In 2007, wanting to expand higher education's civicengagement conversation, the Association of American Colleges andUniversities launched the Core Commitments Initiative. Thatinitiative focused attention on personal and social responsibilityas outcomes of a college education, with the understanding thatsuch a focus would return American higher education to itshistorical purpose of preparing active and engaged citizens.Expanding the conversation this way leaves room for behavioralmeasures, like voting or hours spent in community service, but alsoopens our understanding of citizenship to include issues of civicidentity, civic attitudes, personal integrity, and ethics.
This volume explores the research and practice related to thedevelopment of personal and social responsibility in college,drawing data directly from institutions that were part of the CoreCommitments Initiative and providing instructive examples of goodpractice at both the programmatic and institutional levels.
This volume is the 164th volume of the Jossey-Bass quarterlyreport series New Directions for Higher Education.Addressed to presidents, vice presidents, deans, and other highereducation decision makers on all kinds of campuses, itprovides timely information and authoritative advice about majorissues and administrative problems confronting everyinstitution.