University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
IN-1: Innovation 1

Exemplary Performance: Community Service Hours Carolina's mission of teaching and discovery, conducting life-changing research, and helping others through public service is embraced by the entire UNC community. During the 2009-2010 school year, Carolina students contributed 1,148,966 community service hours. Using the AASHE STARS formula in Planning, Administration & Engagement, Credit 23: Community Service Hours, UNC would earn 12.85 points, more than double the maximum number of points it is possible to earn for this credit. Community Service hours at UNC are tracked by the Carolina Center for Public Service, established in 1999. The Center engages and supports the faculty, students, and staff of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in meeting the needs of North Carolina and beyond. In 2003, the Center established the Public Service Scholars program to provide development opportunities and recognition for students who contribute more than 300 hours of service, take a service learning course, and participate in leadership development workshops. 172 Public Service Scholars were graduated in 2009. They contributed more than 78,000 hours of service, or an average of more than 450 hours each. The top five service focus areas of 2009 graduates were Children and Youth, Health, Education, Social Justice, and Hunger and Homelessness/Poverty. More than 2,000 students at Carolina are currently participating in the Public Service Scholars Program and they represent 75% of all majors. See data at http://www.unc.edu/cps/documents/09PSSgradbulletin.pdf In 2009, the University was named to the (U.S.) President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll. UNC was the only tier one research university to receive one of six Presidential Awards. The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching has three classifications for engagement: "Curricular Engagement," which entails engaging students and faculty with the community; "Outreach and Partnership," which combines the application and provision of institutional resources to mutually benefit the campus and the community, and "Community-Engaged University," which encompasses both categories. UNC was one of only 62 institutions in the country that met the requirements for the combined category in 2006, the first year the classifications were available.