Are We Engaged? A College-level Inventory of Community Engagement

In this study, a team of six faculty members from Weber State University’s Telitha E. Lindquist College of Arts & Humanities tested and applied the Engaged College Rubric as part of a pilot program. Based on this application of the rubric, the committee found that the college tended toward the “Emerging” (i.e., first stage) classification for most items, thus indicating a need to continue developing programs and practices that center on community engagement (CE) within the college. The primary finding from this activity was that fragmentation exists surrounding CE in the college, within its constituent departments, and at the university level. This fragmentation limits the effectiveness of community-engaged learning, teaching, and scholarship. The committee’s findings, and interpretations of the rubric elements, are discussed, as are recommendations for future use of the Engaged College Rubric