Our Projects

Structural Supports for CBR

Over the past decade, we’ve seen increasing interest in community-campus research partnerships from faculty, funders, local governments, students, and many other stakeholders. Unfortunately, our university systems are lagging behind. For example, incentives are often set up to discourage faculty from doing community-based research.

The CRC is advocating for the implementation of systems to support CBR, beginning with our own home institution of the University of Utah. We convened a large group of engaged scholars from across the institution, and drafted a five-point plan for supporting, valuing, and resourcing CBR.

Our proposals for the University of Utah are designed to align with the President’s goal of the U becoming a “top ten university with unsurpassed societal impact.” Our proposal includes:

  • Share the story of impact through a centralized data system and dashboard
  • Incentivize social impact through recruitment, hiring, promotion, and tenure systems
  • De-silo engagement through a university-wide leadership network
  • Invest in high-quality engaged research through seed funding and other supports
  • Expand community-engaged learning experiences for students across the U

We propose that these efforts will be most effective if done in a coordinated way, which will require a leadership position or body tasked with advancing CES systematically across the U.

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