Transcript Metropolitan State University: Connecting with Community

American Democracy Annual Meeting
June 18, 2010
Susan Shumer & Rob Shumer
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Urban 4-year public institution with 9,606 students
Mission Statement: The university is committed to
academic excellence and community partnerships
through curriculum, teaching, scholarship and
services designed to support an urban mission.
Vision Statement: “The faculty, staff and students will
reflect the area’s rich diversity and will demonstrate
an unwavering commitment to civic engagement”
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Consists of a central library and 12 branch
libraries
a public institutions that provides materials
and service to the public
Vision Statement: To be respected and
recognized, by people of all ages and diverse
backgrounds, as their doorway to reading and
information.
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The complementary mission and vision of
Metro State and the St. Paul Public Library:
◦A shared commitment to
civic engagement and
lifelong learning
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Meeting authentic needs of both
communities/organizations
Authentic collaboration to achieve mutual
goals
Institutional and community leadership
History of collaboration: Center for
Community-Based Learning
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Sharing of personnel
Funded by a joint grant from Bush
Foundation
Created collaborative working partnerships
with community organizations: CLUES,
Dayton’s Bluff Elementary School, Community
of Peace Charter School
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Described in book chapter:
◦ CLUES collaboration grows tremendously
◦ American Library Association: Teens Know Best and Best
Books for Young Adults (BBYA)
◦ Para los Ninos – collaboration between MN Children’s
Museum
◦ The Homework Help Center
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…and beyond the chapter:
 College Goal Saturday
 Gordon Parks Gallery Initiatives
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All relationships take time
Defining mutual operating procedures and
policies
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Maintain institutional commitment
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Shared staffing
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Develop commitment at all levels in participating partner
agencies
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Understand that partnerships, like all relationships, take time
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Maintain respectful communication, which builds trust
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Clarify shared values and mutual interests
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Create mutually defined goals
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Identify opportunities to work together
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Make a commitment to evaluate the collaboration as well as the
joint programs
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Design formal structure of the partnership
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Build trust and understanding: relationships matter
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Clarify roles of each partner
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Meet on a regular basis
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Identify grant sources/fundraising collaboratively
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Create short and long term goals and action plans: focus more on
inputs than outcomes ---process more important than products
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Reflect
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Celebrate
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The most notable success of this partnership is
that through the efforts of an institution of higher
education, a public library system, and a
community with a dream, and a mutual need,
worked together to build a University-Library
Partnership which provides Dayton’s Bluff residents
and the Metropolitan State community access to an
array of services, technology and opportunities.