Strategy: Contribute to the solution of society’s most pressing problems locally and around the globe through disciplinary and interdisciplinary research, lifelong education and community partnerships.
Point People: William Lacy and Neal Van Alfen
Narrative Summary of Fifth Year Implementation Efforts:
Strategy #1 of the Engagement goal continues to be perhaps the most comprehensive, general and broad-based. In addition, it is often the least well-documented. The indicators call for increasing the level and quality of research and educational activities across the entire university devoted to addressing key societal issues and improving quality of life. Moreover, the indicators include expansion of the number, nature and impact of researchers and educators involved in disciplinary and interdisciplinary work focused on societal issues and increased recognition for research and educational projects that successfully address societal issues. It is clear that there is substantial overlap with this strategy and strategy #3, “Provide effective and active support for the economic development and quality of life in the region and state.” We continue to coordinate with point people for that strategy to avoid duplication.
During the year, we have met to discuss how to document the current status of engagement efforts and the indicators of activities and achievement. We have also been in contact with numerous people with responsibilities for various aspects of outreach education and research, and engagement. The list includes: Dennis Pendleton, Dean of Extension; Peggy Shannon, Associate Vice Provost for University Outreach and Engagement; Vito Polito, Chair of the Academic Senate Committee on Public Service; Pam Stotlar-McAuliffe, Director of Medical Continuing Education; Kevin Johnson, Dean of the School of Law; and Harold Levine, Dean of the School of Education. Finally, we convened the University Outreach and Engagement Advisory Committee which consists of representatives of all the schools, colleges and divisions to continue to help define the key concepts and issues in pursuing the engagement goal and particularly this strategy.
Advances and Ongoing Programs Consistent with the Strategy:
- A new newsletter entitled UC Davis: Fully Engaged was launched in 2007 to highlight the numerous and highly successful campus academic outreach and engagement activities locally, regionally, nationally and internationally (http://uoip.ucdavis.edu/uoip/newsletters.cfm). During this year two issues were published.
- The “2008 Recipients of the Distinguished Scholarly Public Service Award” included Alan Brownstein, Professor in the School of Law for his leading constitutional law work especially with respect to the interpretation of the religion clauses and his devotion to the advancement and protection of civil liberties; and Richard Howitt, Professor in Agriculture and Resource Economics for his extensive contributions to the development of new policies to alleviate California’s critical water allocation problems of the future (http://www.mrak.ucdavis.edu/senate/award.default.html).
- During the last year, UC Davis Extension generated more than 63,000 enrollments in nearly 4,100 courses. Students from our own region, throughout California, all 50 states and more than 70 countries participated in a broad range of onsite and online courses designed to help them start new careers, prepare for greater responsibilities in their current positions and enrich their lives. Many programs are designed and developed through long-term organizational partnerships supported by public and private sector contracts and grants. Programs and accomplishments of note include: an award-winning Green Building and Sustainable Design Certificate Program; world-renowned viticulture courses that have educated more than 30,000 wine and grape-growing professionals; the Center for Public Policy Research, home of applied research by faculty of UC Davis and other universities designed to improve safety outcomes for millions of at-risk children and reduce recidivism among juvenile offenders; an innovative suite of international law programs that attract attorneys, judges and legal professionals from around the world; the UC Davis Executive Program, an annual intensive program offered for executives and senior decision makers, now in its 34th year; a groundbreaking Autism Spectrum Disorders Specialized Studies Program; custom social services education programs that provide training to more than 40,000 social welfare professionals in practice areas that range from child welfare to corrections; and a redesigned online health informatics certificate program developed in partnership with the UC Davis Health System (http://universityextension.ucdavis.edu/).
- The College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (CA&ES) continues its commitment to outreach and extending knowledge through collaborations with UC Cooperative Extension County Advisors who are physically located in nearly every county of California. A wide range of educational programs assist local communities to enhance the quality of life for their residents. These include: 4-H and youth development activities, food and nutrition education, and plant, animal and environmental programs. In addition the majority of faculty in CA&ES hold a partial appointment in the Agricultural Experiment Station whose stated mission includes developing and disseminating new knowledge and technologies that address specific problems of importance to the people of California. The dissemination of knowledge takes many forms including, but not limited to: commodity/industry workshops, field days, newsletters, and access to information through outreach-focused centers and institutes (http://caes.ucdavis.edu/OutExt/Default.htm).
- The School of Medicine’s Continuing Medical Education Program last year educated over 40,000 professionals from every state in the U.S. and approximately 18 countries through an extensive series of programs for physicians, nurses and other health professionals, more than doubling the total enrolled participants over a six-year period. Teleconferencing programs first offered in 2001 to northern California partners in remote areas have grown dramatically reaching thousands of citizens annually. Its more than 50 programs offered via the internet have been recognized as one of the top five online programs in the nation (http://www.ucdmc.ucdavis.edu/cme/).
- The Medical Student-Run Community Clinics continued to serve the health care needs of the underserved populations in the Sacramento area often providing these populations their only access to health care. The clinics are run completely by student governing boards making UC Davis the only medical school with student-run clinics. Approximately 85% of UCD medical students volunteer at these clinics during their years in medical school http://www.ucdmc.ucdavis.edu/medschool/clinics/.
- The School of Law is actively engaged in the pressing public policy issues of our times. The Immigration Law Clinic, Civil Rights Clinic, Prison Law Office, and Family Protection and Legal Assistance Clinic continue to serve some of the most disadvantaged communities of the state of California. The Immigration Clinic represented noncitizens in removal proceedings, organized community-based naturalization workshops, and successfully argued appeals in the federal courts. The Family Protection and Legal Assistance Clinic provides legal assistance to domestic violence victims and their families. The Civil Rights Clinic vindicates the civil rights claims of inmates in federal court. In addition, law faculty members regularly provided advice on various legal matters to the California Legislature, state, local, and federal government agencies, and to candidates in political campaigns and who assume political office. Two law faculty members served on the transition team of the new Presidential administration (http://www.law.ucdavis.edu/academics-clinicals/index.html).
- The School of Education and the campus Educational Partnerships Steering Committee are exploring new means to more effectively serve northern California K-12 educators (e.g., through the use of online education for professional development). The school’s Cooperative Research and Extension Services for Schools Center continued to offer numerous professional development programs and projects to thousands of teachers in the region and state (http://education.ucdavis.edu/cress/index.html). A new joint doctoral program (Ed.D.) with California State University, Sacramento and Sonoma State University is addressing the learning and professional needs of K-12 and community college leaders through an alternatively scheduled program intended for working professionals in leadership positions and can be completed within three years. (http://candeljtdoc.org). The Sacramento Area Science Project (SASP) is another education partnership between the University of California, Davis, and California State University, Sacramento. SASP is a regional site of the California Science Project, one of the California Subject Matter projects.
- The College of Engineering has been expanding its efforts to bring technological innovation to the improvement and enhancement of many areas of society and the economy. Several new programs and projects have been developed by the Agricultural Ergonomics Research Center, the California Biomass Collaborative, the Institute of Transportation Studies, the UC Farm Safety Program and the California Alliance for Minority Participation in Science, Engineering and Mathematics (http://engineering.ucdavis.edu/pages/public_service/index.html).
- The Division of Social Sciences has a number of large active outreach programs to provide K-12 teachers with opportunities to meet with UC Davis faculty (largely from the California History-Social Sciences Project) to strengthen their teaching through new knowledge and perspectives in the social sciences (http://historyproject.ucdavis.edu and http://csmp.ucop.edu/chssp). In addition, the Division’s programs and institutes engage with the broader community through numerous conferences, workshops, exhibitions and lecture series offered by the Jewish Studies program, the Middle East/South Asia Studies program, the Hemispheric Institute on the Americas, the Center for History, Society and Culture, and the Davis Humanities Institute.
- The School of Veterinary Medicine is dedicated to animal health, public health and environmental health (http://www.vetmed.ucdavis.edu/). Recent efforts include: a new diagnostic test which simultaneously tests for foot-and-mouth disease and six other look-alike diseases in livestock; integrating weather and mapping information into current arbovirus surveillance systems at the Center for Vector-borne Diseases to help forecast the risk of West Nile and other viruses; the NIH supported expansion of the mouse biology program to provide valuable tools for studying human diseases; and the expanding center for continuing professional education. (http://www.vetmed.ucdavis.edu/CE/CE.html).
- International engagement activities and programs in several colleges and schools continue to emerge and grow: e.g., the School of Medicine’s students volunteer effort for the summer in clinics in Leon, Nicaragua and their Parent-On-Line Continuing Medical Education course (attracted participants from over 25 countries); and the School of Veterinary Medicine’s students work with Central American women farmers on-site to improve their success in raising livestock; and the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences’ USAID Global Livestock Collaborative Research Support Program http://glcrsp.ucdavis.edu, Global Horticulture Assessment http://caes.ucdavis.edu/IntProg/Global.htm, and new research collaborations with Chinese, Indian and Vietnamese Universities.
Plans for 2008-09
The plans for 2008-09 include:
- Continue to collect and document the numerous faculty and staff activities in engagement
- Convene the University Outreach Advisory Council to review the report and continue to assess next steps
- Work with the Academic Senate Public Service Committee to increase awareness and understanding of the goal of engagement
- Publish a centennial issue of the UC Davis: Fully Engaged newsletter to highlight 100 years of campus scholarly engagement activities and accomplishments.
Evaluation of Metrics
The metrics appear to be more of a goal than actual indicators given the level of college and school databases in this area. We will continue to work with the deans and their representatives to refine these indicators of achievement.