Higher Education Urban Community Service: From Periphery to Core?

This study examined the importance of community service at 45 colleges and universities in urbanized areas of Ohio. A survey of the institutions' chief academic officers examined three dimensions: (1) amount of attention policymaking bodies give to community service; (2) community service's place in the curriculum and faculty work; and (3) the influence of external constituencies on community service at the institution. The chief academic officers rated community service as important to highly important but institutional policymaking groups were rated as not interested in community service and most institutional constituency groups were rated as not highly involved. Institutional representatives generally indicated that community service was not a formal requirement or part of the curriculum. Findings suggest that, despite increased attention to community service, as well as its importance in the stated mission of many institutions, community service remains a peripheral function that is not well integrated into most institutions. (Contains 22 references and 4 figures). (Author/JLS)