Institutional Leadership

Campus Compact is a national coalition of almost 1,200 college and university presidents – giving vision and direction to some six million students nationwide. As presidents of colleges and universities, both private and public, large and small, two-year and four-year, we challenge higher education to re-examine its public purposes and its commitments to the democratic ideal. We also challenge higher education to become engaged, through actions and teaching, with its communities. We have a fundamental task to renew our role as agents of our democracy. Download the full President’s Declaration OR peruse our Presidential Leadership Initiatives and Readings

2010 Presidents Summit on Access and Success at Georgetown University

“In a first-of-its-kind Presidential Leadership Summit convened by Campus Compact, nearly 100 college Presidents and Campus Compact state directors gathered to focus on a single, compelling thesis: that college students who participate in civic engagement and service-learning, earn higher grade point averages and have a better chance of staying in college and earning degrees.” – Campus Compact

2012 Presidents Summit, “Developing Vital, Vibrant & Healthy Communities Through Democratic Partnerships and Civic Engagement”

Campus Compact’s Presidents Leadership Summit 2012 convened college and university presidents and chancellors for a lively examination of the intersection between campus civic engagement and economic development efforts. A white paper, Engaged Learning Economies: Aligning Civic Engagement and Economic Development in Community-Campus Partnerships, provided the framework for the discussion. Participants examined case studies and promising practices throughout the day.

2013 Presidents Leadership Summit “Connecting for Good” (September 2013)

The details of this section offer some evidence for the benefits of cross-institutional collaboration here in New Jersey. In 2013, forty-one of Connecticut’s higher education presidents and executives, as well as panelists representing government, business, the Arts, and community-based organizations, were convened by Connecticut Campus Compact to hear evidence about and discuss ways in which the state’s civic and economic health might be bolstered by a collective approach. What emerged was a call to action. The series of measures that emerged are as follows:

1.  To identify model higher education public work programs
2.  To demonstrate the importance and benefits of campus engagement
3.  To bring together multiple stakeholders in a retreat
4.  To establish the Connecticut Institute for Civic and Economic Health

To learn more about the discussion please click the following links:

• Report on Presidents’ Leadership Summit
• PowerPoint — Connecting for Good: How Colleges and Universities Can Work Together to Improve Connecticut’s Civic & Economic Health
• Program Brief — Connecting for Good: How Colleges and Universities Can Work Together to Improve Connecticut’s Civic and Economic Health

Further Resources

• Read A Promising Connection: Increasing College Access and Success through Civic Engagement, Campus Compact’s recently-published new white paper about the potential for community/campus civic engagement to enhance student access to as well as success in college
• Sign the Presidents’ Declaration on the Civic Responsibility of Higher Education.
• Learn more about the latest policy issues affecting campus engagement.
• Find models of presidential leadership.
• Use our service statistics to advocate for the public good of higher education.
• Scan quotes on engagement to use in your own speaking or writing.
• Gain insight into the Federal Work-Study community service requirement.

We have also put together a comprehensive list of resources for presidents, that contains not only Campus Compact resources, but also resources from other organizations.