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“Deliver on our commitment to solving social and health inequities in partnership with communities.”
Quest 2028: One VCU Together We Transform

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Council for Community Engagement

VCU’s new strategic plan, “Thriving Communities,” reaffirms the university’s commitment to the importance of university-community partnerships. One of the four themes in the previous strategic plan states that VCU will “become a national model for community engagement and regional impact.” The Council for Community Engagement assembles representatives from all academic and major support units in an effort to define, coordinate, and promote community engagement activities of the university. In addition, the Council will assist in establishing and monitoring the metrics that will demonstratethe  impact of VCU’s community engagement.

The purpose of the council is

  1. Strategic Leadership: Providing strategic direction and vision for community engagement efforts that resonate with the goals outlined in VCU’s strategic plan, setting objectives, and guiding their implementation.
  2. Alignment Facilitation: Facilitating collaboration and alignment among different units, departments, and community partners involved in engagement activities to address siloed work and maximize community benefit and university impact, in line with VCU's mission and strategic plan.
  3. Resource Guidance: Providing guidance on resource allocation to support, reward, and build capacity for community engagement efforts while advocating for the integration of community engagement across all aspects in alignment with VCU’s strategic priorities.
  4. Advocacy and Impact Assessment: Advocating for the value of community engagement both within and outside the institution and assessing the impact of engagement efforts through metrics and evaluation criteria consistent with VCU’s strategic goals.

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Council Membership

Duties of the members include:

  • Attend Council meetings and serve as a liaison between the Council and your unit.
  • Share your insights and experiences, including strengths and challenges, to support alignment with the University's community engagement goals.
  • Collaborate with your unit or group to provide valuable insights into effective practices for advancing the University's community engagement objectives.
  • Offer expertise to address infrastructure and other obstacles that could impede the University's impact at local, regional, and national levels.
  • Identify opportunities for collaboration and alignment to break down silos and enhance the University's overall impact.
  • Actively participate in one workgroup and attend workgroup meetings.

Members also serve on one of the Council’s standing committees: