The Beyond Our Gates Forums
In December 2009, President Pamela Eibeck launched a series of six community forums in an effort to better understand - and respond to - San Joaquin County's needs and goals. The public forums, held from January to May 2010, covered topics crucial to our region: healthcare, the economy, energy and the environment, education, diversity, and arts and culture.
During each town hall event, a panel of community leaders presented the critical challenges in their fields -as well as suggestions of ways Pacific could help. Then, an outside expert responded to these presentations with a keynote speech, addressing broader issues related to community engagement and higher education. Finally, a panel of University faculty, staff and student discussants submitted questions to the community panelists, after which audience members were able to pose their own questions.
Following each forum, a steering committee of community and University leaders convened to discuss potential partnerships that could be developed to address the challenges raised. Each steering committee reported its recommendations to President Eibeck in July 2010. A recommendations committee comprising Pacific faculty and staff reviewed each report in detail, and after serious discussion, the committee ranked recommendations according to their potential community impact and alignment with the University's mission.
Final recommendations were sent to President Eibeck in September 2010.