Institutional change efforts around community engagement data collection and use rarely follow a linear path. Sustaining momentum through staff transitions, shifting leadership priorities, and evolving campus needs requires strategic discipline and an intentional cultural shift. Illinois State University (ISU) offers a clear example of what it takes to keep Collaboratory moving forward through years of change.
At ISU, Collaboratory has been positioned as an enduring institutional asset rather than a short-term project. Their approach demonstrates how strong systems, policies, and procedures (rather than reliance on individual champions) create continuity, support culture change, and ensure that community engagement data remains valuable and usable over time.
Building System-Level Continuity
Community engagement data collection is human-centered – dependent on relationships, communication, and ongoing advocacy. This makes continuity vulnerable when people or priorities shift. To counteract that challenge, ISU focused early on building durable processes and procedures.
When a previous Collaboratory administrator changed roles within the institution, they ensured a comprehensive “how-to” guide was in place. This documentation became the backbone of ISU’s continuity strategy, complemented by extensive public-facing Collaboratory resources and strong support from the Collaboratory team.
Further, rather than allowing responsibilities to drift, ISU formally embedded Collaboratory administration into the Center for Civic Engagement’s Assistant Director of Assessment role. Integrating community-engaged teaching and scholarship into tenure and promotion expectations, and linking Collaboratory to program review, further grounded the work in established institutional processes. These structured approaches ensure that when staff or administrators change, the system, not a single person, holds the institutional knowledge.
Creating an Action-Oriented Network
ISU’s team has invested heavily in building a distributed network of champions. This cross-unit network makes engagement data visible across departments and ensures the work is never siloed. Their strategy includes:
Regular meetings with Deans connected to the Carnegie Community Engagement Classification
Civic Engagement Ambassadors who reinforce awareness and participation
Faculty meeting presentations and hands-on Collaboratory workshops
A Collaboratory Civic Engagement Champion recognition, awarded each semester, to foster peer learning and support shared engagement practices
Adapting Through Policy and Priority Shifts
ISU has also demonstrated agility in responding to changing institutional goals. As campus priorities evolve, they continuously revisit their dataset to ensure alignment. Recent additions include the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, which serve as a relevant categorization framework for campus projects. They also plan to track international partnerships in Collaboratory to support the institutional strategic plan.
The team is also exploring how Collaboratory can track undergraduate research and other key strategic plan metrics. Their close connections with Academic and Student Affairs leadership, as well as participation in the university’s Assessment Advisory Council, keep them informed about emerging reporting needs and allow them to position Collaboratory as a reliable, centralized data source.
Lessons for the Field
ISU’s experience offers actionable guidance for institutions navigating their own transitions:
- Document everything. Written guidance outlasts individuals.
- Institutionalize responsibilities. Align roles, policies, and reporting structures around the work.
- Build a network of champions. Distributed ownership prevents momentum loss.
- Stay connected to leadership. Understand emerging needs and show how the data supports them.
ISU’s approach illustrates that sustaining community engagement data collection is not simply about tools, it is about systems, strategy, and intentional culture change. Their disciplined and long-term commitment has positioned Collaboratory as a durable part of the university’s infrastructure and a model for campuses seeking stability through change.
Advance Institutional Change with Better Data
Connect with Collaboratory to ensure your campus can sustain, adapt, and leverage engagement data as priorities evolve. Email us at info@cecollaboratory.com to learn more!
