SL/CE Briefs

Short on time, but want to know more about why SL/CE is important?

Five briefs, published in 2023, from North Carolina Campus Engagement make the case for the benefits and value of higher education SL/CE. The 5 briefs are: Civic-Learning-Overview, Empathy, Student Success, Faculty Flourishing, and Sustainability & a Sense of Place. Read one or peruse them all!

Each brief concludes with a spotlight on a NC university and a list of references for further investigation.

Civic-Learning (AKA SL/CE)

This introduction to the series lays the framework of why we should invest in SL/CE for our students, and encourages us to deepen our research, particularly to move beyond indirect and self-reported measures into evidence of how community interaction impacts students’ abilities.

Empathy (Recording from a similarly titled Upstate Workshop coming soon)

Individuals with higher levels of empathy tend to be more effective communicators, yet empathy is on the decline in modern society. SL/CE enables vulnerability leading to empathy as we step into the shoes of another person.

Student Success

Students who participate in SL/CE have reported an increase in self-esteem and social skills; positive attitudes toward their institution and toward learning; and increased integration into and investment in the social and academic fabric of the campus and community. These outcomes translate into increased retention, graduation rates, and academic performance.

Faculty Flourishing

SL/CE frames teaching, research, and service as complementary domains of work; and both satisfaction and impact often increase when these roles are more “synergistic”  and leads to increases in organizational commitment and faculty retention, motivation, satisfaction, and performance. New faculty, especially women of color, often prioritize the connection of public purposes with their academic careers and look for academic homes that will support them in making SL/CE a central part of their careers.

Sustainability & a Sense of Place

Universities should develop the attitudes, skills, and perspectives at the heart of ecologically literate planetary citizenship and eco-social justice while embracing regional and global forces to generate insights into how natural and built environments both shape and are shaped by human culture and history.

Interested in learning more? Let’s chat over coffee or Teams: dmarlow@uscupstate.edu