USM is using our application for the Carnegie Foundation Elective Community Engagement Classification as the basis for our action plan timeline and outcomes. This means we must have all plan components solidified by 2018 in order to complete the application (due in 2019).
Time frames for rolling out the steps of our action plan will vary. The current time frame for curriculum modification is that a new engaged learning requirement will be implemented by fall 2018. We expect that a Community Based Learning course designation for service learning, internships, community research and other courses will be ready in the coming months so that students will be able to search for courses with a CBL designation.
The timelines for other significant institutional changes will vary by item. For example, any changes in promotion and tenure policies will vary by program, school, college, etc. Any changes the institution might consider in purchasing policies or practices are ultimately under the authority of the University of Maine System, and time frames for any changes in those areas will depend on system-level approvals beyond the university.
Our reporting requirements for the Carnegie classification align nicely with those that are necessary for a successful Action Plan, and we plan to use these for both processes. We have data collection and reporting mechanisms well established in our Assessment, Institutional Research, and Community Engagement and Career Development offices. Our Director of Educational Partnerships will be responsible for aligning these various data and reporting resources.