Institutional and Unit-Level Identity and Culture
Why This Matters
Community engagement is sustained when embedded in institutional and unit-level identity and culture. Leadership support and visible institutional messaging signal that engagement is a university priority and a vital component of research and teaching commitments.
When engagement is reflected in strategic priorities, it shapes norms and decision-making across the institution. This cultural integration supports long-term investment in community-engaged work and reinforces the institution’s public purpose.
Standards for Practice
- Leadership Commitment
- Show support for community engagement in addresses, speeches, publications, or policies from leadership.
- Branding and Messaging
- Feature engagement in branding through official messaging, unit identity, or in describing frameworks/approaches used.
Resources for Implementing the Standards
- Assign Engaged KU liaisons for administrative and academic units to help you create leadership briefings that can help leaders of your unit, lead with confidence, integrity and success. OCI will help identify a person in your unit who can serve as an Engaged KU liaison.
- Review and establish policies, practices, and programs that recognize, promote, and award community engagement
- Refer to the Carnegie Community Engagement Framework Guidance Document when planning, implementing, and assessing community engagement across departments and units.
Resources from the Community Tool Box
Explore these resources from the Community Tool Box