The Office of Community Partnerships (OCP) staff are grateful to everyone who has participated and contributed to our work supporting community engagement - from participating in over 40 listening sessions to sharing in Collaboratory. As we continue to work with our colleagues across campus to develop infrastructure for faculty and students engaged in community-engaged learning (CEL), please see the updates below and contact Layla Taylor, laylat@uw.edu to request additional information or direct support with CEL in your unit.  

 

UW Definition for Community Engagement & CEL  

As you go continue to identify community-engaged partnerships, opportunities and courses, consider using the UW Community Engagement Definition, Principles and Practices and the tri-campus definition for community-engaged learning (CEL) (below) as guides: 

 

Experiential learning with community partners through the mutually beneficial exchange of creativity, knowledge and resources. (Source: Community-Engaged Learning (S) Designation Policy, Approved by UWT APCC, Dec 12, 2018) 

 

CEL courses are: 

  • Educationally purposeful, community -engaged activities  

  • Reflection tied to experiences in community  

  • Students practice:  

  • engaged citizenship  

  • address critical societal issues  

  • contribute to the public good.  

   

E-Designation for CEL Courses 

As of Spring 2025, related to the 2020 Carnegie Community-Engagement classification, all campuses of the University of Washington have replaced the legacy “S” (for service-learning) course designation with a revised “E” (for community-engaged) course designation. “E” was chosen for Community-Engaged, as the “C” designation is already in use to denote composition courses.  

 

Watch for updated guidelines and step-by-step process about E-Designation in 2026. OCP staff continue to work closely with the APCC and Registrar to create on online resources, and will also be available to answer questions and provide guidance. 

 

Faculty and Student Support for CEL 
Please visit this [INSERT LINK] new webpage detailing how the OCP can support CEL courses - see a snapshot below: 

 

  • Meet with OCP staff to brainstorm + ideate 

  • Connect with community partners 

  • Guidance and support with MOUs, contracts, grants and funding 

  • Orient students to principles of CE and ethical partnership 

  • Find CE faculty professional development  

  • Learn about E-Designation process  

 

Listening Sessions  

The overarching, high level themes and requests for support from the OCP that emerged from the over 40 listening sessions held in 2025 will continue to inform how we develop infrastructure for CEL support at UWT throughout 2026. If you wanted to meet with me, but did not have a chance to, please schedule a time that works well for you.  

 

  • Sharing experiences/stories/solutions  

  • Administrative support with “nuts and bolts”  

  • Connecting and sustaining relationships with partners  

  • Funding  

  • Support for engaged faculty and students  

  • Development for faculty and students  

  • Navigating barriers and challenges 

  •  

If you are a more visual and/or kinesthetic learner, you can see and hear more by watching our November Town Hall presentation or reviewing the attached slide deck from the presentation.