Expanding Land-grant Universities’ Community Engagement: An Exploration of the Transformational Factors Affecting the Performance of Intercollegiate Extension Programs
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.56103/nactaj.v66i1.43Keywords:
collaboration, interdisciplinary, university-wide, mission, fundingAbstract
University engagement in community settings is increasingly valued and expected. Extension efforts vary slightly from community engagement conducted at private institutions but the ultimate goal has been focused on a stronger level of societal relevance that improves both society and the overarching goals of higher education. The Organizational Change model helped frame the discussion of external or internal forces that would create opportunities or barriers for intercollegiate Extension programs. The research question was developed to explore how transformational factors influence the success or failure of intercollegiate Extension programs. A qualitative, phenomenological approach was used, and eight interview transcripts were analyzed. Participants were required to be Extension employees who had experience with an intercollegiate Extension program. Data were analyzed using the template analysis and the constant comparative method. Findings reported that transformational factors were: (a) financial needs of intercollegiate programs exceed what is commonly available through internal funding, (b) promoting access to higher education and serving the public, (c) leaders recognizing the potential of intercollegiate Extension programs to help improve the reputation and visibility of the university as a whole, and (d) changing culture to integrate intercollegiate Extension programs. Nevertheless, more research is needed to better understand these non-traditional programs.
Downloads
References
Ali, M. A., Rahman, A., Siddiqua, S. N., Begum, F., Shaheen, A., Rahman, H., Yousuf, T. B., Majumder, A., & Rahman, M. (2019). Application of Burke-Litwin model for capacity assessment of city corporations for sanitation services in Bangladesh. Waterlines, 38(3), 217–235. https://doi.org/10.3362/1756-3488.19-00001
Ali, A. D., & Warner, L. A. (2017). Enhancing the success of Extension programs with the Social Exchange Theory. EDIS AEC618. https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/WC280
Allen, R. E. S., & Wiles, J. L. (2015). A rose by any other name: Participants choosing research pseudonyms. Qualitative Research in Psychology, 13(2), 1¬¬–17. https://doi.org/10.1080/14780887.2015.1133746
Association of Public & Land-Grant Universities. (2020, February 4). 2020 Carnegie Community Engagement Classification recipients announced. https://www.aplu.org/news-and-media/blog/2020-carnegie-community-engagement-classification-recipients-announced
Boroush, M. (2020, January 15). Research and development: U.S. trends and international comparisons. National Science Foundation. https://ncses.nsf.gov/pubs/nsb20203/recent-trends-in-u-s-r-d-performance
Brooks, J., McCluskey, S., Turley, E., & King, N. (2015). The utility of template analysis in qualitative psychology research. Qualitative Research in Psychology, 12, 202–222. https://doi.org/10.1080/14780887.2014.955224
Bull, N. H., Cote, L. S., Warner, P. D., & McKinnie, M. R. (2004). Is Extension relevant for the 21st century. The Journal of Extension, 42(6). https://www.joe.org/joe/2004december/comm2.php
Burke, W. W., & Litwin, G. H. (1992). A casual model of organizational performance and change. Journal of Management, 18(3), 523–545.
[Blinded reference].
Carnegie Classification of Institutions. (2018). Carnegie R1 and R2 research classifications doctoral universities. https://cehd.gmu.edu/assets/docs/faculty/tenurepromotion/institutions-research-categories.pdf
Cohen, L., Manion, L., & Morrison, K. (2018). Research methods in education (8th ed.). Routledge.
Conglose, J. B. (2000). The Cooperative Extension Service’s role in running a successful county economic development plan. The Journal of Extension, 38(3). https://www.joe.org/joe/2000june/a3.php
Creswell, J. W., & Creswell, J. D. (2018). Research design (5th ed). Sage Publications.
Creswell, J. W., & Poth, C. N. (2018). Qualitative inquiry & research design (4th ed.). Sage Publications.
Elliott-Engel, J., Westfall-Rudd, D. M., Seibel, M., & Kaufman, E. (2020). Extension’s response to the change in public value: Considerations for ensuring financial security for the Cooperative Extension System. Journal of Human Sciences and Extension, 8(2), 69–90. https://www.jhseonline.com/article/view/868/829
Engagement Scholarship Consortium. (n.d.). University-based engagement offices. Retrieved October 24, 2021 from https://engagementscholarship.org/esc-membership/member-institutions/university-based-engagement-offices
Extension Committee on Organization and Policy [ECOP]. (2005). Leadership Advisory Council. National Association of State Universities and Land-grant Colleges. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED508419.pdf
Fox, R. (2001). Constructivism examined. Oxford Review of Education, 27(1). https://www.jstor.org/stable/1050991
Frey, B. B. (2018). Pragmatic paradigm. The SAGE Encyclopedia of Educational Research, Measurement, and Evaluation. www.doi.org/10.4135/9781506326139.n534
Gaolach, B., Kern, M., & Sanders, C. (2017). Urban Extension: Aligning with the needs of urban audiences through subject-matter centers. Journal of Human Sciences and Extension, 5(2), 126–144. https://www.jhseonline.com/article/view/713/61
Groulx, M., Nowak, N., Levy, K., & Booth, A. (2020). Community needs and interests in university-community partnerships for sustainable development. International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education. 22(2). www.doi.org/10.1108/IJSHE-03-2020-0086
King, D. (2018). Hey, Siri, what is the future of Extension? The Journal of Extension, 56(5). https://joe.org/joe/2018september/comm1.php
Kreighbaum, A. (2017, April 3). Threat to university research. Inside Higher Education. https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2017/04/03/hhs-secretary-proposes-cutting-reimbursements-fund-university-based-research
Lincoln, Y. S., & Guba, E. G. (1985). Naturalistic Inquiry. SAGE Publications.
Martins, N., & Coetzee, M. (2009). Applying the Burke-Litwin model as a diagnostic framework for assessing organizational effectiveness. Journal of Human Resource Management, 7(1), 1–13. https://journals.co.za/content/sajhrm/7/1/EJC95887
National Institute of Food and Agriculture. (n.d.). Cooperative Extension System. https://nifa.usda.gov/cooperative-extension-system
Rasmussen, W. D. (2002). Taking the university to the people. Iowa State University Press.
Saldaña, J. (2016). The coding manual for qualitative researchers (3rd ed.). SAGE Publications.
Sohn, E. (2020, January 2). Secrets to writing a winning grant. Nature, 577, 133–135. https://media.nature.com/original/magazine-assets/d41586-019-03914-5/d41586-019-03914-5.pdf
Spangenberg, H., & Theron, C. (2013). Management dynamics. Journal of the Southern African Institute for Management Scientist, 22(2), 29–48.
Stevens, M. L., Miller-Idriss, C., & Shami, S. (2018). Seeing the world: How the US universities make knowledge in a global era. Princeton University Press.
Thompson, C. J., Locander, W. B., & Pollio, H. R. (1989). Putting consumer experience back into consumer research: The philosophy and method of existential-phenomenology. Journal of Consumer Research, 16, 133–146.
Tower, L. E., Bowen, E., & Alkadry, M. G. (2011). A snapshot of the organizational climate: Perceptions of Extension faculty. The Journal of Extension, 49(5). https://tigerprints.clemson.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=3177&context=joe
Vygotsky, L. S. (1978). Mind in society: The development of higher psychological processes. Harvard University Press.
Weerts, D. J., & Sandmann, L. R. (2010) Community engagement and boundary-spanning roles at research universities. The Journal of Higher Education, 81(6), 632–657. https://www.doi.org/10.1080/00221546.2010.11779075
Wolcott, H. F. (2008). Ethnography: A way of seeing. Alta Mira Press.
