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Carnegie Foundation Community Engagement Elective Classification webinar
Wednesday, February 20
@ 11am PST / 12pm MST / 1pm CST / 2pm EST
The Carnegie Foundation announced the availability of the 2015 Community Engagement Classification application last week. In an effort to help all of our colleges have the best chance of putting together a successful application we have organized a free webinar for all TDC and ADP member institutions. This webinar will address the application process, discuss what the committee is looking for, reflect on past applicants’ experiences, and give tips on how to make your college stand out. The webinar will be recorded and the archive will be available for later viewing.
Leading the webinar will be John Saltmarsh, Co-Director of the New England Resource Center for Higher Education (NERCHE) at University of Massachusetts, Boston; and Gail Robinson, Senior Advisor with the Community College National Center for Community Engagement.
Also joining us will be past successful applicants of the classification from TDC and ADP institutions: Fagan Forhan, Director of Experiential Learning Opportunities & Civic Engagement at Mount Wachusett Community College; Josh Young, Director, Institute for Civic Engagement and Democracy (iCED) at Miami Dade College; Emily M. Janke, Ph.D., Special Assistant for Community Engagement in the Office of Research and Economic Development at University of North Carolina, Greensboro.
___________________________________________________________________________________ The Classification
The schedule for the application is as follows:
2015 Community Engagement Classification Timeline |
January 2013 |
Announcement 2015 process |
May 1, 2013 |
Deadline for registering |
September 9, 2013 |
Release of applications |
April 15, 2014 |
Applications Due/Reviewing begins |
December 2014 |
Review Process completed/ campuses notified |
January 2015 |
2015 classification results announced |
Please take a look at the linked articles before the webinar in February:
___________________________________________________________________________________ How to Join the Webinar
To participate in the webinar, please contact Amee Bearne, TDC National Coordinator, for call-in/log-in information. Please provide your name, title, institution, and email address.

The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching invites colleges and universities with an institutional focus on community engagement to apply for the elective classification, first developed and offered in 2006 as part of an extensive restructuring of the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education. The elective Community Engagement Classification provides a way for institutions to describe their identity and commitments to community with a public and nationally recognized classification.
A total of 311 institutions have been successfully classified in the Community Engagement Classification since 2006. Campuses that received the Classification in 2006 and 2008 will undertake re-classification application and review in order to retain the Classification. Campuses classified in 2010 do not need to apply for re-classification at this time.
“The Community Engagement Classification represents a significant affirmation of the importance of community engagement in the agenda of higher education,” said Carnegie President Anthony S. Bryk. “The Foundation believes that the Classification provides campuses of every institutional type an opportunity to affirm a commitment to community engagement as an essential aspect of institutional mission and identity.”
The Foundation defines community engagement as “the collaboration between institutions of higher education and their larger communities (local, regional/state, national, global) for the mutually beneficial exchange of knowledge and resources in a context of partnership and reciprocity. The purpose of community engagement is the partnership of college and university knowledge and resources with those of the public and private sectors to enrich scholarship, research, and creative activity; enhance curriculum, teaching and learning; prepare educated, engaged citizens; strengthen democratic values and civic responsibility; address critical societal issues; and contribute to the public good.” That definition and the documentation frameworks for the classification and re-classification are intentionally inclusive to honor the diversity of institutions and their approaches to community engagement.
Those institutions interested in the 2015 Classification, either as first-time applicants or campuses seeking re-classification, are urged to review the application process, timeline, documentation frameworks, and other information on the Carnegie website before making a decision to apply. Applications are available between May 1 and July 1, 2013, and will be due on April 15, 2014.
2015 Community Engagement Classification Timeline |
January 2013 |
Announcement about the 2015 process |
May 1, 2013 |
Deadline for registering |
September 9, 2013 |
Release of applications |
April 15, 2014 |
Applications Due/Reviewing begins |
December 2014 |
Review Process completed/ campuses notified |
January 2015 |
2015 classification results announced |
2015 Classification: Campus Classification and Re-Classification
- First Time Classification
For the 2015 classification, campuses that have not previously received the classification will need to submit an application using what is referred to as the “first-time documentation framework.” A PDF version of the Documentation Framework to be used for planning purposes only is available here. There is also a guide attached to this version to assist institutions in the documentation planning process.
- Re-Classification
For the 2015 classification, institutions that received the classification in 2006 and 2008 and are seeking to retain the classification will be able to re-apply through a reclassification process. A PDF version of the application for reclassification to be used for planning purposes only is available.
- 2010 Classified Institutions
Institutions that received the classification in 2010 will not need to do anything in 2015. 2010 classified campuses will retain the classification until 2020. To be reclassified in 2020, the 2010 campuses will need to reapply through a reclassification process announced in 2018.
Inquiries about the Community Engagement Classification should be directed to John Saltmarsh at (john.saltmarsh@umb.edu) or Amy Driscoll (driscoll@carnegiefoundation.org).
Contact:
John Saltmarsh, Director
New England Resource Center for Higher Education
John.saltmarsh@umb.edu
617 287-7743
Amy Driscoll, Consulting Scholar
Carnegie Community Engagement Classification
driscoll@carnegiefoundation.org
503 227-9443
The fifth annual Summer Institute of Civic Studies will be an intensive, two-week, interdisciplinary seminar bringing together advanced graduate students, faculty, and practitioners from diverse fields of study.
Organized by Peter Levine, Tisch College, and Karol Sołtan, University of Maryland, the Summer Institute features guest seminars by distinguished colleagues from various institutions and engages participants in challenging discussions such as:
- What kinds of citizens (if any) do good regimes need?
- What should such citizens know, believe, and do?
- What practices and institutional structures promote the right kinds of citizenship?
- What ought to be the relationships among empirical evidence, ethics, and strategy?
The syllabus for the fourth annual seminar (in 2012) is here. The 2013 syllabus will be modified but will largely follow this outline. You can also read more about the motivation for the Institute in the “Framing Statement”.
The daily sessions will take place from July 8-18, 2013, at the Tufts campus in Medford, MA. The seminar will be followed (from July 18 at 6 pm until July 20 at 3 pm) by a public conference–Frontiers of Democracy 2013–in downtown Boston. Participants in the institute are expected to stay for the public conference. See information on the 2012 conference.
Tuition for the Institute is free, but students are responsible for their own housing and transportation. A Tufts University dormitory room can be rented for $230-$280/week. Credit is not automatically offered, but special arrangements for graduate credit may be possible.
To apply: please email your resume, an electronic copy of your graduate transcript (if applicable), and a cover email about your interests to Peter Levine. For best consideration, apply no later than March 15, 2012. You may also sign up for occasional announcements even if you are not sure that you wish to apply: http://tinyurl.com/a9qfftb
– Peter Levine and Karol Sołtan.

With the election is over, we’re looking ahead. The Democracy Commitment with the American Democracy are already discussing how we’re going to support student political knowledge and engagement.
We’re excited to share with campuses a new project that offers colleges and universities the chance to measure student registration and voting rates and to study the effectiveness of educational programs designed to increase civic learning and engagement in democracy. TDC member campuses are invited to participate in NSLVE—the National Study on Learning, Voting, and Engagement—a new research initiative designed by our friends at the Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement (CIRCLE).
Despite the fact that voting is a fundamental indicator of civic engagement, there have been no reliable ways to measure student voting rates. NSLVE fills that gap. It’s free and carefully designed to ensure student privacy. For more information and to sign up to be part of NSLVE, visit its site here. This FAQ page may also address some of your questions.
Our hope is that all TDC campuses will participate in NSLVE. Not only will it provide a baseline for measuring voter turnout in future years and comparisons among TDC campuses and with non-TDC campuses, but some campuses will be able to participate in tailored studies correlating specific academic programs, courses, and activities with student voting rates. (Note: NSLVE will compile voting rates by institution, study comparisons, and report trends and patterns in aggregate numbers. They may identify your campus as a participating institution, but will not disclose your institution’s data.)
For the original post, please see: American Democracy Project blog

Every year at the American Democracy Project/The Democracy Commitment joint national meeting, we have fantastic, inspiring, and intelligent individuals present as plenary speakers. Nonprofit leaders like Ami Dar, CEO of Idealist.org; scholars such as Byron White, Vice President for University Engagement at Cleveland State University; and civic leaders such as John Saltmarsh, Co-Director of the New England Resource Center for Higher Education (NERCHE) are just a few of the many incredible minds that have presented plenary talks and enhanced the work of civic engagement for the last 10 years, and we are infinitely grateful for their presence.
While we’ve included students in plenary sessions before, this year we want to have an entire plenary session focused on student perspectives of civic learning and engagement.
Here’s our plan:
In preparation for our 2013 ADP/TDC national meeting in Denver, Colorado from June 6th – 8th, we are holding a nation-wide video competition to create a panel of four students to keynote our conference, two from ADP colleges and universities and two from TDC member community colleges.
Here’s how it’ll work:
Students interested in participating in the 2013 ADP/TDC Student Plenary video competition should:
- Answer the following questions:
- How can colleges and universities better prepare students to be the informed, engaged citizens our democracy needs?
- What barriers do you believe exist to your meaningful engagement in campus and community life?
- How has civic engagement, in any aspect, helped you succeed in your academic career? (Feel free to share a personal story.)
- Create a 2-3 minute video cleverly, thoughtfully, and eloquently answering the questions above in your own words, conveying your own style and personality.
- Upload that video to YouTube by Sunday, February 10, 2013.
- Send us the URL:
- For ADP student submissions, send the video link to ADP National Manager Jen Domagal-Goldman at domagalj@aascu.org
- For TDC student submissions, send the video link to TDC National Coordinator Amee Bearne at bearnea@aascu.org
- A panel of judges will choose their favorite videos to move to the next round. These selected videos will then be voted on by the general public.
- If you are chosen as a finalist you will receive a link on Friday, February 22nd, 2013 to share with your friends, family, or anyone! The link will direct voters to the page of finalist videos where they can watch and vote on their preferred submission.
- Find out if you were chosen to participate as one of the selected panelists on March 4, 2013.
The four chosen student panelists will each receive a free registration to the 2013 ADP/TDC National Meeting and will be highlighted with a picture and bio on our conference mobile app.
During the panel presentation at the ADP/TDC National Meeting, a moderator will introduce the student panelists and show clips of the selected videos. Panelists will be given time to speak about their civic engagement experiences at their institutions and will be asked by the moderator to respond to a set of questions that will be provided to each panelist prior to the conference. This plenary session will also have an open question and answer period.
Rules
- Videos must not contain material that violates or infringes another’s rights, including but not limited to privacy, publicity or intellectual property rights, or that constitutes copyright or license infringement.
- All videos submitted to the 2013 ADP/TDC Student Plenary video competition remain the intellectual property of the individuals who developed them. However, AASCU, its American Democracy Project, and The Democracy Commitment are given a non-exclusive, royalty-free license to use, reproduce, publish, distribute and exhibit all submitted videos in any and all formats or manner for educational or promotional purposes consistent with our missions.
For the original posting by the Department of Education blog, please click here.
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The Education Department Wants to Hear From You!
BACKGROUND:
At a White House event this past January, the Obama Administration released its Road Map for civic learning, “Advancing Civic Learning and Engagement in Democracy.” This Road Map, developed by the U.S. Department of Education (ED), is a call to action to reinvigorate civic learning and engagement for students, families, communities and leaders in education, business, labor, philanthropy and government. We envision a nationwide commitment to preparing all students for citizenship as informed, engaged and responsible members of our society. The Road Map outlines nine steps ED is undertaking to increase civic learning and engagement across our country. You are invited to watch the release event and read ED’s Road Map to learn more.
THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT WANTS TO HEAR FROM YOU!
Since the release of the Road Map, ED has been implementing a strategy to achieve its nine objectives. As part of this process, ED is seeking the public’s input on how we understand “civic learning and engagement activities” and how we can best support these activities. We encourage educators, practitioners, students, researchers, and any other interested parties to submit opinions, ideas, suggestions and comments pertaining to the outline below:
A. How ED Defines “Civic Learning and Engagement”
Activities that help students become informed and engaged members of society by providing nonpartisan opportunities for development of civic knowledge, skills, and dispositions. Civic learning and engagement activities include:
- Development, through the study of American history, civics and government, of students’ foundational civic knowledge, skills, attitudes and behaviors.
- Participation in interactive activities (e.g., service learning, community-based projects, simulations, media campaigns, advocacy, etc.) that provide students the opportunity to apply their learning to the needs of their community through action and reflection, thus broadening understanding of how to apply knowledge to improve societal outcomes. Activities should be selected and organized with input from faculty and students and can be developed in partnership with educational institutions, faith and/or community-based organizations, government agencies, philanthropies, businesses, and other stakeholders.
B. How ED will Support Civic Learning
Of the nine objectives ED is implementing to support civic learning and engagement activities, we specifically request feedback on how to best:
- Convene and catalyze the education community to increase and enhance high-quality civic learning and engagement opportunities.
- Identify civic learning and engagement indicators to measure student outcomes and encouraging further research to learn more about appropriate and effective program design.
- Leverage federal investments and public-private partnerships to support civic learning and engagement activities where permitted and feasible.
- Highlight and promote civic learning and engagement opportunities for students, families and other stakeholders as collaborators and problem-solvers in education.
Please submit all comments to civiclearning@ed.gov or post them on directly on this blog.
This is a moderated site. That means all comments will be reviewed before posting. We intend to post all responsive submissions on a timely basis. We reserve the right not to post comments that are unrelated to this request, are inconsistent with ED’s Web site policies, are advertisements or endorsements, or are otherwise inappropriate. To protect your own privacy and the privacy of others, please do not include personally identifiable information such as Social Security numbers, addresses, phone numbers or email addresses in the body of your comment. For more information, please be sure to read the “comments policy” tab at the top of the Web page.
The fine print: Please understand that posts must be related to Civic Learning Initiative, we encourage posts that are as specific as possible, and, as appropriate, supported by data and relevant research. Posts must be limited to 1,000 words. All opinions, ideas, suggestions and comments are considered informal input. If you include a link to additional information in your post, we urge you to ensure that the linked-to information is accessible to all individuals, including individuals with disabilities. Additionally, please do not include links to advertisements or endorsements; we will delete all such links before your comment is posted.
Again, thank you for your interest in this opportunity to support civic learning. We look forward to hearing from you.

By Amee Bearne, National Coordinator, The Democracy Commitment
Registration is now open for The Democracy Commitment’s 3rd and the American Democracy Project’s 11th Annual National Meeting June 6-8, 2013, in Denver, Colorado. You’ll find important information below about dates and registration fees, how to reserve a room at the Marriott City Center, and how to submit a proposal.
Each year, the American Democracy Project (ADP)/The Democracy Commitment (TDC) Joint National Meeting brings together a community of individuals committed to civic renewal, while also envisioning together new signature pedagogies and practices to strengthen our democracy. In a time of bitter partisanship and deep concerns about the future of our country, our work today is more important now than ever!
Registration Open for Annual Meeting
June 6-8, 2013 | Marriott City Center | Denver, Colorado
“21st Century Citizens: Building Bridges, Solving Problems”
The annual meeting begins on Thursday, June 6 with day-long pre-conference workshops and an opening plenary at 3:30 p.m. The meeting culminates with a closing speaker followed by a closing reception with dinner from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Saturday, June 8.
Registration Fees:
The registration fee includes all program sessions and materials; wine and cheese reception on Thursday; breakfast on Friday; and lunch and closing reception on Saturday.
- Individual Fee: $545
Register as an individual if only one person from your ADP/TDC campus is attending.
- Team Member Registration Fee: $485
If more than one person from your ADP/TDC campus is attending the meeting, you may use the Team Member Registration Fee.
- Student Registration Fee: $395
Registration rate for full-time undergraduate and graduate students at AASCU/ADP/TDC colleges and universities.
- Non-Member Registration Fee: $625
Register as a non-member if you or your organization are not AASCU/ADP/TDC campus members.
How to Register:
Please select among the three options below:
Call for Proposals (CFP)
Read the CFP (download pdf)
Submit a proposal online
(Please Note: You will not be able to save your proposal, please copy and paste your responses into a Word document for your own records.)
Accommodations
Denver Marriott City Center
1701 California Street
Denver, Colorado 80202
Phone: 303-297-1300
Toll-free: 800-228-9290
Fax: 303-293-3736
Hotel accommodations for the 2013 ADP/TDC National Meeting can be booked directly with the hotel by calling 506-474-2009 or toll-free 877-303-0104 and referring to the group rate for the ADP/TDC Annual Meeting (please use the acronyms for the group name).
You may also reserve your room online here
Room Rate
The special conference rate is $169 (single/double/triple/quad) plus 14.85% tax (current tax rate may change). To obtain this rate, you must call the hotel by May 14, 2013.
- Check-in at the hotel is at 4 p.m., and check-out is at Noon.
- High-speed internet is available in your guest room at $12.95 a day. There is free wireless internet in hotel’s public areas.
- Valet parking fee: $29/day.
Cancellation & Refund Policy
Cancellation Fee: $150
If you must cancel your registration, you will receive a full refund if the cancellation is before 5 p.m. EST on Friday, May 31. There will be a $150 cancellation fee after that date. Special circumstances will be handled on an individual basis. Guest meals should be cancelled by 5 p.m. EST on Friday, May 31 for a full refund; no refund is available after that date.