Guidelines for Adding a Service Learning Component to a Course

Each new Lee University freshman is required to complete 80 hours (8 units) of service-learning before graduation. A service unit is equal to 10 hours of service. To assist students in completing these requirements, faculty members are encouraged to embed service-learning components into their courses where appropriate. Faculty members interested in adding such a component to an existing undergraduate course should consult with their academic departments.

For a course to be considered, the faculty member must submit a proposal which should include the following to the Leonard Center.

1. The existing syllabus for the course and the proposed additions or changes.
    
2. A description of the type(s) of service opportunity(ies) that would be offered in the course. There must be at least 10 hours of service offered for students to receive 1 unit of service credit. Each course may include up to 20 hours of service for 2 units.
    
3. A description of the reflection activity that the students will complete as part of the course. This activity should be included in the proposed changes to the Evaluation section of the syllabus.
    
4. A projection of the semester for the first offering of the course.
   When proposals are approved, the faculty member must agree to complete a brief assessment instrument at the end of the course for the continual improvement of this element of the service-learning program.

To have a proposal considered for adoption in the approaching summer or fall semester, proposals must be submitted to the Leonard Center by February 28, while September 30 is the deadline for offering a course in the approaching spring semester. These deadlines are set to give the Service-Learning Committee time to process the proposals before the publication of the Schedule of Classes for the ensuing semester(s).

There will be a limited amount of funding available to complete the service projects in these enhanced courses. If the projects for a class will require funding, the course instructor may apply for it through the Leonard Center. The proposals will be reviewed by the date they are received in the Leonard Center for the funding requests since a limited amount of assistance will be available.

New courses with service-learning components may be submitted. However, the syllabi for these courses must be approved through the normal course approval cycle.