Metropolitan Affairs Committee

Meeting Minutes

Monday, Nov. 7th, 9am

 

Present:  Lorraine Blackman, Lisa McGuire, Charles Feldhaus

 

Minutes from the previous meeting were accepted by consensus.

 

Lorraine Blackman reported on her meeting with Charlie Nelms, IU Vice President for Student Development and Diversity and Mike Sample, Vice President for University Relations & Corporate Partnerships regarding the mission differentiation process.  They described this as a process ongoing over many years.  There is a push to develop closer connections with K12 education in Indiana.  In addition, the State Department of Education’s plan calls for an increase in Core 40 requirements for high school graduates.  There was also discussion about the issues in remediation and the potential need for building a stronger community college system.    Lorraine reported that there was strong interest in the concept of increasing skills for Indiana workers.  The Universities are seen as being at the center of workforce development in Indiana. 

 

Knowing there is competition for college students, Mission Differentiation will try to decrease competition AMONG IU campuses.  For example, pending approval by IU Trustees, a major emphasis at IUPUI is and will be Health Sciences.  Similarly, mission statements must be approved to clarify the specific identify of Indiana University and how each campus fits into that identity.  There is a big emphasis on how each campus is doing NOW in connecting with needs in their geographic area of the state, and then what do we need to do better.

 

There was discussion about the language of IUPUI’s focus which seemed to focus narrowly on economic development rather than community development/engagement more broadly.  There were also questions about how this community engagement focus will translate into the reward system for faculty, particularly in the promotion and tenure system which seems to pull the focus of faculty more toward national engagement rather than state or local.  It was also discussed that it was the function of the leadership of the University as a whole to ARTICULATE the vision and mission of our institution.  Leadership could/should be charged with the role of developing a culture of productivity about civic energy.  

 

Some discussion was held around the faculty role was held:  “A 21st century scholar who assesses the needs of the community and focuses their teaching and research around those needs”.

 

RECOMMENDATION: The Metropolitan Affairs Committee recommends that the IU Faculty Council plan workshops wherein the University President can clarify to IUPUI faculty this increased emphasis on economic development and regional community engagement.  This would be particularly helpful at new faculty orientation, but would be helpful also to more senior faculty.  Lorraine Blackman will convey this recommendation to the IUPUI Faculty Council.

 

It was also discussed that there needed to be media and public relations development to identify and promote the many research findings and faculty service efforts that are of importance for the local and state community.  A media clearinghouse was mentioned as a possibility to enhance community awareness of what we are currently doing and will do in the future in regard to community engagement.

 

RECOMMENDATION: Invite Amy Warner, IUPUI Interim Vice Chancellor for  External Affairs to share with this committee at its next meeting her ideas on the following concerns:

  • How can IUPUI better publicize to the general public and local press, what we are doing at IUPUI that is of relevance to the city? 
    • Much of what is going on, on campus, is geared towards improving the quality of life in Indiana, but our work and its relevance are not well-known.
  • Since the city and state are focused on “Economic Development,” how can we better promote our teaching, research, and service?
    • It is relevant to improving the health, knowledge, skills, and citizenship of a labor force ready to go to work.

 

 

Diagram Below shows how civic engagement becomes the interface between identified community needs (including economic, environmental, health, social and educational) and the University (encompassing multiple faculty roles of teaching, research, and service).

 

Next Meeting: December 5, 2005, 9:00 AM – 10:30 AM in ES 4112.

 

Venn Diagram

 

Submitted by Lisa E. McGuire, 12/2/05