Frequently Asked Questions:
How do I become a Community Partner Site?
Who from Wittenberg University might have an interest in serving at your site?
What exactly is the Community Service requirement?
How many hours do CMSV 100 students complete during the semester?
Will students stay beyond one semester?
How many students will serve with us for the semester?
When can I expect students to start?
What if students don't show up, stop coming, or don't complete their hours?
Are there events for me to attend?
Can I get a group of students for a one-time event at my site?
Additional Information:
How do I become a Community Partner Site?
Fill out Site Profile and/or contact the Community Service Office to talk about your interest. The office staff will determine if an additional meeting should be made with the director of the Community Service Office. The deadline to be considered as a partner site is August 1st for the fall semester and December 1st for the spring semester.
Who from Wittenberg University might have an interest in serving at your site?
Students registered for CMSV 100 (Community Service 100):
• Primarily, this is the majority of students who will be asking to do service at your site.
• These students are doing service for completion of their 27-hour requirement.
• They will need a service log verified and an evaluation filled out by you.
Students serving as a Student Coordinator or Community Service Scholar:
• Coordinators work in the Community Service Office. As part of their job, they are required to do a minimum of 20 hours of service per semester.
• Community Service Scholars have a Community Service Scholarship at Wittenberg. Scholars are also required to do a minimum of 20 hours of service per semester.
• Both Coordinators and Scholars will need a service log verified and an evaluation filled out by you.
Students serving as a requirement for a class at Wittenberg (Service Learning):
• A student may need to perform a service as part of a class requirement. The professor may have a special sheet needing a signature or other materials. The requirements are unique for each professor and the specialized class. They should share with you their learning objectives for the course and how you can help students achieve those goals.
Students obtaining a Service Learning Credit:
• A student has the option to add one-credit to any class at Wittenberg by completing service and then doing additional work for the class on their service experience. A proposal is required and needs the approval of and input from the site where the student will be completing his/her service.
Student Organizations/Greek Organizations/Residence Halls performing service:
• A student organization, Greek organization or residence hall may want to do service together as a team-building activity, and to expand their knowledge of the Springfield community. They may want to do a one-time activity or establish an on-going partnership with you.
What exactly is the Community Service requirement?
• Wittenberg students are asked to pick one semester to register for Community Service 100 (CMSV 100)
• Students complete 27 hours of service and 3 hours of reflection in the semester they register for CMSV 100.
• All students will be asked to complete at least 20 of their 27 hours at one site. We encourage students to commit all 27 hours to one site.
• We ask that students notify the Community Service Office of their placement by the end of the 6th week of the semester.
• We recommend that students schedule approximately 2-3 hours/week for their service.
• Students turn in a self-evaluation and reflection essay at the end of the semester.
• Sites verify a service log and evaluation and submit it by the CMSV 100 paperwork deadline
• Students must complete all service requirements within the semester or lose earned hours and they must begin again in a future semester.
(link to requirement information)
How many hours do CMSV 100 students complete during the semester?
CMSV 100 students will be required to complete 27 hours during the semester and they must compete 20 of their 27 hours at one-site. Most students will complete all 27 with one site. However, it is possible that students will complete 7 hours or less for you. These students need a Special Project Log verified by you. If your program requires that students need to be on-site for more than that amount, you should not change the expectations to fit the students.
Will students stay beyond one semester?
As you know, students’ schedules and commitments change from semester to semester. While juggling classes, part-time or full-time work, and other activities, students tend to make decisions based solely on time and how they manage that time. Know that having the expectation that students stay beyond a semester may not be realistic, but you can help create a culture that makes students want to stay longer. Provide a meaningful and rewarding experience, let students know that their work is valued, appreciated, and critical in fulfilling your agency’s mission and stress the value of continuity.
How many students will serve with us for the semester?
First, it is very important that you consider the number of students you can support each semester, knowing what they will need to do to complete their requirement.. Students are then given a list of pre-determined sites to choose from and they select the best site for them. Most students take location, time and scheduling, organization mission, and their own personal experience or passion into consideration. Many of our sites have over 20 students per semester, while others have just one or two.
When can I expect students to start?
If you refer to the calendar provided to you by the Community Service Office, you can note when semesters begin and end. Students are expected to contact a site within the first few weeks of the semester. It is not uncommon for students each semester to wait much longer to begin their service. If you receive a call from one of these students, do not feel obligated to fulfill their request. You can take them late in the semester if it works for your site. You are not required to accept late students just because they seem anxious about fulfilling their requirement.
What if students don’t show up, stop coming, or don’t complete their hours?
It is possible that some students will not follow through with their commitment to your organization. In the event that students say they are going to show up and don’t, or if they stop coming all together after coming a few times, the first thing to do is contact the student directly and ask what happened. In most cases the situation can be resolved at this step. If you are unsuccessful at reaching them or they do not return your calls, please contact the Community Service Office staff. We are here to help you work most effectively and successfully with students. Even if you only want to report the issue, and not necessarily have the students return, it is important for us to keep track of these situations as they occur.
Are there events for me to attend?
1. In early August we offer a site meeting, where you can meet and talk about issues relating to the partnership with the Community Service Office and get/provide updates.
2. At the beginning of fall and spring semester we host a Service Fair/Orientation which is attended by students who are registered for CMSV 100.
3. Throughout the year we host the Community Partner Development Series- a variety of educational sessions that allow you to grow professionally and personally, to meet faculty and staff at the university, and to network with other partner sites.
4. In addition, the CSO invites you to special events; you will receive that information directly through emails, direct mail, or phone calls.
Can I get a group of students for a one-time event at my site?
While the Community Service Office doesn’t specialize in one-time group projects, we are happy to try and connect you with student organizations or other members of our university community. Contact our office or go to our website to get a copy of the Special Project Request Form, which asks for particular information about your event that we use in soliciting help for you.
Community Service Partners will:
• Ensure safety of students on the site’s premises, and while doing service away from the site.
• Designate a contact person to assist the Community Service Office staff with placing students and provide feedback about their performance.
• Provide an orientation and/or training for students.
• Engage students in meaningful work that is beneficial to both the student and the site.
• Provide each student with a designated supervisor who clearly communicates tasks, answers questions, offers procedures to follow on how to report uncomfortable situations, etc.
• At the end of each semester, confirm students’ hours for the site and fill out evaluation, as needed.
• Provide the Community Service Office with updated service needs, site profiles, and contact information changes.
• Notify the Community Service Office staff when service needs are met or unfulfilled.
• Maintain communication with that Community Service Office and, at minimum, attend a site meeting each summer.
• Provide evaluative feedback to the Community Service Office.
• Support students by being realistic about their expectations (i.e. semester time frame, students employment schedules, etc.), being receptive to their ideas, opinions, concerns, and questions.
• Recognize their role as co-educators in the service-learning process by engaging students in conversations that promote outcomes of community service.
Community Service Office will provide:
• Opportunities for organizations to be paired with students completing their service hours as well as other students interested in serving the community.
• Access to students through advocacy of the community sites by the Community Service Office.
• Support and assistance with problem-solving for situations that occur as a result of students working with your site.
• Assistance with planning or facilitating training sessions or special workshops relating to community-university collaborations and service-learning.
• Assistance in navigating university resources.
• Events/resources that build a stronger relationship and network with the university, faculty, staff, and other community sites.
• Frequent communication from the Community Service Office Staff.