November 2, 2020
IN THIS ISSUE
- Implementation of Barry University’s Civic Action Plan is “Proceeding Apace”
- All Set for Second Annual Founders’ Day of Service This Saturday
- Campus Democracy Project Committee Schedules Two Election Day Events
- Community-Based Research: One of Seven Categories of Awards for Community Engagement
- Faculty Learning Community for Engaged Scholarship Will Meet This Thursday at Noon
Implementation Of Barry University’s Civic Action Plan Is “Proceeding Apace”
Nearly All Elements Have Been Fully Implemented
By Glenn Bowen
With the theme, “Deepening and Strengthening Civic Engagement to Maximize Impact,” Barry’s Civic Action Plan is designed to achieve five goals linked to commitments articulated in Campus Compact’s 30th Anniversary Action Statement of Presidents and Chancellors. After reviewing the plan, Campus Compact designated Barry as a “Campus in Action.”
The implementation of a major plan to deepen and strengthen civic engagement at Barry is “proceeding apace,” and all five commitments made in the plan are being fulfilled.
That’s according to a Civic Action Plan update from the Center for Community Service Initiatives (CCSI).
Barry’s Civic Action Plan supports the improvement of teaching and learning, research, and service as integrated elements of comprehensive institutional action designed to create a positive impact on campus and in the wider community.
“Nearly all elements of the plan have been fully implemented,” the CCSI said in a statement on Monday (Nov. 2). “Community partners have been participating in program planning; the Barry Service Corps is contributing to student success; efforts to help combat food insecurity are continuing. Also, attention is bring paid to diversity, equity, and inclusion; and we regularly celebrate the accomplishments of those who lead lives of civic responsibility.”
In its previous update, in May 2018, the CCSI reported “considerable progress in implementing the plan.” The CCSI then noted that “community voice” was being amplified through the involvement of the Community Advisory Committee and that students who contribute significantly to community impact were being featured in publications.
Monday’s update said the CCSI had fully developed the Barry Service Corps as “a high-quality, innovative program that plays a role in increasing student persistence and success through civic learning and engagement.”
At the same time, the CCSI continues to provide oversight of the implementation of the Campus Democracy Project “more intentionally to deepen students’ understanding of political issues.”
As part of the five-year Civic Action Plan, the Barry Urban Garden was created to complement Barry FairShare, a community-supported agriculture project, which has helped to combat food insecurity and inadequate nutrition in selected Miami-Dade neighborhoods.
| Civic Action Plan: |
1 | ● Strengthened the role of Community Engagement Leadership Groups in program development and evaluation ● Amplified community voice by engaging the Community Advisory Committee in program implementation and evaluation ● Feature exemplary University–community partnerships during the annual Community Engagement Awards |
2 | ● Implementing the Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP) to foster personal and social responsibility as a hallmark of a Barry undergraduate education ● Developed the Barry Service Corps as a high-quality, innovative program that is instrumental in increasing student access and success through civic learning and engagement ● Implementing the Campus Democracy Project more intentionally to deepen students’ understanding of political issues ● In University publications, regularly feature students contributing significantly to community impact |
3 | ● Created a Community Garden on campus to complement Barry FairShare, a community-supported agriculture project, that helps combat food insecurity and inadequate nutrition in selected Miami-Dade neighborhoods ● Participating more fully in the work of PACT (People Acting for Community Together) to encourage Miami-Dade city and county officials to make and meet commitments to address identified public issues |
4 | ● Promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion through experiential learning activities ● Continuing to offer small grants in support of community-based research projects designed to address social issues |
5 | ● Redesigned and expanded the Service-Learning Faculty Fellows Program as a major professional development opportunity ● Redesigned the CCSI website to emphasize comprehensiveness of civic engagement program ● Regularly celebrate the accomplishments of students, as well as faculty and staff, who demonstrate good citizenship and lead lives of civic responsibility |
“We are developing and will propose a service-learning course that prepares students for roles as civically engaged community members,” the CCSI update says.
With the theme “Deepening and Strengthening Civic Engagement to Maximize Impact,” the Civic Action Plan is aimed at achieving five goals linked to commitments articulated in Campus Compact’s 30th Anniversary Action Statement of Presidents and Chancellors. The commitments concern mutually respectful partnerships, preparation of students for engaged citizenship, contributions to communities, capacity to challenge inequalities, and the centrality of the public purposes of higher education.
Barry’s then President Sister Linda Bevilacqua, O.P., Ph.D., was one of the early signers of the Action Statement, affirming the five commitments.
Campus Compact is a national coalition of colleges and universities committed to the civic purposes of higher education.
The CCSI submitted Barry’s Civic Action Plan to Campus Compact in November 2017. After reviewing the plan, Campus Compact designated Barry as a “Campus in Action.”
All Set For Second Annual Founders’ Day Of Service This Saturday
The inaugural Founders’ Day of Service last year marked the start of the Barry Founders’ Week. Volunteers engaged in various projects to improve the Virginia Key Beach Park in Miami. Projects included the creation of nature trails and removal of litter from the beach.
All arrangements are in place for this Saturday’s kickoff of the Barry University Founders’ Week celebration. The second annual Founders’ Day of Service will take place simultaneously on-site and online.
The three sites for in-person projects are the Barry Urban Garden (BUG) on campus, La Paloma neighborhood, and Hubert O. Sibley K–8 Academy.
Students and others participating online will engage in an advocacy project supporting Bread for the World’s efforts to decrease hunger in the United States.
Founders’ Day of Service advances Barry’s commitment to collaborative service, as declared in the institutional mission statement.
Registration for Saturday’s four-hour event is required. Students, faculty, staff, and alumni are asked to register by Wednesday.
Founders’ Day of Service
November 7
REGISTRATION
For on-site participation:
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/CSJCLSW
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about meeting location and how to prepare for service projects.
For online (remote) participation:
https://barry-edu.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZwtd-6gpzwtEtwyTNfDBSomzL4YRxbOAwJB
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about how to join online.
Last year, for the first time, a day of service marked the start of the Barry Founders’ Week. On November 6, President Allen served alongside students, faculty, staff, alumni, and family members at Historic Virginia Key Beach Park. They created nature trails, restored a nursery, assembled picnic tables, and removed litter from the beach.
Campus Democracy Project Committee Schedules Two Election Day Events
“Grab a friend, don a mask, come to enjoy a snack and drink before exercising your right and exercising yourself as you walk together, with appropriate physical distance observed, to and from the polling station at Sibley Elementary.”
That’s an invitation from the Campus Democracy Project (CDP) Committee to residential students on Barry’s main campus in the run-up to Election Day, tomorrow. The committee has scheduled two related activities for tomorrow: “Walk to the Polls” and “Civic Celebration.”
“Exercise Your Right … Exercise Yourself” is the theme of Walk to the Polls, the final get-out-the-vote activity on this year’s CDP calendar. Campus residents will walk together to Hubert O. Sibley K–8 Academy, the nearest polling place.
Civic Celebration will take place from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. in the courtyard of the Landon student union. Students, faculty, and staff are invited to stop by for some refreshments and to share in civic dialogue.
A nonpartisan project, the CDP is designed to promote civic learning and democratic engagement through voter registration, education, and mobilization. The CDP is implemented with support from the Campus Election Engagement Project (CEEP), the Students Learn Students Vote Coalition, Ask Every Student, and ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge.
Community-Based Research: One Of Seven Categories Of Awards For Community Engagement
The eighth annual Community Engagement Awards Ceremony is scheduled for March 31, 2021. The Community-Based Research Award has gone to Drs. Nauris Tamulevicius and Gerry Starratt (2014) as well as Drs. Lauren Shure (2015) and Dr. Ruth Ban (2018).
Community-Based Research is one of seven categories of community engagement awards in which nominations are being accepted. The nomination deadline is January 29.
The Community-Based Research Award is presented to scholars—faculty and/or students—who conduct rigorous research with community partners in response to community concerns, issues, or needs.
Over the years, there have been only four award winners in the Community-Based Research category. In 2014, Dr. Nauris Tamulevicius of the School of Human Performance and Leisure Sciences and Dr. Gerene “Gerry” Starratt of the School of Education were the winners. Dr. Lauren Shure won the award in 2015 and Dr. Ruth Ban in 2018. Both Shure and Ban are faculty members in the School of Education.
The other categories of awards are Community Impact, Community Partnership, Community-Engaged Scholarship, Community Engagement Educator, Service-Learning Faculty, and Engaged Department.
The Center for Community Service Initiatives (CCSI) has issued a call for nominations for the 2021 Community Engagement Awards. Students, faculty, and staff members, as well as community partners, are invited to submit nominations by the deadline.
The CCSI will host Barry’s eighth annual Community Engagement Awards Ceremony on March 31, from 6:00 to 7:30 p.m. It is likely that the 2021 event will be held remotely, the organizers say.
The nomination forms are available at the CCSI website <barry.edu/service>. For additional information, contact the CCSI at service@barry.edu.
Faculty Learning Community For Engaged Scholarship Will Meet This Thursday At Noon
The Faculty Learning Community for Engaged Scholarship (FLC) will have only meeting for the fall semester this Thursday (Nov. 5) from noon to 2 p.m.
The agenda includes a journal article review, summaries of engaged scholarship projects by Service-Learning Faculty Fellows, an FLC book project report by the co-editors, and a CCSI update on plans for the Community Engagement Symposium and Community Engagement Awards.
The FLC facilitates professional development and reflective practice in community-engaged teaching, research, and service. Organized by the CCSI, the FLC is open to all faculty members.
All FLC members and prospective members are urged to attend Thursday’s meeting, which will be held remotely. For additional information, contact any of the facilitators—Drs. Laura Finley, Pamela Hall, and Celeste Landeros—or the CCSI.
Contact Brittney Morales, Barry Service Corps program facilitator, at BriMorales@barry.edu.
11300 NE 2nd Avenue
Adrian 208
Miami Shores, FL 33161
service@barry.edu | 305 899 3696