The Civic Scholarship Initiative Program
at the
University of Puget Sound
Bruce Mann
Professor of Economics
Director of the Civic Scholarship Initiative Program
July 2008
University of Puget Sound
Tacoma, WA
Located in a major metropolitan area and urban region
Primarily undergraduate residential
2,700 full equivalent students
Traditional disciplinary based courses and degrees
Some specialized programs and degree options
Required core curriculum
No athletic scholarship program
Cost about $40,000/year
More than 90% of students receive financial support
Faculty
About 220 full time faculty
98% with Ph.D. otherwise terminal degree
Student faculty ratio: 11:1
Average class size = 18
90% of classes number less than 30 students
University of Puget Sound
Mission Statement
The University . . . maintains a strong commitment to
teaching excellence, scholarly engagement, and
fruitful student-faculty interaction. . . . [to] develop . . .
a lifetime of intellectual curiosity, active inquiry, and
reasoned independence. . . . encourages a rich
knowledge of self and others, an appreciation of
commonality and difference, the full, open, and civil
discussion of ideas, thoughtful moral discourse, and
the integration of learning, preparing . . . to meet the
highest tests of democratic citizenship. . . . to assist in
the unfolding of creative and useful lives.
Civic Scholarship Initiative
Mission Statement
The Civic Scholarship Initiative supports programs that join
together the south Puget Sound region and the University
of Puget Sound’s faculty and students in projects of mutual
concern.
The initiative provides real-world laboratories for faculty
and students to pursue their research and teaching
objectives while partnering with regional organizations to
solve problems, develop policy, and educate the public on
issues of regional and national significance.
Avenues of Impact for CSI
• Develop and coordinate community-based
research and projects
• Assist faculty in teaching and courserelated project opportunities
• Enhance existing non-course related
academic programs
• Encourage faculty to seek new forms of
engagement with community
Desired Outcomes
The Civic Scholarship Initiative should produce:
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A better place to learn, teach, and conduct research.
Enhanced institutional visibility
Campus and community connections
Publishable research
Productive engagement in local affairs by faculty
A model of academic scholarship in a civic context
Access to external funding
CSI Programs and Projects
• Nearshore Restoration: one faculty, multiple student
groups, academic consortium and private sector
• Homelessness Policy: four faculty, three student
researchers, ten student assistants, public sector,
external funding
• Affordable Housing: two faculty, three student research
assistants, public sector
• Music Brass Camp: two faculty, two students assistants,
park district, external funding
• Physician Life Long Learning: ten faculty, twenty
students, seminar with medical society, external funding
CSI Programs and Projects
(Continued)
• Local Economic Forecast: two faculty, four students,
community program, external funding
• Community Theatre Collaboration: six faculty, hundreds
of local school children, community involvement
• Senior University: five faculty, external funding
• Transfer Development Rights: two faculty, three student
research assistants, public/private partnership, external
funding
• Art on the Avenue: one faculty, local business district
• Race and Pedagogy: multiple faculty, community based
project
Strengths of CSI Program
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Enhanced research opportunities
Local area laboratory context
Relatively inexpensive: $10 – 20,000/year
Ease of administration: part-time faculty director
and support staff
Faculty buy-in and support of programs
Close faculty-student interaction
Student research potential
Community support