As part of a new series of AASCU Research and Strategy reports, AASCU corporate partners are providing important insights and data to our member institutions. Our latest report is a white paper from a company that TDC has worked closely with and that sponsored our 2015 Civic Learning and Democratic Engagement meeting.

Lyon Software’s white paper on “The Importance of Reporting Community Impact in Institutions of Higher Learning,” provides a set of concrete arguments for why institutions of higher education should consider measuring and reporting their community impacts, including developing and maintaining community support; maintaining academic credentials; and institutionalizing community engagement. The white paper also identifies four general communities related to the educational arena that institutions might consider reporting on — including: campus, academic, local/global, and mission-specific domains — and offers examples of programs or measures for each area.

Special Note for TDC Blog readers:

Institutions interested in tracking their impact on the community are invited to join Lyon Software’s Stewards of CBISA user group. CBISA Plus for Higher Education is  a tool used to help you track your institution’s service-learning and community engagement programs in order to create your institutional impact report. Those joining the Stewards of CBISA user group will receive 50% off their first year’s subscription to CBISA.

If you’re not familiar with Lyon Software and their CBISA tool, be sure to check them out online or by contacting either  Brittany Younts or Crystal Randolph at 419-882-7184 or at byounts @ lyonsoftware.com or crandolph @ lyonsoftware.com, respectively.