Faculty Support & Resources
Empower Your Teaching Through Community
Faculty at UNC Asheville play a vital role in connecting academic learning with meaningful community engagement. Through Community-Engaged Learning (CEL) course designations, instructors can formally recognize courses that integrate community partnerships with academic goals.
The information below outlines the benefits of designation, required criteria, and the steps faculty can take to have their courses formally recognized.
Community-Engaged Learning (CEL) Courses
Community-engaged designated courses are taught by faculty who have completed the Key Center introductory workshop, which offers information on best practices in the field, including reciprocal relationship building with community partners, the integration of meaningful reflection activities, and creating critical connections between the curriculum and engagement work.
Contact studentengagement@unca.edu for information on our upcoming workshops to begin the process.
Why Designate?
- Support UNC Asheville’s national standing as a civically engaged campus.
- Contribute to a positive impact on students, community, campus, and faculty that community-engaged/service learning brings.
- Access to professional development and best practices in the field of community-engaged learning.
- Receive orientation & training resources to prepare students for community engagement.
- Provide increased opportunities for students to achieve the Community Engaged Scholar Designation.
- Access to course grants for community-engaged work.
Steps For Designating Your Course
- Step 1: Review the Community-Engaged Learning Learning course designation requirements
- Step 2: Submit an application to the Key Center after receiving the call for applications
- Step 3: Receive formal designation from the Key Center
The Key Center offers workshops on community-engaged learning. You can request a community-engaged and/or service learning orientation from one of our team members for your classroom. Email studentengagement@unca.edu to schedule.
Community-Engaged Learning Course Criteria
Community-Engaged Learning designated courses center around a community partnership and activities. The centrality of community-engaged learning should be evident with a prominent placement in the syllabus, including in the course goals. The community-engaged learning activities should be explained as an integral part of the course in the syllabus. Most internship courses do not qualify as community-engaged learning. Community-engaged learning courses aim to have students gain a richer knowledge of theories and academic content in a class, while benefiting the community, whereas an internship’s primary goal is often for students to get hands-on experience in a field. Community-Engaged Learning courses have the following characteristics, which are based on best practices in the research and practice of community-engaged learning:
Community-Engaged Learning designated courses center around a community partnership and activities. The course should centrally feature a required community-engaged learning project that strongly relates to the academic content of the course (i.e., it is not an add-on or afterthought, but rather is integral to the course and its goals). The project is designed as a joint, equal effort between the course instructor and community partner (or partners), with a clear goal that students’ involvement benefits the partner.
Community-engaged learning should be academically rigorous, with assessment and academic credit given for the learning derived from the service (demonstrated learning), and not for the service alone. Assessments on this learning should make up at least 20% of the course grade and can take the form of questions on an examination, academic papers, journals (if a rubric for grading is established), class participation, or other formats.
The course offers opportunities for students to learn about and consider historic and contemporary root factors of social conditions and inequities addressed by the community-engaged project.
The instructor prepares students to undertake their community-engaged learning, which may include, but is not limited to, assigning relevant readings and resources; engaging in exercises to strengthen interpersonal communication; reviewing roles and expectations; site-based visits/interactions; engaging in training in skill-development, etc.
The course includes adequate in-class and structured time for students to reflect upon, share, discuss, and articulate learning related to community-engaged experiences, with each other, the instructor, and community partners when possible.
The instructor, students, and community partner complete an assessment provided by the Key Center at the end of the semester.
Faculty Resources
Faculty who complete the process for designating their courses as Community-Engaged Learning (CEL) gain access to a range of resources designed to support impactful teaching and community partnerships. These resources help instructors strengthen their courses, support student learning, and sustain meaningful collaboration with community partners.
Below you will find information on available funding, travel and logistical support, and teaching and learning resources to assist you in planning and implementing community-engaged coursework.
Funding
Funding opportunities are available to support faculty in implementing their community-engaged and service learning courses. These funds can help cover project expenses, transportation, materials, and other resources that enhance partnerships and student learning.
Key Center Funding
One-time funding requests up to $500 are considered on a rolling basis. Funds may be utilized to cover community-engaged related costs like transportation, supplies, food, payment to community co-educators, service learning supplies, online platforms, and other resources.
Key Center Funding Application/Request Form
University Service Council
The USC grants (up to $1,000) are also available for faculty engaging in service activities with their students, either on or off-campus. Activities include community-based research, one-time service projects, service-learning designated courses, or other community engagement activities.
If you have questions, please contact studentengagement@unca.edu.
Travel
UNC Asheville’s Parking and Transportation Services team offers van and shuttle rentals for faculty and staff. There are three Express Vans (12 and 15 passenger) for North Carolina state employees to rent for a daily fee and fuel cost through the state Motorpool Rental Program. Campus shuttles can also be reserved for special events and trips off-campus.
Teaching & Learning Resources
Contact Us
Student Engagement
Office Location
Highsmith Student Union 301
One University Heights, Asheville, NC 28804
Office Hours: Monday-Friday 9 a.m.- 5 p.m.
Email: studentengagement@unca.edu
Phone: (828) 232-2417