Provost's report
National Initiatives
To Engage Students, Faculty and Community
UW Oshkosh participates in a series of interrelated national and statewide projects that align with the Governing Ideas related to teaching and learning excellence. These projects include:
This project of national stature researches significant factors linked to positive reporting in student recruitment and retention. UW Oshkosh is an affiliate of this ongoing project. The Penn State Center for the Study of Higher Education (CSHE) conducted two surveys: Survey of Chief Academic Officers, May 2004; and the Faculty Survey, March 2004.
Wisconsin Campus Compact
We participate in this compact to provide information and resources in support of engaging students in activity outside of the classroom and in support of the American Democracy Project.
- Shared UW Oshkosh information with the state coordinator for posting as part of an online Resource Guide.
- Vista Volunteers Project with Webster Stanley School New Voters Project and Green Campus/Earth Charter Program.
- In 2004-2005, a renewal of the Vista Volunteers contract was granted under the Wisconsin Campus Compact. A new approach to delivering services was developed; the two Vista volunteers are now housed in Reeve Memorial Union and will serve students and faculty in service-learning projects that model engagement. This model highlights the spirit of cooperation between Student Affairs and academics to better serve faculty and students through the university’s mission of “engaging people and ideas for the common good.”
2005-2006: The Wisconsin Campus Compact is very active on campus, especially through the AmeriCorps Vista Program. The AmeriCorps Vistas are an established campus service housed in Reeve Memorial Union to provide leadership and coordination of service learning and related civic engagement to address poverty by engaging college students and community volunteers in service projects. Two campus vistas recruited 186 service-learning volunteers, provided 27-service learning presentations, formed in excess of 100 community partnerships, received in excess of $25,000 in-kind donations to their project, impacted 1,300 at-risk, K-12 students and worked with 32 interested faculty. They delivered faculty colleges and workshops and held brown bag informative sessions. One exciting service project was the First Book Project to provide books for children who otherwise might not own them. The vistas also set up an advisory board to help with this project.
American Democracy Project (ADP)
Our campus is one of 193 American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU) participating in this national project that supports student civic engagement.
- In 2004-2005, the campus engaged in a campus audit to identify projects that highlight engagement of students and faculty in service to the community. The newly formed Campus American Democracy Project Committee sponsored the audit. It was learned that a multitude of service-learning projects are in place that highlight the constant engagement of our students with the community under the guidance of our faculty. This information will be the spring board for several planned community events to be held in 2006.
- Participated in two ADP national teleconferences: 2003 American Democracy Project Lectures, featuring former Vice President Al Gore, on Nov. 11 and 23, 2003; and the New York Times and ADP Webcast: "A Southern Town—Live from the University of Central Oklahoma," on Dec. 5, 2003.
2005-2006: The campus American Democracy Project took the lead in sponsoring, with AASCU, an open subscription to the New York Times newspaper. Three hundred papers were distributed for six weeks to key locations on campus. Interactive responses to current events were encouraged on the message board in Reeve Memorial Union. Faculty from Political Science supported the exchanges.
With awareness on the value-added benefits of civic engagement heightened by participation in the NSSE, the project accepted an invitation from the National American Democracy project to be part of a grant funded by the U.S. Election Assistance Commission, which sought colleges for programs that recruit and train college students to serve as nonpartisan poll workers and poll assistants. The awards are part of the Help America Vote College Program, which was established by the Help America Vote Act of 2002. The program is part of an effort to encourage college student involvement and to assist state and local governments with administering elections. Our campus agreed to be part of the program based on our past outstanding performance related to interest in state, local and national elections, our high rate of student voter registrants, and our even higher rate of eligible student voters who cast votes. The ADP is sponsoring this project with the Oshkosh Student Association and also is working side by side with the New Voters Project to build on this recent momentum of civic engagement.
The American Democracy Project coordinates the university's activities for Constitution Day, which is the kickoff for our voter registration drive. Student interns continue their registration efforts during this celebration week at Reeve Memorial Union and then throughout campus in the early fall. The ADP serves as the advisory board for the Vista Volunteers, since the missions of both endeavors are philosophically linked to civic engagement.