Higher Education, Civil Resposibility and Democracy Project FP 03/25/01

Universities As Sites of Citizenship and Civic Responsibility

Interview Questionnaire and Survey for Faculty

Fourth Draft


1. Does the university house any institute,
centers or programs whose purpose is
the study or promotion of democracy or
democratic practices? (If no, go to
question 3.)

2. These centers primarily serve the
interests of:

G The community
G The university
G The faculty and staff of the
center
G Students

3. Students get involved in local (off-
campus) elections.


4. Are there multiple venues or channels
for students to participate in university
governance?

5. If a student finds his or herself accused
of violating university rules concerning
academic integrity (e.g., cheating), are
there institutional resources (individuals
and/or departments) available to help the
student understand their rights and
access to procedural due process?

6. Have you offered any course that
promotes engagement of civic
responsibilities?

7. Does the universitys administration
regularly consult students in its
decision-making processes?

8. Are students encouraged to conduct
research projects in connection with
classroom assignments that are field-
based, or to draw upon the surrounding
community or region for data or cases?


Yes No












Yes No


Yes No








Yes No


Yes No



Yes No



Yes No


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9. Do students create and manage their
own organizations apart from those
sponsored by the university?


10. Are community residents with special
expertise ever invited to lecture or teach
at the university?


11. Do students expect the university to
hold regularly scheduled meetings or
hearing in order to solicit input or
feedback on matters of university
governance?


12. Is one of the universitys primary
purposes to be the support of local and
national goals?


13. Do students have any of their own
political organizations?


14. Do student-run organizations sponsor
political events?


15. Does the university schedule public
hearings and solicit input and feedback
on matters of university governance
from the university community at large?


16. Mechanisms exist to allow faculty,
staff, or students to raise questions on
how the university is run with the
administration.


17. The university provides sufficient
information concerning the espoused
goals of the education it provides.




Yes No




Yes No





Yes No




Yes No


Yes No


Yes No




Yes No




Yes No




Yes No






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18. Does the university consult students on
matters beyond issues limited to student
life?


19. The university encourages students to
take an active role in designing their
course of study.


20. Does the university sponsor regularly
scheduled, publicly accessible events
that address political issues from various
perspectives?


21. What are the two most important ways
students learn about their rights? (Check
only two).

G University publications
G Other students
G Administrators
G Faculty and Advisors
G Internet Web pages



22. How would you assess the effectiveness
of student participation in University
governance?



23. University administration does not do
enough to inform students of their rights
as students.


24. Community government, organizations,
and groups welcome student voting in
local elections.


25. The administration and faculty actively
encourage students to participate in or
observe meetings regarding university
governance issues.


Yes No




Yes No




Yes No














Not Somewhat Very
Effective Effective Effective Effective




Somewhat Somewhat
Disagree Disagree Agree Agree



Somewhat Somewhat
Disagree Disagree Agree Agree



Somewhat Somewhat
Disagree Disagree Agree Agree


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26. Students take full advantage of the
information available to understand their
rights.



27. The university is committed to work
with the surrounding community on
issues and problems.


28. The university provides incentives for
students to participate in community
projects.


29. The curriculum fosters the social and
political skills students will need to
assume the duties of citizenship upon
graduation.


30. Most students at our university are
aware of what offices and personnel are
responsible for student life.


31. The administration promotes the
teaching of democratic values and
philosophy necessary for the promotion
of civic duty and responsibility.


32. During the past few years, my institution
has become more open in its decision-
making.


33. If a student or group of students feels
excluded by existing structures, the
university provides a way for students to
organize and finance new means of
student participation in campus life.


34. The university works with the
surrounding community on issues and
problems that stem from the universitys
presence in that locale.

Somewhat Somewhat
Disagree Disagree Agree Agree



Somewhat Somewhat
Disagree Disagree Agree Agree


Somewhat Somewhat
Disagree Disagree Agree Agree



Somewhat Somewhat
Disagree Disagree Agree Agree



Somewhat Somewhat
Disagree Disagree Agree Agree


Somewhat Somewhat
Disagree Disagree Agree Agree



Somewhat Somewhat
Disagree Disagree Agree Agree




Somewhat Somewhat
Disagree Disagree Agree Agree




Somewhat Somewhat
Disagree Disagree Agree Agree

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35. Students as a whole have a general
concern for their rights as students.


36. The university tends to accept the
agenda of government agencies and
other sources of financial support.


37. Decision-makers at the university are
held accountable for their decisions.


38. There are sufficient avenues for all
students to participate in the life of the
university or in student activities they
wish to pursue.


39. The university provides sufficient
advance announcement and publication
of events to allow students opportunities
to attend.


40. There are institutional obstacles to the
inclusion of a wider spectrum of
students in university life and decision-
making.


41. There are groups on-campus that are
excluded from university life and
governance.


42. Decision-making is too concentrated in
the university.


43. Students would get involved in the
community if they received some
tangible reward for doing so (such as
course credit).


44. The curriculum enables students to
adapt their learning to later experiences
in life.
Somewhat Somewhat
Disagree Disagree Agree Agree


Somewhat Somewhat
Disagree Disagree Agree Agree


Somewhat Somewhat
Disagree Disagree Agree Agree


Somewhat Somewhat
Disagree Disagree Agree Agree



Somewhat Somewhat
Disagree Disagree Agree Agree



Somewhat Somewhat
Disagree Disagree Agree Agree



Somewhat Somewhat
Disagree Disagree Agree Agree


Somewhat Somewhat
Disagree Disagree Agree Agree


Somewhat Somewhat
Disagree Disagree Agree Agree



Somewhat Somewhat
Disagree Disagree Agree Agree


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45. Increasing the number and types of
community-based program and projects
will increase student voting in local
elections.


46. The university provides forums for
unpopular viewpoints to be expressed.



47. The university shapes the political and
social life of the community in which it
resides.


48. There are sufficient opportunities to
attend events (lectures, symposia,
workshops, or performances) at the
university that explore major issues of
society and economy from a political
perspective.

49. At my university, research projects have
fostered university-community
cooperation.

Somewhat Somewhat
Disagree Disagree Agree Agree



Somewhat Somewhat
Disagree Disagree Agree Agree


Somewhat Somewhat
Disagree Disagree Agree Agree



Somewhat Somewhat
Disagree Disagree Agree Agree



Somewhat Somewhat
Disagree Disagree Agree Agree




50. Are the rules for appointment clearly followed in:
Yes No

Administration:

Faculty positions:



51. In sharing information, the administration is generally:

Never Always
0 1 2 3 4 5
Secretive
Restrictive
Cooperative
Open


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52. In which areas is information readily available from university sources? Please rank order
From 1- 5.

___ Finance/budgeting
___ Social/cultural matters
___ Academic (evaluations;performance)
___ Public safety
___ Recruitment, Admissions, Enrollments


53. Legal or judicial mechanisms exist to facilitate the review and accountability of decisions and
behavior of:

Administration Faculty Students Staff


54. What courses offered have a significant component of the class pertaining to civics,
citizenship or individual social responsibility? Please list two or three.

______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________


55. The number of public events on campus that promote the understanding of democratic
processes and political participation are:

Inconsequential Too few About right Excessive


56. In what programs or departments at your university would one most likely to find courses
that explicitly address issues of democracy? Please list two or three.

______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________
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57. How would you rate a typical graduate of this universitys knowledge of:

Poor Fair Good Excellent
democracy?
pluralism?
political participation?
citizenship?
civic responsibility?
political psychology?
political philosophy?
value of contending views?
ideology?



58. Who is best qualified to assess and define the needs and priorities of the community and
society?

G Government
G Universities
G Private social and political organizations
G Citizens


59. Community residents with special expertise are invited to lecture or teach at the
University.

Frequently Sometimes Infrequently Never


60. Can you cite examples of joint programs between the university and community?
Check all that apply:

G Course-related field experiences (internships; jobs; training)
G Course-related practicum
G Credit-earning service-learning
G Sharing of faculty expertise
G Field or action research involving and benefiting community participants
G Symposia or lectures jointly sponsored by community group and university
G Conferences jointly sponsored by community and university
G Volunteer activities
G Business development
G Other ________________________________________






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61. Are there any on-going research projects devoted to civics, civic responsibility or democracy
education that foster student learning through interaction with the community? Please list.

______________________________________________________________________



62. Community-based research benefits:
Little Much
Benefit Benefit
The faculty researcher
Students (as learner or researcher)
The community
Government
The university




63. Student participation in community-based projects:
Never Sometimes Always
Encourages civic-mindedness
Promotes democratic attitudes
Increases political participation
Helps connect theory to practice
Educates students about real world problems
Dilutes the curriculum
Takes time away from other studies
Increases their political cynicism
Results in apathy



64. Students participate in community projects via:
Always Sometimes Never
Classroom assignments
Student clubs and organizations
Faith-based organizations
Personal membership in non-university organizations
Political party affiliation
Faculty research projects
University-sponsored projects
Personal relationships with members of the community
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65. Students participate in community projects:
Never Sometimes Frequently Always
Because of their political consciousness
To better the environment in which they live
Because of course requirements
For unique research opportunities
To gain access to information and data
To build their resume
To gain experience
To earn credit toward graduation
To support particular political agenda


Yes No
66. Does the university offer courses on the community
or region in which the university is located?



Poor Fair Good Excellent
67. How good a job does the university do of making
university facilities accessible to the community?



Not Very
significant Little Some Significant
68. How significant do you think that community
access to university facilities is in promoting
university-community partnerships?


Yes No
69. Is the administration democratic in its relations
with the faculty?