The Center for Community Research and Development is a multidisciplinary research group that also serves as a state-of-the-art laboratory for applied sociology doctoral students. Housed on the third floor of the Clifton Robinson Tower, the Center is equipped with extensive computer technology and software packages. Software is both Macintosh and Window based, allowing for the use of many applications simultaneously. Both laser and color printers are available to aid in the creation of graphic-intensive reports on key research findings. Center facilities also include a suite of offices for faculty and graduate students, a spacious focus group room, an observation room, and data entry terminals. Phone banks are also conveniently located in Robinson Tower. These phones are linked to computers to form a fully-operational Computer Aided Telephone Interviewing (CATI) system. The combination of research expertise and the latest technology enables the Center to not only meet client needs, but exceed expectations.

The Center for Community Research and Development (CCRD) was established at Baylor University in 1979 as a multidisciplinary entity with a mission of engaging Baylor faculty and students in applied social research aimed at improving the local quality of life. Over time, the CCRD has broadened its focus, sometimes engaging in statewide or national research, and the CCRD has become closely linked with Baylor's Ph.D. program in Applied Sociology. Still, our research remains multidisciplinary and many of the CCRD's projects retain a local quality of life focus.

The CCRD began by working out of faculty offices in Sociology and Political Science and did not move into its own facilities until 1990, when the operations center was located in the basement of the Sid Richardson Science Building. Most recently, the CCRD moved to Suite 300 of the Robinson Tower in 1994. These modern facilities allow easier access to the community and include:

offices for Center directors, three doctoral students, a research analysts, and a project manager,

focus group facilities with a separate observation room and recording equipment,

a conference room for meetings and graduate seminars,

report production facilities for CCRD documents,

a local area network with both Windows and Mac operating systems, and

access to a Computer Assisted Telephone Interviewing (CATI) system on the eighth floor of Robinson Tower.

The Center for Community Research and Development is equipped to undertake a wide variety of projects for organizations, businesses, industries, and governmental agencies. Services include:

Mail Surveys

Telephone Surveys

Questionnaire design

Needs assessments

Program planning and evaluation

Impact assessments

Population trend studies and projections

Data collection and analysis

Sampling designs

Focus groups

Seminars and workshops on community issues

The CCRD is a non-profit service center for the community and University. Fees charged for research projects represent actual costs for services and enable the CCRD to be self-supporting.

The CCRD has service a varied clientele on a large number of issues. Representative projects include:

Telephone surveys for the City of Waco, Southwestern Bell, the Waco Tribune-Herald

Site location research for the Perryman Group, American Airlines

Needs assessments for the Baptist General Convention of Texas, the United Way

Population projections for the Heart of Texas Council of Governments, Heritage House

Focus groups for Creative Education Institute, Baylor University, EEOC, City of Waco

Mail-out surveys for Hillcrest Baptist Medical Center, the City of Woodway

Intercept surveys for Richland Mall, the Texas Ranger Museum, the Dr. Pepper Museum

Mock juries and change of venue research for Waco and Dallas law firms

Program assessments for the McLennan County Youth Collaboration, Waco Police Department

Door-to-door surveys for the Waco Housing Authority, Mission Waco, Drug Prevention Resources

Voter exit interviews for the Dallas Independent School District

Institutional evaluation for San Marcos Baptist Academy, the BGCT's Church Building Planning Dept., Baptists in Scouting, Baylor University, Waco Independent School District

Program development for the Cooper foundation, the Junior League, MHMR