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K-State Today

January 27, 2014

Reminder regarding engagement survey

Submitted by David Procter

This is a reminder that the deadline to complete the Engagement Benchmarking Tool is Jan. 31.

The provost's office and the Center for Engagement and Community Development launched the Engagement Benchmarking Tool, a new online survey of faculty and academic staff, in December 2013. The purpose of the tool is to account for the engaged research, teaching and service conducted by Kansas State University faculty and staff.

Engagement is an integral part of K-State’s land-grant mission. When one collaboratively connects research, teaching or service activity with individuals', communities' or organizations’ goals and or needs, it is considered engagement. The direct goal of engagement is building and strengthening campus and community partnerships to address a significant public need. 

“We are very excited to see the results of this survey,” said David Procter, director of the Center for Engagement and Economic Development. “The data we collect will help colleges and departments chart progress on their Vision 2025 engagement goals and help K-State tell parents, students, legislators and citizen leaders the impact our university is having in areas of economic development, public health, civic engagement, food security, sustainability, innovation, arts and culture.” 

Data collected through the Engagement Benchmarking Tool will demonstrate the collective commitment of time, scholarly resources and research discoveries for the direct benefit of citizens in Kansas and help the university in its efforts toward reaccreditation as an Engaged University from the Carnegie Foundation in 2020. 

The Engagement Benchmarking Tool will also benchmark service learning as an engaged teaching pedagogy. Trisha Gott, assistant director of the school of Leadership Studies, said, “Some of the best engagement is through service learning. It allows students to think critically, make content of their own and become better students as citizens. The more work I do with service learning, the more I understand that we have excellent faculty that do great work in our classrooms, and the Engagement Benchmarking Tool can show that to students, the Board of Regents and citizens of Kansas who vote on how we are funded.”

The Engagement Benchmarking tool is open to faculty, campus extension specialists and area directors, and select unclassified professionals. For questions, please contact Procter at the Center for Engagement and Community Development.