University of Nebraska at Omaha
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additional resources.
community faq.
- Why participate in a service-learning partnership?
- How does UNO's service-learning program differ from high school programs?
- What kinds of service-learning projects have been done in the past and where?
Agency needs and process
- How will I know if the needs of our agency are going to be met?
- How many hours of service-learning work do the students have to complete during the semester? Are we at the agency responsible for keeping track of the hours?
- When will we find out if our agency will have service-learning students?
- What if some of the students stop coming during the semester?
- Who do I contact if a problem arises with a student?
- Who is liable if something goes wrong at the agency during the service-learning experience?
- How can the agency recognize an exceptional service-learning student?
- How can our organization get involved?
Why participate in a service-learning partnership?
Staff members at community organizations welcome service-learning projects for many reasons:
- They value their relationships with the university
- They see service-learning as an outreach activity, increasing visibility for their organization and its work
- They appreciate the students' contribution to their organization and its clients
- They enjoy coaching students and observing their development.
How does UNO's service-learning program differ from high school programs?
Many high schools recommend or require that their students participate in community service. Usually, students volunteer at community agencies, then reflect on the experience, often by writing about it or by making a brief presentation to classmates. At the K-12 level, service-learning is typically something students do in addition to taking classes.
At the university level, service-learning is typically an activity students undertake in the context of their classes. Since it's important that service-learning activities meet the needs of the community (as defined by the community) and advance the students' understanding of the course content (as defined by the professor), the activities may require more collaborative planning.
Another difference between K-12 and university-level service-learning is, of course, that university students are adults, so they can contribute to the community through a wider variety of activities to which they bring greater skills and judgment.
What kinds of service-learning projects have been done in the past and where?
Numerous examples of specific service-learning projects can be viewed on this site. Look at some examples of service-learning in action!
How will I know if the needs of our agency are going to be met?
If you have well-articulated needs, then the professor should be able to align service-learning objectives to meet those needs, within the time constraints of the semester. It is important for the professor and community agency representative to clarify their goals and expectations for the activity early in the project development process.
How many hours of service-learning work do the students have to complete during the semester? Are we at the agency responsible for keeping track of the hours?
The number of service-learning hours each student completes during the semester is up to the individual faculty member. Some faculty members have students perform 10 hours of service-learning per semester, while others have students do 40 hours per semester. It is the professor's decision. It is recommended that the faculty member and the community agency representative meet and discuss who will keep track of student hours and how that information will be shared.
When will we find out if our agency will have a service-learning student?
Either a staff member from the Service-Learning Academy or the professor of a service-learning class will contact you via the telephone, email or fax.
What if some students stop coming during the semester?
Notify the professor immediately if the student stops coming.
Who do I contact if a problem arises with a student?
Each professor should devise a plan for dealing with any problems during the service-learning experience. We recommend that students first consult their site supervisor with any problems. Immediately following the discussion with the site supervisor, students are encouraged to notify their professor. As a site supervisor, be sure to document any problems you have. Call the professor and inform him or her of the situation if the problem is not resolved.
Who is liable if something goes wrong at the agency during the service-learning experience?
The University of Nebraska is self-insured for professional and comprehensive general liability in the amount of $1,000,000 per occurence and $3,000,000 in the aggregate of liability occurences in any fiscal year. To minimize risk, faculty and community agencies should set up a line of communication for students to report difficulties and to solve problems.
How can an agency recognize an exceptional service-learning student?
Agency representatives can recognize exceptional students through positive feedback on the student evauluations, personal contacts, thank-you notes, and even a letter of recommendation for student service-learning awards. Agency representatives can talk to their cooperating professor if they are interested in recognizing individual students.
How can our organization get involved?
If you're interested in developing a service-learning partnership with UNO faculty and students, please contact the Service-Learning Academy.
