Civic Engagment

Academic Plan - Excellence in Civic Engagement

IUPUI already has an enviable reputation in service learning and community engagement. Students, faculty, and staff are deeply involved in their community, working with a wide array of partners in service to our city and state. Members of the IUPUI community offer expert care and assistance to patients and clients, support P-12 education through partnerships in formal and informal learning contexts, and engage in field research spanning virtually every academic discipline. As a leader in fostering collaborative partnerships, IUPUI values collegiality, cooperation, creativity, innovation, and entrepreneurship. IUPUI continues to enhance its capacity for civic engagement and to intensify its commitment and accountability to Indianapolis and to the state of Indiana. Locally, IUPUI is invested in strategic partnerships to take advantage of the diversity in our neighborhood. On a global scale, IUPUI is engaged in a number of strategic partnerships across a range of academic disciplines and in a diverse array of countries including China, Thailand, Mexico, and South Africa. A partnership aimed at responding to the HIV/AIDS pandemic in Moi, Kenya, was nominated in 2007 for the Nobel Peace Prize. On campus, the Multicultural Center, with a strong academic component, the Office of International Affairs, and the new Campus Center will play significant roles in enhancing student engagement within both local and global contexts.

 

Major Initiative: TRIP (Translating Research Into Practice)

As a public institution, IUPUI is obligated to strengthen the state's economy through discovery and innovation. Technology transfer at IUPUI is supported through the IU Research and Technology Corporation (IURTC), an independent not-for-profit corporation. The TRIP Initiative was launched at IUPUI in February 2007, with the purposes of studying and promoting translational research that can benefit industries aligned with the health and life sciences. Goals of this initiative include,

  1. increasing the level of campus oversight and faculty involvement in IURTC in order to enhance its value to the campus,
  2. increasing the level of entrepreneurial activity among IUPUI faculty and administrators, and
  3. strengthening science, engineering, and technology programs, particularly within the life sciences, to enable IUPUI to respond quickly and flexibly to new opportunities created by emerging technologies in the region and nation.

Improved communications among IUPUI faculty, university counsel, and the IURTC will help to promote entrepreneurial culture, the transfer of technology, and the rapid commercialization of inventions that will benefit the state of Indiana.

The TRIP website can be found at trip.iupui.edu

 

Status of Additional Action Items Related to Excellence in Civic Engagement:

Enhance Capacity for Civic Engagement

Action Items:

Tabulate Ongoing Activities
Recommendations:

  • Update 2002 Civic Engagement Inventory via collaborations among Web developers and staff in Planning and Institutional Improvement (PAII), External Affairs, UITS, and the Center for Teaching and Learning
  • Phase in the collection of Civic Engagement information via the Faculty Annual Summary Report
  • Develop a database to document IUPUI translational research for both internal and external marketing purposes
  • Summary Report
  • Full Report

K-12 Education
Recommendations:

  • Double IUPUI enrollment in science and mathematics teacher education by Fall, 2009 in order to meet at least 50% of the projected need in central Indiana
  • Implement mechanisms to increase enrollment and improve retention of beginning teacher education students and nontraditional T2T students
  • Summary Report
  • Full Report
  • 2008 Update