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Reflections on the Outreach and Cooperative Extension partnership
Dr. James H. Ryan Vice President for Outreach and Cooperative Extension “Now, six years later, Outreach and Cooperative Extension (O&CE) is an organization revolutionized by technology, enriched by interdisciplinary initiatives and inter-unit delivery and committed to both internal and external partnerships.” “Results have come in the form of new partnerships within the University and with external stakeholders; multicollege initiatives formed around important issues of concern; innovative programs that link the resources of several University units to reach new audiences in new ways; and conferences that bridge industry, community and academy to address pressing societal needs.”	In Renewing the Covenant (2000), the Kellogg Commission reinvigorates the university missions of teaching, research and service by placing greater emphasis on the active processes of learning, discovery and engagement. This shift, they argued, is necessary to cultivate a higher education culture that can meet society’s needs for ongoing knowledge—both formal and informal—throughout each individual’s life. At Penn State, this vision of engagement has dramatically reshaped University organization.   As the land-grant university in Pennsylvania, Penn State has the responsibility to serve individuals and organizations across the Commonwealth. During the 1995–96 academic year, the Penn State President’s Statewide Tour took newly appointed President Graham Spanier to every part of the Commonwealth. On more than 30 trips across the state, he met with local government officials, legislators, business and community leaders and University stakeholders from each of Pennsylvania’s 67 counties. As a result of these discussions, Penn State developed the Plan for Strengthening Outreach and Cooperative Extension, a plan that created a new partnership among the major outreach units (Continuing Education, Cooperative Extension, Distance Education, Public Broadcasting and Technology Transfer) and developed new models for collaboration in meeting the University’s public responsibilities.   Several fundamental principles have guided this process: Outreach is not synonymous with service, but is a key component of all three missions of the land-grant institution: teaching, research and service. The essential work of the University revolves around knowledge creation, preservation, dissemination and application (learning, discovery and engagement). Enriching and sharing knowledge should be the primary focus of University outreach initiatives. Outreach should involve a reciprocal teaching/learning process. The University has as much to gain and learn from these activities as the individuals or communities we serve. Outreach units should provide a single point of entry and access to all the knowledge resources of the University, including access via the latest information technology. Outreach initiatives should be relevant and responsive to client and community needs, and they should be linked to University expertise. Outreach should actively engage students and help them connect theory to practice.   Now, six years later, Outreach and Cooperative Extension (O&CE) is an organization revolutionized by technology, enriched by interdisciplinary initiatives and interunit delivery and committed to both internal and external partnerships. Given the tremendous scope of this growth and change, now is an important time to reflect on the value of the Outreach and Cooperative Extension partnership and to consider the future vision of that partnership.   Since 1996, Outreach and Cooperative Extension has launched the Penn State World Campus, expanded involvement of several colleges in Penn State Cooperative Extension, opened new Continuing Education centers across the state and embarked on a new campaign to implement digital television through Penn State Public Broadcasting. Perhaps most importantly, O&CE has demonstrated unprecedented levels of interunit collaboration in coordinating programs, responding to public issues and developing a shared vision for University outreach. Building on the strengths of the College of Agricultural Sciences, the partnership tradition of Penn State Cooperative Extension and the community-university relationships established by other colleges, centers and institutes, the University has increased outreach initiatives by developing collaborative, need-based programs.   Today, the 1996 plan for creating a seamless network of access points, with each local campus or Cooperative Extension office serving as the window to University programs and resources, is well under way.   Results have come in the form of new partnerships within the University and with external stakeholders; multicollege initiatives formed around important issues of concern; innovative programs that link the resources of several University units to reach new audiences in new ways; and conferences that bridge industry, community and academy to address pressing societal needs. Some of the most compelling examples of the value of the O&CE partnership come from the Regional Outreach Councils (see story), in which all O&CE units in a region coordinate efforts to work in partnership with campus faculty; community businesses and organizations; and state, federal and local governments.   These initiatives have generated a new excitement and, in many cases, a new desire to explore further collaborations among campus and field-based faculty, outreach educators, support staff, administrators and stakeholders. New avenues for faculty participation and recognition have also been created to encourage greater involvement in outreach activities (see story).   The Plan for Strengthening Outreach and Cooperative Extension has clearly positioned outreach as an integral component of the University’s mission to become an indispensable resource for the people of Pennsylvania, and it has made Penn State a national leader in higher education outreach. Working in partnership with Ohio State University and the University of Wisconsin-Extension, Penn State has established international venues for advancing outreach scholarship, including an online community, a collaboration with the Journal of Higher Education Outreach and Engagement and an annual Outreach Scholarship Conference. The inaugural outreach conference, held at Penn State, brought together more than 250 college and university leaders, faculty and outreach practitioners and has resulted in several new collaborations and publications (see story).   In these respects, the O&CE partnership has been a great success. In fact, the 2002 Southern Growth Policies Board study (see story) of 12 major research universities that are leaders in using pioneering approaches to promote technology-oriented economic development, notes: Penn State has expanded to become a world-class university with a three-part mission: education, research and service. However, that mission is construed to place heavy emphasis on outreach and external partnering. ... Perhaps the best expression of cultural support for many of the activities described in this chapter is found in the Outreach and Cooperative Extension function of the institution. ... It is clearly an engaged institution.   To carry the title of engaged institution today, however, requires more of the University than simply continuing past success. It requires an ongoing attention to our capabilities and priorities and to the needs of our communities and our partners. It requires an understanding of our resources, a capability to respond and an agility to let go when appropriate. It demands that we carefully assess our ability and expertise to respond, recognizing that it is not possible to be all things to everyone, and that our response is optimal when it is firmly rooted in the academic expertise of the University. It requires an ability to be creative and entrepreneurial in funding new resources to respond. By working in partnership with communities, both the University and its stakeholders will continue to benefit from the productive exchange of experiences and ideas that marks genuine university engagement.
© 2002 Outreach Communications,   Outreach & Cooperative Extension,   The Pennsylvania State University phone: (814) 865-8108,   fax: (814) 863-2765,   e-mail: outreachnews@outreach.psu.edu