No Slide Title
Download
Report
Transcript No Slide Title
Engaging University and Community
Partners for Positive Change
Presentation by:
Phil Nyden
Loyola University
Chicago
Center for Urban
Research and
Learning
Overview
CURL model
barriers to university-community partnerships
factors that break down barriers and facilitate
partnerships
what is the attractiveness to collaborative
research? …to faculty? …to students? …to
universities? …to community partners?
what strategies can be used to promote and/or
create strong, sustained partnerships?
Loyola University of Chicago
Center for Urban Research & Learning
???
Loyola University of Chicago
Center for Urban Research and
Learning (CURL)
Collaborative Research Model
not research on the
community, but
research with the
community
recognizes knowledge in the
university and knowledge in the
community
“adds chairs” at the research
table
Community as partners at all
levels of research
conceptualization
designing the methodology
collecting data
analyzing data
writing reports
dissemination of results
Loyola University of Chicago
Center for Urban Research & Learning
CURL Team-Based Research &
Action Projects
faculty
graduate students
undergraduate students
community organization leaders/
staff/members
CURL staff
Loyola University of Chicago
Center for Urban Research & Learning
What are the barriers to
effective communityuniversity partnerships?
Barriers: the discipline defines
research priorities
university-based
research focuses on
furthering knowledge
in the discipline
social change is not
the primary goal
the theoretical is
favored over the
practical
Barriers: Community-based
research is seen as biased
without unbiased “outside”
researchers, data analysis
might be manipulated to
serve political ends
involving “representatives” of the population
to be studied in the research process raises
potential of bias in collecting data
Barriers: Community-based
research is perceived as parochial
research is seen as
limited in scope and less
powerful in its application
traditional academic
culture gives higher
value to the “national or
global” than to the
“local”
Barriers: Tenure and promotion
guidelines
publications and contributions to
“the field” favored over impact
on society
“demonstrated contributions to the improved
quality of life in society” not generally a
category on the balance sheet
indifference and even hostility to community
engagement
Loyola University of Chicago
Center for Urban Research & Learning
Barriers: Community’s past
experience with university research
only the object of research, not a participant in
research
limited practical relevance to community
development or improved service delivery
more of thumbs up/thumbs down evaluation
research of existing programs
Loyola University of Chicago
Center for Urban Research & Learning
On the other hand, there are factors
that can break down barriers and
facilitate partnerships
For the community, collaborative
partnerships have potential for
building increased capacity
gain familiarity with the research process;
knows how to manage research
develop independent research skills
improve practices in community organizations
For the community, collaborative
partnerships have potential for
building increased capacity
move from research to action: gets
information into hands of constituencies
For the university, partnerships
also build capacity
promote interdisciplinary
research
create a stimulating
environment for faculty and students
engage in research that is used and does not sit
on a library shelf
increase visibility of university in community,
region, nation, world
For the university and the
community, partnerships are
beneficial
integrate university and community
knowledge into the learning environment
build an environment where learning takes
place in multiple directions
provide an understanding of connection
among knowledge, power, and social change
produce an understanding of what is possible.
For university faculty,
partnerships...
provide a “real” environment for
teaching and learning
produce a dynamic learning environment
with challenges, unpredictability, &
constant questioning (the qualities of a
good classroom)
For university faculty,
partnerships...
open the door to more
research opportunities than
can be completed in lifetime
give access to significant
research funding and
publication opportunities
For university students, working
in university-community
partnerships provide...
an antidote for civic disengagement
you can have an impact
demystifies the policy
making process
For university students, working
in university-community
partnerships helps to...
gives a real face to social issues; they
are no longer academic abstractions
see connections among disciplines
A Closer Look at
Center for Urban Research and
Learning (CURL)
Support for team members
faculty fellowships
graduate fellowships
undergraduate--fellowships and course
credit
community fellowships
CURL staff
Loyola University of Chicago
Center for Urban Research & Learning
Funding
government-funded grants
foundation-supported projects
endowment
leveraging university resources
matching resources for faculty released time
student fellowship awards and course credit
volunteer time
Loyola University of Chicago
Center for Urban Research & Learning
Examples of CURL
Collaborative
University-Community
Projects
CURL Project: What creates and
sustains racially/ethnically diverse
communities?
concept emerged from activistresearcher discussions
solution-focused, not problemfocused
policy maker and activist
attention
media interest in research
Center for Urban Research & Learning
CURL Project: What creates and
sustains racially/ethnically diverse
communities?
two-types of communities:
diverse by design
diverse by circumstance (new immigrant groups)
changing way advocates promote
diversity
connection to work on sustaining mixedincome communities
CURL Project: Impact of Welfare
Reform on Mixed-Income
Communities
idea developed from breakfast meetings
with different community partners
linked CURL with advocacy organization
and traditional social service agency
three reports and impact on state
legislation
CURL Project: Developing
Culturally Sensitive Approaches
to Addressing Domestic Violence
community organization was aware
of CURL’s other collaborative work
needed evaluation of impact of its
programs
CURL Project: Developing
Culturally Sensitive Approaches to
Addressing Domestic Violence
connection to national network of
organizations serving South Asian
community
exploring expansion of project:
international
organizations serving women in other ethnic
communities
CURL Project: Documenting
Changes in Affordable Housing
gentrifying community
arguments among developers, affordable
housing advocates, and city re: extent of
affordable housing loss
CBO lobbied state representative to
provide funding for study
Loyola University of Chicago
Center for Urban Research & Learning
CURL Project: Documenting
Changes in Affordable Housing
advisory committee
from all sectors of
community
data from report
viewed as credible by
all involved
other communities
interested in research
Tenure and Occupancy in Uptown
Census 2000
Renter Occupied Units
72%
Vacant Units For Rent
61%
Vacant Units
5%
Vacant For Sale
8%
"Other" Vacant Units
25%
Owner Occupied Units
23%
Vacant Units Rented or
Sold
6%
Creating a regional network
to promote universitycommunity/government
partnerships
Policy Research Action Group
(PRAG)
Created in the late 1980s
developed from the “grassroots” by activist faculty and
community leaders
collaborative research model
four universities
more than 15 community partners
over 175 collaborative projects
www.luc.edu/depts/curl/prag
Policy Research Action Group
(PRAG)
produced an environment of collaboration in
Chicago
collaborative and “participatory research” still
minority research approaches, but this
provided visibility and a support network
became a “self-help” network
contributed to the development of more than six
collaborative centers in Chicago
if funding disappears, still have network now
Lessons learned in
building and sustaining
partnerships
Lessons learned in building and
sustaining partnerships
start small
concentrate on projects that will produce
tangible outcomes, not just the process itself
develop “interdependent partnerships”
accomplish end results that individuals or individual
institutions could not achieve on their own
organize/match expertise to produce a sum that is greater
than its parts
recruit people who are committed to the
project and the process
Loyola University of Chicago
Center for Urban Research & Learning
Lessons learned in building and
sustaining partnerships
create a partnership culture
everyone shares credit
help each other promote work in their
work/institutional setting
open environment: welcome new members to
partnership (individual/institutional)
create trust
Loyola University of Chicago
Center for Urban Research & Learning
Lessons learned in building and
sustaining partnerships
harness the tensions of universitycommunity/government
relationships
both academics and community activists
willing to criticize and argue—this is OK, it
provides…
different perspectives helpful in understanding
complex issues
a more complete knowledge base
also, it is not community-driven research or
university-driven research; it’s collaborative
research
Loyola University of Chicago
Center for Urban Research & Learning
Lessons learned in building and
sustaining partnerships
develop resources to sustain the collaboration
political support (from institutional leaders)
funding
grants
endowments
income/funding from multiple sources (diversification)
fellowships—university (faculty & students) and community
ongoing centers/networks
staff dedicated to developing & sustaining collaboration
“leverage” other resources with what funding/resources you do get
Loyola University of Chicago
Center for Urban Research & Learning
Lessons learned in building and
sustaining partnerships
understand that individuals are
motivated to participate by factors
other than just money
collaborations enable
participants…
to become part of social-change process
to connect with like-minded colleagues
to join a support network which provides
guidance on research projects
Loyola University of Chicago
Center for Urban Research & Learning
Some strategies for building on
strengths and overcoming obstacles
visibility and
information sharing
publications
web presence
reports
books
periodicals
Some strategies for building on
strengths and overcoming obstacles
media attention
Some strategies for building on
strengths and overcoming obstacles
working groups
researchers &
practitioners
citywide or regional
Some strategies for building on
strengths and overcoming obstacles
doing “political work” within disciplines
visibility of collaborative methods
“translating research” for use by practitioners
building a following of people
experienced in partnerships
emphasizing that this is
“research with a constituency”
Strategies for change: change hiring &
tenure and promotion
procedures/guidelines
reduce discipline-bound control of faculty personnel
policies
increase university-wide incentives to promote
engaged scholarship.
creating a national and international networks of
peers to judge faculty doing collaborative research
service as a primary, not residual, evaluation
category
Strengthen existing or create new
collaborative centers that can serve
multiple functions as …
institutional advocates for collaborative
research
places where multiple collaborative efforts
can be concentrated and made more visible
brokers of information and resources
technical assistance centers for collaborative
projects
Creating new collaborative centers
that can serve multiple functions as …
alternative socialization
venues for faculty
students, and community
partners
conveners of
collaborative researchers
to discuss ongoing
projects
Loyola University of Chicago
Center for Urban Research & Learning
Gains have been made in promoting
collaborative research in
universities & the community, but
there is still substantial work to be
done.