URBAN UT has launched the Community Research Collaborative. This interdisciplinary group of faculty and community organizations are working on guidelines for community-based research in Utah.

The original Community Research Collaborative (CRC) was brought together by University Neighborhood Partners in 2006. In collaboration with UNP and Dr. Barbara Brown, the CRC was involved in two reports about how to conduct and institutionalize mutually-beneficial research (1, 2). Over the years, these reports have been used to guide researchers, develop grants and awards, and move the University of Utah toward increased research partnerships with communities.

URBAN UT, in partnership with the Bennion Center and UNP, has re-launched the CRC for a new era. We have brought together an amazing interdisciplinary group of faculty and staff with expertise in community-based research together with community leaders representing diverse racial, cultural, and linguistic communities (the full member list is below). The CRC is meeting six times over six months (July-December 2020) to develop an updated set of guidelines. The goal is to ensure that research in communities of color and other marginalized communities is not only rigorous in its research methodology, but also in its community engagement methodology — addressing critical issues such as equity, power, commitment, reciprocity, and bias.

The CRC guidelines will be the backbone for a series of projects that could include initiatives like:

• A credit-bearing community based research methodology course
• Workshops and learning communities on how to build research partnerships and navigate RPT and publishing
• Workshops for Deans, Chairs, and RPT committee members on evaluating community-based research
  
• A community-based review or advisory board; and
  
• Seed grants for CBR projects.

CRC Members

Heather Brown, Center for Clinical and Translational Science

Mehdi Taheri, Iranian community

Edwin Napia, Urban Indian Center and Community Faces of Utah

Tino Nyawelo, Center for Science and Math Education

Julie Metos, College of Health

Joél-Léhi Organista, Casa Quetzalcoatl

Saia Langi, Youth Voices

Laneta Fitisemanu, Queen Center

Susie Porter, Gender Studies

Ivis Garcia Zambrana, College of Architecture + Planning

Javier Alegre, Latino Behavioral Health Services

Naima Mohamed, Refugee Services, DWS and Somali Youth Center

Lamar Spotted Elk, Salt Lake City School District

Mayra Cedano, Comunidades Unidas

Abdulkhaliq Barbaar, University Neighborhood Partners and Al-Huda Islamic Center

Melshina Folau, United Micronesian Women

Sarah Hart, College of Nursing

Marissa Diener, Department of Family and Consumer Studies

Lina Svedin, Department of Political Science

Leticia Alvarez Gutiérrez, College of Education

Caren Frost, College of Social Work

Ex-Officio Members

Andrew Weyrich, VP for Research

kathryn stockton, Dean, TRANSFORM

Keith Diaz Moore, Dean, College of Architecture + Planning

Dean McGovern, Director, Bennion Center

Jennifer Mayer-Glenn, Special Assistant to the President for Campus-Community Partnerships

Committee Leads

Andi Witczak, Bennion Center

Adrienne Cachelin, Environmental and Sustainability Studies

Ana Antunes, Gender Studies and University Neighborhood Partners

Paul Kuttner, University Neighborhood Partners

Student Research Assistant

Anahy Salcedo, Bennion Center & Science in the Parks