Social Mission Metrics Initiative

Related social mission measurement(s): Curriculum, Student Diversity, Pipeline/Pathway Programs, Student Activism. Alcorn State University School of Nursing includes diversity and service in its value statement, and provides the foundation for the emphasis on these social mission concepts. While a high proportion of black students is expected at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU), this rural institution is also diverse in terms of student social class and backgrounds. There are students from Africa, and students from farming families. The dean reports that for students from the latter group, the nursing profession is a way out of poverty and a way for them to help their families…

Related social mission measurement(s): Curriculum. At the University of Portland School of Nursing (UP SON), the guiding tradition is the Order of the Holy Cross, which includes social justice as a central tenet, and drives the culture of the university. School administrators and faculty report that social justice competency is a Bachelor Science of Nursing (BSN) program outcome and have worked to embed it in the curriculum. In 2016, faculty agreed that the traditional topic-based curriculum prevalent in nursing education was no longer serving them or their students, and adopted a concept-based approach (Brussow et al., 2019)….

Related social mission measurement(s): Community Collaborations, Faculty Activism. Rush College of Nursing (CON) has an innovative community engagement model through the Office of Faculty Practice (OFP), whose mission is to improve the quality of life in neighboring communities by providing evidence-based nursing care to diverse populations in partnership with organizations in Chicago….

Related social mission measurement(s): School Mission, Student Diversity, Faculty Diversity. Florida International University Nicole Wertheim College of Nursing and Health Sciences (FIU NWCNHS) has achieved broad student and faculty diversity; 41–45% of students identify as Hispanic or Latino and 20–34% identify as Black or African American, depending on their degree program. The faculty is also diverse, with 40% identifying as Hispanic or Latino and 17% identifying as Black or African American….

Related social mission measure(s): School Mission, Community Collaborations, Student Diversity, Faculty Diversity, Pipeline Programs. At Santa Fe Community College (SFCC), 57% of students identify as Hispanic or Latino – close to the state city’s population, which is about 51% Hispanic or Latino. The faculty is also racially and ethnically diverse, with nine full-time and eleven part-time faculty (44% and 36%) that identify as Hispanic or Latino….

Related social mission measures: Community Collaborations, Research, Faculty Activism. The University of California San Francisco School of Nursing’s (UCSF SON) prides itself on its social mission-related research portfolio, and the inclusion of community partners in their research. They have increased social mission research by valuing its importance in the academic promotion and tenure (APT) process. The evaluation committee now recognizes the difference between this kind of research and traditional bench science, understanding that it takes more time to build a community-based program of research. The change in APT criteria was achieved through shared governance; committees were formed to discuss faculty concerns about the perceived lack of value of social mission-related research, leading to explicit changes. Intramural funding is also made available for social mission research by the chancellor, as well as additional institutional grant funding, which is specifically geared toward junior faculty who are building their social mission programs of research….