The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching invites colleges and universities with an institutional focus on community engagement to apply for the elective classification, first developed and offered in 2006 as part of an extensive restructuring of the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education. The elective Community Engagement Classification provides a way for institutions to describe their identity and commitments to community with a public and nationally recognized classification.

A total of 311 institutions have been successfully classified in the Community Engagement Classification since 2006. Campuses that received the Classification in 2006 and 2008 will undertake re-classification application and review in order to retain the Classification. Campuses classified in 2010 do not need to apply for re-classification at this time.

“The Community Engagement Classification represents a significant affirmation of the importance of community engagement in the agenda of higher education,” said Carnegie President Anthony S. Bryk.  “The Foundation believes that the Classification provides campuses of every institutional type an opportunity to affirm a commitment to community engagement as an essential aspect of institutional mission and identity.”

The Foundation defines community engagement as “the collaboration between institutions of higher education and their larger communities (local, regional/state, national, global) for the mutually beneficial exchange of knowledge and resources in a context of partnership and reciprocity. The purpose of community engagement is the partnership of college and university knowledge and resources with those of the public and private sectors to enrich scholarship, research, and creative activity; enhance curriculum, teaching and learning; prepare educated, engaged citizens; strengthen democratic values and civic responsibility; address critical societal issues; and contribute to the public good.” That definition and the documentation frameworks for the classification and re-classification are intentionally inclusive to honor the diversity of institutions and their approaches to community engagement.

Those institutions interested in the 2015 Classification, either as first-time applicants or campuses seeking re-classification, are urged to review the application process, timeline, documentation frameworks, and other information on the Carnegie website before making a decision to apply. Applications are available between May 1 and July 1, 2013, and will be due on April 15, 2014.

2015 Classification: Campus Classification and Re-Classification

• First Time Classification
  For the 2015 classification, campuses that have not previously received the classification will need to submit an application using what is referred to as the “first-time documentation framework.” A PDF version of the Documentation Framework to be used for planning purposes only is available here. There is also a guide attached to this version to assist institutions in the documentation planning process.

• Re-Classification
  For the 2015 classification, institutions that received the classification in 2006 and 2008 and are seeking to retain the classification will be able to re-apply through a reclassification process. A PDF version of the application for reclassification to be used for planning purposes only is available.

• 2010 Classified Institutions
  Institutions that received the classification in 2010 will not need to do anything in 2015. 2010 classified campuses will retain the classification until 2020. To be reclassified in 2020, the 2010 campuses will need to reapply through a reclassification process announced in 2018.

Inquiries about the Community Engagement Classification should be directed to John Saltmarsh at ([email protected]) or Amy Driscoll ([email protected]).

Contact:
John Saltmarsh, Director
New England Resource Center for Higher Education
[email protected]
617 287-7743

Amy Driscoll, Consulting Scholar
Carnegie Community Engagement Classification
[email protected]
503 227-9443