prepared by: t. keith edmunds brandon university community ... · in the community outreach service...

BRANDON UNIVERSITY COMMUNITY OUTREACH SERVICE

ANNUAL REPORT

April 2005

Prepared by: T. Keith Edmunds Brandon University

Community Outreach Service Coordinatorc/o Rural Development Institute

Brandon University, Brandon, MB

Table of Contents

Acknowledgements......................................................................................... 1

2004/05 Outreach Advisory Committee......................................................... 1

Background ..................................................................................................... 2

Activity overview: April 2004 – March 2005 ................................................ 4 Outreach Coordinator .....................................................................................................4 Requests ...........................................................................................................................4

Students ....................................................................................................................... 4 Faculty ........................................................................................................................ 4 Community .................................................................................................................. 4

Promotion......................................................................................................................5 Web site....................................................................................................................... 5 Faculty Contact........................................................................................................... 6

Future Steps..................................................................................................................6 Outreach 101 .............................................................................................................. 6

Funding ........................................................................................................... 7 Operational ................................................................................................................. 7 Special Projects .......................................................................................................... 7

Call for Proposals 2004/05 ............................................................................. 8 A STUDY OF THE TRENDS AND PATTERNS OF RENTERS IN BRANDON...............................9 BRANDON ECO-DOME/EMERGENCY SHELTER PROJECT ....................................................9 INTEGRATED SUPPORTED HOUSING -- AN EVALUATION OF THE BRANDON MODEL .......10 MAINTENANCE OF REMNANT TALLGRASS PRAIRIE PATCHES .........................................10 THE DEVELOPMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH STANDARDS FOR WET SAND E.COLI AT RIVERS PROVINCIAL BEACH........................................................................................................10 THUNDER CREEK WATERSHED MANAGEMENT PLAN .....................................................11 WILLOW CREEK RESOURCE INVENTORY ........................................................................11

Concluding Commentary.............................................................................. 13

Appendix A: Outreach Advisory Committee Minutes ................................. 14

Appendix B: Call for Proposals Guidelines and Application Form............. 23

Appendix C: Decision-Making Documents ................................................. 28

Brandon University Community Outreach Service Annual Report, April 2003 – March 2004

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Brandon University would like to extend its appreciation to the Province of Manitoba, Manitoba Agriculture, Food and Rural Initiatives (MAFRI) for their contribution to the Community Outreach Service. Their commitment to Outreach has assisted Brandon University to further institutionalize its service mission, and more actively demonstrate its commitment to ‘sharing the expertise of its staff, its information resources, and its facilities with the greater community’ and ‘enable students to make a positive difference as citizens and leaders.’ A thank you is also extended to the Outreach Advisory Committee for all of their work over the past year -- their contributions of time and energy, suggestions and feedback on Outreach activities. A special thank you goes out to all of the Brandon University faculty members who have volunteered their time; students who have shown interest in the service, and members of communities and organizations that have chosen to use this service. Without the involvement and interest of these three groups, the Outreach Service would be unable to fulfill its goals.

2004/05 OUTREACH ADVISORY COMMITTEE

Faculty of Arts – Ken Beesley

Faculty of Education – Anne Cheverie

Faculty of Science – Dion Wiseman (Co-Chair)

School of Health Studies – Roberta Graham

School of Music – Andrée Dagenais

Rural Development Institute – Robert Annis (Co-Chair)

VP Academic and Research – Jeff Williams (Chair)


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BACKGROUND Because Brandon University is a rural-focused institution interested in serving the needs of rural Manitoba, it has a special responsibility to the communities of which it is part: the city of Brandon and rural Manitoba.

In 1997, David Douglas, a visiting professor from the University of Guelph’s School of Rural Planning and Development, prepared a report on Rural Development at Brandon University. One of the recommendations contained in the report was the establishment of a community outreach service. As a result, at Rural Forum in April 1998, Brandon University and the Rural Development Institute launched the Brandon University Community Outreach Service.

The Brandon University Community Outreach Service assists in matching the needs of community organizations with the learning and research interests of university students and faculty. The role of the Outreach Service is to coordinate and facilitate the initiation of projects. The Outreach Service does not itself design, manage or undertake specific projects. Faculty and/or students undertake projects in partnership with community organizations.

Students, faculty and community organizations comprise the outreach triad. Requests can originate from any one of these groups. The Outreach Coordinator responds to each request and works to match triad members to facilitate these requests.

Since January 1999, the Outreach Service has responded to over 100 requests from faculty, students and the community; and assisted in facilitating over fifty projects, initiated by various faculty and community members. An Advisory Committee, composed of representatives of the five faculties and schools within the University, oversees the Service, provides suggestions on requests, and adjudicates proposals submitted to both the Open and Annual Call for Proposals. An Outreach Coordinator works with community organizations, faculty and students on behalf of the Advisory Committee. For the 2004/05 meeting minutes, see Appendix A.

The goals of the Brandon University Community Outreach Service are:

To coordinate and encourage Brandon University outreach activity by:

♦ providing a vehicle for faculty to garner connections for research interests;

♦ offering positive learning opportunities for students in an applied environment; and

♦ Identifying a clear path of access to Brandon University resources to communities in need of assistance.

To serve as a formalized vehicle for Brandon University’s service mission by:

♦ raising the profile of Brandon University, its departments, and its faculty in the community;

♦ demonstrating Brandon University’s commitment to the community it serves;

♦ encouraging a greater collaboration and mutual knowledge transfer between the university and community-based organizations; and


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♦ Facilitating exchanges so that communities can more easily access university resources/knowledge when addressing their social, economic and cultural challenges.

Brandon University’s Rural Development Institute (RDI) provides the administrative role in the Community Outreach Service including the coordinator hiring, office space provision and financial management.

This report documents the activities of the Brandon University Community Outreach Service over the past year (April 2004 - March 2005).


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ACTIVITY OVERVIEW: APRIL 2004 – MARCH 2005 Outreach Coordinator Keith Edmunds, a Master of Rural Development student, was hired as the new outreach coordinator in October of 2003 to replace Deatra Walsh, who had been the Coordinator following Beverley Pshebniski and interim coordinator, Elicia Funk. Keith continues to serve as the Outreach Coordinator. Requests The Community Outreach Coordinator responded to over 30 requests from students, faculty and community groups from Brandon and surrounding communities. Students As an integral aspect of the outreach triad, student interest in outreach activities remains strong. Students have contacted the outreach desk to seek employment and volunteer opportunities in relevant disciplinary fields, to request information about the university and its programs, for general information, to engage in research projects and to obtain assistance with course-related concerns. In all cases, the Outreach Coordinator has assisted students directly or, more commonly, referred them to appropriate faculty or staff members and/or community organizations that are more able to assist the student in meeting their needs. Students have responded positively to the Community Outreach Service. Future outreach activities will involve a more student-oriented approach and encourage more student engagement. Faculty Without the support of faculty, the Community Outreach Service would not be possible. Since the Outreach Service began in 1998, a number of faculty members have engaged in outreach projects, either as ongoing activities or projects funded through Outreach’s Annual Call for Proposals. In 2004/05 faculty members continued to support the activities and philosophy of community outreach. Faculty members have requested general information about the Outreach Service, specific details around the Call for Proposals and the Open Call for Proposals, or sought assistance with accessing community contacts. Community Community organizations and residents are at the centre of outreach activities. Twenty-one of the over 30 requests that came through Community Outreach desk originated from Brandon and rural communities in Western and Northern Manitoba. These requests


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included individuals requiring university information, information regarding the Outreach Service as well as organizations/groups seeking student volunteers and faculty assistance with research and other activities. Of these, one was deemed unmatchable, fourteen were followed through and either the requested information was supplied or appropriate matches were found within the university, two are pending information from its organization, one is in discussion with faculty members and three groups did not respond to potential courses of action. In addition, the Community Outreach Service provided support to two projects undertaken by the Rural Development Institute (RDI): the Parkland Joint Co-operatives Project and the Manitoba Smart Network Database. Because communities or organizations wishing to undertake research projects with the assistance of funding often require an ethics process as part of the requirements for funding, a voluntary ethics review process through the Brandon University Research Ethics Committee (BUREC) has been established in partnership with the Outreach Service for communities that wish to participate. No international requests were received during the 2004/05 period. Promotion Internal and external promotion is necessary to encourage faculty support, community involvement and the overall knowledge of Outreach activities. Increasingly, word-of-mouth promotion has been the primary driver of enquiries from community groups about the Outreach service. Because of this rising level of interest, the Advisory Committee has raised the question of how much promotion is too much with respect to the maintenance of current levels of service. Web site In the summer of 2002, the Community outreach Service completed an update of its website. Since that time, the site has continued to evolve and become one of the primary methods of disseminating information about Outreach. The primary features of the website are:

• Program Information. The website contains the background of the Outreach program, as well as the necessary forms and contact information for individuals or groups who wish to become involved with the program.

• Updates. Feature stories, announcements and profiles allow visitor to the

website to learn about the on-going projects in Outreach. As these sections of the website are continually updated, the range of Outreach activities is revealed to visitors of the site.


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Faculty Contact Outreach promotion to faculty at Brandon University continues to occur in a number of ways. The university community e-mail system (BU Community and BU Admin) has proven to be very useful in providing service updates to faculty, requesting faculty assistance on general project interest areas and announcing proposal deadlines. Advisory committee members assist in providing updates to faculty members at their respective council meetings, promoting the service and answering questions within their faculty. The posting of documents and notices to the website and the interoffice mail system are also utilized to disseminate information to faculty. Community Contact As previously mentioned, word-of-mouth is becoming an increasingly common means by which community groups are learning about Outreach. By continuing to assist community groups with their needs, this method of promotion will continue to grow and expand.

Future Steps Outreach 101 With the growing interest in service learning at universities across Canada, the Community Outreach Advisory Committee has begun to explore opportunities in the area. The potential to involve students in Outreach projects through their coursework and possibly developing new courses based on the service learning pedagogy has garnered the interest of the committee and will be explored further in the coming months. Such an offering will increase student involvement and stronger linkages between the community and the university can be challenging from a communications perspective. Students can receive credit for relevant, hands-on and interesting work in the community, and organizations can simultaneously have their specific needs addressed. An initial discussion document has been drafted and is currently in circulation on campus. Response to this document has been positive and the Committee continues to promote the idea and act as the driving force behind it.


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FUNDING Operational

The operation of the Brandon University Community Outreach Service is funded from the Brandon University Rural Development Institute budget. This funding supports the costs associated with operating the Outreach Service including personnel, promotional materials and other operational costs.

Special Projects

Funding for Outreach special projects comes from financial support received through Brandon University’s Rural Development Institute from the provincial department of Manitoba Agriculture, Food and Rural Initiatives (MAFRI). For the 2004/2005 fiscal year, this funding totaled $15,000. Funding is used to assist in covering the direct costs associated with carrying out designated Outreach projects as well as in providing financial support to Brandon University students involved with Outreach projects.

Originally, funding for Outreach projects was been distributed only during the annual, scheduled Call for Proposals. However, since May 2001, modest project funding has also been extended to include project development costs (Concept Development Funding), and a continuous Open Call for Proposals.

In the project development phase, potential Outreach partners can apply for Concept Development Funding up to $500 to cover direct costs for project development such as travel expenses.

The following policy for the approval of Concept Development Funding has been implemented:

• amounts of less that $75 can be approved by the Outreach Coordinator;

• amounts more than $75 but less than $250 can be approved by a designated committee member, and

• amounts more than $250 but less than $500 require whole committee approval.

Historically, one of the concerns with a scheduled Call for Proposals was the inability to provide funding to smaller projects that did not fit with the timing of the Call. To address this concern, Outreach has now instituted an open Call for Proposals throughout the year. Projects can be funded through the Open Call for Proposals to a maximum of $750. The total amount available for distribution through this process is currently $2,500. Once the Outreach Coordinator feels that an adequate number of proposals have been submitted, proposals will be distributed to the Advisory Committee for review and evaluation. The requirements for proposal submission are the same as for the Call for Proposals. Projects requesting more than $750 are required to submit a proposal to the formal Call for Proposals.


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CALL FOR PROPOSALS 2004/05 The Department of Inter-Governmental Affairs distributed funds to Brandon University’s Rural Development Institute to provide financial support to the community service efforts of faculty and students of Brandon University. This funding has been earmarked for carrying out specific projects that facilitate a greater collaboration and knowledge transfer between the resources of the University and the needs of the community.

For the sixth consecutive year, the Outreach Service held a Call for Proposals to assist in funding community-university partnered projects up to a maximum of $2500 each. The Call for Proposals was held in February 2004. Faculty members were encouraged to submit proposals on potential projects involving community groups or organizations. Proposals could also originate from community organizations, provided that appropriate faculty linkage and support was established.

The Outreach Coordinator was responsible for advising faculty and community organization members of the Call for Proposals. Guideline and application information (Appendix B) was disseminated to community organizations and faculty via e-mail, mail, the Community Outreach Web site and word-of-mouth.

The funding selection process was carried out by the Outreach Service Advisory Committee, which is composed of representatives from each of the faculties at Brandon University. Funding was allocated based on an evaluation of project proposals against predetermined criteria (Appendix C).

For the February 2005 Call for Proposals, nine proposals were submitted requesting a total of $22,500. Seven of these projects received funding support for a total of $15,500. The funds contributed to the projects by Brandon University’s Community Outreach Service were in turn matched by over $82,000 of in-kind and cash contributions from other organizations in support of these projects.

The next section gives an overview of the projects that were funded in the February 2005 Call for Proposals and the amount of funding received by each.


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FUNDED PROJECTS – Call for Proposals February 2005

A STUDY OF THE TRENDS AND PATTERNS OF RENTERS IN BRANDON Project Partners: Brandon Neighborhood Renewal Corporation (BNRC) and Dr. John Everitt, Department of Geography, Brandon University Funding Received: $2,500 The goal of this project is to chart the moves of people through rental properties in Brandon to identify what patterns there are in the community. The reasons for people’s moves will be examined to identify trends and the data will be used to identify priorities for housing and community development programming offered by the Brandon Neighborhood Renewal Corporation. Factors such as change in family structure, income increase or decrease, at-risk behaviors and problems with landlords will be tracked to gain an understanding of how people’s life situation changes their selection of home. By determining what patterns there are for people’s movements through rental properties, the BNRC and other organizations will be better able to provide services to meet the needs of this population. BRANDON ECO-DOME/EMERGENCY SHELTER PROJECT Project Partners: Brandon Emergency Support Team; Brandon Tourism Board; and Dr. Ali Asgary, Applied Disaster and Emergency Studies, Brandon University Funding Received: $500 This project aims to build and “Eco-Dome” located at the Riverbank Discovery Center in Brandon. An Eco-Dome is a dome-shaped shelter or home built out of soil-cement or lime stabilized earth. These dome-shaped homes have generated a lot of interest in disaster and emergency management as they have proven themselves to be earthquake, flood, fire and hurricane sustainable. The Eco-Dome to be built at the Riverbank Discovery Center will remain on the premises for two years and will be the first of its kind to be built in Canada.


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INTEGRATED SUPPORTED HOUSING -- AN EVALUATION OF THE BRANDON MODEL Project Partners: Brandon Regional Health Authority, Mental Health Services, Psychosocial Rehabilitation Program; Brandon Neighborhood Renewal Corporation; and Renee Robinson, School of Health Studies, Brandon University Funding Received: $2500 A study conducted in 2000 found that approximately 20% of Brandon residents were vulnerable to homelessness and between two and seven percent were particularly at risk. This study also found that numerous health and safety deficiencies existed in the housing used by the at-risk population. Based on this study, and Integrated Housing Strategy was developed to facilitate the development, access and maintenance of safe, affordable housing for the identified at-risk populations. The purpose of this study is to obtain the perspectives of people at risk for homelessness, their family members and service providers on what aspects of the strategy have, or have not, been effective in improving access to housing and supports. MAINTENANCE OF REMNANT TALLGRASS PRAIRIE PATCHES Project Partners: Nature Conservancy of Canada and Dr. David Smith, Department of Botany, Brandon University Funding Received: $2500 Less than 1% of the original 6,000 sq. km native tallgrass prairie that covered Manitoba prior to settlement by Europeans remains. Since tallgrass prairie has been grazed by native ungulates such as plains bison for thousands of years, it is proposed that cattle can be used as a management tool for the maintenance of tallgrass prairie ecosystems. This research aims to quantify and qualify the effects of grazing at a variety of frequencies by cattle on native tallgrass prairie range, to begin analysis of related data collected over the last ten years, and to make recommendations for future research and management at tallgrass prairie study sites. THE DEVELOPMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH STANDARDS FOR WET SAND E.COLI AT RIVERS PROVINCIAL BEACH Project Partners: Friends of Rivers Lake and Dr. Bill Paton and Ms Janessa Champagne, Botany Department, Brandon University


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Funding Received: $2500 In 2003, the Department of Conservation in Manitoba reported exceptionally high levels of E.coli in wet sands at all the beaches tested around Lake Winnipeg. The Manitoba guidelines prohibit recreational water sports when levels present in the bathing waters are greater than 200 colony-forming units (CFU) per 100ml. However, there are currently no public health guidelines or standards of the levels of E.coli found in the wet sand regions of beaches -- the areas often used recreationally by young children, one of the most susceptible populations to the potential pathogens. This project will monitor Rivers Provincial Park beach during the spring and summer of 2005 to follow the dynamics of offshore water faecal coliforms and wet sand faecal coliforms to gain a seasonal perspective on the problem. The acquired data may allow for the development of recommendations for guidelines and remediation techniques to reduce the threat to public health. THUNDER CREEK WATERSHED MANAGEMENT PLAN Project Partners: Lake of the Prairies Conservation District and Dr. Rod McGinn Funding Received: $2500 The objective of this project is to develop sustainable methods of managing the flow of water along Thunder Creek, which is presently causing erosion, flooding problems and infrastructure damage every spring. A resource inventory will be conducted and a map created of the drainage area. Each of the landowners along the creek will be contacted to form a user group that will cooperate in the management plan through the supply of information, discussions and collective decision-making. This group will work collectively to implement and operate structures to effectively manage flows on the creek. A database and map developed by this project will be used as an educational tool for the group and as a planning and management tool for future management plans.

WILLOW CREEK RESOURCE INVENTORY Project Partners: Mid Assiniboine River Conservation District (MARCD) and Wenonah Fraser, Department of Geography, Brandon University Funding Received: $2500 A resource inventory and model of the Little Souris River was constructed in 2003 as part of a watershed planning initiative undertaken by the MARCD. To continue to meet


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provincial objectives, inventory information must be acquired for the Willow Creek watershed and a model built to educate landowners on where and how the watershed functions as a sustainable unit. The final product of this project will be a model of the watershed and a report of known resources within it.


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CONCLUDING COMMENTARY The 2004/2005 year found Outreach beginning to actively investigate new directions, new opportunities and new roles. An engaged Advisory Committee ensures that the Community Outreach Service meets its goals while continuing to grow and evolve. Community awareness of the Outreach Service is becoming increasingly noticeable and is evidenced by the growing number of contacts to Outreach initiated by individuals and groups within the community. This growth of community interest is a testament to the value of the Outreach Service to both the university and the community. As the Outreach Service enters its sixth year of existence, the Advisory Committee and Coordinator will continue to guide the Service toward its goals and build on the commitment of Brandon University to its students and the greater community.


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APPENDIX A: OUTREACH ADVISORY COMMITTEE MINUTES

Minutes – Outreach Advisory Committee Meeting: Outreach 101 May 4, 2004

Main Floor, Jeff Umphrey Building

________________________________________________________________________

Present: Bob Annis (Chair) Absent: Jeff Williams Ken Beesley Andree Dagenais Anne Cheverie Roberta Graham Dion Wiseman Keith Edmunds 1. Update on Proposals/Projects Bob told the committee that there was a $15,000 funding agreement in place for next year. Keith indicated that all funded projects were on track with no major problems. Dion indicated that there may be a problem getting available students to fill the position designed in the proposal. Keith will develop and make available a one page document for the committee members to use to publicize Outreach at their faculty meetings. 2. Outreach 101 Bob introduced the main part of the meeting by establishing its purpose -- how do we develop a service-learning course and move it forward through the system without stepping on anyone’s toes? Also, how to move from discussion to an actual initiative? The discussion documents circulated by Keith prior to the meeting were used as the springboard for the conversation. Dion pointed out that there are several departments on campus that have similar directed study courses. He asked why a student would participate in Outreach 101 as opposed to one of the other available courses. His impression of service learning was more community-service oriented. The committee discussed a number of issues surrounding the development of such a program: faculty workload, credit/not for credit, and formal recognition of participation in the course. The question regarding credit or not for credit led to the issue of fees to be charged. Anne told the committee that the field experience office in Education has connections to the community. Any service-learning program would have to work closely with Education so as not


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to disrupt their activities. Education’s activities within the community indicate that there may be processes in place that could be helpful to a service-learning program. Ken observed that each faculty has its own processes to get students into the field and that developing an academic program may be tricky. He suggested the idea of volunteering, bracketed by class time. This class time could be used by the coordinator to match students with organizations. The committee agreed that classroom time would add to the experience. The question of how these classes would be offered was raised. It was suggested that lectures could consist of invited speakers, and connections could be made with other areas on campus, such as Career Planning & Placement. Dion noted that if this experience appeared on a student’s transcript, it would serve as a big draw.

Bob asked how this program would differ from the Brandon University Volunteer Desk. Keith will make contact with Doug Pople to investigate this matter.

A potential difficulty was identified in the grading of such a course: how to grade if attendance cannot be used? The suggestion that students be made aware that in order to pass the course they need to attend a specific number of presentations and to complete a certain number of hours of community service.

It was requested that following the meeting, Keith prepare discussion documents from the ideas raised. These documents will then be circulated to the committee, and then to a select group of individuals on campus who could provide feedback into this proposal.

A date of June 2 at 10:30 am was set for the next meeting (with guests), location TBA.


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Minutes – Outreach Advisory Committee Meeting: Outreach 101 June 2, 2004

Main Floor, Jeff Umphrey Building

________________________________________________________________________

Present: Bob Annis (Chair) Absent: Anne Cheverie Ken Beesley Dion Wiseman Roberta Graham

Andree Dagenais Jeff Williams

Keith Edmunds Glen Carruthers Outreach 101 Bob introduced the discussion document entitled “Developing a Service Learning Program at Brandon University.” He then posed the question to the group of how to best move this idea forward. Keith provided a background on the development of the discussion document for those individuals who had not been involved in its creation. Jeff asked for an example of how the program might work. Keith provided a hypothetical example and Ken provided a real-life example from another institution. The discussion turned to the mechanics of the program. Bob stressed the fact that it is a voluntary program with an aim to help students gain experience in a different setting in order to provide a stronger education. In order to make this program as valuable as possible, there needs to be interest from all the faculties. Bob also indicated his belief that in order for there to be any great buy-in from faculty, this program needs to be driven from the bottom up, as opposed to being viewed as being set upon the faculties from above. Dion underlined that the proposed service-learning program is different from existing courses with service-learning components at Brandon University in that it exists outside a student’s course of study. Bob noted that there exists a history at BU of programs and activities similar to the proposed program, but nothing has ever been formalized. Glen indicated that the School of Music takes this idea seriously and is interested in seeing it move forward. The program as presented may open itself to difficulties where students are currently getting paid for “outreach” activities. He suggested that students may want input on the final design of any program.


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The committee discussed existing informal “outreach” activities at BU. Roberta informed the committee of her belief that what students learn in service-learning situations can be critical to how their careers progress after graduation. Such a program would provide students with opportunities to learn interaction skills. Dion stated that the idea this program is different needs to be stressed in order for students to understand the advantages. Andrée agreed and stated that this type of program also allows students to attach their experiences to their CVs, potentially receive letters of recommendation, meet scholarship requirements and many other benefits beyond the immediate educational aspect. Bob told Jeff that Outreach would be happy to rework the discussion document in order to hand it over to PAG and let that group take ownership of the idea and that the committee was willing to help in any form -- from development to implementation to management. Jeff asked the group’s feeling regarding the credit/no credit issue. The committee began to step through the various issues as outlined in the discussion document. Keith provided an introduction to the course fee/no course fee issue. Glen noted that this topic is tricky in regards to the way Music is currently operating. Andrée raised the question of whether the fee would vary with the situation. Dion indicated that this program would provide a valuable learning experience which is what students pay for at University. Bob stated that this issue is dependant on some of the other issues. Keith outlined the credit/no credit issue. Bob noted that if credit were provided for the program, the amount of credit provided would need to be established. If 3 credit hours were assigned to the program, this would mean that the student is not taking another course. If the program was worth one credit hour the student would still have their participation formally noted, but with a manageable time commitment for a student with a full course load. Glen raised the issue of faculty workload. Andrée made the point that the service undertaken will need to be evaluated to ensure that it is of enough value to be deemed worthy of academic credit. Keith outlined the classes/no classes issue. There was no discussion of this topic. The committee began to discuss potential organizational structures for a service-learning program. Dion addressed the issue of workload. He thought there must be a way of organizing the program in order that credit hours could be provided to students without assigning workload. He made the


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comparison to PLAR where students are given credit without workload assignment. As well, Dion noted the availability of unallocated credit which can be assigned at the faculty level. He made the point that there are innovative ways to make a service-learning program work if there is the will. Bob agreed that he would like to see the idea for this program endorsed. He suggested that if there is a will at the Dean level, the proposal for a service-learning program can move up the ladder. Jeff asked if there was enough of a requirement in the community to support a service-learning program. Keith replied that there is no shortage of need for volunteers in local non-profit organizations. Glen suggested that representatives from the community provide feedback in order that the community does not feel imposed upon by the University. The committee began a discussion of the next steps for this proposal. Jeff and Glen agreed that the most appropriate next stage would be to present the discussion paper to the Dean’s group. Jeff will forward a copy of the paper to Dr. Visentin as an “FYI”. The results of the discussion at the Dean’s group will come back to the Outreach Advisory Committee through Jeff.


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Minutes – Outreach Advisory Committee Meeting October 29, 2004

Room 018, Rural Development Institute

________________________________________________________________________

Present: Jeff Williams (Chair) Absent: Anne Cheverie Bob Annis (Co-Chair) Roberta Graham Dion Wiseman

Ken Beesley Andrée Dagenais Keith Edmunds

1. Review of Agenda

Approved by Consensus 2. Review of Minutes

Motion to approve minutes (Wiseman/Dagenais). Passed.

3. Role of Co-chair Bob indicated his desire for another member of the committee to assume the role of co-chair. It was decided that effectively immediately Dion would assume the position, with the understanding that Bob would serve as replacement in the case of Dion’s absense.

4. Updates on Activity Keith provided a report of the activities underway in the Outreach office.

4.1 Projects/requests Keith reported that the Outreach office has received several requests for information over the past few weeks. Several project submission forms have been sent out in response. A search is underway to attempt to find a match for a current project request from the Westman Regional Library. A student has been found and matched with a database project underway in RDI. The development of an MOU is underway. Keith is also attempting to wrap up some of the older outstanding projects that are still open and on the books. 4.2 Outreach Promotion Outreach information is being sent to various conferences with faculty from Rural Development.


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Keith is looking at the existing promotional materials for Outreach to see if they can be updated to include recent projects. Word of mouth is turning out to be a powerful promotional technique for Outreach. Several requests have come into the office through references by people in they community who are familiar with the Outreach process. 4.3 2003 Funded Proposals - Updates Keith provided a handout that covers all funded projects to date and the most current information available about them.

5. 2005 Call for Proposals

Bob informed the committee that the government has once again provided the funding for the annual Call for Proposals. He also related that he had spoken with Marc Desrosiers, Director of Institutional Advancement, to inform him of Outreach and to indicate that Outreach is an area that is available for funding if an interested donor is found. Dion suggested that it would be a good idea for Keith and the representative faculty member to make a presentation about the Call for Proposals at the Faculty Council meetings. After a brief discussion, it was decided that the call for proposals for 2005 would be sent out after the committee members had an opportunity to review the materials. The deadline was set as Wednesday, February 23 with a view to have copies of proposals circulated to the committee by Friday, February 25. The committee will discuss the proposals on Thursday, March 3.

6. Outreach 101 Jeff told the committee that the Outreach 101 idea was presented at the Deans group, which lent it “cautious support” and acknowledged its value. The suggestion was then referred to PAG (President’s Advisory Group), where the same conclusion was reached. Outreach 101 was then sent back to the Deans group to put together a plan. The committee discussed the ideal form of an Outreach 101 program versus its most practical form. It was decided that the initial service-learning program should be simple in order to get it established before it grows and adds levels of complexity. It was suggested that the committee develop a one-pager on the mechanism by which a “service-learning credit” could be administered. Keith will develop the initial draft and circulate it to committee members for feedback.

7. Next Meeting

The next meeting will take place at 9:00 am on March 3, 2005, location TBA to adjudicate proposals. An Outreach 101 meeting is TBA.

The meeting was adjourned at 10:30 am.

Minutes – Outreach Advisory Committee Meeting


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March 3, 2005

Room 018, RDI, Lower Level McMaster ________________________________________________________________________

Present: Bob Annis (Chair) Absent: Jeff Williams Andree Dagenais Roberta Graham Ken Beesley Anne Cheverie Dion Wiseman Keith Edmunds 1. Review of Agenda Meeting was called to order at 9:10. The agenda was reviewed. Agenda was approved by consensus. 2. Review of Minutes The minutes from the October 29, 2004 meeting were reviewed. Approved by consensus. 3. Updates on Activity Keith reported he had been primarily focused on the Call for Proposals -- promotion, answering inquiries, etc. He has also been receiving lots of calls on Outreach’s 1-800 number. Bob, in a treasurer’s report, indicated that there was $15,000 available for funding projects. He also told the committee that a request has been submitted for another $15,000 for the 2006 Call for Proposals, for which a decision is usually reached by March 31. The question was raised about the status of the Outreach 101 document. Keith will investigate the matter and report to the committee. Dion told the committee he had been in communication with Marc Desrosiers, Executive Director of Advancement, about having Outreach be available as a funding source for donors. Marc responded positively to the idea. Dion will follow up on this matter. Bob requested that the Outreach Annual Report, when completed (mid-April), be sent to all senior administration at the University and that announcements of funded project be circulated on campus via public e-mail broadcasts.

4. Review of Proposals & Decisions Advisory Committee members made presentations on proposals. Discussion regarding the relative merits of each of the proposals followed in order to determine funding. The following projects were approved for funding:


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Project Requested Approved Maintenance of remnant tallgrass prairie patches 2,500 2,500 * Willow Creek resource inventory 2,500 2,500 Developing stories of history 2,500 0 Integrated supported housing -- an evaluation of the Brandon model 2,500 2,500 * The development of public health standards for wet sand e.coli at Rivers Provincial Beach

2,500 2,500

Development of emergency evacuation plan for Brandon University 2,500 0 A study of the trends and patterns of renters in Brandon 2,500 2,500 Brandon eco-dome/emergency shelter project 2,500 500 Thunder Creek watershed management plan 2,500 2,500 ** Total 22,500 15,500 * Funding is contingent upon other funding being available as per the budget included in the application package. ** Funding is contingent upon finding an appropriate BU student to hire for the project.

5. Next Meeting

The next meeting will take place in early April - date, time and location TBA - if necessary. A draft of the Annual Report will circulate to the committee by email.

Meeting was adjourned at 10:47.


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APPENDIX B: CALL FOR PROPOSALS GUIDELINES AND APPLICATION FORM

CALL FOR PROPOSALS FEBRUARY 2005

Introduction The Brandon University Community Outreach Service assists with matching the needs of community organizations with the learning and research interests of university students and faculty. To assist the Outreach Service in attaining its goals, the Manitoba Department of Intergovernmental Affairs has provided funds for “community outreach” projects.

Outreach funding provides financial support to community service projects and facilitates a greater collaboration and knowledge transfer between the resources of the University and the needs of the community.

Project Eligibility The Brandon University Community Outreach Service and the Manitoba Department of Intergovernmental Affairs have outlined the following eligibility criteria:

• Projects are to be undertaken as a partnership between Brandon University and a group or organization from the community. The project must be undertaken by a faculty member of BU, or by a student of BU under the supervision of a faculty member.

• Eligible groups include non-profits, community organizations, municipalities, school boards, and the private sector. However, in the case of the private sector, or for organizations that are private sector funded (i.e. business organizations), the Outreach Service contribution from this funding source shall not exceed 50% of the project’s non-salary costs.

• Groups or organizations involved in the projects are expected to contribute to project costs with financial or in-kind contributions. Note that all in-kind contributions should have an estimated dollar value.

• Funding will be used to cover costs such as travel, consumables and student wages only. No faculty salaries or stipends are allowed from this funding source. Students may not be paid for work for which they receive academic credit. In cases where students are to be paid as well as receive academic credit, it must be outlined clearly which activities are for pay and which activities are for academic credit.

• To receive this funding, projects should have a community development or rural focus.

• The ownership or ‘right to use’ of any product or outcome of projects supported through this funding source should include the use by staff and students involved as well as a right to use by Intergovernmental Affairs. Clear statements regarding intellectual property rights should form part of the Brandon University Outreach Service Project Memorandum of Understanding.


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• Individuals who have previously received funding may not apply in another intake of proposals until the previous funding has been expended.

Proposal Submission A maximum of $2,500 is available per project.

*Projects requiring funding up to a maximum of $750 may be funded through our Open Call for Proposals. Please contact the Community Outreach Coordinator for further details.

All applicants must complete a Funding Application Form (attached). All completed forms must be forwarded by 4:30 p.m., February 23rd, 2005 to:

Brandon University Community Outreach Service

c/o The Rural Development Institute,

Lower concourse, McMaster Hall Complex

270-18th Street

Brandon, MB, R7A 6A9

Applicants will be sent an acknowledgement that the application has been received.

Timelines:

a) Proposals are due by 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday, February 23rd, 2005. b) Projects will be selected and recipients notified of their funding by March 31,

2005. c) Normally funds are to be expended within 12 months. d) A final report is required upon completion of the project. If the project has not

been completed within 12 months from the date of approval, a progress report must also be submitted. Funded applicants may also be required to submit regular updates at the request of the Outreach Coordinator.

An Outreach Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) must be completed with the Outreach Coordinator prior to funds being released. The MOU outlines the roles and responsibilities of BU representatives and the community organization(s) involved in the project and is required of all projects facilitated by BU Community Outreach. Projects must conform to BUREC guidelines and project activities requiring ethical review may not be started prior to being approved by BUREC. If you would like to review an MOU prior to submitting your application, please contact the Outreach Coordinator.


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Selection Process The funding selection process will be carried out by the Outreach Service Advisory Committee.

Proposals will be reviewed to ensure projects meet all eligibility criteria. Projects will then be evaluated on several criteria including:

• the value of the project to the organization or community,

• the degree of organization or community involvement or support, and

• the academic value of the project to BU faculty and/or students.

Questions or Assistance In preparing proposals, questions can be submitted to T. Keith Edmunds, Community Outreach Coordinator, at 571-8585. The Outreach Coordinator can also provide assistance in completing an MOU and facilitating connections with community organizations.


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Brandon University Community Outreach Service Funding Application – February 2005

Title of Proposed Project:

Date:

If Community Organization is Primary Applicant:

Name:

Organization:

Position:

Has a Brandon University Faculty member been contacted? Yes No

If yes, please indicate as co-applicants; If not, please contact the Community Outreach Coordinator by Jan. 7, 2005

Co-applicants:

Name:

Organization:

Position:

If Faculty is Primary Applicant:

Name:

Department:

Position:

Name:

Organization:

Position:

Co-applicants:

Name:

Organization:

Position:

Name:

Organization:

Position:

Anticipated start date:

Anticipated completion date:

Total funds requested (maximum $2,500):

For Faculty Only

Has the project been approved by the Brandon University Research Ethics Council? Yes No

If no, why not? Does not require BUREC approval.

Has been submitted, decision expected by:

Has not been submitted, will be submitted by:


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Brandon University Community Outreach Service Funding Application – February 2005

Please attach details of the following items on separate sheets and limit each to one page.

1) An overview of the project.

2) A detailed timeline of project activities.

3) A description of the value of this project to:

a) the organization(s) or community.

b) Brandon University, BU faculty or BU students.

Please clearly state the products or outcomes expected to result from this project for each of the participants. (i.e. reports or publications, work experience for students, further research or programming opportunities)

4) A project budget

Please indicate the total budget including any monetary or in-kind contributions (list estimated values*) from other sources. Please ensure that student wages are per Brandon University Student Assistant guidelines.

5) If primary applicant is faculty member, a letter of support from the involved organization(s) is required.

If primary applicant is community organization, a letter of support from involved faculty member(s) is required.

Please submit your proposals by 4:30 p.m. February 23, 2005

For assistance, please contact:

T. Keith Edmunds, Community Outreach Coordinator Brandon University Community Outreach Service c/o The Rural Development Institute Lower concourse, McMaster Hall Complex Brandon University Brandon, MB R7A 6A9 (P): (204) 571-8585 1-877-571-8585 (toll free) (F): (204) 725-0364 (E): [email protected]


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APPENDIX C: DECISION-MAKING DOCUMENTS Proposals will be sent to the Outreach Coordinator. The originals will be kept on file. The coordinator will make copies of the proposals and send a copy of each to all Advisory Committee members. Each proposal will be assigned a first and second reader.

Advisory Committee members will be given a period of at least one week to review proposals before a selection meeting is held.

Any Advisory Committee members who have submitted proposals will not be involved in the decision-making process.

Selection meeting A. Round table discussion will be held on each proposal. The assigned readers will speak

to the projects.

B. Ranking of the proposals

i) Each proposal will first be examined against eligibility criteria. Any ineligible or incomplete proposals will not be further considered.

ii) All eligible proposals will be ranked on criteria indicated on the attached ranking sheet.

Each applicant will be sent a letter informing him or her of whether their proposal was accepted or declined. The letter will be address as from the Outreach Advisory Committee and signed by the Committee Chair.


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Manitoba Agriculture, Food and Rural Initiatives (MAFRI) – What Can be Funded?

Brandon University Community Outreach The Advisory Committee is responsible for developing a framework for decision-making purposes regarding the allocation of funds provided by Intergovernmental Affairs and ensuring appropriate implementation by Brandon University’s Community Outreach Advisory Committee. A suggested framework with criteria for the allocation of IA funds agreed to by the Steering Committee is:

Outreach Funding Objective:

To provide financial support to Faculty and students of Brandon University as well as assist with direct costs associated with carrying out designated research projects that facilitate a greater collaboration and knowledge transfer between the resources of the University and the needs of the community.

What can be funded:

1. The project must be undertaken by a faculty member of BU, or by a student of

BU under the supervision of a faculty member. 2. The project must have some inherent academic value to the persons involved,

either as a work experience, class project, or research methodology. 3. Funding will be used to cover costs only. No faculty salaries or stipends are

allowed from this funding source. 4. The Rural Outreach Service will be available to the following groups: non-profits,

community organizations, municipalities, school boards, and the private sector. However, in the case of the private sector, or for organizations that are private sector funded (i.e. business organizations), the Rural Outreach contribution from this funding source shall not exceed 50% of the project’s non-salary costs.

5. The ownership or ‘right to use’ of any product or outcome of projects supported through this funding source should include the use by staff and students involved as well as a right to use by Intergovernmental Affairs. Clear statements regarding intellectual property rights should form part of the Brandon University Outreach Service Project Memorandum of Understanding.


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Brandon University Community Outreach Service

Project Selection Framework

Project Title: ________________________ Eligibility Criteria (pass/fail) (based on criteria outlined by Intergovernmental Affairs)

1. Partnership between BU and a community group or organization. yes / no

2. Undertaken by BU faculty or a BU student under the supervision of a faculty member yes / no

3. Eligible community group yes / no

4. Group or organization is contributing to the project with financial or in-kind contributions yes / no

5. Community development or rural focus yes / no

6. Ownership or “right to use” of outcome by staff or students and Intergovernmental Affairs yes / no

7. If submitted by a previously funded individual or group, previous funding has been expended. yes / no

8. Reasonable timeframe yes / no

If the proposal fails any of the above points it will not be further considered. Selection Criteria (1=low 4=high)


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(The following point are not to be summed but rather act as references when giving the proposal an overall rating)

Academic value of project to BU faculty

0 no faculty

involvement

1 unrelated to research

or teaching areas

2 some relation to

research or teaching areas

3 strongly related to

research or teaching areas

4 opportunity to

publish or advance research

Academic value of project to BU students

0 no student

involvement

1 work experience

only (e.g. data entry, clerical)

2 utilize skills from course to a small

degree

3 utilize skills directly

related to coursework

4 opportunity to use as part of research or to

publish

Value of the project to the organization / community

0 no value

1 little value

2 some value

3 strong value

4 very valuable (can be

used to initiate or further other

projects)

Degree of community organization involvement

0 no involvement

1 little involvement

2 some involvement

3 heavy involvement

4 extensive

involvement

Degree of financial support 0 no financial support

1 <20% of costs

2 20 – 40 % of costs

3 40 – 60% of costs

4 >60% of costs

Degree of eligibility of expenditures?

0 all ineligible

(decline)

1

2

3

4

Degree of fit with IGA (community development / rural focus)

0 no fit

1

2

3

4 very fitting

Other considerations: Overall rating (1-10): _____


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