University of Minnesota, Morris : SEAMS Projects

I. Internet
As of now, an internet web page is in theoretical design. It is hoped that all reports generated will be available to the public, free of charge, through the electronic medium. In this regard, any interested parties may download the entire reports, or selected portions of each which are needed. Currently, a service learning project will be proposed to create this web page, along with continued support and maintenance. The UMM Mathematics Discipline will be donating the use of a DEC 5000/240 workstation, and needed hard disk space needed for the creation of this site.

II. Stevens County Economic Improvement Commission (SCEIC)
It is hoped that through partnerships with organizations such as the SCEIC and the UMM Service Learning courses will enhance the attractiveness of the Stevens County area not only to current businesses, but to businesses in other regions or states. The completed reports can be used to examine employment and industry trends, demographic traits, and environmental concerns in our area to assist businesses in determining optimal business expansion or relocation advantages which the Stevens County area holds.

III. West Central Initiative Fund (WCIF)
WCIF is an organization based in Fergus Falls dedicated to enhancing community growth through grants and loans to area businesses for startup and expansion costs in the hopes of creating jobs in West Central Minnesota. It is hoped that generated Service Learning reports will be utilized to determine areas of growth and decline both economically and demographically. With continuous updates, the reports will not only save costs normally incurred in data gathering, but provide a dedicated source of objective information.

IV. Benefactors
Other regional and non regional agencies will be contacted and placed on a mailing list to receive updates related to the Service Learning reports as needed or requested.

V. Campus Compact
Service Learning in Mathematics courses is in its infant stages, and with more research and continues commitment by the University of Minnesota, Morris, the generated reports will bring service learning into a professional atmosphere. As more schools become aware of the benefits to the community, the faculty, the students and the institution, the distribution of service learning resources can be used by Campus Compact to examine future growth and potential within the service learning aspects.

VI. City of Morris
The creation of baseline data for the City of Morris and its work on the Ten Year Comprehensive Plan is the initial goal for these courses. It is hoped that a better understanding of the current economic, demographic and land use characteristics will assist in the projections and highlight traits of the region which normally would not have been fiscally possible in the creation of the Ten Year Comprehensive Plan. The contacts created through this collaboration are deemed essential in the continuation of this project, as the community saw "Increased University Contact" as one of the primary concern of persons in the community.