UPDATED APRIL 9, 2020

Iowa & Minnesota Campus Compact will host a weekly virtual discussion on this topic every Friday at 2:30 pm central for resource-sharing, ideas, and camaraderie. Register to join here and take our survey on what you’d like to see with future meetings. All Campus Compact members welcome. Our team is also available to you for questions, consultations, and event virtual course presentations!

Below is our original post with updated resource links being added to the bottom daily. We also want to point to two new articles that offer ideas for the higher education response doing forward. First, National President Andrew Seligsohn just shared this blog on our how members are mobilizing in this crisis. Second, this blog from GlobalSL summarizing some wonderful ideas and resources for Campus-Community Engagement and Civic Organizing, Coronavirus Syllabi, Online Social Action Coursework & Humanization, and Nurturing and Reimagining.

As the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) continues to spread, higher education institutions are taking steps to protect their students, employees, and communities. These steps have unique implications for community-engaged campuses trying to meet the civic mission of higher education. Iowa & Minnesota Campus Compact are gathering resources to help member campuses consider these implications.

Always consult health authorities first for the best information on risk and recommended precautionary steps. Do not rely on social media posts for information. Updates are available from local and state public health departments (here are Iowa and Minnesota) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), including updated Travel Notices for countries with community transmission. 

Community-engaged work

Some campuses have chosen to close campus and/or move to only online classes for some period of time. This will have implications for community-engaged courses and projects. The best way to start making contingency plans is to reach out to all community partners. Set up a time to talk through possibilities if classes are canceled and ask how it would impact their work. An overall communications plan that covers different contingencies is a great way to make sure you and partners are prepared. Also, consider including a key contact for community partners with questions on the web page or email response that your campus shares about the issue.

Even if campuses do not close or go online, community partners may have changes to who they can have at their site or there may be other disruptions to planned projects. Communicate with everyone to check in regardless of the status of your campus and start developing contingency plans. Also ask how the response is impacting the services they provide and consider shifting your resources to the areas where they most need support, even if that doesn’t align with your original goals. Flexibility and communication are key to maintaining partnerships. St. Olaf College and Carleton College created this survey for their local partners to gather information jointly.

Community engagement professionals and others can support faculty in shifting their course plans. Some projects may be able to continue online or in a condensed format. Others may need to be postponed. This spreadsheet offers great resources for online teaching as faculty consider how to continue to meet educational goals in a different context for ALL students.

Ideas from other campuses that have moved to online instruction:

• Depending on the situation, it may be possible for many service-learning, internship, and clinical placements to continue even as classes go online
• Communicate one message to community partners about what to expect and who to contact
• Encourage faculty to reach out to partners right away to explore options, many project may be able to continue virtually or partners may have other work that can be done online (see below for ideas)

Supporting students and employees

As campuses consider closing or shifting classes online, low-income students will need extra support to ensure they can continue to be successful. These students may not have a place to go if dorms close, food to eat if cafeterias close, or the technology to participate in online classes. It is important to advocate for the resources these students will need. This can include:

• Seeking philanthropic resources to provide temporary housing and food support to students 
• Setting up a resource center to connect students to community housing, food, health care, mental health support, and other resources
• Offering loaned laptops, wifi hot-spots, and other technology resources needed for online classes
• Adding to existing emergency funds or creating one to support students who may be impacted by job losses, school closures, and other unexpected issues

Students may also face additional mental health concerns during this time. Here are some great resources on mental health and coping with the situation.

In addition to students, campuses also have many hourly employees who would be significantly impacted by a campus closure. Advocate for them to have access to sick leave, emergency funds, and community resources as well.

Bias and discrimination

Unfortunately, this public health emergency has brought out bias, discrimination, and hate in some, including racists attacks. It’s important to proactively remind ourselves and others around us not to project fears of the virus onto marginalized groups or spread unfounded associations. People of Chinese heritage or those who look East Asian are not genetically predisposed to carry or spread the disease. It’s important to pay attention to what is happening on your campus to be able to respond quickly to any attacks or statements that may impact whether all students are welcome on your campus (here’s a great poster from the Minnesota Department of Health). There are a number of resources on responding to incidents of hate on campus, including this one from the Chronicle of Higher Education. These incidents also offer an opportunity to engage students in dialogue about racism and xenophobia. Make this a “teachable moment” in your classroom with our local and national dialogue resources.

Community Engagement Ideas

Community organizations are facing a variety of challenges during this time. Some are engaged in response and desperately need resources and volunteers to meet immediate needs. Others have been forced to suspend activities and lay off employees and are concerned about their future sustainability.

In individual communities, intermediary organizations such as nonprofit associations and volunteer centers are mobilizing to capture needs and post related volunteer opportunities. You may be able to find information on your local organizations through the National Council of Nonprofits. Here are Iowa and Minnesota entities tracking needs and posting opportunities:

• Volunteer Iowa
• United Way of Central Iowa
• Iowa Nonprofit Resource Center
• Minnesota Council of Nonprofits
• Hands On Twin Cities
• Greater Twin Cities United Way

In some cases, students’ community-engaged work may be able to shift in ways that still meet community needs and learning outcomes. Here are a few ideas:

• conducting background research or gathering best practices or other information requested the partner(s)
• taping, recording, or streaming performances or workshops to benefit community partner(s)
• creating digital and other social media content, print program materials, or other methods for information-sharing
• undertaking assessment, evaluation, or feedback via phone or web-based services;
• offering (or compiling, researching, or brainstorming) strategies that provide indirect support from volunteers as a result of coronavirus
• conducting virtual or phone-based educational supports for youth and adults

If work with an existing partner is not possible, you may be able to find suitable opportunities through these channels:

• How to Get Involved with Virtual Volunteering
• VolunteerMatch
• AllForGood
• 9 PLACES TO VOLUNTEER ONLINE (AND MAKE A REAL IMPACT)

General Higher Education Resource Links:

• Supporting #RealCollege Students During COVID19
• Planning for Coronavirus With Fewer Resources
• How to close colleges without hurting vulnerable students
• As college students leave campuses over COVID-19, new considerations arise
• Community partner survey from St. Olaf College and Carleton College
• Student relief fund

Community-Engaged Teaching Links:

• Community Engagement and Remote Teaching: Reflections and Resources
• Community-Engaged Teaching during Suspension of Face-to-Face Classes
• Advance HE Webinar: “Utilizing Service-Learning Projects in an Online Class”
• Continuing community-engaged teaching during COVID-19
• Teaching an Online Social Action Course webinar 3/13/20
• Community-Based Learning in times of Social Distancing, Isolation and Quarantine
• Asset-Based Community Building and COVID-19

Other Community Engagement Links:

• COVID-19 Resources for Volunteer Iowa Programs and Nonprofits

• GivePulse survey of campuses and organizations

• Reflection questions from Loyola University Chicago Center for Experiential Learning
• A few things for nonprofits and foundations to consider in light of the Coronavirus
• Preparing your volunteer program for COVID-19, Minnesota Association of Volunteer Administrators
• Pod mapping for mutual aid
• Keeping Each Other Safe When Virtually Organizing Mutual Aid

Voting and Census Links:

• Voting & COVID-19
• Updated Guidance on the Census from Illinois Campus Compact
• COVID – 19 and CEEP Student Fellows

Other Resource Links:

• How to Keep Uninvited Guests Out of Your Zoom Event
• 10 Tips for Better Virtual Meetings
• When Fear Of The Coronavirus Turns Into Racism And Xenophobia
• 5 Things to Know About Coronavirus and People With Disabilities
• NPR’s Code Switch podcast published an episode on “When Fear Of The Coronavirus Turns Into Racism And Xenophobia”

We will continue to add to this post as new information becomes available. Please email resources and questions to Emily Shields at emob-rfuvryqf {at} pbzcnpg(.)bet-43" href="mailto:%65%73%68%69%65%6C%64%73%40%63%6F%6D%70%61%63%74%2E%6F%72%67">eshields {at} compact(.)org.