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How to Participate:

Eligibility Requirements

To help support the success of campuses engaged in the High Impact Initiative, we have defined certain baselines for eligibility.  To be eligible for participation in this initiative, institutions must have the following in place:

• A multi-year (3+ year) intensive, developmental community engagement program (i.e., a Bonner Scholar Program, Leader Program, service-based scholarship or fellowship, or an academic program with a significant co-curricular developmental component) or a commitment to build this program over the next three years.

• At least one high-impact practice already in place or in development at this time, with support from the institution’s academic leadership.

• Desire to integrate high-impact practices with community engagement in ways that will raise student and faculty engagement in community and public policy issues to a level that can support public policy and program model research on behalf of the non-profit community.

Next Steps for the 2014 Cohort:

1. Secure support letter from your President by January 15, 2014

2. Participate in the National Assessment of Service and Civic Engagement (NASCE), prior to the March 2014 Planning Retreat ideally.

3. Set up and participate in a visioning and planning visit with Foundation staff (Ariane Hoy and Mathew Johnson).  These will be scheduled throughout the 2013-2014 academic year.  Ariane Hoy can send you more information about who to involve, a sample schedule and invitation language, etc.

4. Gather information and commitment!.  We'll be providing you with some helpful guidance and tools for the process.  You'll assess your strengths and create momentum.

5. Build a high-impact transformation team involving at least two each of administrators/staff, faculty members, community partners, and students.  Most institutions are creating broader coalitions of support on campus (a home team and a travel team for the summer institutes).

6. Identify and support the involvement of your team leaders (usually the Bonner Director but possibly also a faculty member and/or community partner) in a two-day planning retreat.

7. Prepare and send team to July 7-11, 2014 Institute (tentative dates).  The institute will be held at Siena College.

Details:

1. Secure support letter from your President by January 15, 2014.

Presidential support for a comprehensive institutional transformation initiative like the High-Impact Initiative is essential.  The president of interested institutions should formally communicate his/her support for this initiative in writing.  This letter can be brief (1-2 pages), but should include the following elements:

• The designation of a project leader, ideally a senior Bonner administrator, senior administrator of a Bonner like intensive, multi-year, service scholarship program, or faculty member.  While this can be done in a way that is appropriate to your institution and the leader’s position, the letter should acknowledge support for the project leader’s time on this initiative (which may be in addition to or in alignment with his/her current position);

• A statement of financial support for travel and expenses associated with winter planning retreat and summer institute for the next three years;  you can speak with Foundation Staff about how to utilize available Bonner funding for these costs.
   
• A commitment to providing the institutional funding to cover other programmatic costs (which may include available Bonner Scholar Program funds, faculty development funds, as well as other relevant funds); and
   
• A clear understanding that institution’s commitment to a three-year developmental process (recognizing that not all members will be involved each year).

2. Participate in the National Assessment of Service and Civic Engagement (NASCE).

A key aspect of the design of this initiative is evidence-based and data-driven planning.  Each institution should complete or make plans tocomplete the NASCE, working with Siena Research Institute.  The cost of this instrument is roughly $1,000-$2,000, depending on the size of your student body.  Relevant Bonner funds may be utilized for this cost. 

The NASCE will provide you with data about the overall level of student community engagement at your institution at this time.  It involves the broader student body, so as a result, your institution will have some hard data about the broader engagement of students (beyond the Bonner Program), the depth and frequency of that engagement, and the issue areas and topics where works is strongest.  This data will be invaluable to planning efforts.

The time needed for completion is 2-3 weeks, and scheduling can be determined by you.  Completing this instrument prior to a strategic planning visit is recommended, but some flexibility is possible.  In addition, if your institution had completed the NASCE but the results are over 24 months old, we will recommend that your institution administer the tool again in the coming six months.  

You can learn more about the NASCE here.  

3. Set up and participate in strategic planning process with Foundation staff.

The completion of a visioning and planning visit is important for this project, as it provides the Foundation staff with an opportunity to get to know your institution and program in much more depth.  In addition, this process can center and surface important issues that may connect with the support of the team and the design of high-impact practices and partnerships.  This visit includes one and a half days with Ariane Hoy and Mathew Johnson, during which time Bonner Program and center staff have the opportunity to cast a strategic vision for the program and center, addressing civic and community engagement broadly.  In addition, it provides the staff with a chance to capture, in writing, the vision, key priorities, and action plans for the future.  In addition to program staff, community partner representatives, student leaders, alumni, key faculty  members and academic leadership (i.e., the provost or vice president for academic affairs) can and should be involved.

You can work with Ariane Hoy to schedule this visit to work best for your campus, as well as to discuss who may be involved.  Please note that we can move forward with your institution’s involvement in the High Impact Initiative and schedule a strategic implementation of the assessment at a later date.  It is often useful to utilize a Friday/Saturday or a Monday/Tuesday schedule as it allows participants to focus on planning.

4. Complete high-impact inventory.

We believe it is important to collect a baseline of data about: a) the current structure and forms of community engagement and service, b) community-based learning, c) institutional language and learning outcomes, and d) high-impact practices with partnerships and learning.  We have provided a copy of the inventory tool we will be using.  The inventory should be completed first by a committee between December and March, then entered in an online survey form (we’ll provide a link to the online survey when it’s ready).  We will be in touch with you further about this process.

5. Create the high-impact engagement team.

Your team will need to include two faculty, staff, students, and community partner representatives.  As you think about recruiting this team, think about individuals who can play influential roles and work to build support on and off campus.  In addition, you should consider the following guidelines:

• Your team should include two faculty members, ideally one senior and one junior, who have demonstrated commitment to community engagement in their teaching and/or scholarship and already have familiarity with the Bonner Program at your institution. In addition, they may be involved with creating and/or implementing one or more of the high-impact practices.

• Your team should also include one or two community partner representatives from non-profit or government organizations who have demonstrated a multi-year commitment to working with your institution.  Ideally, the partner should be connected to the strategic initiatives or plan that you work on.  Ariane Hoy can help you think through these choices.

• Your team should include two administrative/program staff.  This choice should include a staff member from the Bonner Program (at the coordinator level or higher).  If your Bonner Program resides in student affairs, consider including a staff member from academic affairs, or vice versa.  If your program resides in another entity, consider selecting a staff member who can help you best break down institutional barriers.

• Your team should include one or two student leaders.  The student should be serving as a campus-wide leaders organizing for these efforts.  Skills to look for may include:  (1) organizational skills, (2) attention to detail, (3) communication skills in person and in writing, (4) creativity, and (5) persistence.  It would be helpful if to identify students who can commit for at least two years.

Even though not everyone will be able to attend the High Impact Institutes each summer, you should certainly work to engage others beyond the core eight members.  In fact, we recommend that you begin to think about a broader network of supporters and team players beyond the core team.  We will work closely with your project leader and institution to solidify the team by April 2014 (if not before).

6. Identify and support the involvement of your team leader(s) in a two-day planning retreat.

Your campus project leader will attend the planning retreat, which will provide each institution to help shape the design, content, and structure of the High Impact Institute and initiative more broadly.  In addition, if your project leader is a faculty member, your senior Bonner administrator should attend.  If your project leader is the senior Bonner administrator, we highly recommend that you also send a faculty member.

At this time, we are working to secure the dates and location of the planning retreat.  We are looking at 2-3 days (likely a Thursday to Saturday) in February or early March.  We may send out a meeting scheduler soon to determine the dates that work best for the most people.  

7. Prepare and send team to June 26-30, 2012 institute at Siena College.

Finally, we look forward to working with you throughout the spring semester as we collaboratively forge this national learning community.  Your team’s members should save the date above.  Siena College is located in Loudonville, NY, just five miles from the Albany Airport.  The airport information can be found at:  http://www.albanyairport.com/.  

We may involvebe including key higher education partners and individuals including representatives from:

• the American Association of State Colleges and Universities/American Democracy Project;
• the Association of American Colleges and Universities;
• Bringing Theory to Practice;
• the Corporation for National and Community Service;
• the U.S. Department of Education;
• the New England Resource Center for Higher Education (NERCHE); and
• others to be determined.

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