Service-Learning @ UIndy

Fight to let students make their own choices! It is the best part of our service-learning courses. An individualized experience is superior to forcing students to attend a specific place in groups. It is also a good experience for them to go through the selection process and attend those initial appointments. Hundreds of Community Partners are available on Hounds Connect for Service-Learning students to connect with.

If you have collaborations with agencies that could engage your students in meaningful ways through service-learning you can proceed with developing those projects but you should  always inform the Center for Service-Learning & Community Engagement about those collaborations. Failing to inform the CSLCE about your networks and partnerships could result in the unintentional exclusion of the partners to campus wide events such as the Community Partner Fair Days or the semi-annual Service-Learning Expos. Also, the more information the center has about where our students are serving and learning, the better opportunity we will have to visit the students on site and follow up with them and the community partners. It is important that you require your students to attend one of UIndy’s Community Partners Fairs to network and meet personally with organizational representatives. We highly recommend that you also attend those fairs. Those are opportunities for you to get to know reliable places to send your students! Generally, the events are held the first two weeks of each semester and dates are always announced closer to the beginning of each semester.

You have the option to create a binder of community partner flyers and cards. If students are looking for a good site then you can just hand them something to keep out of the binder. The Center for Service-Learning & Community Engagement highly recommends that you use the online service system called HoundsConnect to share that information with your students. You can use the system to organize your course, forms, class lists, reflection practices, monitor your students performance, etc. See below for more information on HoundsConnect.UIndy.edu and make sure to activate your UIndy account today!

Students are always encouraged to visit the Center for Service-Learning & Community Engagement in person (Esch Hall 134) or via opening a helpdesk ticket at cslce@uindy.edu. They can also call 317-788-2143 to make an appointment. Prior to sending your students to the Center, you should have a discussion with them so they have at least some area of interest before going in.

TYPICAL STEP-BY-STEP STUDENT TIMELINE FOR SERVICE-LEARNING COURSES:

1. Download the new HoundsConnect app and create an account. 
2. Choose a service-learning site (and get approval from the instructor via email)
3. Complete the initial paperwork.
   • Acknowledgment, Assumption of Risk, Release of Claims, Indemnification and Hold Harmless Agreement to be signed and collected during the first or second meeting that you hold with Enrollees. The professor keeps these on file in case of legal issues. Everyone in the lab should sign right away.
   • Standard Title IX Handout. These are just given to students to review at the first or second meeting of the course.
   • Custom “Introduction Letter” to be delivered to site supervisor at the initial appointment. This gives the site supervisor an explanation of the lab. It also gives them your direct contact information.
   • Custom “Site Supervisor Contact Information” to be filled out, signed and returned. This serves as a record of the initial appointment. Also gives you the site supervisor’s direct contact info.
4. Contact the organization (and set up their initial appointment). Depending on the type of the course students may also contact the organization directly but must always inform the faculty on their schedule and plans.
5. Complete your 28 service-learning hours and reflective journaling. Reflective guides can be found online at uindy.edu/service-learning under the faculty resources tab.
6. make sure to schedule student presentations at the end of the semester as a part of your final course requirement.
   • Even though not required, participation in the service expo is highly recommended, as this is the only campus-wide event where students and departments can share their stories of service-learning impact. You are highly encouraged to consider adding this to your syllabus. students who are working at certain locations to share their experiences with the class when studying selected topics)

7. Submit the final service-learning portfolio (by the end of finals week).
8. Assigned pass or fall, awarded bonus points if they’re being offered.

It is recommended that you have service-learning students meet in-person during the last 15 minutes of, or immediately after, the class.  We suggest that you plan to meet two or three times at the beginning of the semester (for Steps 1-4), once around midterms just to check in on progress (Step 5), and then maybe two times near the end of the semester to schedule presentations and discuss the final portfolio requirements (Steps 6-8).

You have the option to either have the necessary service-learning forms (or full packet) printed out and ready to go for each meeting or you can share the electronic link with them and go over the forms with them during that meeting. All the forms can be used in printed or electronic/fillable formats.  All of the forms that you need can be found here at the CSL website: https://uindy.edu/service-learning/faculty-resources.