An Academic Model for Community-Based Research

Driven by the dual goals of training students to apply their research skills in a community setting and providing much needed research to local community and governmental agencies, three social science professors created a center to conduct community research. This address details the steps used to build clientele in the community and discusses how to integrate applied research with academic expectations. Three major issues are addressed. The first consists of building relationships with community entities to acquire the necessary opportunities for research and, in so doing, for finding the program. The second involves educating faculty colleagues and university administrators to provide institutional support for community research. The third concerns developing applied courses with minimal faculty that meet the academic demands of a university, while protecting the privacy needs and meeting the time constraints of community clients. Several outcomes attest to the success of this endeavor. These include an integrated undergraduate/graduate program in applied research; city agencies that make data-based decisions and contact the Center for program evaluations, population projections, needs assessments and data collection; and, shared respect and stronger relationships between the university and community.