Arising out of the University of Massachusetts - Dartmouth Sustainability Initiative, a University-Community Collaboration Charrette was held in the Woodland Common on June 11, 2007. Bringing together over sixty representatives of university programs and community organizations, the half-day planning session focused on brainstorming ways of better integrating activity in each arena. Following welcoming remarks and a description of several university-community collaboration models, participants broke off into six brainstorming groups to describe what the university has to offer the community, what the community has to offer the university and what would support more collaboration. The session ended with plans for a January conference and other actions that would further the agenda. For more information about the process, contact Susan Jennings at 508-910-6484 or Michael Coughlin at 508-324-2404.
 

(Top row, left) Dr. Anthony Garro, Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs at the University of Massachusetts - Dartmouth welcomed the participants to the Woodlands Common conference facility and underscored the importance of university-community collaboration. (Top row, center) Susan Jennings, Interim Director of the Office of Campus and Community Sustainability at the UMD Consortium for the Advancement of Teaching, Learning and Scholarship, outlines the morning charrette. (Top row, right) Dr. David Turcotte, Senior Program Manager for the Center for Family, Work and Community at UMass-Lowell describes how university-community collaboration has been developed in Lowell and the surrounding communities. (Middle row, left) Businessman Craig Lindell of Aquapoint talks about the changing economic environment and the necessity of thinking differently about collaboration. (Middle row, right) Dr. Matt Roy, Associate Dean of the Charlton college of Business at UMD, outlines some principles of successful collaboration. (Bottom row, left) Fall River Director of Health and Human Services prepares the participants for the two-hour charrette designed to solicit ideas for a collaborative structure in Southeastern Massachusetts. (Bottom row, center) Assitant Professor of Political Science Dr. Rob Darst reports the recommendations of his discussion group. (Bottom row, right) Sociology professor Lisa Knauer and Director of Corporate and Business Partnerships Tony Vieira share their ideas with Michael Coughlin.