Higher Education and / in the Community

Adam Harris - 

In response to Drew's question about if it's the role of higher education and it's role in being a social service agency,  my answer has two distinct parts.  First, I think that the trend in higher education to provide / involve service in its curriculum is not only a step forward, but very important in the relationships between an institution and the community that it is in.  Far too often in my opinion, there is the ever-present college "bubble" that many of us live in.  As a student body, many are completely uninformed and ignorant of many social conditions, may they be good or bad, in the immediate surroundings of the institution.  

I believe that "opening the doors to the community as a social service agency" by an institution not only is within its capacity, but an integral part of getting students more active in the community as well as being part of their learning experience.  Teaching students does not necessarily have to mean learning in a classroom.  In the sense that higher education's purpose is to introduce young adults into the "real world," I believe that one essential part of this "teaching" comes from easing students into facing local issues by giving them more opportunities at volunteering within the community.  

I think that this allows students to come in contact with their "townie" neighbors, but also gives them a tangible experience that can enhance theoretical learning in the classroom.  For instance, learning about the U.S.'s social welfare system for three hours a week in the basement of Morton can be wholly supplemented by volunteering with a non-profit student group helping out in the local unemployment office, free health clinic, etc.  As Drew said in his statements, this not only helps out the community by filling holes in the various institutions, but also instilling the student with a sense of efficacy, connection with the community, etc. 

Lastly, since these actions / organizations are based of off volunteer support, the issue of capacity is a minimal issue.  As long as there is enough interest and that the issue that various organizations is relatively sustainable in terms of creating a permanent institution to address the issue, having institutions as social service agencies, in my opinion, has no downside.