Background

The Bonner Foundation has started issue-focused organizing with the Bonner network.  Our goals of this effort are to:

1. better understand what is working at a local level in terms of integrating community-campus partnerships at the local level;
2. develop the national Bonner network's capability to engage in issue-focused networking
3. develop or strengthen program partnerships with national organizations interested in working directly with Bonner campuses

We began this effort formally at the Fall 2009 Bonner Directors Meeting held in Montreat, North Carolina.  Based on a survey of our schools, we assigned staff from each school to a different issue working group (see assignments below).  We used workshops during the meeting to gather initial information for the working groups (see their issue working group pages linked to the titles below).  You can review the handouts from the meeting here — Fall 2009 Directors Meeting - Facilitator Notes.

• List of Campus Issue Profiles - Alphabetical by Campus 
• Issue Brief Research Support

TED Conference presentation by Liz Coleman, President of Bennington College, on ways to reform liberal arts education to address the great challenges of our day:

Initial Steps

We have asked schools to prepare two written documents during the Spring 2009 semester.  We will use this information to plan the day and a half Bonner Summit portion of the 2009 Summer Leadership Institute which will take place June 3-6 at Stetson University in De Land, Florida.  This research consists of the following:

• complete at least one campus issue profile on this wiki under one or more of the 11 general issue areas (see links on sidebar or frontpage).  We strongly encourage campuses to consider having Bonners or other students profile more than one issue area.  For instance, if you have strong community partnerships in a number of issue areas, ask your student leaders in each to profile your campus activities in that issue area. See the page SAMPLE CAMPUS ISSUE PROFILE for instructions and help.
• begin at least one local PolicyOptions Issue Brief on the policyoptions.pbwiki.com on one or more of issue topics for which you've completed a campus issue profile.  In many cases, more than one campus will be researching the same issue and, therefore, can collaborate on the issue overpage wiki page which contains the policy options and glossary sections and also has links to each of their local issue briefs.  To facilitate this process, we are developing the following resources:
  • Guide to Bonner campuses implementing PolicyOptions Issue Briefs
  • a working page for each campus to organize links to your draft and final issue briefs.  
  • a directory of information sources organized by issue area (national and global sources) and location (state and local sources) 
  • a guide to researching and writing issue briefs which walks students through the research process and provides additional guidance to staff and faculty who are teaching/leading the research process.

Bonner Foundation staff have been assigned to each issue working group.  They will assist in the research process, and in assisting you and your students' use of both wikis.  The first step will be to gain editorial access to you and your students for both wikis by clicking on the "Request Access to this Wiki" button on the top of the right sidebar.  

Finally, in preparation for the 2009 Summer Leadership Institute, we will be contacting everyone to determine what issue working group you would like to be assigned to and whether you will be bringing a local community partner to the meeting with your campus team.

If you have any questions, please contact the Foundation staff member assigned to the issue area (see each issue working group page to see these assignments).  

Campus Implementation Tips

Greetings!  In 2009, Bonner Programs are encouraged to identify one issue around which to contribute their knowledge and experience towards our networked capacity to create and sustain impact through our service and civic engagement work. In order to complete one issue brief by June, we'd recommend consideration of the following strategies:

1)  Build the issue brief assignment into the work of one class of Bonners (i.e., juniors or seniors), integrating education, discussion, and ongoing work on it into your regular class meetings. This is a good option for many, as it complements the training and enrichment plan you already have (which often includes policy research, academic connections, and other related skills). 

2) Build the issue brief assignment into the work of one (or more) site-based team or issue-based team. 

This may be the easiest way to go, if you have at least one site with multiple volunteers.  Note that this project doesn't have to be confined to Bonner Scholars/Leaders; other students and volunteers can be engaged.  Community partner staff can serve as a major resource for topic definition, research, and review of work done (as the suggested research process affirms). A faculty advisor could be sought for the process.  You can use existing site-based team meetings or schedule other meetings, or create a wiki page to facilitate work being done online (and at students' convenience).   

3) Build the issue brief assignment into the work of an existing course.  

Another possibility, which many of the schools involved in the 2007-2008 pilot utilized, is to build the issue brief process into an existing (or new) course.  Courses in public policy, sociology, government, and non-profit management are often good places for this work.  Talk with a faculty member who is already knowledgeable and engaged in academic-service connections or CBR, if possible, or one who wants to be.  Take a look at the Research and Writing Guide for more information to share.

In each of these cases, you may find it helpful to do the following:

• You can use the PolicyOptions wiki (PolicyOptions.pbwiki.com) as a resource for students, having them review its contents in meetings and on their own.  Especially, you may want to review:

  • Overview

  • Issue Brief Template

  • Guide to Researching and Writing Issue Briefs

  • Sample Issue Briefs

     
• We'd encourage you to use this new guide (follow links), breaking the guide and process down over a series of meetings.  For example:
  • Meeting 1:  an overview (use power-points, show wikis, show examples)
  • Meeting 2:  facilitated process to brainstorm potential topics (homework: research and interview assignments to narrow topic; use portion of guide that includes potential sources and how to do interviews)
  • Meeting 3 (a few weeks later):  select a topic (based on partner feedback) and delegate further research assignments
  • Meeting 4 (a few weeks later):  review what's been done

     

• Through a series of meetings, engage students with research, writing, interviewing, and other roles.  Not every student has to do the same thing.  Consider:
  • Internet research
  • Library research or literature reviews
  • Phone calls/phone interviews with local agencies
  • Meetings/interviews with local agencies
  • Meetings with professors

Click here to get to the beginning of the PolicyOptions Guide to Researching and Writing Issue Briefs. 

Initial School Assignments

Please note that these initial school issue working group assignments are not set in stone.   We do expect every school to join at least one issue working group, but you may join another group(s) at any time.