UW-Madison launches community partnerships office

The UW–Madison has launched an innovative community outreach program in the form of a permanent office, resource center and meeting space in the Villager Mall, 2300 S. Park St., Suite #1.

A partnership of the Morgridge Center for Public Service, the Chancellor’s Office and the School of Human Ecology, the Community Partnerships Office will be a base of operations for outreach programs in the South Park Street neighborhood. The center will also serve as a point of contact for residents interested in information about university programs and resources.

In the spirit of the annual celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s work, the office will hold an open house 4-6 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 22. The event will include music by Leotha Stanley, artwork by Wright Middle School students and remarks by Chancellor John Wiley.

The center is the first “branch office” of the university to be opened in recent years, says LaMarr Billups, special assistant to the chancellor for community relations.
“We wanted to establish a physical presence to demonstrate that we’re serious about bringing the university’s resources to the community,” says Billups, who notes that a kiosk with information about university activities, programming and sports will be established. “We also want to give the community better access to the university.”

A dozen university outreach programs are active in the South Madison community, including the Neighborhood Law Project, the Community Scholars Program in the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, and the Madison Community Health Center. It is expected that many will schedule regular office hours to offer services to residents. The office is expected to continue expanding its programs and offerings throughout the spring.

University faculty members are being encouraged to use the space as a base for service-learning courses, says Mary Rouse, director of the Morgridge Center for Public Service. Service-learning courses provide students with academic credit for community service and action research.

University and community groups are welcome to reserve the space for meetings and community-building activities. The office, which is made up of small and large conference rooms, has already been used for hearings of the Madison Equal Opportunities Commission, the Hmong Needs Assessment Project, the Hunger Prevention Council and the Wisconsin Women’s Neighborhood Team.

In February, March and April, the Wisconsin Department of Revenue will use the office as a Voluntary Income Tax Assistance site. VITA draws upon the expertise of volunteers who prepare and submit income tax returns for low-income residents. Volunteers include UW–Madison students who are studying accounting and tax law, as well as retired certified public accountants and tax experts.

The tradition of university-community partnerships dates back to the beginnings of UW–Madison, Rouse says. In this case, the university has several goals, including educating students, reaching out to its neighbors and helping the South Metropolitan Planning Council redevelop the South Park Street Corridor.

“In the months and years ahead, we hope to hear many ideas about projects which involve teaching, learning, community service — and most importantly, shared dreams and goals,” Rouse says.