Planning for Post-Secondary Preservation Education
To develop a partnership between historic preservationists and university faculty to integrate preservation curriculum into existing educational programs.
Partners: Preservation Alliance of Minnesota (PAM), Minnesota State University:Mankato (MSU:M)
The partnership leverages PAM:s existing knowledge base and MSU:M:s students to produce heritage preservation professionals who are more adept at utilizing our state:s built historic resources (buildings, neighborhoods, commercial districts). The partnership integrates preservation knowledge and practices within MSU:M academic departments and PAM continuing professional educational offerings in the fields of public administration, city planning, economic development, and construction management. The goal of such integration is to produce professionals in these fields who are better able to manage, plan, and leverage the historic resources of the communities they serve. A long-term, self-sustaining educational strategy in historic preservation policy, planning, and economic development will be created. The development of a partnership between PAM and MSU:M will result in more of Minnesota:s historic built environment being preserved well because of better educated professionals able to understand and work with their cultural resources and heritage. And, more local government staff will be trained to develop and implement federal, state, and local preservation policy.
$2,000,000 the first year and $2,000,000 the second year are for partnerships involving multiple organizations, which may include the Minnesota Historical Society, to preserve and enhance access to Minnesota's history and cultural heritage in all regions of the state.
Available upon request. Contact:grants@mnhs.org
Indicator 1, short-term progress indicator: One partnership agreement is drafted outlining how the two organizations could work together in an educational program.
Grant work achieved the target. See uploaded Action Plan, Objective 4 for the Memorandum of Understanding draft. In talking with legal representatives, MSU,M and PAM staff agreed with the attorneys: suggestions that a MOU, rather than the :partnership agreement: identified in the grant application, more accurately reflected the desired working relationship.
The successful outcome resulted from MSU,M and PAM leadership having worked together informally over the years; during the grant period holding many discussions, some facilitated; and timely, thoughtful work of the facilitator, lawyers, and MSU,M and PAM staff.
Indicator 2, short-term progress indicator: Generate 15 ideas of possible curriculum changes to further develop and vet in Year Two.
Grant work exceeded the target. Defining :curriculum: as the totality of student experience, grant work generated 27 suggestions/recommendations: one course alteration, four conceptual courses, five challenges to consider, six best practices for department administration and organization, seven student engagement ideas, and four community engagement ideas. See uploaded Action Plan, Objective 3 for discussion of the suggestions/recommendations.
The successful outcome resulted from amending MSU,M staffing to allow an off-duty faculty member to conduct a site visit and write curriculum suggestions/recommendations based on that visit and four other site visits.
Indicator 3, short-term progress indicator: Include two departments from MSU,M in a partnership agreement with PAM.
Grant work demonstrated progress toward the target. In the future, other short term work may result in a second department joining the first department, Urban and Regional Studies Institute, in signing the Memorandum of Understanding (a type of partnership agreement) drafted during the grant period. In talking with legal representatives, MSU,M and PAM staff agreed with attorneys: suggestions that a MOU, rather than the :partnership agreement: identified in the grant application, more accurately reflected the desired working relationship. See uploaded Action Plan, Objective 4 for the Memorandum of Understanding draft.
MSU invited faculty from the Nonprofit Leadership program to contribute to the discussion. Future phases of this work will continue to include this department, and may expand to include others as well.
The successful outcome to date resulted from discussions to develop the MOU. As partnership work continues, additional departments may be interested in signing the MOU.
Indicator 4, intermediate progress indicator: Add or change content to 3 to 5 existing courses which better serve the needs of public servants in relation to their communities: old buildings.
As noted under indicator 2, MSU,M staff suggested alteration to one existing course to improve the curriculum. See uploaded Action Plan, Objective 3 for discussion of the suggestion/recommendation.
The successful outcome to date resulted from amending MSU,M staffing to allow an off-duty faculty member to conduct a site visit and write curriculum suggestions/recommendations based on that visit and four other site visits.
Grant work laid the foundation for future work to address Indicators 5 through 7:
Indicator 5, intermediate progress indicator: Develop at least two Continuing Education online courses accessible to both students at MSU,M and non-degree seeking, practicing professionals around the state.
Indicator 6, long-term progress indicator: PAM and MSU,M develop curricula integrating five basic historic preservation practices into two academic programs.
Indicator 7, long-term progress indicator: Preservation will be better integrated into community planning in 60% of communities served by graduates of resulting new curricula.
Available upon request, grants@mnhs.org