ABSTRACT

In this philosophical discussion, we take a distinct position on how institutions of higher education should engage with communities. The complex relationship between universities and communities has been a topic of debate for decades. Within U.S. land-grant universities, it is argued the outreach component of their tri-partite mission (teaching, research, and outreach) has been delegated almost solely to the Cooperative Extension Service. Still, we argue community engagement is the responsibility of the entire university. Using symbiosis as a foundation, we contend that university-community partnerships can be parasitic, mutualistic or commensalistic, depending upon how engagement is undertaken, and how the community itself is engaged. The authors provide suggestions on appropriate policy, education, and capacity building changes. Ultimately, if we pay attention to the possibility of a “dark side” of community engagement, we can become better aware of how communities, faculty, students and community developers effectively engage to the benefit of all.

摘要

在这场哲学讨论中，我们对高等教育机构应如何与社区互动持明确立场。几十年来，大学与社区之间的复杂关系一直是争论的话题。在美国赠地大学中，有人认为他们的三方任务（教学、研究和外展）的外展部分几乎完全委托给了合作推广服务。尽管如此，我们认为社区参与是整个大学的责任。我们以共生为基础，认为大学与社区的伙伴关系可以是寄生的、互惠的或共生的，这取决于参与的方式以及社区本身的参与方式。作者就适当的政策、教育和能力建设变化提出了建议。最终，