University of Massachusetts Lowell
EN-12: Community Service

Courses that incorporate service learning can be noted on student transcripts.

The faculty union contract (http://faculty.uml.edu/msp/contract/contract-2012.htm) indicates that the criteria for promotion and tenure include convincing evidence of excellence or strength in teaching, research and service that includes service to the community.

In 2011, the Provost and college deans in collaboration with the executive board of the faculty union, developed a workload policy. “The primary goal is to ensure that all tenured faculty have an equitable total workload, which is defined as the sum of efforts in teaching, research and service.” Each college then developed policies determining expectations in these areas. For example, excerpted from the Workload Policy of the College of Health Sciences: “All members of the faculty . . . are expected to provide excellent service to University constituents: students, faculty, staff members, and community members…..Faculty members are encouraged to provide their professional expertise to professional societies, community agencies and other external organizations. Such service is recognized as an important asset to the university. Impact on workload will be assessed on an individual basis.”

The College of Fine Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences is in the process of revisiting their current workload policies. There has been significant dialogue around further specifying what might be eligible for course reductions. The College is proposing to build into the system provisions that would encompass engagement activity. Currently, on a case by case basis, the dean grants course load reductions to allow faculty to work on specific types of service projects.

University faculty and staff have received awards for their engagement in the community. Chancellor Meehan accepted a major award from the Greater Lowell Community Foundation at its annual Philanthropy Day for UMass Lowell’s contributions to the community. Computer Science professor Holly Yanco in 2013 was recognized by Boston Business Journal as one of its “Women to Watch,” based in part on her science-education outreach in local schools as well as her key role in our new robotics research center that supports area companies.

In 2012, our Executive Director of Community Relations received the locally prestigious Kelakos Award for Community Service, citing his work at UMass Lowell. Professor Georges Grinstein of the College of Sciences last year received the distinguished community partnership award of Community Teamwork Inc. of Greater Lowell. History professor Bob Forrant chaired a year-long commemoration of the centennial of the famous 1912 Bread & Roses Strike in Lawrence, Mass., with city tours, academic symposium, history exhibit, and more; also last year, English professor Diana Archibald organized “Dickens in Lowell,” an ambitious remembrance of author Charles Dickens’ 1842 visit to America with a stop in the model textile-mill city of Lowell, which included an award-winning museum exhibition in collaboration with the National Park Service and 65 community events, including a theatrical interpretation of the novel Oliver Twist by Lowell’s Nigerian Cultural Association.

The university was recently renamed a “community engaged” university by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching until the year 2025.
See: http://www.massachusetts.edu/news/press-releases/umass-one-two-systems-nationally-honored-community-engagement

UMass Lowell also was designated to the President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll for the fifth year.
See: http://uml.edu/News/press-releases/2014/Honorroll121914.aspx