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Community Service Survey

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

University of California, Santa Cruz

Summer of 1998 and Academic Year 1998-99

UCSC Students, Faculty and Staff performed 895,000 hours of community service during 1998-99. This represents the equivalent contribution of 429 full-time employees with a value of $11.8 million (not including employee benefits). (Based on the total headcount of undergraduate students (9610), graduate students (955), faculty (591), and staff (4,930) or a total of 16,086 UCSC students, faculty and staff in the academic year, this could be averaged at over fifty-five hours per person.

Students

Graduate and Undergraduate students performed a total of 600,000 hours of community service during 1998-99. Among the major contributions by UCSC students were the following:

  • 1,200 hours of volunteer work at the Santa Cruz Boys and Girls Club;
  • 6,000 hours of volunteer work at Dominican Hospital;
  • 850 hours of volunteer service at Food Not Bombs;
  • 7,500 hours of volunteer service at the Walnut Avenue Women’s Center;
  • 1,500 hours of volunteer service at the Legal Aid of the Central Coast;
  • 2,800 hours at Suicide Prevention Service;
  • 2,880 hours at the Santa Cruz Needle Exchange.

Undergraduate Students performed 500,000 hours of community service in the following areas ranked by areas most served:

  • Schools, Education and Libraries
  • Private Business
  • Humanitarian Services-General
  • Environment
  • Church/Religious
  • Health Issues
  • Youth Humanitarian
  • Culture/Arts

2,585 or 26% of undergraduate students performed service learning during the academic year of 1998-99 equivalent to 245,000 hours of the total 500,000 hours of community service.

Graduate Students performed approximately 105,000 hours of community service during the summer of 1998 and the academic year of 1998-99.

Faculty and Staff

Faculty and Staff performed more that 290,000 hours of community service in 1998-99.

UCSC Faculty and Staff performed community service in the following areas, starting with the areas most served:

  • Cultural Events and Entertainment
  • Environmental Issues/Recreation
  • Humanitarian and Community Services
  • Schools and other Educational Venues
  • Other Child/Youth Oriented Services
  • Athletics
  • Health Related Services
  • Religious/Church Related Services

Other Highlights

Many Faculty, Staff and Students said that they contributed funding or other donations

UCSC’s Alumni ranked in the top 25 of the “1998 List of Colleges and Universities with Graduates Currently Serving as Peace Corp Volunteers.”

Many campus organizations promote community service.

There are a multitude of Outreach Programs affiliated with the university which students, faculty and staff dedicate a great deal of time.

FULL REPORT

INTRODUCTION

This report summarizes service opportunities available through the University of California, Santa Cruz and the community service performed by the students, faculty and staff at UCSC. The report identifies campus service opportunities, University outreach programs, student community service participation, and faculty and staff community service participation in activities performed during the summer of 1998 and the academic year of 1998-99. The estimates provided in the report are based on surveys conducted during 1999, and Winter 2000.

This report has been prepared in response to inquiries by campus and community members regarding the amount of community service performed by UCSC students, faculty and staff. The information will also be shared with the University of California, Office of the President (UCOP), which is conducting a system-wide assessment of community service activities performed by the students in the UC system. The UCOP investigation follows California Governor Davis’s suggestion that he will propose a requirement to engage all California college students in fulfilling a “community service requirement” as a condition of graduation.

Introduction to Terms

There is often confusion about community service related terms. For the purposes of this report, volunteer work is non-paid service to the community. Community service will be defined as any type of service that benefits the campus or other community—including paid service, volunteer work and service learning. Service learning is the integration of community service with the curriculum of a course. Through service learning, students may apply methods or theories of academia to the real world. Service is followed by analysis, allowing one to look at prior hypotheses and reflect on the implications of the service. Community service that is not service learning is sometimes referred to as non-academic service.

UNDERGRADUATE COMMUNITY SERVICE SURVEY

The Community Service Survey was distributed to undergraduate students at UCSC for the purpose of determining the amount and types of community service they performed outside of service learning courses. (Undergraduate student participation in service learning is reported separately.) Surveys were posted on the web and announced via email addresses to 7,000 undergraduate students who were enrolled at UCSC during the summer of 1998 and the academic year 1998-99. Paper surveys were also provided upon request.

Undergraduate Survey Respondents

There were 640 undergraduate surveys completed and returned. Survey responses were received from approximately 7 percent of the total undergraduate population (1998-99), and 9% of those surveyed. 57 percent of the undergraduate students that contributed to community service were females and 43 percent were males; 42 percent were freshpersons and sophomores, and 58 percent were juniors and seniors.

Undergraduate Service Performed

Of the survey respondents, 53 percent said they contributed time to community service. These students identified 17,000 hours of community service participation that occurred between June 1998 and the end of June 1999. In addition, students identified many other service activities that they performed, but failed to indicate the number of hours of their service participation. If survey respondents were reflective of the rest of the 1998-99 undergraduate population, it could be estimated that undergraduate students participated in over 255,000 hours of community service in the summer of 1998 and the academic year of 1998-99 (excluding community service performed as part of a service learning course).

Types of Undergraduate Community Services Performed

Most of the community service performed by students between June 1998 and the end of June 1999 could be reflected in the following areas:

Type Percent
Schools, Education and Libraries 43%

Private Business

 15%

Humanitarian Services - General

 14%
Environment 13%
Church/Religious 6%
Health Issues 5%
Youth Humanitarian 3%
Culture/Arts 1%
TOTAL 100%

Specific Undergraduate Service Locations and Activities

Schools, Education and Libraries—includes classroom assistance; computer training; curriculum development; tutoring, peer advising and/or mentoring; and volunteering at various campus and community libraries, such as the UCSC Library and the Women’s Studies Library at UCSC.

Private Business—includes advertising service, working for private business, consulting, lectures and speeches, political fundraising, technical and clerical assistance, and working for the City or County Governments.

Humanitarian Services—includes performing service for Above the Line, the Adopt-A-Family Program, the American Red Cross, Barrios Unidos, Easter Seals, the Familia Center, Make a Wish Foundation, Meals-on-Wheels, the Needle Exchange Center, nursing homes, Planned Parenthood, soup kitchens, Suicide Prevention, the Resource Center for Non-Violence, Teenage Moms Infant Center, UNICEF, UCSC Multi-cultural Advisory Board and the Walnut Avenue Women’s Center. Also includes tutoring non-english speaking people and advocacy group assistance, such as working for organizations that promote labor rights.

Environmental Services—includes performing service for campus organizations, such as the Arboretum, Campus’ Natural Reserve or Farm and Agroecology Department, or assisting with campus recycling. Off campus environmental services include participating in or volunteering at beach cleanups, Bike-to-Work Day, the Clean Water Project, Earth Day festivities, environmental research, graffiti removal, Habitat for Humanity, highway cleanup, Marine Mammal Center, Moss Landing Marine Labs, Pacific Coast Farmers’ Markets, Surf rider Foundation, Yellow Bike Project of Santa Cruz, and Wildland Restoration Projects.

Church and Religious Services—the main areas of assistance are providing services and lectures at churches, synagogues, etc.

Health Services—includes performing service for the AIDS walks and other fund raising walks, blood donations, medical care facilities (Dominican, Watsonville Hospitals, clinics), Race-for-the-Cure, Santa Cruz AIDS Project, the Santa Cruz County Health Services-HIV Prevention Program and the UCSC AIDS quilt presentation,

Youth Humanitarian Services—includes performing service for Big Brothers Big Sisters, the Boys and Girls Clubs, Boy Scouts, Cub Scouts, Girls Scouts, Head Start, high school sports and cheerleading teams, Navel Sea Cadet Corps, student recreation center, YMCA camps, the Young Life Program, youth athletic teams, and other youth non-profit organizations.

Cultural and Arts Services–includes volunteering at ballet performances, Banana Slug Fair, First Night Santa Cruz, KZSC Radio Station, Shakespeare Santa Cruz, UCSC Arts and Lectures Committee.

Undergraduate Student Motivation for Performing Community Service

Students were asked to identify on a scale of 1 to 5, the reasons or motivations that led them to perform community service. The reasons or motivations identified on the form were Financial Rewards; Beliefs, Convictions, or Principles; Career Preparation or Advancement; Interest in Civic Affairs; Sense of Social Responsibility; Commitment of protecting the Rights and Welfare of Others; Course Requirements; or Personal Reasons. The following chart depicts the students’ responses:

Bar chart of students' responses

Undergraduate Student Comments

Most of the student survey respondents added information about types of community service they would be interested in performing in the future. The services identified include services described earlier in this section.
Students explained that they received satisfaction when they saw the affects their service had on others. Many students said that the enjoyed helping others, and contributing to the community.

SERVICE LEARNING PARTICIPATION

As determined by the UC Service Learning Committee, a service learning course must include the performance of meaningful service, provide time for students to engage in structured or guided reflection, be integrated into the curriculum and exist within the context of one or more academic discipline(s). Although already investigating student participation in service learning, UCSC instigated a broader study after the University of California Service Learning Committee meeting in August 1999. The University of California, Santa Cruz Report on Service Learning, by Carolyn Boyd, describes undergraduate service learning participation during the academic year of 1998-99. Based on data collected from this report and academic departments, community service performed as part of a service learning course is estimated below (see the following page for more details).

Undergraduate Service Learning Hours

It is estimated that undergraduates performed approximately 245,000 hours of community service as part of a service-learning course during the academic year of 1998-99 at UCSC. Approximately 2,585 students performed this service. There were thirteen different formal service-learning courses that were offered a total of twenty-four times during the 1998-99 academic year. Seven departments offered at least one formal service-learning course, and twenty-seven departments had at least one student enrolled in a service-learning course during the academic year of 1998-99.

Line graph of Community Service Hours within a Service Learning Course

Details Regarding the University of California, Santa Cruz Report on Service Learning

The study measured student participation according to a head count and a 5-unit count. The head count estimated the number of students that participated in service learning during the 1998-99 academic year by department, and the five-unit count determined how many 5-unit courses were completed. For example, if one student completed a 5-unit course and another completed a 2-unit course, their total 5-unit count would be 1.4. In addition, informal and formal service-learning courses were defined and calculated separately. A formal service learning course is one in which service is performed as part of a structured course. Students are required to spend time in class, in addition to time spent in the field. Generally the course requires readings and written work relating to the service that is being performed. On the other hand, an informal service learning course is one in which there is no structured class time and the course is usually performed as a field study. A faculty sponsor advises his or her students on related materials and also reads and grades students’ work.

Estimating the Number of Community Service Hours Performed as part of a Service Learning Course

In order to estimate the number of community service hours performed as part of a service-learning course, each department that participated in service-learning during the 1998-99 academic year was contacted. The departments were asked for the average number of community service hours performed per student in their informal and formal service learning courses. For those departments that did not respond, an average was created from the other respondents and applied to their own departments. It should be noted that the following numbers reflect service learning, however additional community service may have been performed as part of a course that did not meet the service-learning criteria. For example, teaching assistants offer a great service in every academic department at UCSC, however they are not necessarily required to reflect on their experience and therefore their participation is not recorded.

GRADUATE COMMUNITY SERVICE SURVEY

The Community Service Survey was distributed to graduate students via the Web at UCSC to determine the amount and types of community service performed, including service performed as part of a service learning course. Regrettably, information on the email addresses for graduate students was incomplete, so the majority of the information was gathered from distributing the Graduate Community Service Survey via academic departments. When departments were willing to participate, surveys were dispersed approximately in proportion to the number of students obtaining degrees in the department during the 1998-99 academic year.

Graduate Survey Respondents

The unfortunate circumstances that required re-distribution of the graduate surveys, did not allow time for follow-up requests to graduate students. Furthermore, survey distribution was dependent on each department’s participation. Slightly more than 1% of graduate students responded to the questionnaire, therefore the numbers outlined below should be considered critically. No demographic information is available regarding the survey respondents.

Graduate Service Performed

There were an insufficient number of graduate surveys returned to persuasively determine the amount of community service performed by all graduate students, however to achieve a rough estimate of the total graduate student participation one may apply the national ratio of volunteer service participation (48.8%) and the average number of service hours performed by graduate community service participants, to the graduate population. Although only an estimate, this number would total approximately 105,000 hours, and represents community service (including service learning) that occurred during the summer of 1998 and the 1998-99 academic year.

While probably an overstatement of service participation by the overall graduate student population, of the included respondents almost sixty-seven percent participated in some form of community service during the summer of 1998 and the academic year of 1998-99. The average amount of service among those who indicated that they participated in community service was approximately 224 hours. The average amount of service performed by all graduate survey respondents was 149.4 hours.

Non-Academic Community Service: Surveys indicated that the average amount of non-academic service performed during the summer of 1998 and the academic year of 1998-99 by service participants was approximately 239 hours. The average amount of non-academic service performed by the total number of respondents was approximately 140 hours.

Service Learning: Approximately seventeen percent of respondents participated in service learning. This is probably an underestimate of total graduate service learning participation. Respondents who performed community service as part of a service learning course performed an average of 58.5 hours of service.

Specific Graduate Service Locations and Activities

Non-Academic Community Service: Some community service positions fulfilled by graduate students include: AIDS walk organizer, bible study leader, note-taker for disabled students, peer-advisor, and youth counselor.

Service Learning: Although most graduate departments do not call for service, education students are required to act as classroom assistants in several different courses. In the laboratory to Applied Classroom Analysis and Methods students attend classrooms for 10-12 hours per week and observe and teach different size groups under the direction of a master teacher. Furthermore, students enrolled in Intermediate Student Teaching have part-time responsibility for public school classes and teach for fourteen to sixteen hours per week. The Advanced Student Teaching series is a quarter of full-time, supervised teaching. Education students may also apply for a teaching apprenticeship. During the 1998-99 academic year education students accounted for 17% of all graduate students, and the department contained more students than any other. Undoubtedly, education students’ contribution to the community through service learning is substantial.

In addition to the service learning outlined above, graduate students may perform service learning through research or internships, which encompass their academic objectives. One student reported performing research for the Environmental Studies Department, and another Earth Science graduate student interned at Fred Keeley’s office and studied the Pajaro groundwater problem.

Graduate Student Motivation for Performing Community Service

Students were asked to rank their reasons and motivations for performing community service on a scale of one to five, with one representing very important, three representing important, and five representing not important. The chart below demonstrates how the graduate respondents ranked the importance of the following reasons and motivations for performing community service.

Bar chart showing graduate student responses to questions about the reasons and motivations for performing community service

  • Approximately eight percent of the respondents indicated financial reward as being very important to their reasons or motivations for performing service, and an additional thirty-three percent remarked that financial reward was important.
  • On the other hand, every respondent indicated that beliefs, convictions, or principles were important in their reasons for performing community service. Approximately 67% of the respondents claimed that beliefs, convictions or principles were very important in their motivations for performing service.
  • Furthermore, approximately 92% of respondents indicated that a sense of social responsibility was important in their motivation for performing community service, and of these respondents around 73% claimed that a sense of social responsibility was very important.
  • Similarly approximately 92% of survey respondents indicated that a commitment to protecting the rights and welfare of others was important in their reasons for performing community service, and 82% of these respondents maintained that it was very important.
  • One respondent also stated that being part of a community was important in his or her motivation to perform service.

Graduate Student Comments

A student remarked that the most positive aspects of the service experience were being able to actualize his or her academic interests in the field, and being able to work directly with youth. One student claimed that religious reasons motivated him or her to perform service. Another student suggested that if s/he had more time s/he would participate in community service.

COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS SURVEY

Approximately 275 surveys were distributed in the summer of 1999 to community organizations that utilize students to assist their agency and the community. Over 120 community organizations responded. Survey results report the amount of student participation at particular service locations. Although community organizations recognized both undergraduate and graduate students, the majority of students noted for their participation in community service were undergraduates (98%). As well, the Community Organizations Surveys determined which organizations were in need of greater assistance. This information will enable the university to better meet community needs when placing students in the community and developing programs at UCSC.

Community Organizations Survey Respondents

Many different types of organizations responded. Several environmental organizations and recreational parks replied to the survey, including the Coastal Watershed Council, Natural Bridges State Park and the Environmental Council of Santa Cruz. Many women related organizations answered the survey, such as the Walnut Avenue Women’s Center and WomenCARE. In addition, several cultural agencies participated. Other humanitarian organizations responded to the survey, including agencies relating to children, health groups, homeless shelters and food banks, senior outreach programs, and substance abuse services. Most of the agencies that replied were non-profits, but two private businesses were among the respondents.

Community Organizations Service Highlights

Community organizations indicated that during the summer of 1998 and the academic year of 1998-99 UCSC students performed approximately:

  • 6,000 hours of volunteer work at Dominican Hospital.
  • 884.5 volunteer hours at Children’s Placement Service
  • 2,500 hours of volunteer service per quarter at the Walnut Avenue Women's Center
  • 1,500 hours of volunteer service at the Legal Aid of Central Coast.
  • 6, 750 hours of volunteer service at the Santa Cruz County Probation, and an additional 200 hours of paid community service.
  • 850 hours of volunteer service at Food Not Bombs, along with UCSC alumni.
  • 2,800 hours of community service for the Suicide Prevention Service.
  • 1,200 hours of volunteer work at the Boys and Girls Club.
  • 800 hours of community service for California Peace Action.
  • 3,300 hours of community service for the Santa Cruz County Immigration Project.
  • 4,560 community service hours at the Santa Cruz Needle Exchange Program.
  • 1,080 hours of volunteer work at the Familia Center.
  • 4,000 hours of community service at the Skills Center.

Community Organizations Comments

There were many positive comments made by community organizations regarding UCSC student volunteers. Although it would be untimely to note them all, some of these are listed below.

  • “This agency and the clients we serve have benefited tremendously from the interns and volunteers we have had from UCSC."
  • “The energy and enthusiasm of the students is very much appreciated."
  • "We have always had most of our volunteers come from UCSC and 3 of 4 paid staff are UCSC alumni.”
  • “All of the students we have had from UCSC have been exceptional, dependable and a real asset to our agency.”
  • “The assistance of UCSC students has proved invaluable to us. We are a very small non-profit agency and rely on such volunteers.”
  • “Students are great! They benefit the agency a lot!”
  • “We have received excellent students from several programs. They have been authentic, warm, encouraging, and committed. In addition, they have been eager to work with our particular population.”

Several organizations pointed out that while their agency greatly benefited from the participation of UCSC students, that the students also benefited from the experience. Furthermore, one organization commented that their agency is often able to meet the educational goals and needs of students.

Survey results demonstrated that organizations have different needs. For example, a few agencies commented that they could use as many volunteers as possible, while others noted that they had sufficient assistance at the time being. Furthermore, some agencies noted that they preferred particular types of volunteers. One agency said that they liked to have interns who were involved academically, while another commented that they preferred to have interns that were involved solely because of their own interest. Some agencies requested volunteers from particular disciplines, generally for volunteers outside of the social sciences.

In addition, some organizations questioned how to go about requesting help at the university, suggesting that a standard procedure to inquire about volunteers would be useful for community organizations. Such a procedure could also be helpful for students, since most information on volunteer opportunities is currently dispersed among different departments.

Although there were few criticisms regarding UCSC volunteers, one organization complained that students sometimes visit to get information for a school assignment, yet they never volunteer. Another agency stated it was frustrating when student employees leave their jobs to return to school (at the end of breaks or vacations).

FACULTY AND STAFF COMMUNITY SERVICE SURVEY

The following information comes from results of the Community Service Survey that was distributed to all Faculty and Staff at UCSC to determine the amount and types of community service they perform. Surveys were sent via campus mail and were also posted on the World Wide Web. Approximately 3,100 surveys were distributed to faculty and staff (based on available campus mail addresses). There were 463 surveys returned or 15 percent of the total surveys distributed.

Faculty and Staff Survey Respondents

  • Of the survey respondents, 80 percent said they performed community service during the summer of 1998 and the 1998-99 academic year. The number of respondents is approximately 12 percent of the 3,100 surveys distributed, or 7% of the Faculty and Staff Headcount for 1998-99 of 5,591.
  • Faculty responses accounted for 19 percent of the surveys returned or 12 percent of the total UCSC Faculty Headcount for 1998-99 (591).
  • Staff comprised 81 percent of the surveys returned or 9 percent of the total UCSC Staff Headcount (4,930).
  • Of the total respondents 28 percent were male and 69 percent were female.
  • The age of survey respondents:
Age Group %
Ages 18-29 12%
Ages 30-40 20%
Ages 40-50 36%
Ages 50-60 26%
Age 60+ 3%
Undeclared 3%

Faculty and Staff Service Performed

The number of hours identified by those who contributed to community service was 40,000 hours. In addition to these hours, there are many other service activities identified in the survey by Faculty and Staff that did not include the hours of participation.

According to a report prepared by the US Census Bureau, the percent of the United States population doing volunteer work in 1995 was a total of 48.8% of the total population. If 48.8% of the UCSC Faculty and Staff contributed to community service activities, the total hours that UCSC Faculty and Staff contributed to Community Service activities might be estimated at over 290,000 hours in the summer of 1998 and the academic year of 1998-99. This estimate is based on the average hours of participation reported by survey respondents who performed community service.

Types of Community Services Performed

Many of the activities and service locations at which Faculty and Staff perform service could be classified in the following areas:

Type %
Cultural Events and Entertainment 21%
Environmental Issues/Recreation 17%
Humanitarian and Community Services 15%
Schools and other Educational Venues 14%
Other Child/Youth Oriented Services 12%
Athletics 11%
Health Related Services 7%
Religious/Church Related Services 3%

Bar chart showing types of community service performed

Specific Faculty and Staff Service Locations and Activities

Cultural Events and Entertainment—includes performing service for the African American Theatre Board of Directors, Cabrillo Music Festival, Cabrillo Symphonic Choir, Cultural Council of Santa Cruz, Fiesta Patrias, First Night Santa Cruz, Japanese Cultural Fair, Jazz Ensemble, KUSP Radio, Kuumbwa, Lesbian/Gay Chorus, Mountain Community Theater, New Music Works, Pacific Rim Film Festival, Pajaro Valley Performing Arts Association, PBS Television, San Jose Symphony, Santa Cruz Acappella, Santa Cruz Arts Commission, Santa Cruz Ballet Theater, Santa Cruz Bay City Opera, Santa Cruz Chorale, Santa Cruz Community Television, Santa Cruz Cultural Action Plan, Santa Cruz Dance Society, Santa Cruz Museum Association, Santa Cruz Renaissance Singers, Santa Cruz Symphony, Scotts Valley Artistic Skating Club, Shakespeare Santa Cruz, Tandy Beal Company, UCSC Arts and Lectures and Watsonville Cultural Center.

Environmental Issues/Recreation—includes performing service for the Boony Doon Fire Team, Campus Natural Reserve Restoration, Community Action Board of Directors, Coast Guard Auxiliary, Electric Bicycle Promotion, Elkhorn Slough Docent, Habitat for Humanity, Habitat Reserve Conservation Management, Land Trust of Santa Cruz County, Life Labs, Long Marine Laboratory, Mission Street Widening Task Force, Natural Heritage Conservation, Natural History Museum, Neary Lagoon Cooperative, Neighborhood Watch, Parks and Recreation Commission, Rural Bonny Doon Association, Salinas Community Police Academy, Santa Cruz Community Farm, Santa Cruz County Fish and Game Commission, Santa Cruz County Traffic Safety Coalition, Santa Cruz Transit Authority, Seacliff Docent, Spirit of Watsonville, State Park Mounted Assistant Unit, UCSC Horticulture Department, Wildlife Refuge Conservation and Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom.

Humanitarian and Community Services—includes performing service for Above the Line; the American Red Cross; Amnesty International; the Asian American Community Group (AACG); the Battered Women’s Task Force; the California Prostitute Education Project; CAPE (Coalition of Asian Pacific Employees); citizenship education; the Childhood Immunization Project; the Conflict Resolution Center of Santa Cruz; Death Penalty Focus; the Familia Center; Families in Transition; the Family Services Association of Santa Cruz; Gateway Coalition; a Guatamala Community; the Hospice Caring Project; the International Charitable Foundations; Legal Service for Prisoners with Children; the Lion’s Club; the Live Oak Senior Center (Music for Senior Meals); Meals on Wheels; Mondanero Baskin Women’s Center; NAACP; Planned Parenthood; Project P.R.I.D.E.; the Santa Cruz Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgendered Center; the Resource Center for Non-violence; the Santa Cruz Commission for Prevention of Violence Against Women; the Santa Cruz Community Credit Union; the Santa Cruz City Council; the Santa Cruz Area Chamber of Commerce; the Santa Cruz Transportation Commission; the Central Coast Chapter for the National Association of Purchasing Management; the Santa Cruz County Labor Council; the Salvation Army; the Satellite Shelter; the Santa Cruz Sheriff’s Department; the Second Harvest Food Bank; SFCC (UCSC Faculty/Staff of Color Coalition); SHARE (Community Food Coop.); the SPCA; St. Vincent de Paul; the United Way; the Walnut Avenue Women’s Center; the Welfare and Low Income Support Network and Women’s Crisis Support.

Schools and other Educational Venues—includes performing service for ACCESS (Introduction to Research for Minority Children), the Association of Live Oak Home School Club, the Cabrillo College Mentor Teacher Program, Cabrillo Scholarships Group, Delta School, the Early Childhood College Advisory Committee, Friends of the Library, the Granary Child Care Center, the Literacy Project, the Live Oak Elementary Site Council, Mission School Jr. High School Board, Outreach UC Merced, public libraries, San Lorenzo Valley High School (Board for developing curriculum), the Santa Cruz High School Outreach Program, the Soquel High School Boosters, St. Francis Catholic High School, various elementary schools (classroom assistants) and the Vista Verde Advisory Committee.

Other Child/Youth Oriented Services—includes performing service for ACCESS (8 week introduction to Research for Local Minority Children), the African American Parent Group, Big Brothers/Big Sisters, the Blaine Street Kids Club and Parent Co-op, the Boys and Girls Club, CASA Child Advocates, the Children’s Center of San Lorenzo Valley, CHIPS Childhood Immunization Project, the Cub Scouts, the Girl Scouts, Grandma Sue’s Community Project, the Local Childcare Planning Council and the YMCA.

Athletics—includes performing service for the Adult Athletic League Board, GALS Softball, Mountain Bikers of Santa Cruz, Sentinel Triathlon Race Committee, Special Olympics, Surfrider Santa Cruz Board, Team in Learning (Marathon Walk), Ultimate Frisbee and youth athletics.

Health Related Services—includes performing service for the AIDS Quilt Organizing Committee, Birth Networking of Santa Cruz County, breast cancer fundraising, California AIDS Ride, Dominican Hospital, Helping Hands, the Hospice Caring Project, Leukemia Society, Mental Health Client Action Association, Santa Cruz AIDS Research Foundation, Santa Cruz Women’s Health Center, the Substance Abuse Prevention Board, WomenCARE and Women’s Cancer Center.

Religious/Church Related Activities—includes volunteering for community service related activities at various places of worship, including the All Saints Church, Calvary Episcopal Church, First Congregational Church, Holy Cross Church, Holy Eucharist Church, Santa Cruz Zen Center, United Temple and Vipassana Santa Cruz. In addition, some volunteers help feed the homeless.

University Sponsored Donation Projects

Many faculty and staff, as well as students participated in various University Sponsored Donation Projects during 1998-99. These projects are conducted annually at UCSC.

The United Way of Santa Cruz County presented UCSC with its Gold Award in 1999 that is one of the highest honors accorded to any business or organization contributing to the annual fund-raising campaign. In 1998, the UCSC Faculty and Staff donated more than $80,000 for charitable organizations in Santa Cruz County, a 10 per cent increase over 1997. Over the past five years, UCSC employees have contributed more than $353,000. In 1998, UCSC was the second largest contributor in Santa Cruz County.

UCSC Student, Staff and Faculty collected over 14,000 pounds of food for the Second Harvest Food Bank of Santa Cruz and San Benito Counties. This is a six-fold increase over previous years. Some examples of the generosity and civic mindedness of the students, faculty and staff include: students from Sigma Omicron Pi and Pi Alpha Phi raised nearly $200 from their Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich food drive. Sodexho Marriot donated $300 on behalf of UCSC students who each gave one meal from their meal card to UCSC’s Food Drive.

Many Faculty and Staff contribute through their units to donate to the Adopt a Family Program, which matches families in need with donors—providing toys, clothing, and a food certificate for families in Santa Cruz and Watsonville.

Faculty/Staff Comments

In addition to the information requested in the surveys, space was provided for faculty and staff to leave comments regarding community service. There were a variety of comments, ranging from thanks for survey distribution to complaints about the request of information. Comments are summarized below.

Many comments were regarding participation or interest in community service activities. One survey respondent stated, “My community service is very important to me and takes a good amount of time and effort.” Another respondent claimed that she had been volunteering since she was 9 or 10 years old. A faculty member mentioned that his spouse performed extensive volunteer work at a local elementary school. A few people commented that they used to perform community service, however other commitments no longer allowed them to do so. Additional respondents stated that although they did not have time to commit to community service, they did provide financial support to a variety of community organizations. Some respondents were interested in getting the word out about the service groups with which they participate. Others expressed interest in performing community service, and many indicated that they would be interested in receiving information regarding service events and activities.

Most comments people made were regarding their busy schedules, which prevented them from participating in community service activities. Family commitments and demanding employment were mentioned the most often. A few people discussed the rising cost of living in Santa Cruz, and the need to work long hours or two jobs to be able to stay in the area. Some staff members thought the campus should give incentives for participating in community service. A member of the faculty said that if there were less pressure for review, advancement and tenure it would be much easier to become involved in community service. Many respondents recommended release time for community service.

A number of faculty and staff expressed discontent with the university’s request for information, and were unhappy with their community service being classified as a contribution by UCSC staff. One individual suggested that the university might sponsor a beach clean up or wheelchair cleaning event.

ALUMNI COMMUNITY SERVICE PARTICIPATION

While the university has no record of the alumnus’s total participation, UCSC alumni also dedicate their time to community service. In fact, in February of 1997 the Peace Corps acknowledged the university for the large amount of former UCSC students who spend their time offering assistance. UCSC ranked in the top 25 of the “1998 List of Colleges and Universities with Graduates Currently Serving as Peace Corps Volunteers.” In addition, UCSC students have often volunteer in greater proportion than other UC students.

Over 20% of former UCSC students also participate in the Alumni Association, which welcomed its 10,000th member in October 1999. Members of the Alumni Association may contribute to the enrichment of the campus by offering their assistance in the following areas:

Career Advice Network: The Career Advice Network consists primarily of UC Santa Cruz alumni, who help by sharing career insights and information with current UCSC students and alumni.

Admissions Outreach Volunteers Program: Alumni volunteers attend high school and community college events as representatives of UCSC to share their experience as former students with prospective students. In the spring, the Alumni Association assists the Admissions Office in “yield events” where newly admitted students can talk with alumni before deciding whether or not to enroll at UC Santa Cruz. Other alumni outreach activities include mentoring new students, telephoning prospective students, and hosting local receptions for newly admitted students.

Legislative Advocacy Network: In cooperation with the Alumni Associations of the University of California and the University of California systemwide Office of the President, the UCSC Alumni Association has established a Legislative Advocacy Network. UCSC alumni who are members of the Legislative Advocacy Network come to Sacramento each year, along with alumni volunteers of other UC campuses, to spend a day in the state capital, meeting with members of the state legislature to discuss current educational and research issues of common concern.

College Service Award: The Alumni Association awards eight $500 scholarships for outstanding service – one at each of the colleges.

Alumni Association Scholarship Fund: UCSC Alumni Council established an endowed Alumni Association Scholarship Fund due to UCSC students need for increased private support. The long-term goal is to build an endowment of at least $1 million. Interest income generated by the endowment fund, combined with a portion of annual contributions, is used to fund yearly scholarship awards. Close to fifty UCSC students have benefited to date, receiving need-based scholarships of up to $2,500.

UCSC CAMPUS ORGANIZATIONS AND COMMUNITY SERVICE OPPORTUNITIES

Campus resources are available to help individuals find a community organization in which to perform service.

  • Six majors in the social sciences have field study coordinators, whose primary focus is to keep track of intern opportunities, place students in field studies and evaluate the experience. These departments are Community Studies, Economics, Environmental Studies, Latin American and Latino Studies, and Psychology. The Community Studies Major requires that students perform service at an agency for a 6-month internship. Additional departments post related intern and volunteer opportunities at their offices.
  • The Student Volunteer Connection (SVC) is a resource center that makes available a plethora of information regarding community volunteer opportunities to students, faculty and staff. Furthermore, the SVC organizes three to four one-day volunteer events per quarter.
  • The UCSC Women’s Center encourages community service through its partnership with the Walnut Avenue Women’s Center. The campus center also announces other women-related volunteer opportunities and offers advocacy training.

Colleges also encourage community service through college-sponsored volunteer activities and community service related courses.

  • In the 1998-99 academic year, Crown College participated in a clothing drive and a toy drive. In addition, Residential Assistants and the College Programs Office organized volunteer events with the Campus Reserve Clean-Up, the AIDS Memorial Quilt, the Kids Around the University Program, and a soup kitchen.
  • A quad in College Eight adopted a family through a local service agency during the holiday season of 1998. In addition, there was a school supplies collection drive this fall. The collection was offered to a middle school in Watsonville.
  • Merrill College is affiliated with several courses that engage students in their local communities, including the Live Oak Elementary School Classroom Connection. Through this program UCSC students act as mentors to Live Oak students, assist with reading and writing and help out at the after-school program.
  • The Oakes Serve Program, which is run through the Oakes College, serves a variety of community organizations in Monterey and Santa Cruz counties. Some of the organizations that Oakes Serves assists are Barrios Unidos, the Familia Center and Planned Parenthood.

There is a campus funding source for students interested in initiating service projects.

  • Each quarter, the Community Service Project funds (approved by students in a 1969 referendum) provide resources to UCSC students who have a desire to reach out to the community. These funds are allocated to facilitate student participation in projects that address social concerns while providing services to benefit the local non-campus area. Any UCSC student may apply for use of these funds with a faculty and community sponsor, however CSP projects must demonstrate student involvement in planning, management, and operations. A committee composed of student representatives and faculty/staff chairs determine whether the applicants meet the criteria. Grant awards went to several programs in the 1998-99 academic year, including but not limited to the Pescadero Affinity Project, the Beach Flat’s Music School for Kids, and the Citizenship Follow-Up Program. The Pescadero Affinity Project is a mentoring program between UCSC students and students in Pescadero. The Beach Flat’s Music School for Kids involved 6 bilingual UCSC music students and 15 children. The program provided instruments for the children, and the UCSC students taught music lessons twice a week. The Citizenship Follow-Up Program, which is linked to the S.C. Immigration Project, is a need assessment of citizenship applicants. The CSP also permanently funds the Student Volunteer Connection for operation costs.

Student and campus organizations encourage service in the community and/or offer students, faculty and staff opportunities to volunteer on campus.

  • Some student organizations are service based, or promote better social understanding. For example, the California Public Interest Research Group (Calpirg) is an environmental group, which sponsors volunteer events in the community and on-campus. Most fraternities and sororities require volunteer service each quarter.
  • Other departments and programs that offer on-campus volunteer opportunities are: Office of Physical Education and Recreation which provides athletic events; Campus Advisory Committees (for example, the Admissions and Financial Aid, the Natural Reserves Advisory, and the Transportation Committees); campus laboratories; campus-wide and system-wide Student Government; cultural productions (for example, Shakespeare Santa Cruz, Arts and Lectures and student productions); the Farm and Garden; the Arboretum; the Long Marine Lab and the Seymour Marine Discovery Lab; Health Services; Rape Prevention Education; Alcohol/ Drugs Prevention Program; HIV Prevention (including the Condom Co-op); the Lick Observatory; the Office of Admissions (tasks include phone drives, etc.); student co-ops (Bike Co-op and Kresge Co-op); student media (Chinquapin, City on a Hill, Fish Rap Live, KZSC, Las Girlfriends, etc.); student resource centers (African-American Student Life Resource and Cultural Center; Asian American/ Pacific Islander Resource Center; Chicano Latino Student Life Resource Center; and Gay Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Resource Center); and the UCSC Child Care Center.

Friends and other Groups at UC Santa Cruz offer many ways in which people can participate in the life of the campus.

  • Arboretum Associates: The Arboretum Associates is a friends group devoted to assisting the development and maintenance of the UCSC Arboretum gardens.
  • Friends of the Dickens Project: The Friends of the Dickens Project support programs for the general public during “The Dickens Universe”. The Friends sponsor performances and special lectures by visiting scholars, refreshments, dances, films and games, and other enriching activities.
  • Friends of the Farm and Garden: The Friends of the UCSC Farm and Garden support and promote the work of the UCSC’s Center for Agroecology and Sustainable Food Systems. Through community education, members help spread the word about the need for farming and gardening systems that are environmentally and socially sound. The Friends also sponsor two annual plant sales and other community-oriented events to raise funds for the Apprenticeship in Ecological Horticulture.
  • Friends of the Library: The Friends of the UCSC Library work to enrich the University Library and strengthen it as a vital center for scholarly life in part by:
    • Providing resources and support for enhancing library collections.
    • Sponsoring library-related projects and events for the UCSC and Santa Cruz local communities.
    • Publicizing the contributions of the UCSC Library to the educational and cultural life of the Monterey Bay area.
  • Friends of the Long Marine Lab: The Friends is a volunteer group formed in 1979 by community members who wished to support the mission of research and education in the lab.
  • Friends of Shakespeare Santa Cruz: Friends supports Shakespeare Santa Cruz by providing the actors and crew with food and drink.
  • Lifelong Learners: The UCSC Lifelong Learners is a voluntary organization for anyone who loves learning.
  • UCSC Women’s Club: The UCSC Women’s Club raises money for re-entry women’s scholarships and provides an atmosphere of support for women’s issues, research, and scholarship.
  • UC Santa Cruz Foundation: The foundation promotes and supports academic programs, scholarships and fellowships, and capital improvements at UCSC through it private fund-raising efforts.
  • UCSC Extension Host Families: Host families are needed for two-week homestays for a group of Japanese college women.

OUTREACH PROGRAMS

Listed below are a number of outreach activities that are affiliated with the University of California, Santa Cruz.

The University of California has embarked on an aggressive and innovative academic outreach program to promote college and school partnerships, and to prepare students from disadvantaged circumstances for eligibility to attend UC or other institutions of higher learning. There are a multitude of outreach programs affiliated with UCSC and identified below to which students, faculty and staff dedicate a great deal of time.

  • Academic Excellence Honors Program (ACE)
  • ACCESS: The Baccalaureate Bridge to the Biomedical Sciences
  • Affinity Mentor Project
  • Art Education Outreach
  • Athletics Department
  • AVANCE Project
  • California Consortium for Teacher Development (CCTD)
  • California Reading and Literature Program (CRLP)
  • California State Summer School in Mathematics and Science (COSMOS)
  • Center for Research on Education, Diversity and Excellence (CREDE)
  • Central California Writing Project
  • Chancellor’s Educational Partnership Advisory Council
  • Chemistry Department’s Summer Institute
  • Chicano Latino Student Life Resource Center
  • Community Teaching Fellow Program
  • Concurrent Enrollment, High School Honors & Life-Long Learners Programs
  • Dickens Project
  • Early Academic Outreach Program (EAOP)
  • Education Partnership Center
  • Kids Around the University (KATU)
  • Language Acquisition in Science Education in Rural Schools (LASERS)
  • Math Diagnostic Testing Project
  • Mathematics, Engineering, Science Achievement (MESA)
  • Minority Access to Research Career Program (MARC) and the Initiative for Minority Student Development (IMSD)
  • Monterey Bay Area Math Project
  • Monterey Bay Educational Consortium (MBEC)
  • Monterey Bay Education, Science and Technology Center
  • Monterey Bay Science Project
  • New Teacher Center
  • Partnership Schools
  • Public Education Program at Long Marine Lab
  • Santa Cruz New Teacher Project
  • Schools Plus
  • Seaside Middle School Math/ Science Institute
  • Society for the Advancement of Chicanos and Native Americans in Science (SACNAS)
  • Step-to-College Program
  • Themes Project
  • Transfer Partnerships Program
  • UCSC Scholarships
  • Upward Bound Math and Science Program (UBMS)
  • Women’s Center

CONCLUSION

UCSC Students, Faculty and Staff have made an immeasurable impact on the local Santa Cruz area and other communities. In addition, campus organizations and university affiliated outreach programs provide services to the community.

  • Undergraduate students’ impact on the community has been most significant among schools, libraries, and other education related organizations. Graduate students also perform community service in local schools. Education students are required to act as classroom assistants to obtain their certification, and account for 17% of the total graduate population.
  • Other types of services that students perform in the community relate to the environment, church/religion, health and the arts.
  • Faculty and Staff perform most of their community service at cultural events. They also perform service for environmentally related organizations, humanitarian groups, local government agencies, schools, youth agencies and more.
  • Campus organizations promote community service, and also offer opportunities to volunteer on-campus.
  • A variety of UCSC Outreach Programs offer children from disadvantaged circumstances the opportunity to participate in activities that enhance their UC-eligibility.

However, the benefits of community service and service learning are not only limited to community organizations, but also extend to those who perform service. Chancellor Greenwood stated in the Summer 1999 UC Santa Cruz Review that “service learning is an outstanding example of an educational initiative that benefits everyone.” Through service learning students gain a better understanding of theoretical material and often find motivation and a new sense of direction. Other forms of community service are also mutually beneficial to the community and students, as some community organizations noted in their comments regarding student service. For example, volunteering may improve future job performance of participants by increasing confidence and cheerfulness.

University students, faculty and staff have supported the community through their service, and community opportunities have allowed service participants to gain a better understanding of the community and civic responsibility. The University of California, Santa Cruz will continue to support this mutually beneficial relationship.

REFERENCES

Outside Sources

California Department of Finance. “Santa Cruz County Statistics.” California County

Profiles. On-line. (http://www.dof.ca.gov/html/fs_data/profiles/pf_home.htm). (viewed April, 2000).

U.S. Census Bureau. “Percent of Adult Population Doing Volunteer Work: 1995.” Statistical Abstract of the United States: 1998. USA: Department of Commerce. (1998).

University Sources

UCSC Course Catalog (1998-99)

UCSC Currents (on-line editions – 1995-2000)

Enrollment Fact Sheets (Office of Planning and Budget – Fall 1999)

Faculty and Staff Employment Statistics (Office of Planning and Budget – Fall 1999)

University of California, Santa Cruz Report on Service Learning (Office of Planning and Budget – Fall 1999)

UC Santa Cruz Review (Summer 1999)

Survey Data

Community Service Surveys were distributed to undergraduate students who attended UCSC during the academic year of 1999 and were enrolled at the time of survey distribution in the Fall 1999. These surveys were used to determine the amount and type of community service performed by undergraduates, excluding service performed as part of a service learning course. The surveys asked questions regarding service locations, type of service, and amount of service. Students were also asked to identify their motivation for performing community service.

Community Service Surveys were distributed via departments to graduate students. Like the undergraduate survey, the Graduate Community Service Survey asked questions regarding the amount and type of community service performed. However, the graduate version also included questions regarding service learning.

In addition, surveys were distributed to approximately 275 local community organizations that utilize students to assist their agency and the community. Survey results report the amount of student participation at particular service locations.

Surveys were distributed to more than 3,100 faculty and staff via campus mail addresses during the summer of 1999. These surveys were used to determine the amount and type of community service performed by faculty and staff. Faculty and Staff were also requested to identify areas that they would like to volunteer for in the future if they wished to do so.

APPENDIX

Although the appendix items are not include in this web document, the items include:

1. Undergraduate Student Survey

2. Graduate Student Survey

3. Faculty and Staff Survey

4. Community Organizations Survey

5. Reference Materials

6. Descriptions of Outreach Programs at UCSC

7. Undergraduate Service Learning Hours by Department

8. Descriptions of Service Learning Courses

9. Local Community Organizations needs in Student Volunteer Assistance

10. UCSC Report on Service Learning

11. Various articles and comments regarding community service.

AUTHORS

Carolyn Boyd is a student intern in the Planning and Budget Office and will receive her Bachelor of Arts Degree in Politics and Sociology at the University of California, Santa Cruz in the Fall 2000. She has been involved in community service for many years, and has also worked at the UCSC Student Volunteer Connection for almost three years.

Betty Rush has been a Principal Budget Analyst in the Office of Planning and Budget at the University of California, Santa Cruz for the past eight years. She has a Bachelor of Science Degree in Human Relations and Organizational Behavior from the University of San Francisco, and a Master of Business Administration Degree from the College of Notre Dame.