GUIDE FOR

FACULTY OUTREACH
Outreach Resources for Faculty

Published by the Office of the Vice President for University Outreach

Carnegie Foundation Classification for
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
Curricular Engagement and Outreach and Partnerships
Auburn University’s Outreach Mission
Auburn University is committed to applying its educational resources to the
problems and issues faced by citizens of the state, region, nation and world.
Through academic departments, outreach centers and the Alabama Cooperative
Extension System, Auburn’s outreach programming addresses economic
development, government, professional continuing education, youth, cultural
preservation, agriculture and natural resources. Our goal, as always, is to provide
effective and efficient programs and services for our fellow Alabamians.

Vision Statement
Our vision of outreach consists of a thriving partnership between Auburn University
faculty, staff, and students, on the one hand, and the people and communities of
Alabama and beyond on the other. In this vision, the people and their communities
routinely make effective use of the resources of Auburn University to serve their
needs and help them solve their problems and improve the quality of their lives.
The providers of those resources within the University, especially the faculty,
routinely and confidently commit portions of their time and expertise to outreach,
secure in the knowledge that their work will be reliably assessed and rewarded
within their own institution and within the broader academy. The University
acts not only to maintain effective and efficient connections with established
constituencies, but also to discover emerging constituencies and cultivate
appropriate connections to them.
CONTENTS:

Introduction ................................................................................. 01

Definition of Outreach and Related Terms ................................. 02

Outreach Organization and Focus ............................................... 06

Relationships Among Scholarly Contributions ........................... 10

Policies and Procedures .............................................................. 12

Resources for Faculty ................................................................. 15

Faculty Outreach Scholarship Grants ......................................... 18

Outreach Scholarship Symposia ................................................. 20

Award for Excellence in Faculty Outreach ................................. 21

For More Information ................................................................. 22

INTRODUCTION
Among Auburn University’s three principal missions is Outreach, the application
of university expertise beyond the traditional campus setting to the benefit
of external constituents. Outreach occurs in many forms, such as non-credit
instruction, distance instruction, technical assistance, service learning, applied
research, the technology transfer. The majority of outreach at the university is
produced by faculty. By performing outreach, faculty improve the quality of life
in Alabama and beyond, and they gain valuable experience and insights that can
inform their teaching and research. Thus, outreach is an important expression of
the faculty’s disciplinary expertise and scholarship.

This booklet provides a brief overview of faculty outreach at Auburn University

including definitions of outreach and related terms, organization of outreach,
faculty roles, handbook citations and other policies relevant to faculty outreach,
and helpful resources available to faculty.

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DEFINITION OF OUTREACH
AND RELATED TERMS
Universities use many terms to define or categorize faculty involvement with the
external community: public service, community or civic engagement, outreach,
continuing education, and lifelong learning to name a few.

At Auburn University, the term “outreach” is in general use in academic policy

and university publications, referring collectively to any form of scholarly
engagement. The term applies broadly, as in “the mission of outreach,” as well as
specifically to work performed by individual faculty through designated outreach
units, academic departments, the Alabama Cooperative Extension System or with
external partners. The term “extension” is also in common use in an historical
context, such as on the seal of the university, but generally is used in specific
reference to the Cooperative Extension organization itself, and for the work
performed by its county agents and specialists.

In 2001, a substantive revision to Chapter 3 of the Faculty Handbook defined

“outreach” formally as it relates to faculty involvement with external communities:
“‘Outreach’ refers to the function of applying academic expertise to the direct
benefit of external audiences in support of university and unit missions.”

This definition of outreach includes but is not limited to the following activities
which utilize scholarly expertise: technical assistance, continuing and distance
instruction, civic engagement, service learning or extension work. Additionally,
Chapter 3 of the Faculty Handbook
(www.auburn.edu/academic/provost/handbook.html) further distinguishes
outreach from “service” or “consulting.” These are covered in detail in under
separate headings in the Handbook.

Faculty should refer to Chapter 3 of the Faculty Handbook for the description of
conditions by which an endeavor may be regarded as outreach scholarship. At
Auburn University outreach and outreach scholarship are among the criteria used
to assess faculty in regards to promotion and tenure.

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As part of the 2013 SACS reaffirmation study, a faculty committee analyzed the
scope of the university’s outreach work and typical outcomes. Institutionally,
outreach and extension work at Auburn encompasses three forms of activity:
instruction, expert assistance, and engagement. Outreach instructional activities
promote learning over a lifetime and address continuing individual development
and improvement of knowledge and skills needed for educational advancement,
employment and personal enrichment. Expert assistance provides information
and services extending university expertise and knowledge on request to external
constituents (individuals and organizations) in order to advise, solve problems
and improve conditions. Engagement encourages collaboration between the
institution and its larger community (local, state, regional, national, global) for
the mutually beneficial exchange of knowledge and resources in a context of
partnership and reciprocity.

The following are additional terms commonly used to describe the various
activities which make up the body of Auburn University’s outreach mission.

Community or Civic Engagement

“The scholarship of engagement means connecting the rich resources of the
university to our most pressing social, civic and ethical problems, to our
children, to our schools, to our teachers and to our cities ...” (Boyer, 1990).
Civic engagement is particularly focused on building community capacity and
encouraging thoughtful, responsible citizenship. At Auburn, such engagement
involves faculty as well as students through the academic departments as well as
specialized outreach units.

Outreach (Engaged) Scholarship

The dissemination or application of knowledge through outreach activities. This
includes authoring articles, book chapters, reports or other publications reflecting
one’s outreach experience, the development of curricula informed by outreach
activities, etc.

Extension
This historical term reflects work performed in designated programs by faculty
specialists affiliated with the Alabama Cooperative Extension System. These
faculty and their counterparts based in county offices perform more than 2 million
service contacts per year across Alabama.

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Continuing Education or Lifelong Learning
A common term used mostly for non-credit instruction, typically professionally-
oriented short courses, workshops, and conferences, often awarding continuing
education units (CEUs) to qualified participants. Auburn produces annually
some 1,000 programs and 50,000 registrations in noncredit programs university-
wide. Typically, faculty contribute to the design of such programs and serve as
instructors.

Distance Education
This term encompasses credit and non-credit offerings which typically use
instructional technologies to reach non-residential students at a distance. Distance
credit programs are subjected to the same oversight as tradition al curricula,
distinguished neither in quality, rigor nor requirement from the residential course
of study. Auburn’s distance offerings include an increasing number of certificates,
programs, and credit degrees.

Technical Assistance
A term frequently used for expert advice provided by a faculty member as part
of a formal university-sponsored outreach client relationship. Outside of such
sponsored relationships, faculty consultation may be categorized as “Extramural
Activity” as defined by the Auburn Faculty Handbook. Annually, almost 500
sponsored technical assistance projects are conducted by major technical units
on campus.

Service Learning
A term used for student engagement in organized community activities directed by
faculty as part of a course which integrates service with instruction and reflection
to enrich the learning experience. These programs generate annually thousands of
service hours in the community.

Clinical Work
This activity includes diagnostic services, consultation and therapy provided by
departmental clinics. These clinics primarily function as training programs for
students and research facilities for faculty, but also serve as an outreach to the
local community. Auburn has some 12 clinical facilities and many other similar
programs open to the public or by referral.

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Other Forms of Outreach
The university generates outreach indirectly by the institution’s presence in
the community. Local area residents enjoy an art museum, performing arts, an
arboretum and many other world class resources which would otherwise not be
found in communities this size. Many presentations, performances and exhibits
are offered primarily for the benefit of students and faculty, but are also open to
the public at large. In these ways, Auburn enhances the overall quality of life for
the surrounding community.

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OUTREACH ORGANIZATION
AND FOCUS
Organizationally, Auburn supports relevant and vital engagement at three levels:
(1) central administration provides institutional advocacy and resources to support
outreach comprehensively; (2) organizational units provide a critical mass to
launch and sustain outreach initiatives which are broad in concept and application;
and (3) faculty provide scholarship to assure outreach is firmly grounded in
the knowledge base of the university and incorporates sound instructional
methodology. The following are the organizational divisions supporting outreach
work at Auburn.

PROVOST
Alabama
Cooperative
Extension
Auburn Colleges and
System
Schools - more than 75
Office of the Vice President college and school-based
University for University Outreach outreach units and
Centers and faculty-led initiatives
Institutes

University
Faculty Outreach
Executive
Engagement Council
Secretary

Executive
Assistant

K-12
Outreach

Economic & Center for Encyclopedia Office of Professional OsherOLLI

Lifelong Office of
Community Governmental of Alabama & Continuing Learning
at Auburn
Institute Public Service
Development Services Education (OLLI at Auburn)

The Office of the Vice President for University Outreach

The VPUO promotes engagement of faculty scholarship and application of
research beyond campus through outreach services and programming in its various
forms to Auburn University’s many constituencies. The VPUO coordinates with
counterparts in the Provost’s office, the Alabama Cooperative Extension System,
the schools and colleges, the Research office and other university counterparts
to promote a dynamic and integral relationship among the three missions of the
university. The VPUO encourages, coordinates, and provides policy guidance for
faculty outreach, placing a premium on faculty initiative and responsiveness.

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The VPUO also organizes and directs initiatives designed to address specific
needs in Alabama and engages appropriate responses to meet those needs.

University Outreach Units

Eight units report directly to the Office of the VPUO. These are the Center for
Governmental Services (CGS), the Economic & Community Development
Institute (ECDI), Encyclopedia of Alabama (EOA), the Office of Professional
and Continuing Education (OPCE), the Office of Public Service (OPS), K-12
Outreach, the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI at Auburn), and the Office
of Faculty Engagement. OPCE, OPS, and the Office of Faculty Engagement
provide support services to faculty and other program content specialists. These
services are outlined in more detail in the “RESOURCES” section of this booklet.
In addition to their faculty service focus, these units oversee a significant base of
programming to external audiences as well. For example OPS coordinates the
AuburnServes community service network; OPCE oversees community courses,
youth enrichment programs, professional and organizational development training.
OLLI at Auburn is a membership-based program for learning in retirement.

As their unit names imply, CGS and ECDI each have very defined programmatic
foci and link the university to specific external constituents. These units often
engage faculty in providing applied research and educational programs to
clientele. ECDI is jointly administered with the Alabama Cooperative Extension
System. The Office of the Encyclopedia of Alabama maintains the free, online
resource of the same name, featuring articles on Alabama history, culture and
geography. The site also provides learning resources for teachers. University
Outreach administers Auburn’s K-12 Strategic Initiatives which provides support
to limited resource school districts to improve college access and academic
performance among participating students.

The VPUO also maintains the University Outreach Council, which serves as
an internal advisory committee. The Council is comprised of academic officers
representing the schools and colleges on campus. The council also includes
representatives from outreach units, Extension program leadership, and Auburn-
Montgomery outreach officials. This body serves to advise the Office on policy
issues, participate in task group assignments, and as a network to promote
communication and collaboration among outreach stakeholders on campus.

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Outreach Centers, Institutes, and College-based Programs
Throughout the university, more than 75 outreach units support outreach
programmatic objectives, some within the schools and colleges while others
are organized as centers or institutes. These units typically support faculty
outreach work within an academic area, serving alumni or related professionals.
Some outreach programs are tied to grants or partnership arrangements. These
units provide many diverse opportunities for faculty engagement. A directory
of outreach centers, institutes, and offices is maintained at www.auburn.edu/
outreach/college.html.

The Alabama Cooperative Extension System

The Alabama Cooperative Extension System originated with the Smith-Lever Act
which established in the early Twentieth Century extension programs at land-
grant institutions. The System today represents the combined extension services
at Auburn and Alabama A&M University, with Tuskegee University cooperating.
Faculty in thirteen departments at Auburn University, primarily in the College
of Agriculture, The School of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences, and the College
of Human Sciences hold appointments with the Alabama Cooperative Extension
System. These faculty conduct work in six program areas and collaborate with
field staff at county offices in delivering professional consultation to constituents
across the state. The Extension website has a detailed outline of its programs and
services at www.aces.edu.

Faculty Roles
Whether the work is administered by a dedicated campus outreach unit or through
an academic department, Auburn’s faculty drive the planning, delivery, and
assessment of outreach work at the university. Faculty outreach takes many forms:
expert consultation, instruction in continuing and distance programs, applied
research, and creative work for public presentation. Historically, faculty outreach
developed along the lines of their disciplinary focus and the academic curricula.
Increasingly, faculty work with colleagues across disciplines to develop programs
and services that are broad in scope and application. These address many areas

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of public concern including education, community, and economic development,
quality of life, agriculture and natural resources. The benefits of outreach are
not all externally focused; such scholarly engagement also informs research and
provides insights valuable to teaching.

The Carnegie Foundation “Community Engagement”

Classification and Other Institutional Recognitions
Auburn holds several distinguished national recognitions for its organizational
commitment to the outreach mission and faculty engagement, and its
comprehensive focus on community issues.

In 2010, Auburn received the “Community Engagement Classification” from

the prestigious Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. The
classification recognizes Auburn’s commitment to community partnership and
public service through its mission of outreach. The classification is the most
significant recognition in higher education for a university’s total outreach body
of work in the community. The classification focuses on curricular engagement
in the curriculum, faculty outreach scholarship, community partnerships and
engaged student activities.

Auburn is a founding board member of the Engagement Scholarship Consortium,

an educational organization promoting faculty engagement. The consortium’s
goal is to work collaboratively university-community partnershhips anchored
in the rigor of scholarship, and designed to help build community capacity.
Auburn is an institutional member of Campus Compact, an academic alliance of
universities that promotes service learning throughout the curriculum. Auburn
is also recognized by the President’s Higher Education Honor Roll, a federal
program promoting excellence in curricular engagement and public service work
at universities across the United States.

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POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
Policies and procedures relevant to faculty outreach work include both external
and internal guidelines governing the performance and assessment of the activity.
Some are founded in the institution’s charter as a land-grant university, others
relate to accreditation criteria. Responsive internal policies are administered as
part of the overall body of official university academic procedure.

External policies
Extension: Congress passed the Smith-Lever Act in 1914 creating a national
Cooperative Extension Service. This historic charge remains central to current
extension policy statements which declare programs are performed “in furtherance
of Cooperative Extension work in agriculture and home economics, Acts of May 8
and June 30, 1914, and other related acts, in cooperation with the U.S. Department
of Agriculture.” Faculty with extension assignments or performing outreach as
part of an extension program coordinate their efforts as part of the Extension
System’s official plan of work.

SACS Accreditation Standards: Auburn University ten-year reaffirmation reviews

affirm the institution’s compliance to outreach related criteria as outlined in SACS
Commission on Colleges Criteria for Accreditation. SACS guidelines stress that
outreach work be relevant to the academic mission of the university, and that it
is assessed against expected outcomes in order to measure impact and to make
improvements in the program.

Individual program certifications and accreditations: Many individual outreach

programs, such as the Dietary Manager Certificate Program, must meet standards
set forth by national professional practice organizations, state boards of
certification and other bodies.

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Internal Policies
Faculty Assignments/Tenure & Promotion: Faculty must coordinate their outreach
activities in concert with their approved teaching and research assignments as
well as with departmental goals and objectives. Generally, outreach will be
performed as a percentage of one’s academic assignment, but when the activity
cannot reasonably be included in the assigned workload, it may be considered
for overload basis if approved by one’s department head and dean. In either case,
faculty participation in outreach will be assessed on the basis of the approved
departmental assignment. Outreach activity is recognized as an integral component
of faculty scholarship in consideration for tenure and promotion. Policies related
to assessment of faculty outreach are outlined in detail within Chapter 3 of the
Faculty Handbook.

Office of Human Subjects Research: In order to ensure that outreach activities can
be leveraged to produce scholarship, faculty should develop evaluative procedures
that will generate data that can be used to produce outreach scholarship, along
with manuscripts, technical reports, etc. Any activity that involves people or
collects information from them must be approved by the Institutional Review
Board (IRB) in advance. Forms for use in requesting approval are available at the
following website: www.auburn.edu/research/vpr/ohs.

CEU Policy and Outreach Reporting Guidelines:

In compliance with SACS criteria and other national academic
standards for non-credit programming, Auburn University has
developed CEU policy and reporting guidelines. The policy
(a) provides for uniform application of the CEU across the
university, (b) outlines the foundation for a central records
and reporting system, and (c) assures a uniform approach to
quality assurance in non-credit studies. Guidelines are provided to assist in the
interpretation and implementation of the national criteria in the processes of
design, development, delivery, and evaluation of non-credit continuing education
and professional development activities. These criteria must be met for a program
to qualify for awarding CEUs to individual participants. A CEU is defined as
ten hours of instruction in an organized continuing education experience under
responsible sponsorship, capable direction and qualified instructions.

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CEU awards for non-credit instruction must be approved in advance by the
university CEU officer in the Office of Public Service (OPS). After the activity, a
record of a roster of all participants eligible for CEU awards must be forwarded to
OPS which maintains permanent CEU records on each participant and provides
official copies of their continuing education record. Faculty should utilize the
procedures outlined in the policy for CEU approvals and program reporting.

Outreach activities and continuing education programs not carrying CEU

awards also should be reported by faculty to OPS utilizing the same procedures.
These records are utilized in instructional reporting internally and externally to
Alabama Commission on Higher Education, the Southern Association of Colleges
and School, etc. The CEU policy and reporting guidelines can be obtained by
contacting the Office of Public Service at 844-4730 or at www.auburn.edu/
outreach/ceuforms.

Summer Camp and Summer Coordinating/Scheduling Policy:

Auburn University hosts a wide variety of camps, clinics, workshops, and
conferences each summer. This policy outlines procedures for recognition of
official AU summer activities and coordination of summer space utilization of
university recreational and form facilities. These guidelines specifically address
residential summer programs which include participants under the age of 18
(eighteen) years who may remain overnight in on-campus residence halls. The
summer camp coordinating policy is available through the Office of Professional
and Continuing Education at 844-5100 or www.auburn.edu/outreach/camppolicy.
pdf.

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RESOURCES FOR FACULTY
Faculty Engagement and Program Development
Within the VPUO office, the Director of Faculty Engagement coordinates the
division’s central resources and programs supporting faculty outreach. These
include competitive outreach scholarship grants, an annual outreach scholarship
symposia, and an expanding collection of web-based materials supporting faculty
engagement. The website includes information of journals receptive to outreach
scholarship from a range of disciplines. The director fosters development of cross
disciplinary collaborations and facilitates networking to link faculty to outreach
initiatives which can benefit from their expertise. In addition to consulting with
faculty on designing and sustaining outreach projects, the director advises faculty
on Auburn’s promotion and tenure process as it pertains to outreach and engaged
scholarship. The director also provides guidance on developing the outreach
section of one’s promotion and tenure portfolio. Call 844-5700 or visit the Faculty
Engagement website at www.auburn.edu/outreach/facultyengagement.

Program Support and Development Services

for Non-Credit Instruction
Organizational resources are available to faculty for a variety of outreach
related program development and facilitation needs. The Office of Professional
and Continuing Education focuses on high quality, fee-for-service, non-credit,
continuing education programs in five general categories: Conference and Event
Management, Professional Development Training, On-line Certificates, Lifelong
Learning, and Resident Summer Youth Camps. The Office can advise faculty
in non-credit program development and can provide staff services for planning,
registration (web-based, mail, etc.), accounting, and on-site facilitation. Contact
the office at 844-5100 or visit the website at www.auburn.edu/opce. Additionally,
a number of schools and colleges host outreach units which provide faculty with
similar services. Faculty can contact their dean’s office for more information on
these units.

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Non-Credit Program Documentation and CEU Approval
The Office of Public Service advises faculty on Auburn University’s CEU policy
and outreach reporting procedures, and accreditation standards for development,
administration, evaluation, certification compliance, learning resources and other
elements of non-credit programming. The office approves all CEU awards at
the university and provides a central information system to maintain outreach
activity information on behalf of all Auburn University units and CEU recipients.
This database service is provided at no charge to faculty or units reporting their
outreach programs; there is a minimal transcript fee to program participants who
elect to order a copy of their official CEU record. Visit the office website at
www.auburn.edu/outreach/ops or phone at 844-4730.

Service Learning Support and “AuburnServes” Network

There is a growing emphasis on student engagement at Auburn University. Service
learning is a key objective of the university strategic plan. Many student-led
volunteer projects already exist; Student Affairs and many academic departments
host sponsored student service initiatives. The College of Liberal Arts established
a Civic Engagement Committee and designated engagement scholars within
the college charged with developing service learning classes. As part of its
professional and curriculum development programs, the Biggio Center offers a
focus on engagement and service learning. Under the auspices of the Provost’s
office, University Outreach and Access & Community Initiatives have established
a comprehensive service collaboration involving Extension, the Learning
Communities and many other campus and community partners. This initiative is
staffed in University Outreach through the Office of Public Service. The office has
developed “AuburnServes” a growing web-based network of faculty and student
initiatives and community partners across the state. A program administrator
in the office can assist faculty and students in their service engagement efforts.
The office is also liaison to the university’s membership in Campus Compact,
the Gulf South Summit, the Alabama Poverty Project and other regional-national
peer organizations. Contact this office at 844-4730 and visit the website at www.
auburnserves.com.

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Survey Research Resources
The Survey Research Lab, operated by the Center for Governmental Services,
provides Auburn University faculty with a centralized facility with the capacity
to collect quality, reliable and accurate survey data for a variety of specific
information and research needs. SRL is a full service survey research organization
that can assist with all phases of research: problem definition, research objectives
and methodological design; sample design and sample generation; questionnaire
development and design; data collection; data entry; data analysis; report and
presentation. The SRL is housed in the Center for Governmental Services offices
in Haley Center. SRL conducts mail, telephone and online surveys, offers a diverse
array of substantive and technical expertise, and a variety of computing services
and data collection techniques. Visit the website at
www.auburn.edu/outreach/cgs/SRL/SRL.php or call 844-1914.

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FACULTY OUTREACH
SCHOLARSHIP GRANTS
The Office of the Vice President for University Outreach periodically will make
available competitive outreach scholarship grants to Auburn faculty. The purpose
is to encourage faculty initiative in addressing critical societal needs in Alabama
or beyond. This program focuses on outreach scholarship as it is described in
Chapter 3 of the Faculty Handbook.

A call for proposals will be issued to solicit applications for each upcoming round
of grants. The call for proposals will outline the specific process for that round
of grant considerations. Proposals will be reviewed by a peer committee and
recommendations made to the Vice President for award of grants. Typically grants
will range in value, with awards made for one year with the possibility of renewal.

All proposals must meet the university definition of outreach and include letters
of support from both the faculty member’s department head (or director or dean,
as appropriate) and a representative of the external constituency. The University
Senate has defined outreach as “the function of applying academic expertise
to the direct benefit of external constituencies in support of university and unit
missions”. The department head’s letter must tell how the proposed project serves
as university or unit mission and how it will contribute to the investigator’s
scholarship. The external support letter must address the need for the project and
describe how the external constituency will participate in providing direction,
support, and evaluation for the project.

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Successful applicants will be required to submit periodic reports and a final
report summarizing the project and evaluating it in terms of impact on the target
constituency and on the scholarship of the faculty members involved. These
reports may be used in the future Outreach publications. Grant recipients are
encouraged to plan their own individual publications as well.

Call 844-5700 or visit www.auburn.edu/outreach/facultyengagement for

information on the Competitive Outreach Grant Program.

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OUTREACH SCHOLARSHIP
SYMPOSIA
University Outreach hosts a number of symposia and scholarly events designed
to bring together faculty, administrators, and graduate students to share their
experiences in engaging with external constituencies. The symposia offer
opportunities to explore new possibilities for collaborations with peers and
promotes the establishment of outreach as valued criteria in the promotion
and tenure process. These programs particularly highlight cross-disciplinary
collaborative teamwork. Notice of upcoming symposia will be circulated via
campus mail, email, web and news communications.

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AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE
IN FACULTY OUTREACH
The Auburn University Award for Excellence in
Faculty Outreach, and a $5,000 honorarium, is
presented annually to one Auburn faculty member
for distinguished outreach contributions which
exceed expectations for the person’s career stage
and job responsibilities. The award is presented
at the University’s annual awards program in Fall
semester.

A call for nominations will be issued to solicit applications for each upcoming
award. The call for nominations will outline the specific process for nominating
a faculty member. Nominations will be reviewed by a peer committee and
recommendations made to the Vice President for the award recipient. Nominees
should have a distinguished career in which outreach plays an integral part. All
full-time Auburn faculty are eligible.

Activities to be considered for this award are based upon the Faculty Handbook
(Chapter 3) definition of outreach as “the function of applying academic expertise
to the direct benefit of external audiences in support of university and unit
missions.” Preference will be given to nominations demonstrating quality of
scholarship and impact over quantity of projects or longevity of tenure.

Specific criteria include mission compatibility, scholarship, and impact. The

nomination should provide a commentary describing the scholarship involved in
the outreach achievements cited. Nominators will be expected to provide a brief
overview of the nominee’s outreach record including citations of needs addressed,
objectives, methods, target audience, etc. The nomination should describe how the
outreach is compatible with university and unit missions, and how it complements
the teaching and research mission of the unit. The nomination should discuss the
quality of the scholarship involved as well as the impact of the outreach.

Contact the Office of Public Service at 844-4730 for information regarding the
Award for Excellence in Faculty Outreach.

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WEB RESOURCES FOR FACULTY
Many of the contacts and resources mentioned in this booklet are conveniently
posted on the “Faculty Resources” link on the menu bar at the top of the Outreach
web site www.auburn.edu/outreach. The direct link to this site for bookmarking
purposes is www.auburn.edu/outreach/facultyengagement. Among the citations
included is the monograph University Outreach: University Connections to Society
which contains addresses from Auburn’s presidential symposia on engagement as
well as the pivotal Strategic Planning and Faculty Assessment task force reports.
These influenced the development of the outreach section of Auburn’s Handbook
promotion and tenure guidelines. Other helpful reference information includes an
appendix illustrating engagement in comparison to other scholarly works.

FOR MORE INFORMATION

Faculty are encouraged to contact their dean’s office or primary outreach office for
more information about outreach initiatives within their school or college. Faculty
are always welcome to contact the Office of the Vice President for University
Outreach, 844-5700, to discuss their outreach interests and program ideas. We
encourage your engagement!

www.auburn.edu/outreach

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Auburn University is an equal opportunity educational institution/employer.
Office of Public Service - August 2012