Press Release

AAC&U Announces Eighteen Institutions Selected to Participate in New Project to Advance Evidence on Civic and Community-Based Engagement in Higher Education

Washington, DC—The Association of American Colleges and Universities (AAC&U) announced today the eighteen colleges and universities selected to participate in Advancing Evidence on Civic and Community-Based Engagement in Higher Education, a new project designed to develop national baselines for student performance on civic outcomes. Reflective of AAC&U’s diverse institutional membership, project participants include two- and four-year institutions, both public and private. The project is supported by a grant from Lumina Foundation.

“We are thrilled by the strong response to this project,” said AAC&U President Lynn Pasquerella. “The interest from campuses across the country demonstrates the desire for a shared evidence base that will help stakeholders make the case for why civic outcomes matter for student learning and success.”

During the fall 2021 semester, representatives from the eighteen institutions will participate in professional development activities related to implementing equity-focused global learning, civic, and community-based experiences; designing intentional assignments linked to civic outcomes; and working with rubrics for direct assessment of students’ civic capabilities. In spring 2022, each participating institution will submit at least one hundred student work products to AAC&U’s Valid Assessment of Learning in Undergraduate Education (VALUE) Institute. The student work will be scored by certified VALUE scorers, and the resulting baseline data will be disaggregated to identify any equity gaps in civic skill development. The project will culminate in the release of a summary report that will include recommendations for how individual campuses—and higher education as a whole—can best support civic skill-building for all students.

The following institutions will participate in the Advancing Evidence on Civic and Community-Based Engagement in Higher Education project:

  • Amarillo College (TX)
  • California State University–Northridge (CA)
  • Central Connecticut State University (CT)
  • College of the Canyons (CA)
  • Concordia College (MN)
  • New Jersey City University (NJ)
  • The Ohio State University (OH)
  • Portland State University (OR)
  • Queens University of Charlotte (NC)
  • Saint Mary’s College of California (CA)
  • Salisbury University (MD)
  • Salt Lake Community College (UT)
  • University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa (HI)
  • University of Miami (FL)
  • University of Redlands (CA)
  • University of Utah (UT)
  • Weber State University (UT)
  • Wingate University (NC)

About AAC&U

AAC&U is the leading national association dedicated to advancing the vitality and public standing of liberal education by making quality and equity the foundations for excellence in undergraduate education in service to democracy. Its members are committed to extending the advantages of a liberal education to all students, regardless of academic specialization or intended career. Founded in 1915, AAC&U now comprises more than 1,000 member institutions—including accredited public and private colleges, community colleges, research universities, and comprehensive universities of every type and size.

AAC&U functions as a catalyst and facilitator, forging links among presidents, administrators, faculty, and staff engaged in institutional and curricular planning. Through a broad range of activities, AAC&U reinforces the collective commitment to liberal education at the national, local, and global levels. Its high-quality programs, publications, research, meetings, institutes, public outreach efforts, and campus-based projects help individual institutions ensure that the quality of student learning is central to their work as they evolve to meet new economic and social challenges. For more information, visit www.aacu.org.