COMMUNITY INITIATIVES

Purpose

Expand and coordinate faculty and student initiatives in community efforts to address social, health, and safety issues in the region. Accomplish this by providing relevant and accessible information/databases and public interfaces for coordinated community planning, policy analysis, and problem solving. Key activities include community based research, learning labs, and internships, support for local planning initiatives, development of white papers, best practices, documentaries, and studies; community kiosks; links to think tanks, universities, local governments, and non-profit groups; inventory of past and current community research efforts; communication and promotion of solutions and successes.

Structure

An umbrella Center for campus units involved in community and regional outreach services and research initiatives, with interdisciplinary activities coordinated through the Office of the Vice Provost for Research.

Key Assumptions

• Collaborate Efforts across disciplines will be coordinated through the Office of AVP for Research
• Staff, administrative, & technological support will be expanded in SUAPP
• Existing databases such as SUDS (Shared Urban Database System) will be expanded and linked
• The Memphis Area Research Studies (MARS) inventory will be expanded and shared
• Research infrastructure support/resources will be necessary to enhance and link databases
• University funded start-up with the expectation of long-range external funding
• External resources include local foundations
• Future links may include College of Business BBER & College of Education

Primary Contacts

Community – Stan Hyland

Databases – Richard Janikowski & Cindy Martin

University District – David Cox