Our Work: Partnering with Community
Colleges for Civic Preparation
Dr. Robert W. Franco
Our Work: Partnering with Community
Colleges for Civic Preparation
1) Historical Roots and Current Challenges
2) National Support Structures for this Work
3) Kapi’olani as Case Study
4) P-16 Partnerships: Palolo Pipeline
Integrated throughout:
 Considerations for Affinity and State Groups
 Reactions from Tom Wisbey, President, New
Hampshire Technical College, Manchester and
Stratham
The Civic Work of Community Colleges:
America’s Democracy Colleges
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Community colleges were created to
democratize American higher education and
the students who came through their open
doors.
The Civic Roots of “Junior” Colleges
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1910 - Dean Alexis Lange of the University of
California “urged junior colleges to give high
priority to programs that would prepare their
students for effective participation in
community life.”
The junior college is of, not simply in, a
particular place.
The “Diversion Function” of Junior
Colleges?
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Lange, Harper, and Jordan feared that universities
would be overrun by hordes of unqualified students.”
(early 20th century latent Darwinism)
In a society emphasizing upward social mobility
through education junior colleges were to be an
essential safety valve that would satisfy the demand
for access while diverting excluded segments from
4-year universities.
From Junior to Community Colleges:
The 1920s
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To the “Junior College” transfer role is added
the training role to invent the American
“Community College”
which becomes and remains a local and
national workforce development engine.
An ongoing pendulum of emphasis on
transfer or training.
New Role in Post-World II America
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1946, 43% of community college students are
veterans of war.
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1947, Truman Commission calls for tuition-free
higher education for all Americans, regardless of
race, creed, color, sex, or economic or social status.
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1950s, WW II, Korean War veterans, GI Bill, and a
sustained baby boom lead to an explosion in
demand for higher education.
New Role in Civil Rights America
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1960s, America built nearly one community college
per week.
Communities in the throes of the civil rights
movement.
1970 - 1,000 community colleges were serving 2.5
million students.
1970s - majority of Americans have an “open door”
community college with lenient entry requirements
and free or low cost tuition within commuting
distance of their homes and jobs.
Community College Culture, Our
Shared Beliefs: We should…
Have a strong relationship to our
communities, emphasizing civic
participation.
2) Extend educational opportunity.
3) Value diversity.
The community college is of, not simply
in, the community.
1)
America’s Democracy Colleges:
2 Year Colleges In a “Perfect Storm”
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Over the last 30 years,
fastest growing sector of American higher
education, increasing in enrollments by 264
percent,
serving 55% of college students from the
lowest socioeconomic quintile
America’s Democracy Colleges 2005:
2 Year Colleges In a “Perfect Storm”
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6.6 million credit students
5.0 million non-credit students
46 percent of all U.S. undergraduates
45 percent of first-time freshmen
58 percent women, 42 percent men
62 percent part-time, 38 percent full-time
1,157 Community Colleges
200 members of Campus Compact
America’s Democracy Colleges:
2 Year Colleges In a “Perfect Storm”
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47 percent of Black undergraduate students
56 percent of Hispanic
49 percent of Asian/Pacific Islander
57 percent of Native American
95 percent of businesses that use them
recommend community college workforce
education and training programs.
America’s Democracy Colleges:
In a “Perfect Storm”
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Becoming a powerful learning nexus, an
“essential educational player in cities,
counties, states and nations,”
in a context of declining state and federal
support.
Awareness that partnerships are the key to
doing more with less.
Closing the Achievement Gap
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Purposeful pathways from access to success must be
developed, assessed and improved.
“America is still an ongoing experiment in diversity, and higher
education’s part of the social contract has been to extend the
possibility of a better life to new groups in society. It will be in
the enlightened self interest of institutions to invest more
heavily in partnerships with school systems to expand the
potential college-bound and qualified pool.
Reaching out to help motivate and prepare more students for
college is a long-term investment that will pay off for higher
education and the nation. ” (Gladieux and Swail, 1998)
Closing the Achievement Gap
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See Franco, The Community College Conscience:
Service-Learning and Training Tomorrow’s Teachers
(2000) at www.compact.org.
KCC Receives Five Year National Science
Foundation Grant, “Roots, Resilience, and Reach:
Strengthening the STEM Infrastructure.
NSF Vertical Integration Model to Support Minority
Success in Stem Careers
Looking Forward: The Work of
Democracy in a Global Age
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“The most important thing an institution does is not
to prepare a student for a career, but for life as a
citizen.” Frank Newman.
The most engaged departments at community
colleges are Social Science (sociology, political
science, anthropology, human development,
psychology), Language Arts, Health Sciences,
Career programs moving from clinicals and
practicums to service-learning through an emphasis
on civic responsibility through reflection.
American Association of Community
Colleges Defines Civic Responsibility
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“Civic responsibility means active participation in the
public life of a community in an informed, committed,
and constructive manner, with a focus on the
common good.”
www.aacc.nche.edu – See Service-learning
clearinghouse
See also Community College National Center for
Community Engagement, Mesa, AZ
About Campus Compact
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Campus Compact is a national coalition of more than 900 college
and university presidents—representing some 5 million
students—who are committed to fulfilling the civic purposes of
higher education.
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To support this mission, Campus Compact promotes:
service initiatives that develop students’ citizenship skills
helps campuses forge effective community partnerships, and
provides resources and practical guidance for faculty seeking to
integrate civic engagement into their teaching and research.
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Campus Compact comprises a national office based in
Providence, RI, and 30 effectively networked state offices.
The Indicators of Engagement Project
Carnegie Corporation funded research, 2002-present
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To document and disseminate best practices of civic
and community engagement
To help campuses achieve broader institutionalization
of civic and community engagement
To develop a series of models for civic and
community engagement strategies for different types
of institutions that have different needs.
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Year 1: Community colleges
Year 2: Minority-serving institutions
Year 3: Comprehensive universities
The Indicators of Engagement – go to compact.org –
“community colleges” – for annotated summary
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Mission and purpose
Administrative and
academic leadership
External resource
allocations
Disciplines, departments,
and interdisciplinary work
Faculty roles and rewards
Internal budget and
resource allocation
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Community voice
Support structures and
resources
Faculty development
Coordination of communitybased activities
Teaching and Learning
Forums for fostering public
dialogue
Student Voice
Major Project Activities
For each type of institution:
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Survey for the best practices of engagement
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Conduct interviews and focus group meetings
to learn more about civic and community
engagement
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Visit colleges to identify, document and
disseminate best practices of civic and
community engagement
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Create online databases and printed
publications highlighting successful
engagement strategies
Key Lessons Learned- May Be Useful
for Affinity and State Groups
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Assets Trump Deficits.
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Using the indicators to conduct an institutional audit
of civic engagement, campuses discovered both
assets and deficits. Successful campuses moved
on their assets.
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Successful colleges and universities recognized 2-3
strong assets, stimulated intellectual capital and
individual passion around those assets, connected
strategically with key campus leaders, community
partners, and funders, and moved intentionally from
innovation to institutionalization.
Themes
The thirteen indicators cluster into the following 5
themes:
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Institutional Culture
Curriculum & Pedagogy
Faculty Culture
Mechanisms & Resources
Community-Campus Exchange
New Opportunities for Community
Colleges from Campus Compact
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200 Community colleges are currently members
Campus Compact (all 7 Hawaii colleges)
Publication – The Community’s College: Indicators
on Engagement at Two-Year Institutions – see
www.compact.org
Collaboration with the Community College Survey of
Student Engagement - 2006
Low cost Service-Learning Training and Technical
Assistance through State Campus Compact Offices.
Research Support for Service-Learning
and Civic Engagement
Student Engagement: What
Matters Most in College
“The research is unequivocal:
students who are actively
involved in both academic and
out-of-class activities gain more
from the college experience than
those who are not so involved.”
Ernest T. Pascarella &
Patrick T. Terenzini,
Terenzini,
How College
Affects Students
Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of
Teaching - “Community Engagement Classification”
- 2006
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“Community Engagement describes the collaboration between higher
education institutions and their larger communities (local,
regional/state, national, global) for the mutually beneficial exchange of
knowledge and resources in a context of partnership and reciprocity.”
Foundational Indicators
 - Institutional Identity
 - Institutional Commitment
Four Classifications of Community Engagement
 - Curricular engagement
 - Outreach and Service
 - Partnerships
 - Engaged Scholarship
A Regional Scan: Accreditation Commissions
Support Civic Engagement and Service
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North Central Accreditation (NCA) – Criterion Five –
Engagement and Service to “improve the quality of life for all” 19 States- all higher education institutions.
Western Association of Schools and Colleges WASC/ACCJC –
“to prepare students for lives as ethical human beings and
effective citizens” is a required general education learning
outcome for community colleges.
Many SACS colleges developing Service-Learning as part of
their specified academic improvement plans (Gulf-South
Consortium)
New England a strong region for linking service-learning with
both transfer and training.
Campus Compact, ELC, NCA, and
WASC/ACCJC States and Territories
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Eight states in red below are Campus Compact and “ELC states,” and
have a regional accreditation commission’s imprimatur to promote
service, civic responsibility and engagement.
Campus Compact States = CA, CO, CT, FL, HI, IA, IL, IN, KS, LA, MA,
ME, MI, MN, MO, MT, NC, NH, NY, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, TX, UT, VT,
WA, WI, and WV.
ELC States = AZ, CA, CO, HI, ID, IL, KY, ME, MI, MO,MN, NH,OR, RI,
NC, SC, VT, WI.
NCA States = AR, AZ, CO, IA, IL, IN, KS, MI, MN, MO, ND, NE, OH,
OK, NM, SD, WI, WV, WY.
WASC States and Territories = CA, HI, AS, GU, CNMI, Palau, FSM,
Marshall Islands.
Gaining support from other regional as well as specialized, careerfocused accreditors, would be an important development.
Civic Engagement as a General
Education Program Outcome
Service-Learning at Kapiolani –
Definition
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Service-Learning is a teaching and learning
method that integrates critical reflection and
meaningful service in the community with
academic learning, personal growth, and
civic responsibility.
Definition Continued
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Service-Learning encourages students
and faculty to be active partners with
community members in building
stronger communities and provides
students with opportunities to:
Develop and demonstrate…
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Newly acquired knowledge, skills, attitudes
Deeper understanding and application of
course content and broader appreciation of
the discipline
Deeper understanding of their relationship
and responsibility to local, national, regional,
and global communities.
General Education – Rite of Passage to
Lives of Civic Engagement
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Written Communication
Critical Thinking
Information Retrieval and Technology
Quantitative Reasoning
Oral Communication
Understanding Self and Community-AAC&U
Greater Expectations – “Developing Learners
Responsible for Others”
Assessing Learning Outcomes
Through a Capstone Reflection Essay
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Awareness of Purpose of Service
Apply Theory to Service-Learning
Responsibility to Community
Impact on Student’s Personal Life
Critical Thinking
Kapi’olani Community College
Student Outcomes
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Since 1995, 6,000 students have completed
more than 150,000 hours of meaningful
service in the community.
Three replicated studies (1996, 1998, 2000)
show statistically significant improvements in
student attitudes about working as a team,
making a difference in the community, and
their faculty as caring individuals.
Student Performance Outcomes
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More than 3,000 students have received evaluations from
supervisors at service sites.
With 1 being “excellent” and 4 being “needs work” their
average scores on the following evaluation items are listed
below:
Responsibility and Reliability 1.2
Sensitivity to Clients 1.4
Willingness to Learn 1.3
Communication Skills 1.2
Overall 1.3
These students have set a high bar for future students.
Civic and Career Learning Outcomes:
Civics Prep, Grades 11-14
“Good citizens make good employees and executives.”
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Knowledge of community history and social networks
Development of their commitment to place
Knowledge of theory related to practice
Time management and teamwork in real world
Writing and oral communication
Critical thinking, decision-making, problem-solving
Ability to work in diverse teams, including communication, second language skills
Reliability and sensitivity to diverse clients and communities
Willingness to learn, serve and lead in strengthening communities
Community-based technology applications, bridging the digital divide.
Career exploration and commitment (reduce attrition in teaching and nursing)
Goal-setting for careers of “civic professionalism” in baccalaureate study, reflecting on how
future careers can be “public-serving.”
Experience on the resume
INTERESTED IN RESEARCH COLLABORATION?
Doing More With Less:
Kapiolani Principles of Partnership
Sustainable Partnerships are based on:
 Clear lines of communication
 Clear roles and responsibilities
 Campus-community needs assessment and assets
mapping
 Strategic planning toward mutual goals
 Evaluation and continuous improvement
 Active and collaborative learning for all
Central Guiding Principle for the Work
Faculty and community partners take
collective responsibility for students
learning collective responsibility.
 Service-learning cultivates a faculty
collective culture that is crucial to
learning outcomes assessment and
improvement. On to e-portfolio
reflections.
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Partnership Outcomes
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Service-Learning reached a community
partners peak in 2003, with 107 communitybased organizations and 42 K-12 schools.
Yikes!
Breadth/depth/civic impact?
New focus on deeper, more impactful,
measureable outcomes.
Palolo Pipeline – East O’ahu
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Colleges:
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University of Hawaii at
Manoa
Kapi’olani Community
College
Chaminade University
Community Sites:
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1. Palolo Valley Housing
2. Palolo Elementary
3. Jarrett Middle School
4. Palolo Recreation Center
5. Kaimuki High School
Palolo Service-Learning Pathways
Seven Service-Learning purposeful pathways connect
courses with community issues AND courses across the
general education, career, and transfer curriculum.
Kapiolani Service-Learning supports:
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Resilience and Success for P-20 Students
Healthy Lifestyles
Environmental Sustainability
Respect and Care for the Elderly
Community Safety
Diverse Communities, Cultures, and Histories
International Collaboration
Civic Responsibility in Hawaii’s Public
Schools: Mapping Assets
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Act 51, Session Laws of 2004, requires the
Department of Education to develop a
comprehensive accountability system
that…assesses and tracks measures of
academic achievement, safety and wellbeing, and civic responsibility of individual
students at selected grade levels.
Civic Responsibility in Hawaii’s Public
Schools: Mapping Assets
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Civic responsibility reflected in the
Department’s 2005-2008 Strategic Plan
which embraces 3 student-oriented priorities:
1)Achievement
2)Civic Responsibility
3)Safety and Well Being
Civic Responsibility in Hawaii’s Public
Schools: Mapping Assets
“Transforming Student Acheivement: Encore”
Superintendent Patricia Hamamoto’s (1-6-3) charge:
- One vision of the public school graduate who embraces the
future with confidence that stems from being well-prepared.
- Six General Learner Outcomes, which serve them well as they
become co-workers, spouses, parents, productive citizens, and
tomorrow’s leaders in their own right.
- Three student priorities –our community’s mandates to us to
ensure academic achievement and civic responsibility among
out students, while maintaining their safety and nurturing their
well-being. (June 13, 2005)
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Civic Responsibility in Hawaii’s Public
Schools: Current Indicators
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Participation in Young Voter Registration
Kids Voting Hawaii
School and Community Service
Student Aloha Program in collaboration with
Aloha United Way
New indicators being refined
Civic Responsibility in Hawaii’s Public
Schools: Graduation Requirements
All Hawaii public school graduates will:
 Realize their individual goals and aspirations
 Possess the attitudes, knowledge, and skills
necessary to contribute positively and compete in a
global society;
 Exercise the rights and responsibilities of citizenship;
 Pursue post-secondary education and/or careers
without need for remediation.
United for Learning: Hawaii’s P-20
Initiative
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Making the Connection
If “United for Learning” can support the
efforts in Palolo, both the community of
Palolo and the state as a whole will
move closer to achieving the outcomes
we hope to achieve over the next five
years:
United For Learning: Learner
Outcomes
All learners enter school ready to
succeed
 All learners are reading proficiently by
grade 3
 All learners graduate from HS prepared
to pursue post-secondary education
without the need for remediation
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United For Learning: Learner
Outcomes
All learners graduate from HS prepared
to participate in Hawai`i’s workforce
without the need for remediation and be
fully competitive in the global economy
 All learners demonstrate civic
responsibility
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Achieving a Statewide Vision
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All Hawai`i residents will be . . .
educated, caring, self-sufficient,
able to contribute to their families, to the
economy, and to the common good; and
encouraged to continue learning
throughout their lives.
Civic Responsibility in Hawaii’s Public
Schools: K-14 Collaborations
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As you move into your affinity groups and
state teams, I challenge you to consider the
critical role your communitys’ colleges can
play in your policy and practices to advance
citizenship education.
Paraphrasing my friend and colleague at
Campus Compact, Dr. Edward Zlotkowski,
Conclusion
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Preparing students for lives of civic
engagement - this great work of ours - is “our
best and last hope for a just, equitable, and
democratic society” in this, the world’s
leading and dominant democracy.
References
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This powerpoint presentation includes quotes and
text that are fully referenced in Robert Franco's
paper entitled, "The Civic Role of
Community Colleges: Preparing Students for the
Work of Democracy," which is also available at the
Campus Compact website.
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This paper was originally published in The Journal of
Public Affairs, Volume VI, 2002, pp. 119-138, a
publication of Southwest Missouri State, John T.
Strong, Chief Editor.
For Further Information
Contact: Dr. Robert Franco
bfranco@hawaii.edu
A) KCC Service-learning Website
http://www.kcc.hawaii.edu/academics/service
B) Community Colleges resources available at
www.compact.org, with links to AACC and CCNCCC.
C) Kathy Jaycox – Hawaii P-20
 Visit www.p20hawaii.org
 E-mail jaycox@hawaii.edu