Engaging Students in WisconsinUW-Eau Claire Pilots AASCU’s American Democracy Project: Engaging Students in Wisconsin UW-Eau Claire Pilots AASCU’s American Democracy Project Ronald N. Satz Provost and Vice Chancellor University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire rsatz@uwec.edu


The Need for the Project: The Need for the Project “…Although college is only one phase in any individual’s lifelong process of moral and civic development, it can be pivotal, leading to new ways of understanding the world and one’s place in the world, providing new frameworks through which later experiences are interpreted, and equipping the individual with a wide array of capacities for moral and civic engagement.”


Engaged StudentsUW-Eau Claire’s Civic Commitment: Engaged Students UW-Eau Claire’s Civic Commitment Public comprehensive university with service-learning graduation requirement for all students One of 17 Jumpstart universities nationwide More than 20 campus-sponsored centers and clinics open to the public Students donate tens of thousands of hours of service and expertise PK-12 schools arts and cultural enterprises business and economic development efforts charitable and social service organizations


Engaged StudentsUW-Eau Claire’s Undergraduate Curriculum: Engaged Students UW-Eau Claire’s Undergraduate Curriculum Provides knowledge and abilities needed for lifelong learning and informed involvement in civic life understanding of a liberal education appreciation of the University as a learning community ability to inquire, think, and analyze ability to write, read, speak, and listen understanding of numerical data historical consciousness international and intercultural experiences understanding of science and scientific methods appreciation of the arts understanding of values understanding of human behavior and human institutions


Engaged Campus Receives National Attention: Engaged Campus Receives National Attention


UW-Eau Claire Civic Engagement Steering Group: UW-Eau Claire Civic Engagement Steering Group Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs Associate Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs Administrative Intern (Senior Lecturer, Psychology) First Year Experiences Director Service-Learning Director


Purpose of the Pre-Pilot Project: Purpose of the Pre-Pilot Project The UW-Eau Claire American Democracy Pre-Pilot Project during the Spring of 2003 provided an opportunity for 5 faculty and instructional academic staff members to develop applications of civic engagement for 139 students in their courses and programs and to become catalysts for change within their departments.


Goals for the Pre-Pilot Project: Goals for the Pre-Pilot Project Use The New York Times in the classroom to foster critical discussion of societal issues directly related to your curricular and class goals Stress in the classroom the value of a liberal education and critical discussion of issues in fostering the development of an informed electorate which is civically engaged Encourage the development of service-learning projects which promote civic engagement


Responsibilities of the Faculty Participants: Responsibilities of the Faculty Participants Meet with the steering group and plan ways to accomplish the project goals Meet and work with the NYT training staff to discuss strategies for using the newspaper in courses Work with the Center for Service-Learning to plan and organize engagement projects Be willing to help train FYE faculty and academic staff who will be doing the next stage of the project in their classes in the fall of 2003


Pre-Pilot Project: Pre-Pilot Project


Support Provided: Support Provided University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire’s Office of Academic Affairs in collaboration with the Center for Service-Learning and the Office of First Year Experiences provided instructional materials (newspapers), technical support, and instructional design assistance to faculty members who volunteered to develop and apply their skills in promoting civic engagement.


Some Results of the Project: “Students used The New York Times to glean information about social welfare policies and to examine their own values as they apply to social justice.” Some Results of the Project “The newspapers were very useful in providing current information on the topics and were also used as part of an ongoing effort to include relevant current events in class discussion.” Professor Melissa Bonstead-Bruns, Sociology Professor Jason Tetzloff, History “It was valuable for the students to read both the historic and the current New York Times and to see that some of today’s concerns about war were expressed in 1898 and 1914. It greatly enhanced their historical consciousness, and made them more engaged in debates about current events.” Professor Nicholas Smiar, Social Work


Project for 2003-04: Project for 2003-04 Expand from 5 faculty and 139 students up to 35 faculty and 700 FYE students Pre-pilot faculty will conduct orientation for new faculty participants serve as catalysts for increased on-campus civic engagement provide professional development for colleagues at future orientation sessions and at university-wide forums


American Democracy Project Orientation/Faculty Development: American Democracy Project Orientation/Faculty Development 9:00 Introductions: Welcoming remarks by Provost Ronald Satz American Democracy Project, AASCU, and The New York Times. SPEAKER: Eric Hellstrand, New York Times Consultant  100 colleges and a national conversation on civic engagement  “Newspapers in the Classroom” 9:30 University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire’s 2003 spring semester Pre-Pilot project. Overview: Jason Tetzloff, Director of First Year Experiences  Faculty involvement: Melissa Bonstead-Bruns & Steve Majstorovic  Results of the project  Next steps 10:15 BREAK- refreshments 10:30 2003 Fall semester Pilot Project  Faculty, Classes, and Departments Involvement  First Year Experiences Connections, Jason Tetzloff, FYE, Director  Center for Service-learning, Don Mowry, Director 11:00 Integrating ADP into the curriculum  Handouts and booklets for specific disciplines  Suggestions and models of curriculum integration  Logistics and delivery and On-line vs. hard copy 11:45 Closure, Evaluation and Feedback


American Democracy Project’s Future at UW-Eau Claire: Additional Goals for 2003-04 and beyond: Sponsor a campus-wide conversation on civic engagement Focus on professional development for incorporating civic engagement and service-learning projects into more courses Integrate new projects, teaching strategies, and approaches to civic engagement into additional FYE and upper division courses, experiential learning activities, and extracurricular activities American Democracy Project’s Future at UW-Eau Claire


American Democracy Project’s Future at UW-Eau Claire: American Democracy Project’s Future at UW-Eau Claire UW-Eau Claire is committed to expanding student understanding of, and engagement in, civic life, and it is proud to be a participant in the important national conversation that AASCU, The New York Times, and the Carnegie Foundation have initiated on civic engagement.