1. American Mathematical Society Workshop for Department Chairs and Department Leaders
San Diego, CA
January 9, 2017

2. Outreach and Communication: Building Effective External Partnerships
Douglas Mupasiri Department of Mathematics University of Northern Iowa

3. Overview of Session What do we mean by outreach?
Why should a department engage in outreach?
Potential outreach activities
Implementing outreach activities
Communication about outreach with external stakeholders

4. Definition of Outreach
Individual Task #1 (5 minutes)
What do you understand “outreach” to mean?
What might “outreach” mean to a mathematics department chair?
Reports from select individuals
Comments/Discussion – all participants
Take 5 minutes to consider these questions and write down your answers.
1. The extending of services or assistance beyond current or usual limits – Merriam-Webster Dictionary
2. An effort to bring services or information to people where they live or spend time – Cambridge Dictionary

5. Why is External Outreach Important?
Group Task # 2 (5 minutes)
Consider the question above in groups
Select one person to record the answers from your group
Report your answers to the rest of the participants
Comments/Discussion – all participants?
We all complain about inadequately prepared students in our calculus classes and blame K-12 instruction and curricula – I have met the enemy and he is us – John B. Conway in Reflections of a Department Head on Outreach Mathematics, Notices of the AMS, Vol. 48, No 10 (2001), (a variation on Walt Kelly’s famous quip, “We have met the enemy and he is us” in the poster he made to promote Earth Day on April 22, 1970)
Outreach as marketing for mathematics – the role of mathematics in everyday life, though ubiquitous, is little appreciated by large segments of the public (students and teachers included) and policy makers.
Outreach to promote math as a living discipline with relevance to everyday life.
Outreach for recruitment purposes – setting up pipelines into STEM
Outreach to discover and invite new talent into mathematics
Outreach to democratize access to mathematics – to serve social justice ends
7. Outreach tied to civic engagement – first proposed by Boyer as scholarship of application (1990) and then as scholarship of engagement (1996), then expanded by the Kellogg Commission to include teaching, research and service (1999; 2000).
8. Outreach as an extension of department programs – Advisory Councils.
9. Outreach for development purposes – fundraising.

6. Current State of Outreach Activities of Your Department
Group Task #3 (5 minutes)
What sorts of outreach does your department currently do?
Is outreach, to the extent it is done in your department, organized, sustained, and intentional or accidental
Who does the outreach and why?
Report your results to the rest of the participants.
Comments/Discussion – all participants

7. Further Reflections on Current State of Outreach: Advice for Others
Group task #4 (10 minutes)
Has your department ever discussed outreach in a department meeting?
How did the discussion come about?
What was the outcome of the discussion?
What advice would you give those considering having such a discussion?
Group Reports
Comments/Discussion – all participants

8. Recap of First Segment We have defined what we mean by outreach.
We have discussed why external outreach is important
We have shared what some of our departments are doing on outreach
We have touched on whether outreach has been discussed in the department
Before we proceed to the second part of the session, any comments/discussion about the first part?

9. Models of Outreach Group Task # 4 (10 Minutes)
What models of outreach are you aware of?
Do any of these models interest you in the sense that they might have a good chance of working in your department?
Group reports
Comments/Discussion – all participants
Outreach mathematician model.
Math Circles, math competitions, summer programs, visits to (K-12) schools
Professional Development for teachers.
Math fairs in the schools.
Development – fund raising model – work with your university development officers to avoid conflict
Advisory boards
Industry open Houses – networking and generating internships

10. Potential Outreach Activities
Group Activity #5 (10 minutes)
What outreach activities would make sense for your department?
Who would implement these activities and who would be the intended targets/partners?
What incentives would you offer faculty to do outreach?
How would you ensure these activities are sustainable?
What potential challenges do you foresee?
Group reports
Comments/Discussion - all participants
Promotion/enhancement of the teaching and learning of mathematics outside the department in particular in K-12 schools and community colleges – “Revisiting an Outreach Mathematician”, Jerry Dwyer and Lawrence Schovanec, Notices of the AMS, Vol. 60, No. 7
Organizing locally and regionally funded outreach activities, e.g., K-12 school visits and summer programs.
Serving on National Committees and participating on panels at national meetings.
Challenge – Interacting with faculty and others on campus interested in outreach – Negotiating your part if your university has an Outreach and Engagement Initiative.
Challenge – modifying the reward structure to incentivize faculty participation

11. Implementing Outreach: Can a Department Chair be the Change Agent on Outreach?
Group Task # 6 (15 minutes)
Consider the outreach activity assigned to your table (outreach for recruitment, outreach for development, outreach for community engagement, outreach via outreach mathematician, outreach to local businesses)
Develop an implementation plan for your assigned outreach activity
What are potential challenges to implementing the outreach activity?
Who should be consulted?
How will you assess the effectiveness of the plan?
Group reports
Comments/Discussion – all participants
Develop a plan – decide who will lead the effort, who is the target, who are potential internal and external partners?
Will you need approvals/permissions from the dean, provost and/or supervisors of external partners.
Will effort require resources, from whom/where – internal and/or external funding?
Developing relationships of trust with partners
Assessment of activities

12. Communication Group Task # 3 (15 minutes)
Consider the outreach activity assigned to your table (outreach for recruitment, outreach for development, outreach for community engagement, outreach via outreach mathematician, outreach to local businesses)
Develop a communication plan for your assigned outreach activity
How would you implement the communication plan?
How would you assess the effectiveness of the plan?
What potential communication challenges might you face?
Group reports
Comments/Discussion - all participants
Choosing appropriate and effective channels or modes of communication: in-person meetings, phone calls, conference calls, s, newsletters
Developing a communication plan for building and strengthening relationships with (potential) partners.
Challenge – sustaining communication and making adjustment when needed.

13. References
Cavalieri, R., & Hartenstine, D. (2005). Math Circle, an outreach program at the University of Utah. FOCUS, 25(1), Conway, J. B. (2001, November). Reflections of a department head on outreach mathematics. Notices of the AMS, 48(10), Dwyer, J. F. (2001, November). Reflections of an outreach mathematician. Notices of the AMS, 48(10), Dwyer, J. & Shovanec, L. (2013, August). Revisiting an outreach mathematician. Notices of the AMS, 60(7), Fowler, K. (2015, August 1). Start small, think big: Making a difference through K-12 mathematics outreach. AMS Blogs. Haunsperger, D. (2015, August 5). Section officers discussions on outreach.

14. More References
Megginson, R. (1999). A Model for Outreach to Groups Underrepresented in Science and Mathematics. Journal of Higher Education Outreach and Engagement, 4(2), Rose, L. P. (2001). Re-Affirming Outreach: A University/High School Partnership Program. Journal of Cases in Educational Leadership, 4(2), Turner, P. R., Fowler, K., Wick, D., Ramsdell, M., Gotham, G., Glasgow, E., & French, C. (2007). BOCES-University Partnership as a model for Educational Outreach: K-16 STEM Professional Development. In Math and Science Symposium. White, D., & Pantano. (2016, October). Joining forces in international mathematics outreach efforts. Notices of the AMS, 63(9), McLean, S., Thompson, G., Jonker, P.. The Rising Tide of Outreach and Engagement in State and Land-Grant Universities in the United States: What are the Implications for University Continuing Education Units in Canada? Canadian Journal of University Continuing Education, Vol. 32, No. 1 (Spring 2006) pp

15. Thank You!
Questions?