Chapter Five
Engagement and Service
Chapter Five
Since its inception, Cameron University has had a long tradition of responding to the
ever-developing needs of southwest Oklahoma, and the NCA team that visited in 2001
listed as one of the university’s institutional strengths that it was “responsive to community
needs and [facilitated] collaboration.” All indications are that the relationship between
the university and the surrounding community has only grown stronger over the last
ten years. The university’s mission documents continue to emphasize the institution’s
commitment to southwest Oklahoma, and each of the four goals of Plan 2013: Choices
for the Second Century has components that specifically target partnerships with external
groups. Specific accomplishments in this area include the creation and development
of the Center for Emerging Technology and Entrepreneurial
Studies (CETES), a centennial celebration that involved
community members and alumni in all of its facets from planning
to execution, the development of the Southwest Area Health
Education Center (SwAHEC), the initiation of new programs
for soldiers at Fort Sill, the emergence of partnerships with
Comanche Nation Tribal College and Redlands Community
College, and a cooperative relationship that helped to re-launch
the Lawton Philharmonic Orchestra and to set it on a sound
footing as a strong partner in the arts.
In addition, the university has responded to the primary concern
articulated in the NCA-HLC visiting team report, which was
the lack of written agreements with many of our external
partners. The institution now has written Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs)
with all of its primary external partners, including written articulation agreements as
appropriate. These agreements should assist both the university and its partners in
responding effectively to each other’s needs and allow the university to reach its goal of
being the partner of choice for southwest Oklahoma.
Core Component V.a - The organization learns from the
constituencies it serves and analyzes its capacity to serve their
needs and expectations.
Cameron University employs multiple strategies for listening to its external constituents,
analyzing their needs and evaluating its own capacity to meet those needs. When
necessary, the institution has conducted needs assessment surveys, but often information
is communicated through the various channels that tie the university to the surrounding
community: external advisory boards, university representation on the governing boards
of external bodies and higher education partnerships. These structures allow for ongoing
communication between the university and its constituents, enabling the institution to
better serve those who rely upon it and better meet its own strategic service goals.
External Advisory Boards
One of the means by which Cameron University’s various units and programs receive
information about the needs of external constituents and ensure accountability to those
constituents is through the use of external advisory committees which review assessment
and evaluation results and offer recommendations about the future direction of the
program or unit. A full list of university advisory committees is available in the Resource
Room; the following list, while not exhaustive, provides a representative sampling of
advisory committees, their membership and their functions.1
1. List of Advisory Boards, 2010
(Assessment)
144
University Level
• Th
e Cameron University Foundation is governed by a board of directors
composed principally of civic leaders and community of the region. Foundation
Cameron University Accreditation Self-Study
executive officers are elected by the board and are charged with the execution
of all contracts, agreements, deeds, bonds, mortgages and other obligations
in the name of the corporation. Operations of the Foundation are guided by
procedures and by-laws approved by the board of directors, and by state law.
• Th
e Centennial Commission served as an external advisory board reviewing
plans and proposed activities for the university’s centennial observance and
providing feedback to the President. The Commission also provided input
into Plan 2013: Choices for the Second Century. The Centennial Commission
was comprised of representatives from the following constituents: current and
retired faculty and administrators, alumni, political and community leaders,
representatives from the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education
(OSRHE) and from Fort Sill and other Cameron supporters.
School or Non-Academic Unit Level
The following boards are active at the school or non-academic unit level:
• Th
e CETES Advisory Board consists of community business leaders and Fort
Sill military personnel. This advisory board helps to communicate CETES’
capabilities to the community, as well as suggesting projects that CETES could
undertake.
• Th
e School of Business hosts both a Dean’s Advisory Council and a Student
Advisory Council. Both councils meet regularly.
• Th
e Teacher Education Council cuts across the schools of Education and
Behavioral Sciences, Liberal Arts and Science and Technology. Membership
in the Teacher Education Council includes faculty from each education
program, current students and public school teachers. The council serves in an
advisory capacity to the Director of Teacher Education by reviewing regulations
and proposed changes, reviewing all teacher education programs, making
recommendations regarding courses, and making recommendations regarding
admission and retention of teacher education candidates.
• T
eacher education programs also participate in public forums, designed to
solicit program input from the local community. Public forums were held
annually through 2007 at which time they started occurring at the end of each
semester.
• Th
e Upward Bound and Open Doors programs have a joint Parents’ Advisory
Board to provide input and feedback about their services and activities. The
board meets twice a year.
Department Level
The following advisory boards are active in the School of Liberal Arts:
• D
epartment of Music – This advisory board meets twice each year. Members
include all area choir, band, string and piano instructors in the greater
Lawton-Fort Sill area. As a result of discussions with the board, the Department
of Music has begun hosting concerts featuring area high school bands and
choirs.
• D
epartment of Art – Advisors for this department are external experts who
serve as evaluators for senior portfolios each spring.
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145
Chapter Five
• D
epartment of Criminal Justice - The department hosts an advisory board
meeting annually to dialogue with members on how best to prepare students
for the professional world. The advisory board is made up of employers, alumni
and community leaders.
• E
nglish Education/Music Education/Romance Languages Education/Social
Studies Education Assessment Advisory Committees – Each education
program in the school has its own committee which meets at the beginning of
each semester to review assessment data and make program recommendations.
Membership includes faculty, current and former students and teachers and
administrators from local school districts.
The School of Science and Technology uses the following advisory boards:
• D
epartment of Computing and Technology – This department has separate
industrial advisory councils for each of its programs. Generally these councils
meet annually to provide curriculum advice, review program objectives, and
conduct mock interviews with students. Membership on the councils comes
from a variety of local businesses and organizational with participants from
Stanley, Wal-Mart, Halliburton, Comanche County Memorial Hospital and
Fort Sill.
• D
epartment of Agriculture – Advisory committees are used to review
departmental programs and curriculum. Area high school agriculture instructors
are also routinely consulted and their recommendations are considered part of
the department’s internal assessment process.
• B
iology Education/Chemistry Education Assessment Advisory Committee –
Each education program in the school has its own committee which meets at
the beginning of each semester to review assessment data and make program
recommendations. Membership includes faculty, current and former students
and administrators from local school districts.
The School of Education & Behavioral Sciences houses multiple advisory committees
for the Department of Education:
• C
onceptual Framework Advisory Board – This board meets annually to review
the conceptual framework that serves as the basis for all education programs at
Cameron. Membership includes Cameron faculty and students, alumni, public
school teachers and community members.
• E
arly Childhood Education/Elementary Education/Educational Leadership/
Graduate Reading/Graduate Education Assessment Advisory Committees –
Each academic program in the education department has its own Assessment
Advisory Committee, which meets at the beginning of each semester to review
assessment data and make program recommendations. Membership includes
faculty, current and former students and administrators from local school
districts.
• P
ortfolio Review Advisory Committees – Several versions of portfolio review
committees have assisted the department over the years, from groups of public
school teachers serving as outside reviewers on student portfolios to university
consultants reviewing portfolio assignments and rubrics.
146
Cameron University Accreditation Self-Study
Governing Board Memberships
In addition to utilizing external advisory boards to provide community feedback,
the university also employs many individuals who serve on the governing boards of
various community organizations, either as university representatives or as private
citizens. Cameron faculty and staff members serve on more than 60 local and regional
boards and advisory committees for professional and cultural organizations, economic
development groups and community service organizations. In this way the university
receives significant information about the needs of external constituents and is able to
determine how it can best respond to those needs.2
Partnerships
Cameron’s mission documents articulate the university’s commitment to providing
economic and cultural leadership for southwest Oklahoma, while Plan 2013: Choices for
the Second Century sets as one of its goals the fulfillment of that commitment through
the formation of partnerships and collaborative relationships. This goal is reflected in
the development of the Partner of Choice Award, meant to recognize a current staff or
faculty member who makes outstanding contributions toward expanding existing and
developing new community and area partnerships that will contribute to the growth
and prosperity of southwest Oklahoma.3
Cameron actively partners with a variety of local and regional organizations and
institutions in order to better understand and serve their needs. Several of those partners
are listed below:
Government/Military
• C
ameron partners with the military for the Green
to Gold program for soldiers who are currently on
active duty and who demonstrate officer potential.
The program allows enlisted soldiers to earn an
officer’s commission and either a baccalaureate or
masters degree as full time students through Army
ROTC. Cameron has had more students win
admission to the program through the Active Duty
Option than any other college in the U.S. for the
past two years.
• Partners for Patriots is an education initiative
starting in 2008 between Cameron University,
Great Plains Technology Center, Central Texas
University and Fort Sill. This partnership offers free
tuition for a variety of classes and also provides free
tutorial support for any soldier or their immediate
family member needing additional assistance. One
example of this support came when Cameron provided one of Fort Sill’s
Wounded Warriors free tuition for his three children who are each pursuing
their baccalaureate degrees from Cameron University.
• A
nother way that Cameron partners with the military is through a long term
commitment to provide free admission to all Cameron University sporting
events for soldiers and their immediate family members.
• C
ameron is a partner with the U.S. Agency for International Development
and its Higher Education and Development (HEAD) Program. The HEAD
2. Community Service by Employee,
2010 (Partnerships)
3. List of University Choice Award
Recipients, 2010 (University
Publications)
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147
Chapter Five
program brings together American and Iraqi universities to reestablish academic
excellence in Iraq’s higher education system. Cameron contributes multimedia
technologies and business curriculum in the area of “Institutional, Academic,
and Leadership Strengthening.”
• Th
e Association of South Central Oklahoma Governments (ASCOG)
provides significant services to an eight county region including workforce
development and community and economic development services. Cameron
has representatives on ASCOG’s Board of Trustees and the Workforce
Investment Board. As part of the partnership, CETES provides training as part
of ASCOG’s workforce development.
• C
ameron is an academic partner of the Advanced Distributed Learning (ADL)
Initiative, which develops and implements learning technologies across the
U.S. Department of Defense and federal government in collaboration with
government, industry and academia to promote international specifications and
standards for designing and delivering learning content.
Private Industry
• I n 2007, Cameron partnered with Comanche County Memorial Hospital,
the AM/PM Clinic and the Southwest Oklahoma Family Medicine Clinic
to provide discounted health services to full-time students. Beginning in Fall
2010, that partnership will be expanded so that students can receive health
services in an on-campus wellness center.
• Th
rough the Oklahoma Center for the Advancement of Science and
Technology (OCAST) R&D Intern Partnerships program, Cameron students
receive first-rate, on-the-job training as interns with area companies. Through
OCAST and matching industry funds, students are able to receive stipends
for their work. Based on this funding, Cameron has been able to establish
long-term partnerships with several companies in Lawton and Oklahoma City.
The OCAST grant has helped to position Cameron’s technology department
graduates for instructional design positions, and many local companies now
seek Cameron University students and graduates to fill their open positions.
Non-Profit
• C
ameron University holds a seat on the board of the Leslie Powell Foundation,
a local foundation with the mission of supporting organizations and institutes
in the arts and humanities that primarily benefit southwest Oklahoma. Many
of the grants awarded by the foundation have been awarded to members of
the Cameron community. Through the Leslie Powell Foundation, Cameron
also partners with VSA Arts of Oklahoma, which has the mission to establish
appropriate year-round arts programming that addresses all art forms for
individuals with or without special needs in Oklahoma. As such, Cameron
provides arts programming for the community. The Foundation also sponsors
an internship and scholarship through Cameron’s Department of Art.
• I n 2008, Rural Enterprises of Oklahoma Inc. (REI), a non-profit economic
development organization, partnered with Cameron’s CETES to provide
services to the southwestern quadrant of the state. Cameron currently hosts an
REI office on campus.
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Cameron University Accreditation Self-Study
• C
ameron is also part of the Southwest Oklahoma Impact Coalition (SOIC), a
unique voluntary collaboration of the five universities and colleges in southwest
Oklahoma along with ASCOG, the South Western Oklahoma Development
Authority (SWODA) and area technology centers to reinforce and grow
wealth in the region by maximizing and coordinating workforce and economic
development opportunities. SOIC works in conjunction with various state and
federal agencies, public and private corporations, tribal governments, other
educational institutions and local business and industry.
P-12 Education
• U
nder the leadership of East Central University (ECU) and in partnership
with Oklahoma Panhandle State University, Northwestern Oklahoma
State University and the OSRHE, Cameron University is working on a
project to meet the workforce needs of 156 isolated, rural school districts in
western Oklahoma. Using a Laura Bush 21st Century Librarian Grant, these
universities are using distance learning technologies to expand ECU’s master’s
level library media specialist program.
• U
nder GEAR UP (Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate
Programs), a federally funded program administered by the Oklahoma State
Regents for Higher Education, Cameron has partnered with Lawton Public
Schools to work toward better preparation for middle and high school students
for college. Project participants work with Cameron University’s Open Doors
project, another college access program, to gain needed skills and motivation
necessary for students to complete secondary and post-secondary education.
Cameron also provides professional development for teachers focused on
college preparation.
Higher Education
• C
ameron is a partner in the Oklahoma Experimental Program to Stimulate
Competitive Research (EPSCoR), which is funded through the National
Science Foundation. Oklahoma currently has one active NSF EPSCoR award
in the form of a five year (FY08-FY13) $15 million Research Infrastructure
Improvement cooperative agreement from NSF, matched by the OSRHE with
an additional $5.5 million. The scientific focus is on biofuels research with a
robust educational outreach component designed to broaden participation in
science, technology, engineering and mathematics fields.
• C
ameron is a partner in OneNet, Oklahoma’s official communications and
information network for education and government; OneNet is a division of
the OSRHE and is operated in conjunction with the Office of State Finance.
As part of its OneNet partnership, Cameron will house OneNet’s data disaster
recovery system in CETES.
• C
ameron partners with the Great Plains Technology Center in many ways.
Students who complete programs at Great Plains are awarded college credit by
Cameron. Also, as part of the Great Plains Technology Consortium, Cameron
is able to share resources acquired through Carl Perkins grant funding such as
robotics and electronics equipment with other partners.
• C
ameron maintains several partnerships that have made it a hub for the health
sciences in southwest Oklahoma. The university partners with the University of
Oklahoma Health Sciences Center to offer OU College of Nursing programs
on Cameron’s campus. In 2006, this partnership increased as Cameron provided
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149
Chapter Five
facilities and resources to expand the number of students served in the
program. Cameron also partners with OU on the Oklahoma IDEA Network
for Biomedical Research Excellence (OK-INBRE), which builds capacity
to carry out biomedical research by supporting promising new faculty,
recruiting students into biomedical careers, and sustaining core facilities.
In addition, Cameron partners with the Western Oklahoma State College
nursing program, which offers courses on Cameron’s campus, and with the
respiratory care program at Great Plains Technology Center, making the
university a vital part of the production of nurses and medical technicians in
the region.
• A
nother partnership that exists through the OSRHE is the Oklahoma Campus
Compact. The goal of this partnership is to educate college students to become
active citizens who are well-equipped to develop creative solutions to society’s
most pressing issues.
• The Oklahoma-Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation
(OK-LSAMP) is a consortium of colleges and universities in Oklahoma
seeking to improve the quantity and quality of students from underserved
populations. With more than 15 years of support from the National Science
Foundation’s Alliance for Minority Participation, OK-LSAMP is proud
that 30% of all STEM degrees earned by Native Americans are completed
in Oklahoma institutions and that Oklahoma continues to graduate more
Native American students than any other state.
• A
s mentioned previously, Cameron participates in the British Studies
Consortium which offers a summer program in London for students. Also, in
the area of study abroad, Cameron is a partner in the Brad Henry International
Studies Program at Swansea University in Wales.
• C
ameron partners with the University of Oklahoma’s Supercomputing Center
to provide Cameron students with access to the supercomputer at no cost.
By thus actively maintaining ties, both formal and informal, to the constituents it serves
and its higher education partners, the university is effectively able to gather information
about the needs of those constituents and partners. Once received, any information
regarding service needs and opportunities is evaluated through the appropriate
administrative or (in the case of curriculum) shared governance channels. Many of
the units with responsibility for that evaluation are described in the following section.
Memoranda of Understanding for those partnerships requiring formal agreements are
available in the Resource Room.4
Core Component V.b - The organization has the capacity and the
commitment to engage with its identified constituencies and
communities.
4. Memoranda of Understanding,
2001-2010 (Partnerships)
150
In order to respond most effectively to the information it gathers regarding the needs of
its constituents, the university has built into its basic structures, curriculum and policies
the capacity to provide services to the individuals and communities of southwest
Oklahoma. Several university offices have community outreach as their primary mission,
and provide educational, economic and cultural leadership to the university’s external
constituents. In addition, as mentioned in Chapter Four, the institution has built into
its curriculum opportunities for internships and service learning that offer benefit
both to students and to the university’s business and non-profit partners. Similarly,
Cameron University Accreditation Self-Study
the annual evaluation process for all faculty members includes credit for community
service, encouraging all faculty members to engage actively with the local community.
By maintaining and continuously evaluating these structures and policies, the university
is able quickly and efficiently to route community requests, to determine its capacity
to respond to those requests, and to provide appropriate services, thus fulfilling its
commitments to all of its constituents.
Units Focused on Community Involvement
As stated above, several units of the university have as their primary mission community
outreach and support. The following list is by no means exhaustive, but it does provide
a sense of the range of services provided by the university.
SwAHEC
The Oklahoma Area Health Education Centers (AHEC) Network is dedicated to
providing support to students in the health professions. A network of four regional
AHECs is available to assist students and professionals in accomplishing their clinical
training goals. The Southwest AHEC (SwAHEC), a not-for-profit organization, is
a part of Adult and Continuing Education at Cameron University.5 The service area
includes 23 counties in southwest Oklahoma and the Oklahoma City metroplex.
Through collaboration with community-based partners, SwAHEC recruits students
into health care professions, trains and supports health care professionals, and advocates
eliminating health disparities. Furthermore, SwAHEC is active in issues important to
the service area: rural economy, health disparities, genetics, community collaborations
and the retention, training and support of health care providers.
SwAHEC programming and support include:
• A multidisciplinary team that reviews child abuse cases in Comanche County
• Training, which is accessed by many law enforcement agencies in and around
Oklahoma, in forensic interviewing of children who may have been abused
• Exploration and job-shadowing opportunities for middle school, high school,
college aged and adults interested in exploring health care careers
• Supporting rural clinical clerkships for students from medical and physician
associates programs such as Oklahoma State University College of Osteopathic
Medicine and the University of Oklahoma Physician Associates program
• Recruiting area health care professionals and others with an interest in geriatrics
through the Geriatric Scholars program in partnership with the University of
Oklahoma Geriatric Education Center
• Providing “Livestrong” cancer education/support programs in rural Oklahoma
under a contract with the Lance Armstrong Foundation
• Offering regular parenting classes
• Hosting an annual grief training conference/continuing education event for
area professional
• Providing continuing education for area physical and occupational therapists
• Working with a statewide group charged by the Governor’s Task Force on Mental
Health Care to look at mental health professional licensing and credentialing
issues
SwAHEC has an estimated $51 million economic impact on its service area each
year. Over the last three years, more than 801 students have participated in SwAHEC
activities. Of the high school graduates who have participated in at least 20 hours of the
exploration program, 90% have gone to college or technical training and 56% of those
have entered health care training.6 Of that 56%, 81% were still in the health care field
four years out.
5. SwAHEC Website, 2010
(Partnerships)
6. SwAHEC Powerpoint, 2010
(Partnerships)
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151
Chapter Five
Adult & Continuing Education
Adult and Continuing Education (ACE) at Cameron University
provides support to academic schools and departments in their
efforts to provide educational services to citizens in the university’s
service area. As a result of this support, Cameron is able to offer
telecourses, teleconferences, workshops, seminars and conferences
to its constituencies, including four regional military installations.
ACE support includes event coordination, scheduling, facility
and equipment reservations, production of program materials and
arranging food services.7
ACE also coordinates Cameron’s part of the OSRHE’s Reach Higher
Program, a flexible, affordable degree program for working adults
who have taken at least 70 hours of college credit at some point in the
past and want to return to school to finish their bachelor’s degrees.
State business and education leaders created the degree program so
that working Oklahomans can advance their careers, increase their
incomes and build Oklahoma’s economy. The program combines past
college work with a series of courses in online and evening formats
to equal a bachelor’s degree. In some cases, student’s work and life
experiences may even count for college credit. As part of the Reach
Higher program, Cameron has partnered with other Adult Degree
Completion institutions in the state to begin work on a process
for prior learning assessment. This program is possible because of
a collaborative effort on the part of Oklahoma’s public universities.
The participating universities are creating a statewide network of courses designed to
enhance the state’s educational capacity. Students can enroll in the program at five times
throughout the year. Students are placed into classes with their peers so they can share
experiences with other working adults. Students who successfully complete the program
will earn a Bachelor of Science in organizational leadership from Cameron University.
Cameron’s Reach Higher curriculum focuses on courses in management, business,
communications, leadership, ethics and data analysis.8 Currently Cameron University
leads the state in the number of students enrolled in the completely online program.
ACE also coordinates a variety of workshops in flexible formats for continuing education
units (CEU), college credit and not-for-credit. Continuing education unit workshops
may be presented in conjunction with an academic unit such as criminal justice, a
non-academic unit such as SwAHEC, or an outside agency. Other workshops are
presented with a for-credit/not-for-credit option. Workshops offerings are determined
by departments and other units in conjunction with the Office of Adult and Continuing
Education with decisions being made based on need, cost and predicted enrollment.
Examples of workshops include:
• E
thics for Behavioral Health Professionals, a CEU event for regional
professionals, presented by SwAHEC
7. ACE Website, 2010 (Partnerships)
8. Reach Higher Website, 2010
(Partnerships)
9. Class Schedules, 2000-2010
(University Publications)
152
• M
igratory Birds, a workshop for optional college credit, presented by the Department
of Biology in cooperation with the Wichita Mountain Wildlife Refuge
• N
ational Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS), a workshop
providing support for area teachers going through the NBPTS process and for
graduate credit, presented by the Department of Education in conjunction with
Education Leadership Oklahoma.9
Cameron University Accreditation Self-Study
TRIO
Cameron University is also home to two TRIO programs aimed at pre-college students:
Upward Bound and Educational Talent Search (called Open Doors at Cameron
University).10
Upward Bound serves 57 ninth through twelfth graders from the Lawton and
Geronimo Public Schools, providing participants the opportunity to generate the
skills and motivation necessary to complete their secondary education and to enroll
in and complete a program of post-secondary study. Free services and activities for
students and parents include tutoring and study skills development, twice-monthly
Saturday Enrichment Classes, ACT/PSAT workshops, financial aid and scholarship
information and applications and a six-week, on-campus, summer enrichment
program, in addition to college campus visits.
Open Doors serves 775 students in sixth grade through twelfth grade, all from Lawton
Public Schools. The program provides students with postsecondary information,
personal counseling, career development and academic support. Services are free to
students and parents and are similar to those provided by Upward Bound; they include
monthly advisement sessions, tutoring, opportunities for community service, college
campus visits and summer enrichment programs, as well as help with the post-secondary
and financial aid application processes.
CETES
As mentioned in the introduction to this report, the Center for Emerging Technology
and Entrepreneurial Studies (CETES) was established by Cameron in June 2005 in
part in response to the Economic Development Generating Excellence (EDGE) Study
and its recommendations for stimulating the economic development in the region.
CETES is a consolidated economic development
venture operating out of Cameron University that
promotes the creation and growth of technology-based
companies, creates skilled employment opportunities
and prepares individuals to be effective contributors
to the 21st century economy of southwest Oklahoma.
It is housed in a multipurpose, multidiscipline center
with fully integrated facilities.11 In 2009, CETES
underwent a $2.4 million expansion to include a
conference center, data disaster recovery center,
back-up emergency operations center and a center
for regional economic development. Funding for
the expansion was generated from Lawton’s Capital
Improvement Program and a federal grant from the
Economic Development Administration.
The key functions of CETES include
• G
rowing and nurturing emerging technology companies in a state of the art
technology incubator, providing a structure that assists the companies with
technological support, angel and venture capital networking and developing the
vital entrepreneurial skills necessary for success.
• A
ssisting in efforts to support the viability and expansion of technology-based
military missions at Fort Sill and Altus Air Force Base. The long-standing
partnership between Cameron and the area’s military facilities has resulted in
the formation of new technology companies and a highly educated and skilled
10. TRIO Website, 2010 (Partnerships)
11. CETES Website, 2010 (Partnerships)
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153
Chapter Five
workforce. CETES has provided a stronger role in this dynamic partnership
with the development of its complex.
• C
reating a viable 21st century workforce skilled to work with and invent
the technologies critical to the future of this region. The integrated CETES
experience attracts students and creates the critical mass of skilled workers
that is the essential ingredient for developing or locating high performance
companies in a community.
• P
roviding a catalyst and center point for regional economic development
activities in southwest Oklahoma, consistent with higher education’s activist
role in the implementation of EDGE initiatives.
CETES connects innovative academic programs with economic development expertise
to build new industries and create jobs for Oklahomans. Staff members work together
with Cameron students on all projects as part of capstone courses, internships, or simply
as student workers. Since its inception, CETES has received $10,000 funding for
promoting student internships with businesses.
CETES participates in critical economic development partnerships to grow Oklahoma’s
economy by offering consulting in design, strategic planning, market research, business
analysis and other general guidance. The following are some of the many recent
achievements accomplished by CETES:
• W
eb 2.0 Training workshops
• Consulting services in growth strategies recognized by regional companies
• Partnership with Oklahoma State University for an NSF grant proposal on
Partnership for Innovation
• Active involvement with Southwest Oklahoma Impact Coalition and South
Central Oklahoma Workforce Investment Board
• Partnerships with Rural Enterprises of Oklahoma, Northside Chamber of
Commerce and Great Plains Technology Center to offer training and seminars
• Partnerships with Oklahoma Manufacturers Alliance to assist businesses with
growth strategies in challenging times
• Hosting monthly TechNights to provide networking opportunities for local
area “techies”
CETES also provides a leadership role in the region as it utilizes the following grants
for regional economic development:
• C
ommunity Technology Entrepreneur Project, OSRHE, $130,000 to assist
regional entrepreneurs in creation of viable businesses through entrepreneurial
contests
• e-Synchronist Business Information System, Department of Commerce (as
subcontractor through Southwestern Oklahoma State University), $22,120 to
interview regional manufacturers
• FHL Bank Topeka/Fort Sill National Bank, $25,000 to perform market
assessments for start-up companies
• Technology Growth Strategies Grant, OSRHE, $100,000 to develop regional
technology growth program
• Regents Economic Development Grant, OSRHE, $150,000 to conduct, with
Cameron’s Department of Agriculture, a feasibility study to place a plant to
convert mesquite into ethanol in southwest Oklahoma
• South Central OK Workforce Investment Board, in cooperation with Great
154
Cameron University Accreditation Self-Study
Plains Technology Center and Lawton-Fort Sill Chamber of Commerce,
$100,000 to identify the local economic impact of the BRAC announcement
Additionally, CETES has contributed to grant proposals to fund advanced manufacturing
in southwest Oklahoma ($100,000) and to assist with workforce development related to
BRAC ($2.5 million).
Business Research Center
The Business Research Center (BRC) at the School of Business was established in
late Fall 1990 to conduct applied research that fosters economic development in
southwest Oklahoma.12
The BRC has developed and currently maintains research on the economic indicators
for southwest Oklahoma, specifically those for the cities of Lawton and Duncan.
These indicators provide a general measure of the overall economic performance of
local communities. Some of the economic indicators kept include real estate sales,
unemployment rates, interest rates, bankruptcy rates, housing permits, sales tax
collections and a variety of economic information relating to Fort Sill.
The BRC also publishes The Southwest Business & Economics Journal, an annual, peerreviewed, business journal. The purpose of the journal, which was founded in 1992, is
to educate business leaders and provide economic information, ideas and concepts with
applications for professionals and practitioners in business. Priority is given to subjects
dealing with new interpretations and solutions to problems in regional economic
development. 13
Since January 1991, Cameron University, the School of Business and the Business
Research Center have sponsored the Cameron Business Forums. The purpose of these
meetings is to communicate locally relevant current business and economic information
to the community. The forums are held on the Cameron campus, and recent topics have
included Oklahoma’s economy in times of uncertainty, social security reform, investing
and local taxes.
In addition to these regular functions, the BRC also undertakes special research projects.
One series of projects focused on the Department of Defense Base Realignment and
Closure (BRAC) Commission Report and included a study of the Economic Impact
of the Fort Sill Military Base on the Local Economy, a Fort Sill Military Housings
Needs Study and a Cost Benefit Analysis for Different Courses of Action. Other recent
research projects completed by the BRC are:
• I mpact of City Sales Tax Increase: A Study of Selected Cities in Oklahoma,
Kansas and Texas
• Cameron University Alumni Association Survey
• Economic Impact of Cameron University
• Comanche County Community Needs Assessment Study
• American Chambers of Commerce Researchers Association Cost of Living Index
• Wind Generator Feasibility Study
KCCU
KCCU is an award-winning, listener-supported, non-commercial, educational radio station
and is a service of Cameron University. As such, KCCU provides outreach for Cameron
across Western Oklahoma and North Texas. KCCU has six full-power FM transmitter
facilities and two translators. The most recent expansion of KCCU took place in January
2009 with the purchase of a broadcast facility in northwest Oklahoma. Cameron provides
12. Business Research Center
Website, 2010 (Partnerships)
13. Southwest Business Economics
Journal, 2002-2010 (Research)
www.cameron.edu/selfstudy
155
Chapter Five
the salaries and benefits for KCCU’s employees, in addition to providing facilities for the
station. In return, KCCU provides internships to Cameron students as well as hiring and
training Cameron students who are interested in broadcasting.14
KCCU holds two annual on-air membership campaigns to raise funds to pay for
programming: one in the spring, and one in the fall. In Fall 2008, KCCU raised
approximately $63,000 and gained 68 new members.15
University Advancement
The Office of University Advancement oversees the day-to-day operations of the
Cameron University Foundation, a nonprofit, 501(c)(3) organization founded in 1972
for the purpose of collecting, administering and disbursing gifts and endowments for
the benefit and continuing support of Cameron University. The mission of the CU
Foundation is to “promote educational, scientific and cultural interests at Cameron
University for the benefit of Cameron students and the citizens of southwest Oklahoma.”
The Foundation is governed by a board of directors composed principally of civic and
community leaders of the region. Foundation executive officers are elected by the board
and are charged with execution of all contracts, agreements,
deeds, bonds, mortgages and other obligations in the name of
the corporation.
All operations of the Foundation are guided by procedures and
by-laws approved by the Foundation’s board of directors.16
Alumni Relations and the Cameron University
Alumni Association (CUAA)
Through the Office of Alumni Relations, the Cameron
University Alumni Association cooperates with and assists
in the promotion of the goals and purpose of Cameron
University, to encourage a continuing and increasing interest
in the university among graduates, former students and friends
and to foster acquaintance and good fellowship through
information, education and service.
The CUAA supports the following:
14. KCCU Webpage, 2010
(Partnerships)
15. KCCU MEMSYS Data,
2008-2009 (Partnerships)
16. Cameron University
Foundation ByLaws, 2001-2010
(Partnerships)
17. Alumni Association ByLaws
and Board of Directors, 2007
(Partnerships)
156
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Publication of Cameron Magazine twice a year
Alumni Scholarship Awards
Distinguished Alumni Awards
Faculty Hall of Fame Awards
Freshman Welcome Gifts
Reunions, Alumni Weekend and Homecoming Activities
Cameron Athletics and KCCU-FM Radio Underwriting
Welcome packets for new graduates
In addition, the CUAA has contributed to the funding of such special projects as
the renovation of the former student activities building and the construction of the
McMahon Centennial Complex.17
The Office of Alumni Relations has made significant efforts over the last ten years
to better track alumni and to increase their involvement in the life and growth of the
university. As written in the 2007 Cameron University’s Alumni Association Strategic
Plan, efforts are being made to increase the number of activities on campus for alumni,
create a program to recognize alumni professional accomplishments, and increase the
Cameron University Accreditation Self-Study
amount of communication between Cameron University and its alumni. Also in 2007,
the CUAA worked with the Business Research Center to first examine the feasibility
of and later to create and distribute a survey to determine the needs and preferences for
different products and services offered by the CUAA. The survey collected data from
members and non-members of the CUAA. The data from this survey have been used to
guide the programming, support and products offered to alumni.18
Public Affairs
The Office of Public Affairs is typically the first point of contact between the southwest
Oklahoma media and Cameron University, and the primary task of that unit is to assist
area newspapers, radio and television stations in their coverage of university activities.
Through its relationship with the media, the Office of Public Affairs promotes public
awareness of Cameron University. It also answers public inquiries about university
programs and encourages residents and potential students to actively consider the
university as a source of adult education. The Office of Public Affairs assists the
university’s educational and administrative offices in the development of promotional
materials and is available to university staff in an advisory role for media and public
relations information. It assists the university’s Office of Alumni Relations by producing
its alumni publication, Cameron Magazine.19
Lectures and Concerts
Cameron’s Lectures and Concerts Program provides funding for cultural events of
interest to the southwest Oklahoma community. Each year the Lectures and Concerts
Committee, comprised of Cameron faculty and students, solicits proposals and makes
recommendations to the Vice President for Student Services regarding funding. Recent
events funded by Lectures and Concerts include Country Jazz Fusion, plays and
musicals and the Visiting Writer Series.20
Internships
The university understands that internships are important academic experiences that
offer benefits both to students and to community partners. As mentioned in Chapter
Four, Cameron offers internships in 26 different areas of concentration. Some of these
internships are program requirements while others are optional for students. Other
internship opportunities exist in the form of independent study courses in additional
programs.
All internships at Cameron University are governed by two documents: a Memorandum
of Agreement among the student, a university faculty member and the host agency;
and a Student Acknowledgement and Release addressing the university’s expectations
for interns.21
The departments that offer internships typically find placements for the students
or help the students to find an internship location. In addition to their work at the
internship site, students complete additional assignments such as journals or reports
to the supervising faculty. Feedback from the internship site is solicited, as is feedback
from the supervising faculty member. For many programs, this feedback is more formal
and represents summative and/or formative evaluation.
Although many students at the university currently participate in internship experiences,
the institution has been working to make internships more pervasive. The 2006-07
Annual Student Assessment Report identified offering practical work experiences in areas
related to student majors as an area for improvement.22 NSSE survey results from 2008
indicated that 34% of seniors at Cameron participated in an internship, practicum,
or field experience. That number is encouraging, and the university will continue to
18. Alumni Survey Powerpoint, 2007
(Evaluation)
19. Public Affairs Website, 2010
(Partnerships)
20. List of Lectures and Concerts
Events, 2001-2010 (Student
Experiences)
21. Internship Agreement Form,
2008 (Partnerships); Student
Acknowledgement and Release
Form, 2008 (Partnerships)
22. Annual Student Assessment
Report, 2008 (Assessment)
www.cameron.edu/selfstudy
157
Chapter Five
encourage students to take advantage of opportunities provided for field experiences,
including internships. 23
Service Learning
Several academic departments at Cameron weave service learning throughout their
curriculum. Students engaged in any of the undergraduate or graduate education
programs, for example, participate in service learning as a program requirement.
Typically, this service learning comes in the form of practicum experiences and class
projects involving local public schools.
Cameron University’s technology programs also offer students service learning
opportunities. The Department of Multimedia Design works extensively with local
agencies creating and maintaining web sites. Groups of students complete approximately
five projects per semester. In one such project, Cameron multimedia design interns
worked with Advanced Systems Technology to produce Basic Immigration Enforcement
Training for local, state and tribal law enforcement officers. The Cameron interns
provided instructional design and development expertise for the project. Students in the
Department of Computing and Technology likewise participate in courses that include
service-learning components. As part of the department’s capstone classes, students
serve as independent contractors free of charge to various community organizations–
usually non-profits. Overall clients have been very pleased with the services provided,
and most offer “payment” in the form of a recommendation letter for the students
from the client. Project examples include the creation of a user-friendly database for
maintaining records for the Boy Scouts of America; the creation of a statewide online
database to track emergency resources, training and funds for the State Emergency
Management Agency; and numerous projects for Lawton Public Schools.
In order to involve more students in service learning, Cameron has hosted VISTA
volunteers through the Oklahoma Campus Compact, a membership organization that
encourages and supports its members in developing college students’ awareness and
skills in civic participation through service learning and community service. During
their year at Cameron (2009), the VISTA volunteers worked to build the infrastructure
for a community service and service learning programs on campus. As a result of their
efforts, student community service efforts are now being tracked, and several faculty
members are strengthening or adding service learning components to their classes: two
faculty members from the Department of Education, for instance, received ServiceLearning Incentive Grants for the Fall 2009 semester from the Oklahoma Campus
Compact. Their grants will be used to engage education students in projects educating
parents and increasing literacy at local daycares and schools.
Faculty and Staff Service
23. NSSE Results, 2008 (Evaluation)
24. Faculty Handbook, 2004
(Institutional Policies and
Governance)
25. Departmental Standards for
Promotion and Tenure, 2010
(Institutional Policies and
Governance)
158
Although the faculty at Cameron is primarily focused on teaching, the Faculty
Handbook lists faculty service as part of a faculty member’s expected contribution to the
university and southwest Oklahoma communities.24 Expectations regarding service
are outlined in Section 4.2.6.3 in the Faculty Handbook. Tenured and tenure-track
faculty are expected to spend a minimum of 10% of their time and efforts on university
service, professional service and public outreach using criteria negotiated as part of the
annual evaluation process. Departmental standards approved by the Vice President for
Academic Affairs specify the service activities valued by each department and school,
and by the university.25Faculty members involved in teacher education—those who
teach professional education or methods courses, supervise student teachers, or serve
on residency year assistance committees—complete a minimum of ten hours of service
with direct contact with students per year and a minimum of five additional hours
of service of professional development. Other service activities include presenting a
Cameron University Accreditation Self-Study
public school staff development program, serving as a member of an accreditation
team or program reviewer, or participation in community activities that involve public
school students or parents.26
In addition, Cameron faculty and staff members engage in volunteer community
activities on a regular basis, supporting and furthering the goals of the communities in
which they live. In 2009-2010 alone, Cameron faculty and staff employees volunteered
with more than 45 local community organizations, providing their time and expertise
for the good of southwest Oklahoma.27
Two of the University of Choice Awards, the Location of Choice Award, and the
Partner of Choice Award, recognize faculty and staff members who have best furthered
the university’s commitment to the southwest Oklahoma community.28 In 2009-2010,
Cameron awarded its first Faculty Award for Excellence and Innovation in University
Service. This annual award is given to a faculty member whose engagement in service is
second only to teaching. Nominees for this award must present a portfolio of servicerelated activities that are above and beyond assigned duties. This portfolio undergoes a
peer-review process with a final decision made by an Award Selection Committee made
up of faculty members.29
Volunteerism
The results of the 2008 NSSE show that 43% of seniors participated in community
service or volunteer work. This is an increase of 20% over reported freshman participation.
Also according to the 2008 NSSE, 73% of freshmen and 68% of seniors believe that
their experiences at Cameron have contributed to their knowledge, skills and personal
development in the area of contributing to the welfare of the community. The 2009
VISTA grant, mentioned previously, is expected to increase student participation in
community service, as well as in service learning.30
In Spring 2009, Cameron students logged 5,400 volunteer hours. Currently, student
groups report their hours to a central person who keeps track of student efforts. The
Oklahoma Campus Compact is working on a database to track student volunteerism.
As part of the partnership with the Oklahoma Campus Compact, Cameron expects to
use the database to track community service in the future.
Student Organizations
Cameron University’s unique mix of traditional and non-traditional students ensures
that community plays an important role in campus life. Students, faculty and staff have
access to numerous clubs and social organizations who list community service and
involvement in their mission statements.
Many of the 82 active student organizations, including honor societies, sororities and
fraternities, religious organizations, multi-cultural organizations and special interest
groups, participate in community service projects. Each organization coordinates its
own projects, but as of Fall 2010, all student community service efforts will be centrally
tracked.
Community Service Hub
Cameron also employs a community service webpage which is constantly updated
through the Office of Student Activities. This webpage promotes individual and
group volunteerism and includes lists of available service opportunities and Cameron’s
community partnerships with local agencies.31
26. NCATE Accreditation Report, 2008
(External Accreditation)
27. Community Service by Employee,
2010 (Partnerships)
28. List of University Choice Award
Recipients, 2010 (University
Publications)
29. Press Releases, 2010 (University
Publications)
30. NSSE Results, 2008 (Evaluation)
31. Community Service Webpage,
2010 (Partnerships)
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159
Chapter Five
Student-Athletes
Cameron’s athletic department is very proud of its community service efforts, especially
the fact that the student-athletes, coaches and administrators work together for the
benefit of the community. Each of Cameron’s 11 athletic programs takes part in as many
community service activities as possible.
As noted in Chapter Four, in AY 2006-2007, the athletic department began setting
an annual goal for the total number of volunteer hours completed. Each year, the
department has met or surpassed its goal. Volunteer projects have included the Kiwanis
Pancake Feed, Earth Week activities and fundraising for Hurricane Katrina relief
efforts. Also, more than 200 student-athletes, coaches and administrators volunteered
at Cameron’s Centennial Kick-Off. Together they worked the carnival and did whatever
else was needed so that the event ran smoothly for the thousands of guests. For this
effort, Cameron University was awarded the 2009 Lone Star Conference Division II’s
Community Engagement Award of Excellence.
Scholarships with Service Requirements
Each year, Cameron enrolls up to 25 students in the Presidential Leaders and
University Scholars (PLUS) program. Each PLUS scholar is required by his or her
acceptance of the scholarship to perform 16 hours of community service during each
semester enrolled. Additionally, PLUS scholars participate in group service projects.
PLUS service opportunities involve more than 47 local organizations from Habitat
for Humanity to local hospitals to organizations serving community members with
special needs.32
As a result of its historically close ties to the communities of southwest Oklahoma,
Cameron University has deliberately structured itself over the years to be connected
and outward looking. Both its organization and its policies encourage community
engagement and ensure the appropriate allocation of financial and human resources so
that the university may ably and effectively serve all of its constituents.
Core Component V.c - The organization demonstrates its
responsiveness to those constituencies that depend on it for
service.
As the previous sections demonstrate, Cameron University listens to its constituents
and has established an infrastructure that enables the university to respond effectively
to constituent needs as they arise. This section provides some examples of programs that
the university has put in place over the last several years in response to the perceived
needs of those who depend on it for service.
Lawton Philharmonic Orchestra
32. PLUS Website, 2010 (Student
Experiences)
160
Cameron University actively partners with The Lawton Philharmonic Orchestra
(LPO) to support the continued viability of the orchestra and offer meaningful field
experiences to its music students. During the 2003-2004 season, union negotiations
threatened to put an end to the LPO, and that year’s season opener was canceled due
to a lack of agreement over terms. In order to break the deadlock between the union
and the musicians, the Orchestra partnered with the university, and Cameron faculty
members worked with Union representatives to re-open negotiations; they also
donated conducting, contracting and other services in order to help the Orchestra
survive financially. Meanwhile, CETES worked with LPO leadership to develop a
business plan. Finally, in 2005, the deadlock was broken. Thanks to the intervention
of the musicians themselves, plus an innovative partnership with Cameron University,
and the willingness by the Union to resume negotiations, the Lawton Philharmonic
Cameron University Accreditation Self-Study
Society was able to sponsor two concerts in 2006 and has continued to operate a
limited schedule since that time.
Martin Luther King, Jr. “Day of Service”
On Monday, January 19, 2009, more than 275 Cameron student volunteers joined with
faculty, staff and administrators to celebrate “a day on, not a day off ” in service to the
community as part of the national Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service. Cameron’s
Day of Service benefited the Boys and Girls Club of Lawton, an organization which
had previously approached Cameron for mentors.
Armed with six hours of time and $1,000 in grant money from the Corporation for
National and Community Service and the North Carolina Campus Compact—
one of only two received in Oklahoma—volunteers completely overhauled the Club.
Throughout the morning and early afternoon more than 100 Cameron volunteers
repaired, cleaned and revitalized the Center, working alongside the Lawton-Fort Sill
Cavalry Premier Basketball League team, other community members and the boys and
girls who regularly attend the club. Every room in the facility received a make-over with
donations of new gym equipment, televisions, paint and furniture from Cameron. One
of Cameron’s student teachers was motivated to help because “a lot of our kids are going
straight from our class to places just like this.” As he noted, “When we came in here
earlier, half the ceiling was falling out, the walls were all scuffed up from shoes, they didn’t
have High School Musical pillows, and now they do.”
Overall, Cameron volunteers logged more than 1,500 volunteer hours during the Day
of Service-the largest single volunteerism activity in Cameron history.
Concurrent Enrollment
Cameron offers concurrent courses to allow outstanding junior and senior high school
students to take college courses while still in high school. Since 1977, high school
students have been coming to Cameron’s campus for classes. Recently, however, in
response to the concerns of parents and high school principals worried about teenagers
traveling back and forth between multiple learning sites, the university has begun
offering concurrent enrollment classes, including freshman speech and psychology
courses, on local high school campuses.33
Language Training for Soldiers
Not long after September 11, 2001, Fort Sill contracted with Cameron to provide
one-day Iraqi language classes for Iraqi survival training. Soldiers in these classes
received 4-5 hours of cultural awareness, cultural immersion and ethnic identification
to assist soldiers going into a different environment. Also, soldiers gained experience
working through a translator. In 2006, Cameron began offering full week trainings for
linguists in the languages spoken in the vicinity of Afghanistan: Pashto, the language of
the Taliban; Dari, a dialect of Farsi; and Urdu, the language of Pakistan. The language
classes, taught by Cameron faculty, also involved community members who are native
speakers. Because mobilizing units were on very tight timetables, Cameron was very
flexible as professors rearranged their schedules to make the program work for Fort
Sill, often with very little lead time. Funding for these programs has come from Global
War on Terrorism money and the feedback received from deployed soldiers is that the
linguistic training is saving lives.
Cameron Stadium Complex
Since 1985, Lawton Public Schools (LPS) has called the Cameron Stadium Complex
“home.” This shared usage means that LPS uses the Cameron Stadium Complex to
host high school and middle school football games; marching band camps, clinics
33 Undergraduate Catalog, 2009-2011
(Institutional Policies and
Governance); Class Schedules,
2000-2010 (University Publications)
www.cameron.edu/selfstudy
161
Chapter Five
and competitions; cheerleading and drill team
practices; and high school soccer games; while
Cameron uses the stadium for a variety of
events including intramurals, commencement
ceremonies, community concerts and ROTC
physical training.
In January 2007, this partnership was extended
for ten more years.34 Under the partnership
agreement, Cameron and LPS have both made
improvements to the stadium facility. As part
of the Campus Master Plan 2015, developed in
December 2005, the stadium is the front door
for many visitors and potential students that
enter the university grounds and should be
upgraded to reflect the university image.35 As
such, Cameron has made minor upgrades to the
press box and public toilet facilities, while LPS
has taken responsibility for major improvements
such as new field turf.
Volunteer Income Tax Assistance
Cameron University students, the Great Plains Improvement Foundation and
community volunteers work together to run a Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA)
site. Coordinated by the Oklahoma Small Business Development Center, the CameronGPIF VITA offers free tax preparation for low- to moderate-income families.
Other Programs
Other programs specifically designed to serve the needs of Cameron’s various
constituents include the following:
• Th
e university’s Constitution Day celebration includes a keynote address and
panel discussion that is open to the public. One recent Constitution Day
focused on the Native American perspective on the U.S. Constitution and
featured Cherokee Nation Principal Chief Chad Smith who was joined on the
panel by Dr. Kim Winkelman, then President of Comanche Nation College.
• I n 2009, Cameron partnered with Fort Sill, the Leslie Powell Foundation and
the Lawton Public Schools to secure a Fulbright grant bringing Dr. Sawsan
Al-Bitar, a faculty member in the Department of Philosophy and Sociology at
the University of Damascus in Syria, to Lawton to help students and others in
the community to gain a deeper understanding of the Middle East, particularly
Islamic history, culture and society. During her visit, Dr. Al-Bitar presented a
for-credit workshop titled “Islam and the West: Creating a Bridge” in addition to
making presentations to public school teachers and other community members
on the Cameron campus, at a local art gallery, and at Fort Sill. Cameron
partnered with Lawton Public Schools on the original Fulbright scholar grant.
Other partners included Fort Sill and the Leslie Powell Foundation.
34. Stadium Lease Agreement, 2007
(Partnerships)
35. Campus Master Plan 2015, 2005
(Planning)
162
• Th
e Cameron University Library hosted All Black Towns of Oklahoma, a traveling
exhibit from the Oklahoma History Center to celebrate the history of the
Oklahoma All-Black towns that still exist. This exhibit was complemented by
a lecture from a CU professor and was made possible through funding by the
Oklahoma Humanities Council and the National Endowment for the Humanities.
Cameron University Accreditation Self-Study
• C
ameron students regularly assist with regional Special Olympics events,
including both the bowling and track and field competitions. During Spring
2009, as part of a senior capstone class for health and PE, a Cameron student
organized a regional Special Olympics swim meet. The swim meet was held for
the first time at Cameron’s pool, served more than 50 Special Olympians, and
was carried out by more than 20 Cameron volunteers from the health and PE
department.
• Summer 2009 marked the first annual Cameron University Camp of Champs,
a summer camp experience held at Quartz Mountain Nature Park and designed
particularly for special needs students. Camp of Champs was organized and
staffed by a combination of Cameron faculty, staff and public school special
education teachers. Counselors for the camp were Cameron students from a
variety of majors, all of whom had an interest in working with special needs
students. Grant funding for Camp of Champs came from the Oklahoma
Developmental Disabilities Council and the Center for Learning and
Leadership; partners included Quartz Mountain Arts & Conference Center
and Nature Park and Anadarko Public Schools.
• S
wAHEC, in cooperation with many agencies, hosts a Health Expo for
approximately 300 fifth grade students from rural school districts in southwest
Oklahoma. SwAHEC also co-sponsors DNA Day with the Department of
Biological Sciences. DNA Day offers presentations and hands-on laboratory
experiences dealing with genetics for local students.
• Th
e Cameron University Library hosts term paper research days for high school
English classes. These research days have received positive feedback from local
English teachers and appreciation from high school students.
• S
tudents in Free Enterprise (SIFE) in the School of Business offers the
Cameron University Leaders and Entrepreneurs (CULE) camp to give public
school students a taste of what it takes to create a new product or service. SIFE
also hosts a Finance Challenge in which teams of high school students compete
to come up with solutions to a given personal finance problem.
• CETES offers a Robotics Camp for area high school students.
• Th
e Department of Communication hosts workshops for almost 250 elementary
gifted and talented students from area schools. Cameron has been hosting these
workshops since 1984. Each year the department also welcomes more than 600
students and teachers to the High School Speech Demonstration Day. At this
event, state speech, drama and debate winners perform.
• Th
e Departments of Education and Physical Sciences host a Young Learners
Science, Math and Technology Exposition each spring. The science fair is open
to students in kindergarten through sixth grade. Local and area school science
fair winners have been selected to represent their schools in demonstrating
science, math, technology and geography projects.
• C
ameron partners with the Oklahoma Commission for Teacher Preparation
and Education Leadership Oklahoma to assist with support efforts aimed
at teachers in southwest Oklahoma who are participating in the process of
National Board certification. Teachers attend monthly support meetings and
can receive Cameron graduate credit for their participation.
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Chapter Five
• “ Effective Investigative Techniques” was a two-day training seminar aimed at
child welfare workers, law enforcement, medical professionals, public health
nurses, mental health practitioners, child abuse prevention professionals and
district attorneys. This seminar was accredited for continuing education and
fulfilled a requirement for participants in the Council on Law Enforcement
Education & Training (CLEET) program, licensed professional counselors and
licensed marriage and family therapists. This training seminar was sponsored
by the Child Abuse Training and Coordination Program, Family Support and
Prevention Service, Family Health Services, Oklahoma State Department
of Health, Comanche County Multidisciplinary Team, Comanche County
CASA and Cameron University’s Southwest Area Health Education Center
(SwAHEC).
• C
ameron’s Office of Student Development collaborates with the Fort Sill Army
Career and Alumni Program (ACAP) to present the Annual Red River Career
Expo. The expo began in 1997 and provides an opportunity for students, military
personnel and residents of southwest Oklahoma to meet with more than 85
national, regional and local employers from a variety of fields including law
enforcement, health care, hospitality, marketing, engineering and information
technology. Each year approximately 800 job seekers attend the expo.
• Th
e Communication Department offers high school and middle school students
an opportunity to participate in two one-week residential Speech and Debate
Camps. These camps are staffed by veteran high school teachers/coaches and
successful collegiate competitors. Many staff members have been teaching as
part of the camp for 5-20 years and others once attended the camp themselves.
The camp attracts 300-400 students each year from 120-130 schools and 8-10
states.
• Th
e Department of Education joins other Cameron departments to co-host
three summer camps for students across Oklahoma.
• The Science Detectives Summer Academy, entering its fourth year,
is a residential and interdisciplinary program for students entering
the eighth and ninth grade. Students conduct experiments using
an action-reflection pedagogical model and present their findings
to the public. The academy is a collaboration of SwAHEC, the
Department of Biological Sciences and the Department of
Education.
164
Cameron University Accreditation Self-Study
• The Department of Education joins the Department of Physical
Sciences to co-host the NASA Space Camp for middle-schoolaged students. Students at space camp participate in a variety
of creative, hands-on investigations and activities related to
space travel, astronaut training, rocketry and space exploration.
Counselors at the camp come from Cameron’s science and
education programs.
• The Kids Investigating the Discoveries of Science (K.I.D.S.) Camp
allows elementary aged students to investigate a variety of scientific
fields in an active way. This camp is run by the departments of
education and physical sciences with student-counselors from the
elementary education program.
• Th
e coaches and athletes at Cameron host a variety of sports camps each summer
including cheerleading, volleyball, basketball (both team and individual) and
running.
• Additional summer camps include:
• Creative Expressions, presented by the Department of Art and cosponsored by VSA Arts of Oklahoma, VSA Arts of Washington,
D.C., The U.S. Department of Education, Hobby Lobby and The
Omega Workshop
• Omega Workshop Summer Arts Institute featuring professional artists
and co-sponsored by Cameron University and the Omega Workshop
• Criminal Justice Academy, co-sponsored with the Great Plains
Technology Center
• Adobe Flash Animation Workshop hosted by the Department of
Multimedia Design
• S
everal times per year, Cameron University sponsors concerts in conjunction
with the Lawton Community Band, Lawton Civic Chorale and Lawton Civic
Symphony. These concerts also involve area pre-college musicians, vocal students
and string students. Rehearsals and final performances occur at Cameron.
• C
ameron co-hosted the Oklahoma Chautauqua in 2008 and 2009 with the
Lawton Public Library, Museum of the Great Plains, Great Plains Technology
Center and the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge Visitors Center. The
main feature of the Chautauqua is a series of historical monologues presented
“in character” followed by discussions with both the speaker and the scholar/
presenter. Additional workshops and lectures focus on the era’s social, cultural
and political aspects.
• I n 2009, Cameron University worked with the Association of South Central
Oklahoma Governments (ASCOG) to reach out to area displaced workers.
Staff from the Offices of Adult and Continuing Education and the Office
of Admissions hosted a meeting to share information about federal funding
available to cover education costs and provide compensation while attending
school. Undergraduate advisors were also on hand at the meeting to evaluate
transcripts and enroll students.
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Chapter Five
As all of these examples indicate, the university consistently and creatively responds to
the needs of its constituents. Many of these programs now have a long history at the
university, and are continued because of positive feedback from the groups they serve;
meanwhile the institution constantly integrates new programs that respond to needs as
they arise.
Core Component V.d - Internal and external constituencies
value the services the organization provides.
There are, of course, many ways of measuring the value of services provided by an
institution of higher education, even the most thorough of which can hardly capture
the extent of its impact. This section, however, details some of the means by which the
university attempts to measure the value of its services to its constituents.
Economic Impact
In 2007, Cameron’s Business Research Center conducted a study of the university’s
economic impact on Comanche County and the southwest Oklahoma region. The
study found that Cameron University generates substantial economic benefits for
Comanche County and the southwest Oklahoma region, which is driven by following
factors:
•
•
•
•
$46.42 million annual budget
527 full-time employees
Approximately 4000 full-time students
$5.8 million average annual capital improvements
Figured in these terms, the estimated total economic impact of Cameron University in
the southwest Oklahoma region for 2007 is $68.62 million.36 The benefits of higher
education, moreover, spread far beyond the immediate location of the institution. A
rich body of evidence confirms that university education significantly increases the
lifetime earnings of students, promotes better citizenship and enhances productivity
improving the quality of life for both its graduates and their communities.
Awards and Recognitions
Occasionally, Cameron University as a whole receives recognition from the southwest
Oklahoma community for the services and the leadership it provides to the region.
In 2007, for instance, Cameron was officially honored by the Association of South
Central Oklahoma Governments and the South Central Oklahoma Workforce
Investment Board for its leadership, support and partnership in workforce and economic
development and, more recently, Cameron received a 2010 Census Partner Appreciation
Award from the U.S. Census Bureau. The university was also recently recognized by GI
Jobs Magazine as a Military Friendly School for 2011.
36. Economic Impact of Cameron
University, 2008 (University
Publications); University Press
Releases, 2010 (University
Publications)
37. Community Service by Employee,
2010 (Partnerships)
166
More frequently, Cameron faculty and staff members are recognized individually for
their outstanding contributions to the communities and organizations of southwest
Oklahoma and for their generosity with their time and expertise. Over the last several
years, Cameron employees have been recognized by local chambers of commerce, by the
U.S. military, and by local cultural and civic organizations. An exhaustive list would be
impossible here, but a spreadsheet is available in the Resource Room.37
In addition to these official awards and commendations, moreover, both the university
and its employees routinely receive less formal feedback and testimonial regarding the
positive impact they have had on the university’s external constituents.
Cameron University Accreditation Self-Study
Success of Recent Campaigns
Although it is admittedly an indirect measure of the value of services provided by the
university, community support for the institution is nevertheless arguably that which
is most meaningful to the university’s students and to its employees. Over the last
several years, the university has conducted a number of campaigns, some of which have
requested financial support, others of which have asked only for a community show of
school spirit. In all cases, the community response has been overwhelming, suggesting a
community desire to give back to an institution that it respects and values.
CETES Bond Issue
Cameron has been fortunate to receive financial support from the city of Lawton as well
as Congress. In August 2004, Lawton voters approved Proposition 3 of the city’s capital
improvement plan, allocating $1.5 million for Phase II of Cameron’s Center for Emerging
Technology and Entrepreneurial Studies (CETES). The proposition received almost 60
percent voter approval. CETES continued to garner support in December 2004 when
the Economic Development Administration allotted $900,000 for the expansion project.
Paint the Town
Paint the Town Black and Gold is an initiative launched in 2008 by Cameron’s
Student Government Association, in partnership with the Lawton-Fort Sill Chamber
of Commerce, to build community support. The student-led effort is intended to
raise community awareness by encouraging local businesses to demonstrate their
support of Cameron in a variety of ways: by flying a Cameron flag, offering discounts
for Cameron students, distributing athletic schedules and event information, selling
Cameron merchandise and participating
in Spirit Fridays by encouraging their staff
members to wear Aggie apparel or black
and gold. The initial push to “paint the
town” resulted in more than 75 businesses
who declared themselves proud supporters
of Cameron by posting a sign or flying a
Cameron flag on the premises, 15 that hand
out athletic schedules, several that offer
student discounts and three that now sell
Cameron merchandise.
“Changing Lives” Campaign
Cameron’s constituents showed their overwhelming support of the university during the
recent Centennial “Changing Lives” Campaign. With a goal of $8.5 million, “Changing
Lives” was the largest three-year campaign of any regional university in the state and
the first comprehensive campaign in Cameron history. Goals of the campaign included
raising funds for student scholarships, endowed faculty positions, university advancement
and the construction of the McMahon Centennial Complex and the beautiful Bentley
Gardens. Thanks to the generosity of donors, the campaign raised more than $12.5
million, 48% over the original target.38
By all measures, the various constituents served by the university have indicated
that they value the services provided by the institution, reinforcing the university’s
commitment to provide leadership in the region and become the Partner of Choice
for Southwest Oklahoma.
Summary of Engagement and Service
As this chapter indicates, working with and for the community permeates all aspects
of Cameron University. Because of its long tradition of service to the southwest
38. Centennial Campaign Summary,
2007 (Partnerships)
www.cameron.edu/selfstudy
167
Chapter Five
Oklahoma community, the university has well developed mechanisms for community
outreach efforts, and the distributed nature of these efforts across all units, academic
and non-academic, contributes significantly to the number and quality of services
the university is able to offer its constituents. Over the last several years, Cameron
has enhanced its outreach efforts by establishing new units like SwAHEC and by
reorganizing and or better supporting others, including the Office of Public Affairs the
Office of University Advancement and the Office of Alumni Relations. In establishing
CETES, the university has also embraced its mission to provide economic leadership
for southwest Oklahoma. In addition, the institution has established new partnerships
and revitalized others in order to better serve all of its constituents. Those agreements
have been formalized as NCA suggested in 2001, and the university has developed a
strong tradition of making both higher education and community partners welcome
in its facilities.
This self-study has also, of course, revealed areas for improvement relative to the
university’s public service efforts; in particular, and in part because of the close
ties between Cameron University and the southwest Oklahoma community, the
communication of constituent needs has often been informal. The university has already
begun to shift to more formal and systematic communication with alumni, donors and
the media, and it seems likely that its educational outreach efforts will follow suit. In
addition, the university has already seen benefits from grant funds providing VISTA
volunteers to campus in the areas of student community service and service learning,
and given the recent efforts of the OSRHE, service learning is another area in which
the institution has great potential to grow. New programs at Fort Sill may also provide
opportunities for Cameron to offer faculty expertise in several areas, including cultural
awareness training.
168
Cameron University Accreditation Self-Study