Long Range Outcomes of Public Service:
- Students who have a sense of their connection to communities and other stakeholders and who apply their knowledge in the public domain to make the world a better place
- Empowered communities who collaborate with ECU in addressing problems and resolving issues
- Broad interprofessional networks of scholars focused on community issues
- Recognition of public service as a valued component of ECU
- Operationalization of ECU's mission
Role of the Office of Public Service and Community Relations
Public service occurs when ECU faculty, staff, and/or students work to improve communities in eastern North Carolina and beyond. This work involves communities and benefits communities as it also advances scholarship by linking theory and practice across a wide range of academic disciplines. This work occurs through engagement and outreach activities, coursework, and service to the community.
In 2008, the Carnegie Foundation awarded ECU the Community Engagement Classification. The award letter commended the university for "excellent alignment among mission, culture, leadership, resources, and practices that support dynamic and noteworthy community engagement."
Through a centralized administrative infrastructure, the Office of Public Service and Community Relations is responsible for the quality improvement of public service through strategic planning and strategic assessment, coordination of ECU's public service endeavors, and the development of students, faculty and staff who conduct quality public service. Using collaboration as a strategy, the office enhances ECU's relationships with communities. (To view the current strategic action plan for the Office, click here.)
The SACS Compliance Report and the 2013 UNC Community Engagement and Economic Development provided ECU with an opportunity to systematize the collection and assessment of ECU's public service. To access SACS public service data reports, visit the Report's web page and click on the following standards: 3.3.1.5 and 3.4.2. UNC metrics data will be available in June, 2013.
