The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching recognizes MSU excellence

The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching http://www.carnegiefoundation.org/ has
awarded Montana State University http://www.montana.edu/ its community engagement classification,
university officials announced today.

The classification brings national recognition to MSU’s commitment to
teaching that encourages volunteer service in communities and the spreading
of knowledge that benefits the public.

"MSU takes seriously its commitment to our community, whether that be
locally or internationally," said Kathyrn Tanner, director of MSU’s Office
for Community Involvement. "Receiving the Carnegie classification is a
wonderful acknowledgement of the work our students, faculty and staff do in
bringing information and assistance to communities here and abroad."

In order to be selected for the Carnegie classification, MSU submitted a
35-page application that highlighted 15 university-community partnerships
that ranged from Engineers Without Borders at MSU, a student-driven
organization that brings clean drinking water to remote schools in western
Kenya; to MSU’s Campus Corps, which provides students with volunteer
opportunities while fulfilling academic requirements.

"Your application documented excellent alignment among mission, culture,
leadership, resources and practices that support dynamic and noteworthy
community engagement," wrote Anthony Bryk, Carnegie Foundation president, in
a letter announcing the foundation’s decision.

"Coming on the heels of our economic impact report, this is another example
of the benefit MSU brings to Montana," said Doug Steele, vice president for
external relations and director of Extension. "Receiving this national
certification is a testament to our commitment to establish partnerships
that truly impact the entire state."

Last week, MSU released an economic impact report showing that its four
campuses, Extension and the Agricultural Experiment Station contribute more
than 13,500 jobs and $1 billion in personal income to the state of Montana
above and beyond the university jobs created by state funding.

MSU joins the ranks of 311 colleges and universities nationally that have
the community engagment classification. The recognition is in addition to
MSU’s Carnegie classification as one of only 96 universities with a very
high level of research activity out of roughly 4,400 colleges and
universities nationally.

"It is heartening to see this level of commitment and activity," Bryk wrote.
"Clearly higher education is making real strides in finding ways to engage
with and contribute to important community agendas. There is much to
celebrate."

Bryk also encouraged MSU to continue to develop ways to assess community
engagement, create reciprocal partnerships with community entities, find
ways to reward faculty who participate in community involvement, and
continue to include community engagement as part of the university’s overall
plans.

The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching is an independent
policy and research center working to improve education through the United
States. It is considered one of the nation’s most prestigious think tanks on
higher education. Visit: http://www.carnegiefoundation.org.

The 15 partnerships MSU highlighted in its application are:

Horizons Community Leadership to Reduce Poverty

The Museum of the Rockies/MSU Collegiate Partnership

MSU School of Architecture’s Community Design Center

Engineers Without Borders at MSU

MSU’s Local Government Center

MSU Western Transportation Institute’s mobility and public transportation
division

Towne’s Harvest Garden

Techlink

Montana INBRE-IDeA network (Institutional Development Award Networks of
Biomedical Research Excellence)

Center of Native Health Partnerships

MSU Summer Reading

Center for Biofilm Engineering

Thermal Biology Institute

Montana Manufacturing Extension Center

Campus Corps Service Learning

This story can be found on the Web at:
http://www.montana.edu/cpa/news/nwview.php?article=9336