The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) is taking significant steps to deepen its connection with the surrounding community through its 2023-28 strategic plan. At the forefront of this initiative is Professor Michelle Caswell, who serves as special advisor alongside Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost Darnell Hunt and Shalom Staub, executive director of the Center for Community Engagement.
Removing Institutional Barriers for Equitable Partnerships
Professor Caswell recognizes that genuine community engagement must be built on fairness and mutual respect. Her primary focus has been establishing equitable compensation for community partners, whose contributions to academic research have historically been undervalued due to budget constraints and bureaucratic hurdles.
Key measures include:
- Streamlining payment processes to ensure timely compensation
- Enhancing budget transparency for community partner payments
- Developing diverse compensation models including training opportunities
Creating Collaborative Networks for Community Engagement
To amplify the impact of community-engaged scholarship, Professor Caswell has established two important bodies:
UCLA Community Engagement Advisors Network
This faculty-led platform facilitates interdisciplinary collaboration by:
- Sharing best practices through workshops and seminars
- Connecting academic resources with community needs
- Providing support for community-related projects
UCLA Community Engagement Council
Comprising representatives from community organizations, government agencies, and university departments, this council:
- Develops community engagement policies and strategies
- Evaluates program effectiveness and community impact
- Coordinates university and community resources
Rewarding Faculty for Community-Engaged Scholarship
Recognizing that faculty need institutional support for community work, Professor Caswell is working to:
- Integrate community engagement into tenure and promotion criteria
- Develop discipline-specific evaluation standards
- Recognize community impact alongside traditional research metrics
Tracking Community Impact Through Data Systems
UCLA is developing a comprehensive tracking system to:
- Monitor project types and community partnerships
- Measure research applications in community settings
- Provide data for strategic planning and assessment
Funding Community-Engaged Scholarship
UCLA recently awarded funding to 40 projects across three categories:
Social Impact Collaborative Projects
23 exploratory grants support interdisciplinary work addressing:
- Homelessness solutions
- Language diversity research
- LGBTQ+ health initiatives
- Urban sustainability projects
Curriculum Development Projects
10 grants support new courses exploring:
- Neurodiversity studies
- Community dentistry
- Muslim civic engagement
- Nonprofit writing programs
Departmental Capacity Building
Funding strengthens community engagement in:
- Architecture and urban design
- Environmental engineering
- Community health sciences
- Arts and cultural programs
Challenges and Future Directions
While making significant progress, UCLA faces ongoing challenges:
- Ensuring long-term project sustainability beyond grant funding
- Developing meaningful metrics for community impact assessment
- Building trust across diverse academic and community groups
The university's commitment to community-engaged scholarship represents a transformative approach to higher education, where academic excellence and social responsibility converge to benefit both the campus and the greater Los Angeles community.