1. Extension Policy Statements on Public Issues Education Strengthening the Role of the University L. Steven Smutko North Carolina State University

2. Introduction Creating “Strengthening the Role of the University”, an easy-to-read guide for developing official policy statements on Public Issues Education Intent is to increase the capacity of land- grant universities to educate citizens on pressing and emerging public issues.

3. Introduction A product of the NPPEC Public Issues Education Subcommittee Part of a set of materials for in-service training in Public Issues Education

4. Introduction Follows work of Phil Favero and Kay Haaland in a 2000 report titled, Statements Concerning public Issues Education: A Summary and Analysis of State Extension Policies and Ideas

5. Introduction Reviewed statements and guidelines published by land grant institutions including those from Idaho, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, and Washington. Pulls good ideas from each Provides commentary to guide land-grant PIE programs in developing their own statements

6. Need for PIE Policy Statements While many educators are commonly involved in public issues education, the land-grant institution has much greater potential to be effective in this arena. To realize this potential, universities need to formalize PIE networks and practices.

7. Need for PIE Policy Statements The network should work to maximize benefits and minimize risks of doing PIE by overcoming organizational barriers, providing training, and helping educators decide which role to play and at what level of intensity. (A Shared Agenda for Public Issues Education, Cornell University, 1999)

8. Objectives of PIE Policy Statements Promote quality extension programming Establish a rationale for the land-grant university’s engagement in public issues Clarify the roles of  Extension, research, teaching faculty  Administration  The public Clarify organizational support for faculty who are involved in potentially contentious public policy issues

9. Who Should Craft a Policy Statement? Campus faculty Off-campus faculty University administrators Legal counsel

10. PIE Policy Statements What might a policy statement contain?

11. Policy Statement Content -- Definitions Define what is meant by Public Issues Education Provide definitions of specific terms where needed

12. Policy Statement Content -- Statement of Principles A clear statement of principles that specify the responsibilities, standards, and norms that underlie the professional activities of public issues educators and the institutions for which they work. “…Extension needs to be viewed by the public as fair, balanced and inclusive.” (Ohio State University Extension) “PIE… assumes that…individuals are the most appropriate judge of their interests. (U. of Idaho Cooperative Extension Service)

13. Policy Statement Content -- Applicability Identify the stakeholders covered by the statement Campus faculty (research, extension, teaching) Off campus faculty Professional staff Graduate students Administration The public Identify the colleges /schools / programs covered by the statement

14. Policy Statement Content -- Separability Policy guidelines should not conflict with other university policies or state and federal laws “Appropriate guidelines concerning general educational and research activities are contained in disciplinary practices, the WSU faculty manual, and relevant sections of state and federal law” (WSU Canons of Practice)

15. Policy Statement Content -- Roles An important distinction of PIE is the observance of appropriate roles that participants in the education process can and should play  Extension educators  Researchers  Administrators  The public A policy statement should reflect this distinction

16. Policy Statement Content -- Roles Define the role of the public issues educator “…we should raise the important questions that citizens must ponder… We should provide, in an understandable form, summaries of the best science available… We can serve as facilitators of public policy education and discussion.” (New Mexico State U. Cooperative Extension) Separate content roles from process roles

17. Policy Statement Content -- Guidelines Focus on best practices, i.e., professional conduct Educators will serve as advocates for the principles that underlie public issues education and not demonstrate bias toward a particular point of view (Univ. of Idaho) Educators who take on the role of facilitator or mediator will need to gain the agreement of all participants to the operating principles of the process (WSU Canons of Practice)

18. Policy Statement Content -- Guidelines Clearly define the conditions when public issues education is appropriate, and when other educational methods are warranted instead (WSU Canons of Practice): Issue affects the larger community Diverse and multiple stakeholders are involved Roles clearly defined and communicated A shared information base has been provided Ground rules have been established

19. Policy Statement Content -- Organizational Support Based on adherence to the parameters that define a “good” PIE program. Organization will publicly support the right and responsibility of faculty to perform public issues education (from WSU Canons of Practice) : Administrators inform employees about concerns and consult them about resolution Employees to be provided with relevant information in a timely manner Administrators will provide written notification of the complaint and keep employees informed Administrators will act to assure that responses are not biased towards particular constituents

20. Policy Statement Content -- Enhancing Capacity Organizational support can be more than a “downstream” approach Statement of support for increasing the capacity of extension educators for doing PIE  In-service training  Study leave  Personnel exchanges  Etc…

21. Policy Statement Content -- Evaluation Methods Accountability in maintaining the standards set forth in the policy statement Specify evaluation criteria for PIE programs (see Favaro and Haaland)  Number & diversity of participants  Range of policy options discussed

22. From Paper to Practice Signed and adopted by college and university administrators  As Extension broadens university-wide, broaden your administrative stakeholders Circulate among all faculty and administrators  New faculty orientation Include in all PIE in-service training materials Review and reaffirm as administrators change  Review and update periodically  Update as new situations arise and the system adapts to meet new challenges in public issues education