Tax Payers Want Universities to Give a Good Return on Investment
From the May 2009 Issue of InFocus (PDF)
The Marcellus Shale Natural Gas field discovery prompted Penn State Cooperative Extension to create educational and research materials to help landowners make decisions when leasing their land. Through Penn State’s program, more than 100,000 people have been reached through various media venues. Barto Well in Hughesville PA (pictured above) is a chief oil and gas site. Photo by Steve Williams, Penn State.
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The Obama Administration is placing a high priority on supporting academic and research communities to spur economic growth with important investments in the higher education enterprise. As unemployment reaches its highest rate in 25 years and state governments are trying to do more with less, leaders at public universities agree that it has never been more important to strategically engage in communities to meet the challenges of the 21st century together.
North Carolina
When University Extension was launched in the Land Grant institutions over 100 years ago, it was to “carry out knowledge” to the people. “Just as university research programs must show accountability for tax funding, we need to demonstrate Extension’s impact, serve as good stewards of state resources and show taxpayers a good return on their investment,” says Jim Zuiches, Vice Chancellor for Extension, Engagement, and Economic Development at North Carolina State University.
A few years ago the private sector’s Research Triangle Research Partnership determined that area growth had leveled off and that action needed to be taken to accelerate it. At that time, a decision was taken to focus on cluster development and engage NC State to do the actual work.
An Economic Transformation Council now puts faculty together with private sector organizations from 12 industry clusters to work on projects.
Zuiches observes: “The faculty love it. They are energized and work with the private sector to generate grant dollars, get students hired, and help with the commercialization of innovations and technologies … The economic development and regional commerce agencies see us as a partner, not a competitor. From our $431 million state appropriation, our faculty leverage an additional $195 million in grants and contracts…making us a good investment.”
Wisconsin
University of Wisconsin Extension promotes the “Wisconsin Idea” that the boundaries of the University extend to the boundaries of the state. Extension reaches state residents where they live and work through outreach, e-learning, broadcasting and media innovations. Building on this idea, UW-system President Kevin Reilly recently led the development of a long-term vision—“The Growth Agenda for Wisconsin”—that aims to increase the state’s competitiveness in the global knowledge economy.
“It helped that President Reilly came up through Extension,” notes David Wilson, Chancellor of UW-Extension and University of Wisconsin Colleges. “If you go into communities thinking you have all the answers, you’re going to be rejected. What is most important for long term partnerships is to engage first by listening. . . . We got to know all corners of our state by holding 22 series of topical listening sessions on issues like economic development, family, agriculture, bio fuels, K-12. It took over a year to make sense of all that information. Then we held 16 internal listening sessions to share results and get input and buy-in from deans, faculty, Boards of Visitors. . . Then President Riley used all 72 of extension and tribal nation offices to have a 4-day conversation about our findings directly with citizens.” The Growth Agenda that emerged from the process focuses on: 1) creating “new pathways” to graduate more students with baccalaureate degrees; 2) working closer with the private sector to attract and hire graduates 3) working closer within communities to strengthen their ability to compete worldwide.
Among the new pathways recently created by UW-Extension is an online bachelor’s degree completion program in Sustainable Management. Dean David Schejbal notes, “There’s a clear connection between education level and economic stability… 21st century degrees prepare students to make a positive impact on the state while moving their own careers forward…We brought together the strengths of four campuses—UW-Parkside, River Falls, Stout, and Superior—to craft a degree completion program that equips workers to lead sustainable business strategies…In just two years, Corporate America will be able to tap these newly minted Green Collar managers.” In creating the program, UW found “unprecedented” corporate interest and consulted with Johnson Controls, Ford Motor Co., Eastman Kodak, Quad Graphics, FedEx, SC Johnson, Kohl’s, Veolia Environmental Services and Modine Manufacturing. Acceptance of applications for Fall 2009 began May 15 (see http://sustain.wisconsin.edu/news/)
Pennsylvania
“One potential upside from the economic downturn is that neighboring states may look for more opportunities to cooperate to make regions more competitive as a whole,” observes Craig Weidemann, Vice President for Outreach, The Pennsylvania State University. “We’re working in partnership with the Departments of Labor of four states to create a portal to improve rural area access to university programs.”
A recent natural gas discovery may transform economic growth in the area. The Marcellus Shale Natural Gas field extends from the New York border through Pennsylvania to Kentucky. Gas-leasing companies have been knocking on landowners’ doors and citizens need many questions answered. “At Penn State we have three regions that meet with leaders and legislators to drive economic development and school readiness, but on this issue we’ve been working holistically with a number of colleges.”
For guidance, Penn State Extension reached out to Cornell University Cooperative Extension which had addressed similar issues in New York. In February, Penn State Cooperative Extension hosted a program “Leasing Your Oil and Gas Rights: The Potential Impacts of Well Drilling and Operation on Your Land,” offering perspectives from engineering professors, attorneys, and industry. “That generated even more requests…we’ve served some 1,200 landowners—helping them to work with county commissioners, negotiate leasing and royalties rights,” says Weidemann…We’ve created webinars and public broadcasting programs to explore workforce opportunities, risks, benefits, and environmental impact,”
Weidemann says: “This serves as a model for Outreach to pull together on issues that don’t fall neatly under one university institute or existing center…We see other issues, such as autism and childhood obesity, that might follow this model.”
—Susan Goewey
This article was adapted from UCEA’s 2009 Annual Conference session on Outreach & Engagement. To order an audio recording of the proceedings, call the UCEA office at 202.659.3130. |
