Name
Block 2: Leveraging the Process of University restructuring for transformative Change
Date & Time
Tuesday, April 1, 2025, 3:45 PM - 4:30 PM
Location Name
International 3
Focus Area
Infrastructure and support for community engagement
Session Type
Promising Practice (two 20-minute sessions per block)
Description

In response to financial and environmental demands, universities are increasingly restructuring, requiring community engagement offices to evolve in new ways. We share our experience restructuring community engagement at a medium size, rural, state university while simultaneously preparing for Carnegie Reclassification and implementing a new university strategic plan. We highlight the importance of retaining human and financial assets while dismantling ineffective past practices. We share challenges and successes managing changing leadership and merging three offices. We outline data collection strategies used to gather stakeholder input and formulate a proposal for a new community engagement office. Throughout this process, we followed three guiding principles: increase internal collaboration, draw on our strengths and those of key collaborators, and practice resource transparency and sharing.