OU-Tulsa Center for
Community Engagement
Founded in 2008, the OU-Tulsa Center for Community
Engagement is OU-Tulsa’s primary vehicle for mobilizing the
vast resources of the university into innovative processes that
engage, empower, educate and serve all members of the
community.
Center creates and sustains mutually beneficial pathways that
include the advancement of teaching, research, and service
learning which promotes civic development.
Poverty Closely Correlated with Education
Our Facts
 One-third of poor Oklahomans over age
25 do not have a high school diploma.
 Nearly 16% of Oklahomans were living in
poverty in 2008, 2.7% points higher than
the national average.
 Oklahoma dropped in median family
income from 26th in the nation in 2005 to
48th in 2008.
 The Oklahoma Student Testing Program
Results 2008-2009 demonstrate that as
TPS students advance in grade levels,
their academic achievement trend
downward.
Continued...
 Tulsa Public Schools has a population of over
42,00 students, with only 7% college/career-ready,
with 85% on free or reduced lunch.
 ACT Research indicates that students who are
required to take one remedial course in college
reduces their chances of graduating from college by
71%.
 The Recommendations for Action Research Report
2009 stated that students from Tulsa are not
adequately prepared in basic main and science
courses to pursue educational and career paths in
healthcare.
 A college graduate is only 1/3 as likely to live in
poverty as someone with only a high school degree.
A Role of Higher Education
Evidence Based
Successful Academic
Models of
University - High
School Partnerships
Academically Based Community Service
University of Pennsylvania
Barbara and Edward Netter Center
for Community Partnerships
• Is service rooted in and intrinsically linked to teaching and
research.
• Encompasses problem-oriented research and teaching and
service learning emphasizing student and faculty reflection
on the service experience.
• Aims to bring about structural community improvement
including effective public schools, neighborhood
development, and community organizations.
• Reaffirms Ben Franklin’s belief that: “The great Aim and
End of all Learning…” is service to society.
OUCEC
5 State Southwest Regional
Network Center for
University-Assisted Community Schools
Bringing Tulsa
Systems Together
Strengthening our families
and community
through education.
Replication of the
Netter Center Model....
Expanded and revised to meet the
needs of the Tulsa community.
Higher Ed
Forum
of
Northeastern
Oklahoma
HIGHER ED FORUM
of Northeastern Oklahoma
Established Consortium 2009
The vision of the Higher Education Forum
of Northeastern Oklahoma is to develop
collaborative and innovative strategies to
coordinate, integrate and support the
education pipeline.
Strategic Planning
At least 30 – 50% of
projects are
re-work without a
Project Management
Plan?
Higher Ed Forum Project Management
 Scope (project depth, boundaries, outcomes)
 Resources (human and financial capital required)
 Timeframe (timeline of project/deadlines/completion)
When all 3 sides are in equilibrium,
risk is diminished leading to quality facilitated team process,
quality projects and quality outcomes across systems.
LEVEL I = EVENT
• One time event such as career or health fair
• Announcement; information
• Tracked with simple data and/or anecdotal information
LEVEL II = PROJECT
• Request for Partners (RFP) document used
• High school and higher education and/or community collaborative
• Service learning/academic and Evaluation component
• Innovation in curriculum
LEVEL III = PROGRAM
• Systems change; developing and ongoing
• Sustainable as measured through plans to secure long-term funding
• Federal grants
Higher Ed Forum
Project Management Documents...
Collaborations and outcomes
through an accountable process.
Document
Number
0001
Version
Print Date
Page
Request for Partnership
RFP Level II
The first step in requesting partnership for a pilot project or new program is to
submit this form. Projects and programs require ongoing oversight and have
a service learning or academic component built into them.
Organization Overview
Project Description
Project Goals
Principal or Director’s Signature and Date
Fill out below sections with OUCEC in discussions with
Higher Ed Partner(s) when identified.
Provide a broad overview of your organization, including a
mission statement if applicable.
Provide a brief description of your proposed project, paying
special attention to the overarching mission or goal of the
project. Why is it important to achieve this mission? How is
it aligned with the mission of the Community Engagement
Center? In addition, provide a need statement describing the
target population and how it will be served by this project.
What do you hope to achieve by the successful execution of
your project?
Fill out below sections with OUCEC in discussions with
Higher Ed Partner(s) when identified.
Steps to Achieve Project Goals
Outline a project schedule/timeline, including project phases and
what will need to occur in each phase to successfully execute
your project?
Project Team/Project Structure
Describe individual roles and include their proposed job
descriptions and responsibilities as it relates to your project.
Denote which personnel will be drawn from current resources
and which will be new hires.
Evaluation
What internal evaluation strategies have been or will be put into
place to ensure project goals are met? Also, what measurable
items will the project produce for external evaluation?
To Date
What have you done to date to achieve your project goals? How
specifically do you think the Community Engagement Center
could help?
Academic Rigor
If applicable, take this space to explain how your proposed project
will satisfy the criteria for academic accreditation
Communication
How will the progress of your project be both documented and
reported to the Community Engagement Center? How will you
ensure it is done efficiently and kept up-to-date?
Funding
Community Support
How will the project be funded? What sources of additional funding
are you seeking? Describe the costs associated with the project
including estimated costs associated with project planning,
project implementation, and administrative work.
Who else will benefit from your project? How? Describe the
potential for collaboration between you and your identified
partners, keeping in mind what resources each has available to
it and how you plan on leveraging those resources to meet
project goals. If possible, please include any letters or
testimonials to support these collaborative efforts (These are
NOT letters of reference or program endorsements)
Higher Ed Forum
Fall 2009 – Spring 2010 Outcomes
Since October 2009, Forum RFP Process has:
 Increased university and high school collaborations
 Level II Chemistry curriculum
 Level II Forensics curriculum
 Level II STEM curriculum
 Level II Biology, Hispanic nursing, and
Community Gardens & Health under construction.
 Level III Project: College Access Career Readiness
 Intercollegiate Research Subcommittee
 E3 – Engage Empower Educate replication with at-risk youth
 Trust, relationships, multi-systems approach, process and
documentation.
Community Impact
•In 2010, the state revenue will
be $500 million less than in
2009.
•The number of unemployed
Oklahomans has risen by 52%
compared to one year ago.
• Established in 2004, the goal of the Oklahoma
Governor’s Council is to integrate Oklahoma’s
workforce and economic development efforts in
order to give Oklahoma a competitive advantage
as a desirable place to work and live.
Creating the competitive advantage for our children,
business, community and economy is aligning our
educational systems for lifelong learning tied to
career access and readiness.
Sector based strategies will allow us to leverage our
existing resources.
Aerospace
Manufacturing
Energy
Transportation
Health Care
Technology
Higher Ed Forum Importance
•
•
•
•
Focused Resources
Workforce Pipeline Development (WIA Targets)
Linked to Demand Occupations and Target Industry Sectors
Shared Common Economic Development Goals/Outcomes with
Community Partners (P-20 Education, Chambers, Regional
Governance)
– Academic Relevance and Improved HS Graduation Rates
– College Readiness and Work Readiness
– Improved STEM interest and achievement
– Career Exploration and Occupational Skills Development
– Mentoring and Job Shadowing
Questions
Pamela S. Pittman, MHR, RN
Executive Director
OU-Tulsa Community Engagement
Center
918.660.3479
pspittman@ou.edu
http://tulsa.ou.edu/oucec