About the Center for Service Learning

The Center for Service Learning at the University of Kansas opened in 2005, and it represents the culmination of a decade of work by students, faculty, and administrators. A comprehensive guide to the Center, including services provided and student/faculty testimonials, can be found here.

Since its founding, the University of Kansas has been consistently aware of its leadership role in preparing generations of students to meet the demands of informed, democratic citizenship. One of the ways the University accomplishes this goal is through its commitment to, and promotion of, community service and, more recently, “service learning” coursework that integrates service and learning. Through the combined efforts of interested students, faculty, and staff, the University of Kansas has been, and continues to be, actively involved in serving the local community, the State of Kansas, the nation and the world.

The Center for Service Learning provides support and resources for faculty in designing and implementing service-learning courses. We also assist the University Registrar in documenting student participation in a designated service learning experience, coordinate or facilitate communications between other offices of teaching or service at KU, and advocate for service learning at KU by offering high visibility events or resources (e.g., workshops, on-going seminars, service-fairs, teach-ins, and public lectures).

The movement toward institutional support for service and service learning is a burgeoning one, a movement that involves all members of the University community—students, faculty, administration—as well as citizens of Kansas. Together, we move toward the common goal of meeting the University’s avowed mission to serve members of the community, the region, and Kansas through orchestrated efforts that have educational and civic benefits.

History of KU's commitment to service and service learning:

Within the last decade or so, public or community service has gained increasing prominence in the university’s understanding of its emerging mission. The Center for Service Learning flows as a logical next step from a series of KU activities, which include:

• In 1990 the University of Kansas Student Senate created and provided funding for the Center for Community Outreach.
• In December of 1992, the University Board of Regents adopted a “Statement of Institutional Mission” wherein service is included as one of five announced commitments for the Lawrence campus, and one of three stated commitments for the Medical Center campus in Kansas City.
• In February of 1995, Chancellor Robert E, Hemenway gave sustained emphasis to these earlier commitments in his “10 Points for a Great University.” A great university, Hemenway argues, “serves the society that supports it.”
• In 1997 the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences agreed to offer academic credit to students who completed the class associated with Alternative Breaks.
• In 1998 The College of Liberal Arts & Sciences agreed to share a staff member with Student Services to support and be the instructor of record for the class associated with Alternative Breaks.
• Chancellor's Initiative 2001: The Serve Kansas Task Force concluded that service learning “has not been a priority." As part of their recommendations, the Task Force suggested, among other things, that the university “adopt an institution-wide mission statement that addresses [its] commitment to public service” and that the university promote “service-based learning as part of the teaching curriculum.”
• In 2001 the University of Kansas became a constituent member of the National Campus Compact. In 2002 the university committed to supporting Kansas Campus Compact, a statewide consortium of, and resource for, institutions dedicated to promoting service learning in the State of Kansas.
• In 2001 the Student Senate committed $27,000 to supporting a student-run Office of Service Learning in conjunction with the Center for Community Outreach. They concluded after two years that this office could not sustain its mission without institutional support.
• In February of 2002, a Faculty Senate Executive Committee Task Force (commissioned by Lloyd Sponholtz and then Associate Provost James Carothers) published its report on Service learning Experiences at the University of Kansas.
• In the fall of 2002, and as a follow-up to the work performed by the SenEx Task Force, Senior Vice Provost Kathleen McCluskey-Fawcett, appointed a “Working Group” to address eight specific tasks—all of which relate to how opportunities for service and service learning can be fostered through institutional support.
• In February of 2004 the Kansas Board of Regents accepted KU’s performance indicators regarding enhanced learning communities that seek to achieve certification for service learning experiences by 2005-2006.
• January 2005 the Center for Teaching Excellence held a Service Learning Institute for faulty based on best practices model.
• In February 2005, the Center for Teaching Excellence and Student Health Services (SHS) received funding ($10,000) from the Association of American Colleges and Universities (AAC&U) to support training of faculty in incorporating service learning into their courses and to assess faculty and students outcomes, including health behaviors of students. This grant was matched with support from CTE and SHS.
• In February 2005, Thematic Learning Communities submitted a preliminary proposal to (AAC&U) incorporate service learning modules into TLCs, thereby creating SLTLCs, and to assess student and faculty outcomes, including health behaviors of students. This grant would be matched with support from Student Success.
• March 2005 this proposal is put forth to the Provost endorsed by: CCO, CTE, Alternative Breaks, and the Student Senate President.
• July 2005, tuition enhancement money is earmarked for the Center for Service Learning to be housed at Pinet House.
• August 2005, the second Service Learning Institute for faculty is held.