Liaison Request for 2011-2012 Prioritized Activity List

Thank you for your leadership in developing your college, school or division’s proposed list of prioritized SUYI related activities for 2011-2012. In developing your plan we encourage you to consider the strengths of your particular division, school or college. In essence, what are the activities that your college, school, division or unit can naturally bring to the Initiative? These activities might include service-learning courses, clinical or field placements, practica, internships, research assistance, scholarships for programs, tickets to events, workshops on specific topics, events that can be planned in partnership with the community or other technical expertise.

The following information is designed to assist you:1) an overview of the prioritized community needs that we hope the campus can respond to through 2011-2012 SUYI activities, 2) a sample of the format we ask you to use in developing your electronic submissions (see sample), and 3) a link to the form to begin submitting your proposed activities.

Once you have reviewed this information, please proceed to submitting your proposed activities here.

Prioritized Community Needs

What follows are highlights of the community needs that we hope the campus can respond to during the 2011-2012 academic year. The needs are presented in alignment with the SUYI strategies.

Strategy #1: Academic Support. With a particular emphasis on the transition points in students’ educational experiences, Seattle University will form and/or expand upon partnerships with the public schools, pre-K/Head Start programs and community organizations within the Bailey Gatzert neighborhood in order to create a pipeline of academic support for neighborhood children. For 2011-2012 the major emphasis will be pre-k to 6th grade students. Examples of potential activities include:

• Support particular Gatzert Elementary School programs such as computer lab, counseling, family support workers, garden, instrumental music, library, nurse, parent nights, physical education and website.
• Organize and teach an academic enrichment unit in the Bailey Gatzert Afterschool Program.
• Mobilize student through service-learning and other strategies to provide tutoring, classroom support and mentoring with school and community-based partners.
• Develop summer courses or co-curricular programs that mobilize SU students to support academic and enrichment summer programs that enroll neighborhood children and youth.

Strategy #2: Wraparound Services. Strengthen existing partnerships and create new partnerships with community organizations to support youth and their families with a range of services in order to enhance student success, assist families in meeting their basic needs, and support continued family involvement in the academic process. For example, forming long-term partnership with community organization to support the delivery of important services such as:

• affordable housing
• citizenship tutoring
• counseling
• English as a second language courses
• entrepreneurship training
• financial literacy
• food security
• health care
• income tax assistance
• legal aid

Strategy #3: Support for Community-based Organizations. Seattle University will provide consultation, service and research support to community organizations in order for them to become more effective and efficient in the delivery of service to youth and families living in the Bailey Gatzert neighborhood. Examples of potential activities include:

• Assist community partners with research questions that will determine expansion or improvement in service delivery.
• Assist community partners in enhancing their organizational capacity by offering consultation with topics such as strategic planning, marketing, board development, fund raising, and assessment.
• Provide community partners with professional services such as digital design, grant writing, photography, software design, website design, and makeover of physical space. 

To view a sample submission, click here. If you are ready to begin submitting your priorities, click here.