WGS/CEL

(Developing Community Engaged Learning
for Women's and Gender Studies): 

A Curriculum Development/Research Project

A breakdown of possible tasks for research assistants/partners

I.  Overall goals

To document and enhance existing partnerships, and develop new partnerships, between the Women's and Gender Studies Program and community and campus organizations that provide avenues for community engaged learning

To enhance the Program's understanding of the theory and practice of CEL together with our capacities to implement feminist CEL projects through coursework

To create a databank of partners, assignments, and projects

To seek funds for ongoing development of community engaged learning

Note:  The idea for this project originated when Politics of Sexuality was enhanced and a CEL component added.  Since most of the instructors for this course are adjuncts, the program needs to support them in facilitating this requirement.  (CEL can take a WHOLE LOT of faculty time.)  So our work for the summer and fall concern should focus on supporting Politics of Sexuality.

II.  Tasks in developing partnerships

People resources:   

The immediate objectives of meeting with people are to catalog community partners with whom TCNJ and especially WGS has existing relationships, and to brainstorm activism projects—the ins & outs & practicalities.  Maybe collect assignments from faculty.   

• Meet with Nino Scarpatti, Director of Civic Leadership Development
• Meet with Mary Lynn Hopps
• Meet with Jody Brodsky and Ellen Weller (who teach Politics of Sexuality) and Lizzie Spohr (who will teach it in the fall)
• Meet with Beth Paul (would it be good to dovetail some of this background gathering with her Downtown course?)
• Meet with Bill Ball (about the CEL requirement)
• Meet with Susan Baughn, who has incorporated activism in her courses for a long time
• Michelle Tarter a resource on activism/CEL? Cp her prison project
• Dave Prensky will be directing the Bonner Scholars Institute after July 1 – this could be a great resource (e.g. course on managing nonprofits, Bonner Scholars as Teaching Assistants)
• Brainstorm with the White Ribbon Campaign & Guts (Julie K.)
• Ray Barclay?  He does assessment…this might be something to tap in the future
• NEW:  Add Emily Bent!
• NEW:  Jacki Dietch-Stackhouse, coordinator, Office of Anti-Violence Initiatives, as of July 12

Community Partners

Put together a list of partners who already have relationships with WGS through faculty, students, etc.  Who are the core partners?  Which organizations do we want to cultivate now?  E.g. Planned Parenthood

• Reach out, visit, meet with people, get acquainted with agency cultures
• Work toward defining (not too specifically, but generally) what kinds of projects students can do in 15 hours, in 150 hours

III.  Tasks toward the theory and practice of CEL

Reading and discussion

Do common readings--we can start with selected chapters of Naples, Teaching Feminist Activism, and see where we go from there.  We need to talk about these readings and their relationship to our own experiences and insights:  message board?  What will we do with what we learn?

IV.  Tasks in support of Politics of Sexuality

In general:  Keep this course in mind as we proceed with the above tasks. 

More specifically, brainstorm about the course.  Review the general idea of the course and consider how the readings and assignments can be a vital support for a CEL assignment.  (Shall we set a date for this?)