Community Service Requirement
General Information about:
The Community Service Requirement's History
Overview of Community Service Requirement
More Information about the Community Service Requirement (CMSV 100):
CMSV 100 Rights and Responsibilities
Frequently Asked Questions- CMSV 100
In 1986, then President William Kinnison joined Campus Compact in order to promote public service on college campuses. A volunteer program, called “Doing Our Share” was established and by November boasted 200 participants. In the spring of 1988, Wittenberg established a community service graduation requirement. “One of the aims of Community Service is to create an awareness of the needs of others and to develop more compassionate human beings who are able to respond to these needs. In order to help students achieve these goals, Wittenberg will place them in an environment that will develop their awareness of social responsibilities.” (Faculty Minutes, 2/4/89). Through the years, refining changes improved Wittenberg’s service effort. Significant among these was the faculty vote in the Fall of 2000 to create the course Community Service 100 (CMSV 100).
Community Service 100 (CMSV 100) basics:
- Wittenberg students pick one semester before they graduate to register for Community Service 100 (CMSV 100), the course students take to complete the service requirement.
- Students complete 27 hours of service and 3 hours of reflection in the semester they register for CMSV 100
- Students must complete at least 20 of their 27 hours at one site.
- The course follows all add/drop deadlines as determined by the Registrar’s Office.
- Students are to turn in a Placement Confirmation form (for 20+ hour service site) by the end of the 5th week of the semester
- Students turn in a self-evaluation and reflection essay at the end of the semester.
- Service sites verify and submit a service log and site evaluation for each student completing 20 or more service hours with their organization.
- There is no cost to register for CMSV 100 since the course is 0-credit.
- Students must complete all requirements within the semester or lose earned hours, and they must begin again in a future semester.
The CMSV 100 experience provides students the opportunity to:
- Interact with people from various cultures and life situations.
- Participate in a service immersion experience offered during break times that are sponsored by a Wittenberg organization. For an immersion experience to count for CMSV 100, it must also offer participants who want to use this experience to complete their community service requirement an engagement experience in the local community. CMSV 100 students who participate in the immersion experience will complete 27 hours of direct service, which includes this engagement experience in the local community (typically a minimum of 3 hours of service).
- Connect with Springfield/Clark County by completing service hours in this community with a non-profit organization in partnership with the Community Service program. If a service opportunity is not available on the partner list or cannot be arranged by the Community Service program, then a student can submit a self-design proposal to the Director of Community Service for approval.
The CMSV 100 experience:
- Is separate from service required by internship or another course for credit.
- Is not compensated.
- Does not allow students to count hours spent sleeping or traveling towards the total hours needed to complete the requirement.
- Does not involve direct religious persuasion or political campaigning.
- Does not include participating in events such as fundraisers where the student does not interact directly with the non-profit organization.
- Must be completed during the semester registered for CMSV 100 to successfully pass and to receive possible Dean’s List recognition
CMSV 100 Outcomes:
We have established desired outcomes for community service. Your community service experience will provide you the opportunity to:
- Acquire and apply skills, abilities, and knowledge to serve an organization that benefits the community.
- Gain an understanding of a community by building reciprocal relationships within a community organization.
- Develop an empathetic understanding for other people and life situations.
- Build confidence in one’s ability to contribute to the common good.
- Understand one’s responsibility to be an active citizen in society.
- Add a positive value to one’s college experience.
Placement Confirmation - Students are asked to submit this form by the end of the 5th week of the semester to inform the Community Service Program of their service placement. It asks the students to describe and determine goals for the service experience. It must be signed by the student and the site manager.
Service Log - Students use this form to record hours served (20 hrs minimum) and specific activities each visit. Form is typically kept on-site. If a site requires a separate sign-in, the student should ask who will fill out the Service Log.
Site Manager Evaluation - The site manager completes one form for each student at the site. Site-Managers complete the form for students completing 20+ service hours.
Self-Evaluation - Student comments are solicited at the end of the semester regarding the service, service site and the Community Service Program. Students must return the form by the paperwork due date.
Reflection Essay - An assigned 3-4 page essay asking students to reflect on their service experience. This essay fulfills 1 hour of reflection and is due by the paperwork due date.
Self-Design Proposal - Students interested in completing service at a non-partner site must submit a Self-Design proposal to the director of Community Service for approval. Your proposal for service needs to meet the guidelines for CMSV 100 and you will need to explain how your experience will help you achieve the desired outcomes of CMSV 100. Proposals must be turned in by Friday of the 4th week of semester that the student is registered for CMSV 100.
Special Project Log - Used for pre-approved service not completed at the student’s primary site. A maximum of 7 hours total may be submitted as Special Project hours.
Community Service Transportation Scheduling Form - Used for CMSV 100 students who need a ride to and from a service site. This form is due to Community Service by the 5th week of the semester that the student is registered for CMSV 100. Rides must be scheduled at least 72 hours in advance.
All forms are available on the Forms Page.
Completing Community Service 100 during the Summer
• Students interested in completing the community service requirement during the summer must register for CMSV 100-01 for Term 5 of the Summer Session. They must attend an Orientation in late April or May. A student must attend an Orientation before starting their service hours.
• Students have between the start of Summer Session Term 5 and the day before classes start in August to complete their service hours. Students must attend the mandatory reflection session the first week of the fall semester and successfully complete all the remaining requirements of the course.
• The deadline for CMSV 100 registration is typically the 3rd Friday in May.
• Students must complete service at one of the partner sites in Springfield/Clark County that is on the Community Service Opportunities List. Students have the opportunity to create a self-designed experience, but it must meet the guidelines for CMSV 100 and be approved by the Director of Community Service. The summer session due date for self-design proposals is the third Friday after Summer Session Term 5 begins.
• Summer registration for CMSV 100 carries the presumption that the student will be enrolling in the following Fall semester since completion requires that the student attend a mandatory reflection session during the 1st week of the Fall semester.
Click Here to get more specific information about completing Community Service 100 during the summer.
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