Forms Applicable to Students

Orientation Checklist: The Orientation Checklist (docx) is a resource tool to help prepare service-learning students for their community engagement experience. This checklist can be adapted and designed by each campus for their various service-learning placements. The orientation should provide students with a clear understanding of the work they will be doing, the risks (and subsequent preventions) associated with that work, and how they should conduct themselves when they are working in the community as part of a class assignment. Some of the information in the orientation will be the same for all students, and some will be specific to the individual learning site. The information and specifics that need to be compiled for the students’ orientation will come from conversations with the learning site. Orientations might be shared across parties, or one party takes responsibility. For example, a campus may have the community partner be solely responsible for the orientations. See Recommended Tips for Successful Orientation Approaches (pdf).

Student Service-Learning Participation Guidelines: Prior to reporting to a learning site, students should review and sign the Student Service-Learning Participation Guidelines (docx) to demonstrate that they have read and are aware of potential risks present, behavior expectations, and the scope and duration of their service assignment. While the goal of service-learning placements is to foster the desire for students to continue serving their community, it is important from a risk management perspective that the requirement of service learning is separate from the “voluntary service” of any student at a community-based organization not connected to a course. This precaution helps to reduce the university’s liability exposure by defining whether the student was outside their agreed-upon “term of service.” Many students may wish to do additional volunteer hours or tasks outside the scope of or past the end date of their placement, and clarity for all parties involved in understanding what time and work are related to the placement, and what is on the student’s own time is important.

It is recommended that the Student Service-Learning Participation Guidelines be incorporated into the student placement process (e.g., orientation, online pre-service sign-up process). Campuses may include additional guidelines that are specific to the campus or a particular placement, but it is recommended that no guidelines be deleted without first having a discussion with the campus risk manager.

 

Release of Liability Waiver: The California State University Use of Approved Waiver of Release of Liability (Waiver) (docx) was established to facilitate a uniform and consistent application of risk control on all campuses in the California State University system. The Release of Liability Waiver form is a legal document that students should read thoroughly before signing. Waivers are strongly recommended for all service-learning participants and must be completed prior to the first day of service. They should be stored according to your campus document retention policy. Faculty should be prepared to have an alternative assignment (i.e., research, paper, class presentation) for students that decline signing the Waiver. A variety of circumstances that students face may prohibit them from engaging in service-learning (i.e., transportation, health conditions, etc.) and they will self-select not to participate. There are countless ways to have students who decline to be on-site for service learning to still be engaged in the overall experience. It is the responsibility of the campus to be familiar with the CSU policy .

Time Logs/Student Tracking Form: It is essential for faculty and service-learning offices to ensure that students are properly tracking and documenting the dates and times that students are participating with service-learning activities as part of their service-learning requirement. The Time Logs should provide documentation of when, where, and what type of activities for which students participate. It is highly recommended that students keep track of their service hours. A signature by the site supervisor or faculty member serves as a verification of hours completed. This also protects students because it can serve as proof of the hours they served at the learning site. A process should be developed that allows the site supervisor to confirm that the hours and activities reported are accurate and provide the University with verification of where students have been placed during the term and ensure learning activities are within the scope of the agreed upon learning plan service objectives.

An example of a student tracking form (xlsx) can be found on the resource page of the Center for Community Engagement resource page. CalState S4 campuses utilize the time log feature.