About Campus-Community Dialogues
What is a Campus-Community Dialogue?
Campus-Community Dialogues are regional roundtable meetings,
hosted by individual campuses or co-hosted by partnering campuses,
which bring together presidents and academic leaders with
business, civic and community leaders to address the learning
students need in today's society.
Hosting a Dialogue
AAC&U member campuses take the lead in coordinating the
Campus-Community Dialogues. An individual campus can conduct
their own Dialogue or partner with neighboring institutions.
AAC&U will provide copies for Dialogue participants of
selected LEAP materials, including the goals for student learning
and the executive overview of the Greater Expectations National
Panel Report, Greater Expectations: A New Vision for Learning
as a Nation Goes to College. Campus-based Dialogue planners
can use this report on the aims and practices of higher education
to frame the program and the types of outcomes the campus
would like to achieve through the Dialogue. In some cases,
a senior AAC&U staff member may be available to attend
the Dialogue to serve as a speaker and/or facilitator.
Benefits for Campuses
Individual campuses, or institutions partnering in regional
Campus-Community Dialogues, should identify specific outcomes
they wish to achieve through the Dialogue. Such outcomes might
include:
-
Publicity for the innovative educational programs of
a particular campus or partnership
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Greater visibility for the academic mission of the institution
with key stakeholders
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Expanded collaboration in key areas with businesses,
local government, secondary schools and other neighboring
campuses
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The establishment of ongoing dialogues or programs related
to defining and promoting the aims of a twenty-first century
liberal education
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Campus commitment to significant educational change
Goals and Intended Outcomes
For AAC&U, the primary goal for the Campus-Community Dialogues
is to engage a wide range of higher education constituencies
in conversation about the goals, values and practices of a
twenty-first century liberal education.
Through the Campus-Community Dialogues, AAC&U seeks to:
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Develop an ongoing public dialogue about what really
matters in a college education for the twenty-first century
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Identify and disseminate recommendations for action in
promoting the values and outcomes of a twenty-first century
liberal education
-
Identify articulate public spokespeople for the value
of liberal education
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Obtain formal endorsements from business and civic leaders
of the importance of liberal education in the economy
and citizenship
Sample Discussion Questions for Campus-Community Dialogues
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What are the most important outcomes of a college education
in the 21st century?
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Are these outcomes widely understood and valued on campus?
Among prospective students in your region?
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What teaching and learning practices and innovations
address these aims?
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Are changes needed in campus practice?
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Do faculty, administrators, students, and community
members in your region use the term liberal education
to describe the local campus mission and educational program?
Why or why not?
-
What can campus and community leaders do together to
build public understanding of what matters in college
in the 21st century?
Sample list of invitees
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Academic leaders from host campus, partnering campuses,
and other neighboring campuses
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Local civic and government leaders
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Local business leaders
- Local secondary educators and leaders
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Current students and recent graduates
Resources available to Dialogue organizers
Planning Steps
Campuses must first decide or not whether they will partner
with other institutions to host the Dialogue. A steering committee
might form to plan the substantive content of the program
and identify a targeted invitation list, and logistical planners
should also be identified to coordinate the date, location,
mailings, and other details for the Dialogue. Planners should
be in touch with AAC&U to obtain copies of the executive
summary of the Greater Expectations report. We are also happy
to advise campuses on the Dialogue program and to answer any
questions you might have.
AAC&U Contact Information
Bethany Zecher Sutton is the Program Director for the
Campus Community Dialogues. She can be reached at sutton@aacu.org
or (202) 884-7401. Debra Humphreys, Vice President for Communications
and Public Affairs, is coordinating publicity around AAC&U's
advocacy efforts and can be reached at humphreys@aacu.org
or (202) 387-3760.
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