Community Engagement

Draft

Action Project – Community Engagement

Timeline: Planned project kickoff date: October, 2007
Target Completion Date: January, 2009
A. Title
Community Engagement
B. Goal
??????
C. AQIP Category
Primary Category:
D. Reasons
This project is a direct result of comments made at the Conversation Day held in Fall 2006. Responses from faculty and staff indicated that increasing Community Involvement was an on-going problem that presented opportunities to improve the college’s stature in the community. This discussion led to the adoption of and institutional goal, “Community engaged in Lake Superior College and Lake Superior College engaged in the Community”.
E. Organizational areas
Areas directly affected are: Public Information, Work Force Development, Academic Affairs, Students, Facilities and the Community
F. Processes
Team will use a SWOT analysis to identify core issues, evaluate available tools and resources, develop recommendations for change, test recommendations with stake holders, implement recommendations, evaluate effectiveness of change through monitoring of number, type and participation in events.
G. Rational for length
Team intends to have processes developed by June 2008, will implement over the summer of 2008, evaluate effectiveness during Fall Semester 2008 and provide final procedures and evaluation in January 2009.
H. Plan to monitor
Will track number of events and participation in events during Fall 2008, survey participants at several events on satisfaction
I. Outcome measures
More events on campus that draw the community.
J. Other information

Submitted by Mark Winson

Attendance: Gary K., Steve W., Janet B., Pam E., Peggy G., Kevin F., Mark W., Wade G., Bill M., Sonda S-L.

Define ‘Event’
invite persons from the outside (open to the public)
anything that brings the community on to the campus
***Anytime the public comes to the campus for an activity is an event
Event/activities that involve public areas (not classroom/lab)

SWOT analysis
Strengths

• Have great facilities
• Great maintenance staff
• Plenty of parking
• Great location
• Staff creatively generates the opportunity for events

Weaknesses

• No protocol/procedure for events
• Ideas are generated throughout the campus (lack of central processing)
• People do not know what is available here (facilities, etc.)
• Don’t have a consistent fee structure for charging
• Have not clarified which senior administrator is in charge
• R25 is not well understood and/or utilized well by staff
• Don’t have an updated directory (map) of rooms and locations

Opportunities

• Ideas are generated throughout the campus (lots of ideas for events)
• We have established events that could generate other events
• We have an established program for scheduling (R25)
• We can generate some revenue through events
• Events generate greater publicity for institution

Threats

• Competition with other venues
• Perception that the campus is favoring some political or religious viewpoint
• Liability issues
• Inconsistent application of policy

Current State

• Communication – use of R25 and its capabilities (invite Shannon to next meeting)
• Need to develop a check list for event planning
• Discussion on types of events to try to attract to campus
• Not in competition with other venues

Events should be…

• Tied to LSC mission
• Student driven
• Cultural
• Public service

To do list:

• Need to research state policy on using state resources for “for profit” organizations
• Research other college policies
• Provide committee members with copies of current policy and application forms
• This committee does not have a faculty representative, so it is important to solicit faculty input on this project

Submitted by Mark Winson

Attendance: Gary K., Steve W., Janet B., Pam E., Peggy G., Kevin F., Tess D., Mark W.

Changes in membership: Lin Black has gone to a different project, Zbigniew Wdowiak has left I. E. due to class scheduling conflicts, Tess D’ Andrea and Mark Winson have joined the project.

Discussion of goal(s) for this action project:

What is the problem?

• More then one event is occurring at the same time
• How well are events meeting the goals of having the event
• We want the community to know more about the college per the Conversation Day discussion.

Issues

• Internal coordination – no one knows what events are taking place or planned
• External coordination – our events are held at the same time as other events in the community
• Evaluation – there is none, don’t know how many people attend, what are the demographics
• Internal communication for logistics
  • Maintenance
  • Publicity
  • Impact on the community
  • No recognized source for event calendar
  • Academics scheduling of classes
  • Location of event information
• R25 is not appropriately deployed
• Should develop a checklist
  • add questions intended audience, hoped for outcomes
• Need to develop system to approve events
• Are we missing opportunities for collaboration

GOAL

Create a system (procedures and policies) to improve quality of campus events/activities and maximize the impact on the community.

Should include all facilities including ERTC and airport

Need to create a definition for “event”

Future/desired state

• Event Planning
  • Public Information needs to be in the loop so that everyone can know about all events on a timely basis
  • Spread events out over the year
  • Do events that serve the community
  • Event application/approval process to be clear and effective
  • Events system needs to work with Academic schedule
  • Events implementation and promotion
  • Communication to ancillary services maintenance, food service, public information
  • Consistent promotion policy
  • One stop resource
  • Coordination with other events in the community
• Events assessment and evaluation
  • measure participant satisfaction
  • demographic breakout
  • participation numbers
  • measure cost/benefit financially
  • assess missed opportunities
  • Data analysis