the work have been published, and several more are in the works. Findings from the research have been shared at several national conferences, and a book manuscript presenting the findings will be published in 2005.

Impact

This project has begun to impact three different arenas: the scholarly literature on higher education's civic engagement mission and work, faculty and professional development efforts at several land-grant universities, and organizational development initiatives at three different universities. The changes this project is helping to bring about play out at the level of practice in outreach and extension scholarship, and in organizational development initiatives aimed at advancing higher education's civic mission. The nature of the change is to improve academic professionals' civic education practices, and their "practical theories" that inform them.

Funding Sources

• Federal Formula Funds - Research (e.g., Hatch, McIntire-Stennis, Animal Health)
• Federal Formula Funds - Extension (e.g., Smith Lever, RREA)
• Kellogg Foundation
• Kettering Foundation

Collaborators

• W. K. Kellogg Foundation
• Charles F. Kettering Foundation

Key Personnel

• Nicholas. R. Jordan, Agronomy & Plant Genetics Department, University of Minnesota
• Margaret Adamek, Center for Urban and Regional Affairs, University of Minnesota
• Theodore R. Alter, Professor of Agricultural, Environmental and Regional Economics, Pennsylvania State University