Crossing the Red Tape

Abstract

This chapter explores the processes used by faculty and administrators at a regional comprehensive university in the South to develop partnerships with bureaucratic agencies including a criminology course partnership with local law enforcement agencies, a multidisciplinary partnership with the local juvenile court, and a public administration local government course partnership with a public housing agency and homelessness task force. The intention of the chapter is to provide a roadmap for the development of service or experiential learning processes with government agencies. The nature of developing service-learning partnerships with bureaucratic agencies can often create unique challenges during the development including establishing contact with appropriate agency contacts, developing plans to effectively managing the time and capacity of government agencies, as well as managing the additional legal and risk management requirements that are inherent to collaborating with bureaucratic partners.