Deepen our Commitment to Community Engagement

Strategic Initiative 2: Deepen our Commitment to Community Engagement

IUPUI will build on its strengths, improve coordination, and expand community outreach and engagement to increase service and experiential learning opportunities, promote economic development, and address urban community needs.

Community Engagement Task Force

One of IUPUI’s greatest strengths is our commitment to community engagement. Civic engagement is a key element of our mission, and through the dedicated work of students, faculty, and staff, IUPUI has gained national recognition and numerous awards for our commitment and our accomplishments. As we launch the strategic planning initiative, we have a prime opportunity to build on our accomplishments and develop strategies to enhance and expand IUPUI’s engagement with the community.

The work of the IUPUI Task Force on Community Engagement will build on IUPUI’s self-study for the Higher Learning Commission, align with Indiana University’s Principles of Excellence, and inform IUPUI’s new strategic plan. The group will take a broad view of community engagement at IUPUI, review our activities, and recommend policies, strategies, priorities, procedures, and structures that can enhance the effectiveness and extent of community engagement at IUPUI. Civic and community engagement is diffuse at IUPUI, involving multiple centers, school, and faculty initiatives. Consistent with its focus, the Task Force could consider engaging members of the community as it completes its work. The Task Force is especially encouraged to consider the following questions:

• How is community engagement organized at IUPUI, and what organizational structures would enable us to enhance and expand community engagement?
• How does our campus identify community issues and respond to pressing needs?
• Are there community needs we are equipped to address that we are missing?
• How are we evaluating our activities and assessing our impact?
• How are we communicating with the community our willingness to engage and the mutual benefits of engagement?
• Are there ways we can be more effective?

Community Engagement Task Force Membership