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Convergence: A Conference on the Intersection of Arts and Activism
April 3-5, 2009
Tufts University Medford/Somerville Campus
This three day conference will bring together students, faculty, administrators, and working artists to discuss and collaborate through a myriad of mediums. Focusing on visual art, dance, music, theatre, film, and new media to learn, inspire, and take action, the conference will center on connecting those interested in social justice and the arts.
Co-sponsored by Tisch College of Citizenship and Public Service and Tufts University and Massachusetts Campus Compact.
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New England Campus Compact Spring 2009 Conference
March 30-31, 2009
University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA

March 30th, 2009 Conference - Agenda, Workshop Descriptions
March 31st 2009 Post-Conference Institutes - Descriptions

Questions of social justice the creation of a more just world are present throughout the field of civic engagement: From the motivations staff, faculty and students bring to the training they receive, attention to hierarchies in relationships and questions of whose voice is included and valued in decision making; from examining the root causes of community issues to service that addresses their daily effects and efforts to challenge perceptions of communities, social justice issues are a broad thread woven through the work.

Keynote by:
Dr. Manuel Pastor Jr. (Bio)
University of California, Santa Cruz
Professor of Geography and American Studies & Ethnicity
Director, Program for Environmental & Regional Equity

"NOW with Bill Moyers" on PBS
Visit the website or download the transcript (PDF)

Massachusetts Campus Compact Network Meeting
March 23, 2009, 10:30am - 3:30pm
Regis College, Weston, MA
Free Event

This gathering will focus on strengthening and supporting civic engagement work during the current economic crisis. The discussion will center on the strengths of our network and the strategies and resources available to combat the challenges MACC member campus are facing in sustaining their work. We will also explore ways to increase communication and internal relationships to support our programs, and review the national agenda for higher education and civic engagement, including the recent Campus Compact President's Visionary Summit and the Obama Service agenda. The event will close with a brainstorming session to help MACC refine and enhance strategic member services during these difficult times.

MACC network meetings are an invaluable resource for campus service learning and civic engagement faculty and staff to come together, share resources and ideas, stay abreast of national policy and connect with each other and MACC staff.

Facilitator:
For this meeting we are pleased to welcome Sharon Bassett back to MACC to facilitate our discussion. Those of you who are familiar with MACC history will recall that Sharon led the Massachusetts Higher Education Consortium for Community Service Learning in 1992 and the grassroots movement to strengthen service learning in higher education in Massachusetts which resulted in the formation of the Massachusetts Campus Compact at Tufts University in 1995. Sharon served as the founding Executive Director until 1998. Following her work in Massachusetts, Sharon joined the Aspen Institute in Washington DC as Project Director of Aspen's Young Voter Initiative in the Democracy and Citizenship Program. In recent years she has continued her work with higher education civic engagement as a consultant, most recently for the Cal State University system. Sharon and her family have recently returned to Massachusetts after ten years away and we look forward to having her join us for this session.

There is no charge to MACC members for this meeting, pre-registration is required. Please RSVP to Karen Chisholm: karen.chisholm@tufts.edu

Massachusetts Campus Compact Network Meeting
March 2, 2009, 10am - 3pm
Regis College, Weston, MA
Free Event
This gathering will focus on strengthening and supporting civic engagement work during the current economic crisis.

Campus Compact 2008 Annual Membership Survey
This annual survey helps National Campus Compact, Massachusetts Campus Compact and your school to better understand what is happening in community service, civic engagement and service learning.
The deadline to complete this survey is January 23, 2009.
Fill out the survey >>

The Second 2008-2009 CSD/SLD Think Tank Gathering
Friday, December 12, 2008 | 9:30am - 2:00pm
Assumption College, Worcester

Discussion Topic: The Links between Social Change and On-line Social Networking

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Teaching for Democracy After the Votes are Counted
November 17, 2008 | 10 am 3 pm
Rehm Library, Center for Religion, Ethics and Culture
College of the Holy Cross, Worcester, MA
Registration form >>

Regardless of the results of the 2008 election, young people have been activated in politics by the candidacies of Sens. Clinton, McCain, and Obama in ways we have not seen in decades. New technologies, along with messages and strategies for reaching out to young people have potentially revolutionized the ways we understand engagement in the political process. At the same time, a series of books and journals have been documenting some of the best practices to politically engage students through courses and programs in colleges and universities.

This Institute is geared for faculty, staff, and student teams interested in infusing this surge in political interest and the lessons from research and practice in higher education into their service-learning courses and programs. Specifically, the interactive workshop will focus on advancing student leadership and voice in service-learning programs as a strategy for maintaining the civic energy generated by the 2008 election.

Keynote Address by Dr. Richard M. Battistoni, Chair of Political Science and former director of the Feinstein Institute for Public Service, Providence College; with featured presenters Aaron Buford (UMass-Amherst), Abby Kiesa (CIRCLE at Tufts University), Art Keene (UMass-Amherst), Nicholas V. Longo (Providence College), Margaret Post (Holy Cross), and John Saltmarsh (New England Resource Center for Higher Education).

Draft Agenda

Gear Up for the Learn & Serve Challenge
October 6-12, 2008

Following are three ways you can gear up now for October's National Learn & Serve Challenge. The Challenge is a week-long series of events, October 6-12, designed to build awareness and generate support for service-learning. Campus Compact is partnering with the National Service-Learning Partnership, the Corporation for National and Community Service, and others to get the word out about the Challenge.

1. Make an impact before Congress goes on recess: By August 15, tell us what you will be doing during the National Learn & Serve Challenge. To help us track and report on Challenge events across the country, and to see what other people are doing, visit the National Learn & Serve website to register.
2. This is a great time to start putting together the pieces for securing a proclamation from your mayor, city council members, governor, state superintendent, or board of education. Allow four to six weeks to complete this process. Click here for step-by-step instructions and tips. For an example, see the resolution passed by the Michigan State Board of Education during the 2007 Challenge here.
3. Sign up as a National Learn & Serve Challenge partner. Email nslp@aed.org with "Proud Partner" in the subject line of your message to add your campus's name to the list. Visit the National Learn & Serve website for the full list of partners.

The First 2008-2009 CSD/SLD Think Tank Gathering
Monday, September 29, 2008 | 9:30am - 2:00pm
College of the Holy Cross

Discussion Topic: The Intersection of Social Justice and Civic Engagement Discussion to be led by John Reiff, Director of Community Service Learning at the University of Massachusetts Amherst.

For folks involved in teaching and facilitating community service, service-learning, and civic engagement, questions about social justice come up in various ways. This Think Tank will explore at least four sets of such questions:

1. What is the relationship between social justice and the kinds of service our programs promote? Is justice a goal that the service is directed toward? Is it a goal of some of our service programs and not of others? How does that relationship shape our options and our choices?
2. How does social justice fit personally into the motivations that drive us as CSDs, SLDs, and faculty members? How well does our work on our campuses align with our own personal visions of and commitments toward social justice? How can we best deal with any points where they are not in alignment?
3. What training and preparation do we door need to doto prepare our students to enter and work in communities not necessarily their own, perhaps crossing boundaries of race, class, or other critical issues of social identity, power and privilege?
4. If our service programs are focused on social justice, what outcomes are we seekingin student learning, in campus/community relationships, in other areas?

Come prepared to share your questions, your answers, and your struggles, and to learn from your colleagues!

Open to *ALL* Community Service Directors, Service Learning Directors and any Faculty involved with Service Learning

Location: Room 402 (4th Floor), Hogan Campus Center, College of the Holy Cross, 1 College Street, Worcester, MA

Please RSVP by September 22 to Julian Brown-Myers, MACC Operations Manager, at julian.brown-myers@tufts.edu so we can plan a great breakfast and lunch for you!

Service Nation
September 11, 2008 and ongoing

The Service Nation Summit will bring together young Americans and 500 leaders from every sector of American life to craft and endorse a Declaration of Service. The Declaration of Service will detail a strategy for using citizen service to target specific challenges by creating opportunities for Americans to do some form of service at every age, from kindergarten through the retirement years. The ultimate goal of the Summit is to create a new national service bill for our next President to sign into law.

The Summit will take place in New York City on September 18, 2008 and is sponsored by Be The Change, Inc., City Year, and Civic Enterprises, working in partnership with TIME Magazine. Campus Compact is a member of the organizing committee for the Summit, participating in several calls a month. We are active on the policy subcommittee as well.

To prepare for the Summit in September, the organizers are conducting a Change Agent Academy experience this summer. This will be a full-time community organizing opportunity open all, yet will be particularly attractive to college students, new graduates, and AmeriCorps members.

Learn more >>

Spotlight On Wheaton College

Check out the Wheaton InFocus video series to learn about the Office of Service, Spirituality and Social Responsibility's involvement with Service Nation!

Learn more >>

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