Welcome to the College of Public and Community Service (CPCS) at University of Massachusetts-Boston!

At CPCS, we recognize that each person is special and unique, with special and unique skills and talents, and that each person matters. CPCS’s mission is a “timeless mission” of change, empowerment, and public and community service. We, therefore, embrace the idea of progressive social change and constructive civic engagement through the use of vision.

Founded in 1972-1973, CPCS has been immersed in and has stayed on the cutting edge of a new, evolutionary paradigm of learning and higher education, creatively seeking to chart new ground, and to continuously experiment with innovative approaches to education and community service.

A new, evolving paradigm of learning and higher education implies a shift in consciousness, a new way of viewing the world and of carrying out education in that world. This new view or new consciousness seeks to transcend limits and to unleash new creative energy for innovative activities intended to bring about constructive individual change and empowerment, as well progressive social change, constructive civic engagement, and community empowerment.

Paradigms act like hypnotic suggestions that impact how one views the world or constructs reality. The old paradigm of learning and higher education thus hypnotically generates suggestions about how to achieve norms, obedience, and correct answers. This new, evolutionary paradigm generates suggestions about the processes of life-long learning, self-discipline, curiosity, and creative risk. Such a paradigm shift or consciousness shift represents a constant vigilance to provide responsive and relevant teaching and learning, particularly for adult and underserved learners. One essence of this new consciousness is a vision-linked evolutionary concept, i.e., the concept that the present will be determined more by the future than by the past. A vision, therefore, calls to us and moves us forward, speaks to us of certain beliefs, ideas, values, ideals, and truths that we want to manifest and energizes us to action in accord with our inner most truths with wisdom. CPCS thus invites, nurtures, and co-creates teaching and learning arenas for the blending of “vision-making” and “action-orientations” for public and community service.

CPCS’s “timeless vision” is a vision that speaks of progressive social change and constructive civic engagement through unique forms of community service (e.g., college-agency agreements) and a vision that nurtures empowerment of individuals and communities through a unique form of education (e.g., competency-based education). It is a vision, therefore, that is fueled by this new, evolutionary paradigm of learning and higher education—a paradigm that nurtures creativity and values life-long learning.

With its timeless mission and timeless vision, CPCS brings together “intentional learning communities” of diverse students, staff, and faculty. The result has been and continues to be innumerable CPCS success stories of those who have gained local, national, and international recognition for their extraordinary scholarship and public and community service activities. Individually and collectively, for example, CPCS faculty, and some staff and students, have numerous book, journal, book chapter, research, and report publications, and present at numerous local, national, and international conferences. CPCS alumni include public figures like Thomas Menino, Mayor of Boston, Joseph P. Kennedy, former Congressman & CEO, Citizens Energy Corp, and Senator Stephen Tolman, Massachusetts State Senator.

I view CPCS as a co-creative enterprise of gifted and knowledgeable faculty, motivated and resourceful students, and compassionate, talented, and helpful staff. My hope is that all will experience CPCS as their academic extended family, where creative and innovative teaching and learning takes place, with a focus on public and community service. I feel very honored and privileged, therefore, to serve as the administrator of this unique and extraordinary college with its timeless mission and timeless vision. Welcome Aboard! And, Welcome Home!

Cuf Ferguson

Carroy U. “Cuf” Ferguson, Ph. D.
CPCS Administrator (Dean)