Campus-Community Coalitions: The Lincoln/UNL Experience

1. Thomas Workman, Ph.D. University of Nebraska-Lincoln tworkman3@unl.edu 402-472-8155 Campus-Community Coalitions:The Lincoln/UNL Experience

2. HISTORY OF THE COALITION • Responsible Hospitality Council 1992 – Present • Community coalition dedicated to reducing problems associated with irresponsible alcohol service • Focus on voluntary compliance • Primary strategies-Peer intervention • -Education • NU Directions Campus/Community Coalition 1998 – Present • Campus/community coalition dedicated to reducing high-risk drinking among college students • Focus on environmental management • Primary strategies • -Policy • -Education • -Enforcement

3. Shared Responsibility Responsibility for individual behavior is shared between the individual and the environment All stakeholders within the environment need to share the responsibility for the condition of the environment Inclusive Process All Stakeholders have responsibility, and therefore a place at the table Focusing on a common vision for an ideal environment leads to consensus Community-wide consensus is critical for long-term environmental change Philosophical Foundations

4. Led by a Strategic Plan GOALS focus on specific areas of the environment that need to be addressed based on analysis of the specific environment OBJECTIVES focus on measurable changes of behavior related to that area ACTIVITIES focus on specific interventions that show or promise evidence of creating the desired change in the target area Organized by Workgroup Coalition members self-select their workgroup based on interest, responsibility, expertise, and/or resources Workgroups develop and implement interventions, continue environmental monitoring, and address any issues related to implementation AD hoc committees used for interventions that require special experience/expertise Coalition Activity

11. Top-level administrative support is necessary. Start with “winnable” issues to build momentum. Reach consensus on coalition purpose and member role. Orient new members to the strategic plan/format. Hire a staff member who understands community organizing. Recruit communications expertise, develop a communications plan to support your strategic plan. Lessons LearnedBuilding and Sustaining a Successful Coalition

12. Lessons LearnedBuilding and Sustaining a Successful Coalition • Educating the media is critical. • Reinforce positive practices. • Provide opportunities for dialogue. All partners must be kept well informed. • Foster institutional ownership for long-term sustainability. • Celebrate coalition success.

13. Coalition maintenance is an ongoing task Turnover is a reality Philosophical debates re-emerge Coalitions need re-energizing Environments change through economics, generations, politics Vision gets replaced by “plain sight” As a coalition matures . . .

14. Orient new members to the philosophy and history of the work Return to the vision and mission Rescan the environment Strategic planning is an ongoing process Get beyond maintenance – what’s the next mountain? Keeping the Mature Coalition Healthy

15. For more information: NU Directions Linda Major, Project Director Tom Workman, Communications Student Involvement Lincoln, NE 68588-0453 402/472-2454 www.nudirections.org