University Outreach Benchmarking Study

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University OutreachBenchmarking Study

• An Overview of Outreach at Comparable
  Universities Across the Nation

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Benchmarking

• Benchmarking is a process of identifying,
  understanding and adapting outstanding (best)
  practices from other organizations to help
  improve our performance.
• Our study group is comprised of 21 universities
  chosen by the administration as our current peer
  (14) and aspirant peer (7) institutions.

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21 Comparable Institutions

• Arizona /Tucson
• California /Berkeley
• California /Davis
• California /Irvine
• Illinois Urbana/Champaign
• Minnesota/Twin Cities
• Wisconsin/Madison
• Iowa State
• Michigan State
• Ohio State
• Penn State
• Rutgers
• SUNY/ Buffalo
• SUNY/ Stony Brook
• California/ Santa Barbara
• Colorado/Boulder
• Connecticut
• Florida/Gainesville
• Maryland /College Park

Average student population 29,811
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UMass Outreach Background

• Spring 1994 The Task Force on Public Service
  declared "academic outreach" a necessity for this
  campus
• Spring 1995 A team of outside
  loaned executives working
  with UMass Extension and
  other outreach entities urged the
  campus to adopt "UMass Outreach"
• Summer 1997 A first interim Vice Provost for
  University Outreach was named.

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University of Massachusetts University Outreach
Definition

• University Outreach is teaching, research or
  service that serves external constituencies. It
  generates, shares and applies the knowledge,
  resources and expertise of the University of
  Massachusetts Amherst in ways that advance the
  public good, consistent with University and unit
  missions. University of Massachusetts Outreach
  programs seek out organizations, agencies,
  communities and citizens as valued collaborators
  in the advancement of knowledge.

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Terms Definitions Variability

• Extension
• Outreach
• Public Service
• Engagement

I consider the term outreach to be a
condescending term that is inappropriate in
describing what we do. -Gary W. Matkin,
Associate Dean University of California,
Berkeley
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Most Outreach Decentralized

• Traditional Cooperative Extension Programs
• Continuing Education Programs

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Leading Outreach Insitutions
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Best Practices Leading Outreach Institutions

• Similar Level Leadership Positions
• Vice Provost, Vice President, Vice Chancellor
• Decision Making Councils
• Strategic Plans based on research
• Clear Definitions
• Missions, Visions, Goals
• Commitment to Change
• Overarching Programs
• Strong State Relations/Commitments
• Strong Evaluation Programs
• Emphasis on Accessibility
• Focus on Promotion/Resources

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Similar Level Leadership Positions
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Best Practices Leading Outreach Institutions

• Similar Level Leadership Positions
• Vice Provost, Vice President, Vice Chancellor
• Decision Making Councils
• Strategic Plans based on research
• Clear Definitions
• Missions, Visions, Goals
• Commitment to Change
• Overarching Programs
• Strong State Relations/Commitments
• Strong Evaluation Programs
• Emphasis on Accessibility
• Focus on Promotion/Resources

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Decision Making Councils

• Establish Strategic Plans
• Promote/Educate about Outreach
• Enact Overarching Programs
  

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Best Practices Leading Outreach Institutions

• Similar Level Leadership Positions
• Vice Provost, Vice President, Vice Chancellor
• Decision Making Councils
• Strategic Plans based on research
• Clear Definitions
• Missions, Visions, Goals
• Commitment to Change
• Overarching Programs
• Strong State Relations/Commitments
• Strong Evaluation Programs
• Emphasis on Accessibility
• Focus on Promotion/Resources

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Strategic Plans
Research Focus groups
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Clear Definitions Ohio State

• Outreach/Engagement is a meaningful and mutually
  beneficial collaboration with partners in
  education, business, public and social service.
  It represents that aspect of
  teaching that enables learning beyond the campus
  walls, that aspect of research that makes what we
  discover useful beyond the academic community,
  that aspect of service that directly benefits the
  public.

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Strategic Plans

• Missions
• Visions
• Goals

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Commitment to Change
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Best Practices Leading Outreach Insitutions

• Similar Level Leadership Positions
• Vice Provost, Vice President, Vice Chancellor
• Decision Making Councils
• Strategic Plans based on research
• Clear Definitions
• Missions, Visions, Goals
• Committment to Change
• Overarching Programs
• Strong State Relations/Committments
• Strong Evaluation Programs
• Emphasis on Accessibility
• Focus on Promotion/Resources

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Examples of Overarching Programs

• Road Scholars Faculty
  members tour the state to understand
  Ohio State Universitys
  role for Outreach.

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Symposiums
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Best Practices Leading Outreach Insitutions

• Similar Level Leadership Positions
• Vice Provost, Vice President, Vice Chancellor
• Decision Making Councils
• Strategic Plans based on research
• Clear Definitions
• Missions, Visions, Goals
• Committment to Change
• Overarching Programs
• Strong State Relations/Committments
• Strong Evaluation Programs
• Emphasis on Accessibility
• Focus on Promotion/Resources

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State Relations
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Best Practices Leading Outreach Insitutions

• Similar Level Leadership Positions
• Vice Provost, Vice President, Vice Chancellor
• Decision Making Councils
• Strategic Plans based on research
• Clear Definitions
• Missions, Visions, Goals
• Committment to Change
• Overarching Programs
• Strong State Relations/Committments
• Strong Evaluation Programs
• Emphasis on Accessibility
• Focus on Promotion/Resources

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Strong Evaluation Components

• Faculty Surveys
• Focus Groups

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Best Practices Leading Outreach Insitutions

• Similar Level Leadership Positions
• Vice Provost, Vice President, Vice Chancellor
• Decision Making Councils
• Strategic Plans based on research
• Clear Definitions
• Missions, Visions, Goals
• Committment to Change
• Overarching Programs
• Strong State Relations/Committments
• Strong Evaluation Programs
• Emphasis on Accessibility
• Focus on Promotion/Resources

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Emphasis onAccessibility

• University Website Front Doors

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Reporting Units within Outreach at Buffalo are
easily clickable and the entire site is
searchable.
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OhioState

• Outreach Resource map indicate offices across
  the state.

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Databases

• Publications
• On-line Access

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UCDavis provides easy online additions to the
University community
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Best Practices Leading Outreach Insitutions

• Similar Level Leadership Positions
• Vice Provost, Vice President, Vice Chancellor
• Decision Making Councils
• Strategic Plans based on research
• Clear Definitions
• Missions, Visions, Goals
• Committment to Change
• Overarching Programs
• Strong State Relations/Committments
• Strong Evaluation Programs
• Emphasis on Accessibility
• Focus on Promotion/Resources

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Focus on Promotion/Resources

• Identity
• Messages
• Publications

Michigan State
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Best Practices Leading Outreach Insitutions

• Similar Level Leadership Positions
• Vice Provost, Vice President, Vice Chancellor
• Decision Making Councils
• Strategic Plans based on research
• Clear Definitions
• Missions, Visions, Goals
• Committment to Change
• Overarching Programs
• Strong State Relations/Committments
• Strong Evaluation Programs
• Emphasis on Accessibility
• Focus on Promotion/Resources