Virginia Commonwealth University
EN-13: Community Service

Part 1. Percentage of students participating in community service

Institution engages its students in community service, as measured by the percentage of students who participate.  

Part 2. Community service hours per student

Institution engages students in community service, as measured by the average hours contributed per student per year.

Part 3. Employee community service program

Institution has a formal program to support employee volunteering during regular work hours, for example by offering paid time off for volunteering or by sponsoring an organized service event for which employees are compensated.

This credit applies to all institutions.

Each part is scored independently.

Part 1

An institution earns the maximum 2.25 points available for Part 1 of this credit by engaging 100 percent of its predominant student body in community service. Incremental points are awarded based on the percentage of students that contribute community service. For example, an institution where 50 percent of students contributed some community service would earn 1.125 points (half of the points available for Part 1).

Points for Part 1 are calculated automatically in the STARS Reporting Tool as follows:

Part 2

An institution earns the maximum 2.25 points available for Part 2 of this credit by engaging its students in an average of 20 hours of community service per year. Incremental points are awarded based on the average number of hours contributed. For example, an institution where students contributed an average of 10 hours per year would earn 1.125 points (half of the points available for Part 2).

Points for Part 2 are calculated automatically in the STARS Reporting Tool as follows:

Part 3  

An institution earns the maximum of 0.5 points available for Part 3 of this credit for having a formal program to support employee volunteering during regular work hours. Partial points are not available for Part 3.

Timeframe

Report the most recent annual data available from within the three years prior to the anticipated date of submission.

Sampling and Data Standards

Part 1 and Part 2

Include, at minimum, all full-time undergraduate students enrolled for credit or else the institution’s predominant student body. An institution may use a representative sample or survey to determine student participation in community service or report actual or expected participation in formal community service programs. An institution may choose to exclude non-credit, part-time, continuing education, distance education, and/or graduate students, as long as they are excluded from both the count of students engaged in community service and the count of total students. Any exclusions should be documented in the “Data source(s) and notes…” field.

Part 3

Report actual participation in incentive programs sponsored by the institution, e.g., as measured by the number of paid community service hours claimed or the number of hours contributed during organized service events.