Lessons for Scaling Community- and Equity Engaged Scholarship at Your Institution

By Elyse Aurbach

Dr. Elyse Aurbach is Director of Public Engaged and Research Impacts in the Office of the Vice President for Research at the University of Michigan and led the development of APLU’s Modernizing Scholarship for the Public Good initiative.

Seeking to spur the acceleration of publicly engaged research to help tackle vexing challenges facing communities across the globe, APLU last month released Modernizing Scholarship for the Public Good: An Action Framework for Public Research Universities. The report includes concrete actions public research universities can take in eight key areas to support publicly engaged, equity-oriented, and publicly impactful scholars and scholarship.

After engaging nearly 60 experts across 20 universities and organizations, my APLU colleagues and I identified ten key learnings to support engaged- and equity-oriented scholars. Below we highlight six of these takeaways, but you can find additional information – including detailed case studies, a database of over fifty concrete actions change-leaders might undertake, and further takeaways – in the report.

Everything is contextual. Each campus is a unique ecosystem with different strengths, opportunities, and readiness for change; therefore, a solution designed for one campus may not work well for another. If a campus is not yet ready for a specific major reform effort, assessing the context and finding opportunities to align with existing priorities and momentum are two ways to start.

Shared vision is key and must be built. Campus change efforts require coalitions of people and organizations working towards a common goal. Establishing new institutional priorities or aligning with existing ones is an important foundation to build the basis for such a coalition. Successful change-leaders align activities to those actions in which individuals are interested and able to contribute.

The larger and deeper the scale of change, the longer (or more resources) it takes. Structural and cultural changes to institutions with long and storied histories are possible, but dedication, effort, resources, and persistence are all critical. Change-leaders should be prepared to be ambitious, flexible, and patient.

Consider who defines “quality” or “valuable” work. Change-leaders can begin to foster cultural shifts by examining the structures that determine perceptions of quality and creating opportunities to elevate work that exist beyond overly narrow or restrictive definitions. Consistent messaging that communicates the link between excellence and of a broad range of scholarly work and impacts can support efforts to directly address criteria and individuals who gatekeep more narrow definitions.

Change moves at the speed of trust and cooperation. Change-leaders often encounter resistance, which is an opportunity to listen and learn. Engaging diverse stakeholders enables leaders to understand how ideas may work differently or not as intended across constituencies and contexts. This dialogue can be fruitful to determine if modifications to the plan might benefit more people. If opposition persists, exploring alternative avenues or collaborating with a willing coalition may be the most feasible approach.

Do not underestimate the impact of “unrelated” reforms. When the larger goals of a change initiative are highly ambitious, one tactic is to embrace opportunities that may be within easier reach or already have more cultural buy-in. Making progress in these areas builds trust by enabling change-leaders to demonstrate their willingness to listen and act to improve circumstances. Building this trust supports future change efforts and can reshape the institutional landscape, making the campus community ready for larger change.

I encourage you to review the report and consider opportunities to launch or strengthen your efforts to support engaged- and equity-oriented scholars and scholarship on your campus.

On a personal note, working with APLU on this initiative has been a highlight of my career, and I will be carrying forward meaningful partnerships and the lessons of Modernizing Scholarship for the Public Good on my own professional journey.