Briefing for the MSU College of Social Science: Collecting Data about University Outreach and Engagement

Hiram E. FitzgeraldAssociate Provost, University Outreach and EngagementUniversity Distinguished Professor, Psychology

Burton A. BargerstockCo-Director, National Center for the Study of University EngagementDirector, UOE Communication and Information Technology

College of Social Science Chairs and Directors MeetingEast Lansing, Michigan

February 6, 2008

Defining Outreach and Engagement at Michigan State University

“Outreach [and engagement] is a form of scholarship that cuts across teaching, research, and service. It involves generating, transmitting, applying, and preserving knowledge for the direct benefit of external audiences in ways that are consistent with university and unit missions.”

Provost's Committee on University Outreach (1993)University Outreach at Michigan State University:

Extending Knowledge to Serve Society

Evaluating Quality Outreach and Engagement at Michigan State University

Four Dimensions of Quality Outreach and Engagement

• Significance– Importance of Issue/Opportunity to be Addressed– Goals/Objectives of Consequence

• Context– Consistency with University/Unit Values and Stakeholder Interests– Appropriateness of Expertise– Degree of Collaboration– Appropriateness of Methodological Approach– Sufficiency and Creative Use of Resources

• Scholarship– Knowledge Resources– Knowledge Application– Knowledge Generation– Knowledge Utilization

• Impact– Impact on Issues, Institutions, and Individuals– Sustainability and Capacity Building– University-Community Relations– Benefit to the University

Committee on Evaluating Quality Outreach (1996)Points of Distinction: A Guidebook for Planning & Evaluating Quality

Strategic Imperatives:

• Enhance the student experience • Enrich community, economic, and family life • Expand international reach• Increase research opportunities• Strengthen stewardship

MSU President Lou Anna K. Simon (2005)Sesquicentennial Convocation Address

Outreach and Engagement are Embedded in the University’s Priorities

Tracking Patterns of Progress: Key Accountability Indicators

1. Retention and time to graduation of undergraduates and graduate students

2. Student and alumni ratings of the quality of their educational experience at MSU

3. Placement rates and employer and graduate school assessments of the quality of MSU graduates

4. Quality and inclusiveness profiles of entering undergraduates and graduate students

5. Level of student indebtedness upon graduation6. Proportions of regular faculty engaged in undergraduate and graduate

education7. Student participation in active-learning opportunities8. Student access to small classes9. Student/faculty ratio

Tracking Patterns of Progress: Key Accountability Indicators (contd.)

10. Rankings of undergraduate and graduate programs11. Inclusiveness of MSU student body, faculty, and staff12. Proportions of undergraduates and graduate students from out of

state and abroad13. Number and diversity of students in learning activities abroad14. Range, availability and enrollments in courses and curricula with

international/global 15. Dollar value growth above inflation of contracts and grants16. Research expenditures per faculty FTE17. Dollar value of contracts and grants per faculty FTE and indirect

cost recovery per faculty FTE18. Revenue from licensing patents19. Research productivity rankings (e.g., publications, citations,

research dollars, peer ranks, competitive federal grants)

Tracking Patterns of Progress: Key Accountability Indicators (contd.)

20. National academy memberships and other national/international faculty awards/recognition

21. Postdoctoral appointees and visiting scholars22. Benefits to families, communities and for development and jobs

(in Michigan, nationally, and globally) from MSU research23. Benefits to people, families and communities (in Michigan,

nationally, and globally) from outreach engagement24. Total endowment dollars raised for scholarships, fellowships, and

named chairs25. Amount of annual giving and overall size of endowment

Boldness by Design Web Site (2008)Tracking Our Progress: University Metrics

(http://boldnessbydesign.msu.edu/metrics.asp)

• Data collection recommended in report that defined outreach at MSU (1993)• Study of extant institutional data

– Contracts and Grants Administration Forms– Faculty Professional Accomplishments Forms– Faculty Effort Forms– Extension Reporting System

• New unit-based instructional outreach and engagement data collection– Off campus and Non-credit Instruction Reports– CLIFMS (Non-credit Instruction)

• Work of the faculty committee on evaluating quality outreach (1995-96)• Small invitational workshop with national participants exploring the forms of

outreach and engagement• Charge from the Provost to develop a system to collect data on all forms of

outreach and engagement• Development of the Outreach and Engagement Measurement Instrument

(OEMI) begins (1998)

Collecting Data on Outreach and Engagement at MSU: The Past 15 Years

• Pilot studies prior to implementation– Paired MSU departments in the natural and social sciences

– Faculty from across MSU working in Lansing (AKTL Network)

– Large MSU core college (2003)

– National nominees for the Ernest Lynton Award (NERCHE)

– Select faculty from the University of Connecticut

– Select departments at the University of Kentucky

• University-wide implementation (2004)

• National Benchmarking Conference (2005)– Teams invited from AAU and Land Grant institutions

– Partnerships with other institutions

Collecting Data on Outreach and Engagement at MSU: The Past 15 Years (contd.)

OEMI results for 2006* include the following:

$21,286,897Value of salary investment by MSU faculty and academic staff in addressing issues of public concern (data from those reporting outreach activities on the OEMI)

1,305Number of specific projects/activities reported

97%Respondents whose outreach contributed to achieving Boldness by Design (BBD) imperatives

72% Enhanced the student experience80% Enriched community, economic, and family life45% Expanded international reach66% Increased research opportunities55% Strengthened stewardship

*2006 data was collected between December 2006 and February 2007

Outreach and Engagement at MSU Today

Outreach and Engagement at MSU Today (contd.)

Outreach and Engagement at MSU Today (contd.)

The OEMI: A Closer LookThe Outreach and Engagement Measurement Instrument (OEMI) is an annual survey that collects data on faculty and academic staff outreach and engagement activities.

• Data on faculty effort – Time spent– Social issues– Boldness by Design imperatives– Forms of outreach– Location– Non-university participants– External funding – In-kind support

• Data on specific projects– Purposes– Methods– Involvement of partners, units, and students– Impacts on ongoing research– Impacts on external audiences – Evaluation

How Are OEMI Data Used?

• Documenting MSU’s contribution for the public good• Describing the University's outreach and engagement activity to the

public (telling the engagement story)– The Engaged Scholar Magazine– Rapid response briefings

• Institutional self-studies– Accreditation– Carnegie Community Engagement Classification

• Assessment and strategic planning– How individual academic units fulfill the University’s outreach mission

• Faculty benefit– Faculty can print or download a summary report of their outreach activities

for annual merit reviews• Cross-institutional analyses (other institutions using OEMI)

– University of Kentucky; University of Tennessee system; Kansas State University

• Research Studies

Faculty Member Summary Report

How Are OEMI Data Used? (contd.)

College Level Analyses

How Are OEMI Data Used? (contd.)

Accreditation and University-Wide Self-Studies

How Are OEMI Data Used? (contd.)

Rapid Response Briefing Materials

How Are OEMI Data Used? (contd.)

MSU Publications and Reports

How Are OEMI Data Used? (contd.)

Catalogs of Engagement Opportunities for the Public

How Are OEMI Data Used? (contd.)

Potential GIS Applications

How Are OEMI Data Used? (contd.)

The OEMI Today

• Data collection at MSU– Three years of data (2004-2006)

• 1,885 non-duplicative respondents have participated

– Challenges• Continuous refinement of the instrument

– Length– Double reporting (multiple report requirements)– Double counting (tracking financial data)– Improve validity/reliability

• Better integration with extension service, medical schools, and contract and grants data collection

• Increase response rate – Improve communication

– Beta test of a scaleable online reporting system

• The University Continuing Education Association’s (UCEA) “Recognition of Excellence Award for Innovations in Outreach and Engagement” (2007)

• OEMI Institutional Partnerships– University of Kentucky– University of Tennessee system– Kansas State University

• Partnership prospects– Inquiries from universities and university systems across the U.S.

and Australia– Demonstration system with guest accounts available

The OEMI Today (contd.)

• Continue to improve the OEMI

• Increase number of OEMI partnerships

• Proposed pilot applications of the OEMI– Collecting data across a discipline

• American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy (AACP)– Collecting data across one form of engagement

• Tennessee Alliance for Continuing Higher Education (TACHE)

• Develop research consortium focusing on outreach and engagement measurement – Foster first national data warehouse– Conduct cross-institutional studies– Inform national conversation about benchmarking

Future Plans for the OEMI

MSU Office of University Outreach and EngagementHiram E. FitzgeraldAssociate Provost for University Outreach and Engagement

Patricia A. FarrellSenior Director, University Outreach and EngagementDirector, University-Community Partnerships

Burton A. BargerstockCo-Director, National Center for the Study of University EngagementDirector, Communication and Information Technology

Laurie Van EgerenCo-Director, National Center for the Study of University EngagementDirector, Community Evaluation and Research Center

Rex LaMoreDirector, Center for Community and Economic Development

Karen McKnight CaseyDirector, Center for Service-Learning and Civic Engagement

Sarah J. SwierengaDirector, MSU Usability & Accessibility Center

Michael BrandExecutive Director, Wharton Center for Performing Arts

C. Kurt DewhurstDirector, Michigan State University Museum

Robert A. Esperti and Renno L. PetersonCo-Directors, Estate and Wealth Strategies Institute

Contact Information

University Outreach and EngagementMichigan State University Kellogg Center, Garden LevelEast Lansing, MI 48824-1022Phone: (517) 353-8977Fax: (517) 432-9541E-mail: outreach@msu.eduWeb site: outreach.msu.edu

© 2008 Michigan State University Board of Trustees