Core Component 5C:
The organization demonstrates its
responsiveness to those constituencies that depend on it for service.
St. Cloud State University recognizes that the needs and expectations of those it serves have changed tremendously over time. The university has responded to these changes through on-going constituency needs assessments and related responses. These responses include enhanced and innovative educational approaches, increased constituency service programs, collaborative relationships/partnerships, and contributions to regional and state economic vitality. We have worked to remove barriers to education access through online courses, Senior to Sophomore courses, Post Secondary Education Option, and off-campus programs.
The President’s Work Plan
The President’s 2003-2004 Work Plan has placed an emphasis on creating educational partnerships that extend St. Cloud State University’s delivery of educational opportunities. Specifically, Strategic Direction Three includes strengthening community development and economic vitality, continuing a leadership role with the Chamber of Commerce, and sustaining our commitment to small businesses in the area through the Small Business Development Center. In addition, key institutional goals include enhanced service for at-risk students, expanding off-site and cohort offerings, developing applied doctorate programs, and expanding our academic programming in allied health and biosciences to address workforce and economic development demands. Finally, the President’s Work Plan indicated a need to develop our physical resources and capacity with the completion of a new science complex and renovation of the National Hockey Center by 2010. The development of these goals are in direct response to our external constituencies.
Academic Collaborations / Partnerships
Responding to the needs of local schools, the College of Education has partnerships with numerous preK-12 school districts in the central and Twin Cities areas. More than 200 Minnesota schools benefit from our ongoing collaborative efforts to place over 1000 students each semester in classrooms to fulfill their clinical and field experience requirements. The Office of Clinical Experiences coordinates these placements and has worked to develop strong partnerships with surrounding schools. The Teacher Quality Enhancement Grant initiative also provides ongoing professional development and mentoring opportunities to hundreds of teachers each year.
Other colleges with K-12 partnerships include the College of Science and Engineering (Husky Volunteers for Science, area science fairs, regional mathematics competitions), College of Fine Arts and Humanities (music festival preparation, theatre competition preparation. Speech and Hearing Clinic), College of Social Sciences (Pipeline Summer Camps Program), and the College of Business (assistance with the Students in Free Enterprise [SIFE] high school student ethics essay competition).
Connections with Two-Year Colleges
To further the university’s collaborative expansion and provide for easier access through transfer, the Provost asked each college to implement at least five articulation agreements with other institutions in 2006. The agreements are expected to strengthen the relationship between schools and to facilitate transfer of students from two-year institutions to St. Cloud State University. (Documents available in Resource Room) Additionally, programs such as the Anoka Ramsey Community College Connection and agreements with St. Cloud Technical College and many other MnSCU two-year colleges make it possible for students at community and technical colleges to have a seamless transfer to St. Cloud State University. The university also participates in the Minnesota Correctional Educational Foundation with the Minnesota Correctional Facility in St. Cloud to provide educational opportunities to inmates and thus increase their potential for successful reintegration into society.
Another notable example of community, system, and university collaboration is our long-standing relationship with the Ojibwa, especially the Mille Lacs Band. Over the last ten years, St. Cloud State University has participated in the band’s higher education programs, and two administrators sit on the band’s Higher Education Board. Examples of shared programs and projects include offering an Associate Arts Degree through Continuing Studies and collaborating with Central Lakes Community College and Fond du Lac Community College to offer certification programs and degree programs that are immediately accessible to band members.
Other Collaborations
On the local neighborhood level, the mayor, the St. Cloud State University President, and the university neighborhood residents’ organization established a Neighborhood University Community Council that meets monthly to discuss “town/gown” concerns. This committee has worked to address public concerns, including Move-In Day activities and procedures.
Service Projects -- Embedded Capacity and Responsiveness
St. Cloud State University student organizations provide considerable service to the campus and surrounding community, as more than two-thirds of the organizations (69%) participate in some kind of service project annually. Project goals and activities are as varied as the student organizations, with many projects directed toward improving social problems that impact St. Cloud neighborhoods and residents. Many organizations (44%) provide service to improve the campus or the community, and a third of the organizations (33%) require members to participate in service projects.
Examples of Academic Departments’ Service and Engagement Activities
The following projects are representative of the breadth and depth of the abundance of service and engagement activities and programs for St. Cloud State University’s internal and external constituencies. (See Exhibit 5C for more detailed descriptions of the projects.)
- Accounting Department -- Accounting Club - VITA (Volunteer Income Tax Assistance)
- Art Department -- Art Education students and American Association of Airport Executives, Student Chapter - Art Poster Judging
- Art Department -- Teen Night at the Paramount
- Chemistry Department -- Husky Volunteers for Science
- Communication Sciences and Disorders Department -- Speech and Hearing Clinic: SOS. Fluency Group
- Communication Studies Department -- Dawn Kendig Bone Marrow Donor Registration Drive
- Community Studies Department -- Kaleidoscope Playground Project
- Environmental and Technology Studies Department -- Habitat for Humanity
- Ethnic Studies Department – Pre-college Programs for Underrepresented Students
- Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Sport Science Department-- Adapted Aquatics Summer Program
- Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Sport Science Department—Physical Education Club Volunteer Activities
- Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Sport Science Department– Youth Summer Camps First Aid
- Marketing and Business Law Department -- Legal Services Case Intake Project
- Music Department -- Her Story~Her Song
- Music Department -- School Visitations
- Theatre and Film Studies Department -- One Act Play Workshop
Service Projects from Other Campus Units:
- Campus Recreation -- Earth Day Half Marathon Festival
- Campus Recreation -- Outdoor Endeavors
- Career Services and Students in Free Enterprise -- Recruit a Suit Program
- Learning Resources and Technology Services -- Register to Vote @ Your Library
- Residential Life -- Don't Ditch, Donate
- Residential Life -- Holiday Gifts Program
- Residential Life -- Into the Streets
- Students in Free Enterprise -- Ethics Essay Contest
- Volunteer Connection -- Alternative Spring Break Service Trip
- Volunteer Connection -- Fall and Spring Volunteer Fairs
- Volunteer Connection -- Hungry for Hurricane Relief
- Volunteer Connection -- Husky Neighborhood Clean-Up
Student-Centered Service and Engagement
Along with the promotion of service
learning and community partnerships, St. Cloud State University actively
promotes active student involvement in community service and engagement as
part of the educational experience. 
As mentioned earlier, the most recent National
Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) results indicated that St. Cloud
State University students have participated in more service and volunteer
activities while at St. Cloud State University as compared to our peers.
Further, these students believe that these activities have been beneficial
for their education. Evidence has been gathered that corroborates the NSSE
results, which will be discussed in more detail under Core Component 5D.
Center for Student Organizations and Leadership Development
In particular, the Center for Student Organizations and Leadership Development (CSOLD) provides opportunities for students to learn about organizing and implementing service activities as part of its leadership training series. CSOLD also provides a website where students can compile a Co-Curriculum Transcript (CCT), thus documenting co-curricular activities to strengthen academic transcripts. The transcript contains areas for students to document their involvement with student organizations and university committees; community service and service learning; on-campus volunteer work; health, fitness and recreation; Honors; leadership training; and additional activities. Last year almost 3,000 students used the CCT and logged more than 40,000 hours of service.
National Recognition of Student Service
In spring 2006, the St. Cloud State University Students in Free Enterprise (SIFE) Team presented a report of their year-long community outreach projects to a panel of business leaders at a regional competition. The team was named the SIFE USA Regional Champion in the overall competition and went on to compete at the SIFE national conference. The St. Cloud State University team coordinated a total of 23 projects that directly impacted more than 1,200 high school and college students in addition to the 2,000 students and community members reached by their bi-weekly career advice radio show. In addition to teaching market economics and personal success skills, the team also conducted projects to teach entrepreneurial skills, personal finance, and business ethics.
International Student Service
Of the 900 international students studying at St. Cloud State University, 600 are eligible for an Academic and Cultural Sharing Scholarship (ACSS). St. Cloud State University provides in-state tuition to international students who qualify for this scholarship by meeting two requirements: maintaining a minimum cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 2.5 for undergraduates or 3.0 for graduate students and participating in 30 hours of cultural sharing. The cultural sharing requirement may be earned by participating in cultural nights, campus-based participation, community outreach to local schools and community groups, tutoring in the Foreign Languages Department, teaching conversational language classes with individuals and groups, and other ways as approved.
During 2006-07, 15 cultural nights are scheduled at St. Cloud State University and will attract an audience of all ages to the campus. Cultural nights are produced by international students who are studying at St. Cloud State University and typically feature foods, beverages, dance, costumes, music, and other cultural and historical presentations to large audiences. Thousands of people from campus and the community have attended at least one of the events planned and presented by St. Cloud State University international students.
Student and Alumni Service Relationship
Along with student-driven service opportunities, St. Cloud State University encourages a service-oriented opportunity for alumni through the St. Cloud State University Alumni Mentoring Program. As mentioned earlier, this program provides a service to students by linking them with alumni who can help students through mentoring or internship opportunities. St. Cloud State University alumni gain an opportunity to contribute in a meaningful way to current students and the university.
Evaluation of Core Component 5C
Strengths: The St. Cloud State University community
provides rich and varied service and engagement connections with its myriad
of external constituencies. This report highlights only a fraction of these
projects. The long-standing tradition of community engagement has blended
with international programs, and the mixture of international programs
and the 
surrounding community contributes to cultural and economic vitality. The
university’s obvious mission of contributing to the economic vitality
of the region is matched by the recognition, which has grown in recent
years, that civic engagement is an essential part of our mission. As
the combination of responding to the challenge of economic leadership and
civic engagement has become more visible, we have increased our capacity
for contributing to the vitality of the region and provided better service
to our constituents.
Initiatives in Progress: Although St. Cloud State University has attended to the needs of under-served constituencies, the university continues to recognize its place in providing better service for them. For instance, St. Cloud State University does not currently have enough capacity to meet the growing needs of both U.S. citizens and refugee populations needing language skills and other assistance, even though a workplace English as a Second Language program has been launched with several area businesses. At the same time, the university will, undoubtedly, continue to rise to the challenge to identify and meet new needs for service and engagement from our external constituencies.
The university curriculum undergoes continual evaluation and change, often in response to students’ and community partners’ needs. For instance, service learning is receiving more emphasis and participation throughout the curriculum. As previously noted, St. Cloud State University has established continual cycles of evaluation, change, and improvement with regard to shifting demographics of constituencies that are evident throughout the university. Many efforts in this regard are ongoing and undergo continual focusing and updating.
Future Challenges: St. Cloud State University needs to continue to implement better ways of understanding and serving students, particularly under-represented and diverse populations. Linking curricular and co-curricular experiences in the area of diversity may be a way of creating a truly welcoming environment for diverse constituencies. These courses will also provide a good avenue for area businesses and educational institutions to work towards common goals with new stakeholders in our futures. One consideration is to provide more scholarships for students who indicate they are involved in engagement and service. One current example is the Rich Murray Volunteer Service Scholarship, which is awarded to a St. Cloud State University student who has demonstrated a commitment of giving through volunteerism while a student at St. Cloud State University. The award is valued at $500, and having more scholarships such as this would attract students who are dedicated to public service.
