Designation Information for Faculty

Service Learning Designation Process

  1. Required service activities are connected to the academic material and curriculum goals of the course. The service­‐learning component is part of the requirements for a credit-­‐bearing course.
  2. The service activities are meaningful to the community in which the students are volunteering.
  3. The service activities are meaningful to the students (e.g. simply picking up trash on the side of the road might be helpful to a community but has little academic or personal impact for a student).
  4. A minimum number of hours per student per semester are required. We suggest a range of 20-­30 hours, as that is the general standard stated in the SUNY Service-­‐ Learning Toolkit (University Faculty Senate). Fewer hours can also be successful, depending on the activities.
  5. Some classroom time (or individual time) is spent discussing the service-­‐learning component prior to participation in service activities.
  6. Reflection is an integral component to the assignment (this includes classroom discussions, journal entries, project evaluations, and/or classroom presentations).
  7. The service activities foster and promote civic and/or social responsibility towards the community
  8. No payment is received in exchange for the service activities (a paid internship, for example, is not service­‐learning).
  9. The CSRC is notified of any changes from the original syllabus (submitted during the Service-Learning Designation Process) to the service-­‐learning component of the course during the semester.
  10. Students will arrange their community service activities through the CSRC and fill out volunteer time sheets unless otherwise arranged.

Service-Learning Should Also:

  1. Provide problem‐solving opportunities.
  2. Foster critical thinking skills.
  3. Promote teamwork and cooperation.
  4. Include recognition of students’ efforts by peers, community members, and/or instructors.
  5. Connect SUNY Oneonta with the community in positive ways.

The SL Designation is not a permanent designation. It is done on a semester basis. No change to the course description is needed, and you can experiment with SL but you are not committing to anything if you simply try it during a particular semester.

  1. The instructor will:
  • Submit the course syllabus with a detailed description of the SL component and the Cover Form found on the website and send to Linda Drake, Executive Director at the CSRC Linda.Drake@oneonta.edu
  • These materials must be submitted to the CSRC by the end of February for a fall semester course, and by the end of September for a spring semester course

B. The Executive Director at CSRC will review the materials provided by the instructor and determine if the course meets the SL attribute designation parameters detailed in the “Service-Learning Attribute Designation” document

  • Following approval by the Executive Director at the CSRC the course will be reviewed by the Curriculum Committee. Once approved, the course will be submitted to the registrar for the SL designation. Courses so designated will be show an “SL” with a short description on the digital registration schedule for the appropriate semester.
  • If not approved, the Executive Director will meet with the instructor to discuss modifications of the SL component
  • Listing of SL courses will be available on the CSRC website.

Look at the document above, for the parameters required for a SL course. This applies to courses with a required or optional SL components.

Service opportunities are arranged in coordination with the CSRC. The CSRC already has established community partners but if there is another community partner you have in mind, the CSRC is happy to work with you on establishing an effective and collaborative relationship.

Things to consider when developing a SL component:

  1. How will the service experience connect with and enhance the curriculum objectives?
  2. Will the SL project be required or optional?
  3. What type of reflection will be required - presentation, reflection papers, reflection journal?
  4. How many hours and activities will be required for each student?
  5. Will you meet with the community partner ahead of time to discuss the SL objectives?
  6. How will your service activity fulfill a community need?
  7. How hours will be recorded (starting with timesheets)
  8. Who will be supervising the students' on-site experiences?
  9. Will the community partner play a role in evaluating the service?
  10. Will the community partner receive any tangible products as a result of a placement?

Professors can submit their courses for SL Designation to CSRC during the month of February (for fall semester) or during September (for spring semester).

Registrar needs our finalization for SL Designated courses

  • Summer Session - February 1st
  • Fall Semester - March 10th
  • Spring Semester - October 1st

Faculty who are teaching a course with a service-learning component and want the SL designation for their course should follow this process:

  1. Fill out this form for undergraduate courses
  2. For repeated SL courses fill out this form
  3. Fill out this form for graduate courses

Please complete all forms that apply to your service learning courses, and email them to Linda.Drake@oneonta.edu

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