Extension Policy Statements on Public Issues Education

Strengthening the Role of the University

L. Steven Smutko

North Carolina State University

Introduction

Creating “Strengthening the Role of the University”, an easy-to-read guide for developing official policy statements on Public Issues Education

Intent is to increase the capacity of land-grant universities to educate citizens on pressing and emerging public issues.

Introduction

A product of the NPPEC Public Issues Education Subcommittee

Part of a set of materials for in-service training in Public Issues Education

Introduction

Follows work of Phil Favero and Kay Haaland in a 2000 report titled, Statements Concerning public Issues Education: A Summary and Analysis of State Extension Policies and Ideas

Introduction

Reviewed statements and guidelines published by land grant institutions including those from Idaho, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, and Washington.

Pulls good ideas from each Provides commentary to guide

land-grant PIE programs in developing their own statements

Need for PIE Policy Statements

While many educators are commonly involved in public issues education, the land-grant institution has much greater potential to be effective in this arena. To realize this potential, universities need to formalize PIE networks and practices.

Need for PIE Policy Statements

The network should work to maximize benefits and minimize risks of doing PIE by overcoming organizational barriers, providing training, and helping educators decide which role to play and at what level of intensity.

(A Shared Agenda for Public Issues Education, Cornell University, 1999)

Objectives of PIE Policy Statements

Promote quality extension programming Establish a rationale for the land-grant

university’s engagement in public issues Clarify the roles of

Extension, research, teaching faculty Administration The public

Clarify organizational support for faculty who are involved in potentially contentious public policy issues

Who Should Craft a Policy Statement?

Campus faculty Off-campus faculty University administrators Legal counsel

PIE Policy Statements

What might a policy statement contain?

Policy Statement Content --Definitions Define what is meant by Public Issues

Education Provide definitions of specific terms

where needed

Policy Statement Content --Statement of Principles A clear statement of principles that

specify the responsibilities, standards, and norms that underlie the professional activities of public issues educators and the institutions for which they work.

“…Extension needs to be viewed by the public as fair, balanced and inclusive.” (Ohio State University Extension)

“PIE… assumes that…individuals are the most appropriate judge of their interests. (U. of Idaho Cooperative Extension Service)

Policy Statement Content --Applicability Identify the stakeholders covered by the

statement Campus faculty (research, extension,

teaching) Off campus faculty Professional staff Graduate students Administration The public

Identify the colleges /schools / programs covered by the statement

Policy Statement Content --Separability Policy guidelines should not conflict with

other university policies or state and federal laws

“Appropriate guidelines concerning general educational and research activities are contained in disciplinary practices, the WSU faculty manual, and relevant sections of state and federal law” (WSU Canons of Practice)

Policy Statement Content --Roles An important distinction of PIE is the

observance of appropriate roles that participants in the education process can and should play Extension educators Researchers Administrators The public

A policy statement should reflect this distinction

Policy Statement Content --Roles Define the role of the public issues

educator “…we should raise the important questions

that citizens must ponder… We should provide, in an understandable form, summaries of the best science available… We can serve as facilitators of public policy education and discussion.” (New Mexico State U. Cooperative Extension)

Separate content roles from process roles

Policy Statement Content --Guidelines Focus on best practices, i.e.,

professional conduct Educators will serve as advocates for the

principles that underlie public issues education and not demonstrate bias toward a particular point of view (Univ. of Idaho)

Educators who take on the role of facilitator or mediator will need to gain the agreement of all participants to the operating principles of the process (WSU Canons of Practice)

Policy Statement Content --Guidelines Clearly define the conditions when public

issues education is appropriate, and when other educational methods are warranted instead (WSU Canons of Practice):

Issue affects the larger community Diverse and multiple stakeholders are

involved Roles clearly defined and communicated A shared information base has been provided Ground rules have been established

Policy Statement Content --Organizational Support Based on adherence to the parameters that

define a “good” PIE program. Organization will publicly support the right and

responsibility of faculty to perform public issues education (from WSU Canons of Practice):

Administrators inform employees about concerns and consult them about resolution

Employees to be provided with relevant information in a timely manner

Administrators will provide written notification of the complaint and keep employees informed

Administrators will act to assure that responses are not biased towards particular constituents

Policy Statement Content --Enhancing Capacity Organizational support can be more

than a “downstream” approach Statement of support for increasing the

capacity of extension educators for doing PIE In-service training Study leave Personnel exchanges Etc…

Policy Statement Content --Evaluation Methods Accountability in maintaining the

standards set forth in the policy statement

Specify evaluation criteria for PIE programs (see Favaro and Haaland)

Number & diversity of participants Range of policy options discussed

From Paper to Practice

Signed and adopted by college and university administrators As Extension broadens university-wide, broaden

your administrative stakeholders Circulate among all faculty and administrators

New faculty orientation Include in all PIE in-service training materials Review and reaffirm as administrators change

Review and update periodically Update as new situations arise and the system

adapts to meet new challenges in public issues education