AVÀÇ

In 2018, the Chancellor’s Office charged the CSU Center for Community Engagement (COCCE) to lead an effort to improve data collection and identify the spectrum of community-engaged learning courses taking place across the CSU as part of systemwide student success goals. As a result, the Chancellor's Office has instituted two common systemwide “attributes” for community-engaged learning courses which campuses must implement in the course management system.

The attributes distinguish service learning as a distinct, robust pedagogy from community-engaged learning, which may include broader community engagement experiences. 

The Center for Community Engagement is overseeing this effort for AVÀÇ, including tracking courses and the schedule of review for course attributes, along with the dissemination of information, the course attribute implementation survey, and relevant required reporting.

These types of courses are identified by the student learning experience and community impact, not by course title or label. The COCCE has disseminated a framework and related survey to assist campuses with applying the appropriate attribute.

The course framework, identifies the essential elements of these types of learning experiences. A course that include all six essential elements is identified as 'service learning' and at least the first three of the six as 'community-engaged learning.' For more information, please see or the tab on this page: Essential Elements of Community Engaged and Service Learning.

Community Engaged Learning (CCEL) - A variety of community-engaged activities* that enhance course learning, benefit the community, and take place in collaboration with community partners. Courses vary in scope of community engagement, integration within the course, and collaboration with the community partner.

Service Learning (CSLI) - Substantive community-based learning** and the community partnerships are a highly integrated and critical component of the curriculum and student learning experience. The benefit to the community partner is clearly identified, with equal focus on community impact, collaboration, and student civic learning.

*Community-Engaged Activities - Assignments at/with/for a community-based organization that are connected to course learning or major learning outcomes. Activities may also occur on campus but benefit a specific population within the community/partnering organization. 

 **Community-Based Activities - Assignments at/with/for a community-based organization that are connected to course learning or major learning outcomes. Activities generally occur off campus within a partnering organization.

The course framework developed by the Chancellor's Office outlines a spectrum of curriculum implementation for community engagement. The framework is not meant to establish a hierarchy of experience wherein service learning is considered the 'high end' of the spectrum and community-engaged learning the 'low end.' Instead, it is meant to help the CSU establish a shared language and method for identifying and understanding student learning and community impact. 

A course that includes all six essential elements (EE) is identified as 'service learning' and the first three of the six as 'community-engaged learning.' Below is a list of each essential elements with its baseline definition. It's best to to see how the systemwide defintions for these courses are being established through a spectrum of  course implementation.

• EE1: Activities take place with a community partner organization or for a specific population within the community, e.g. at an off-campus nonprofit, social service agency, government organization, or school; at an on-campus clinic or with a campus-based educational support service for the community.
• EE2: Student activities benefit the community, e.g. the public or common good.
• EE3: Activities are academically relevant, e.g. integrated with the discipline-based academic content and assignments.
• EE4: The course integrates civic learning outcomes, e.g. related to ILOs of diversity and sustainability; ability to promote equity, social justice, and demonstrate ethical collaboration.
• EE5: Critical reflection activities and assignments integrate classroom and community learning.
• EE6: Student learning assessment integrates discipline-based and civic learning goals, and includes learning from community involvement.

The Chancellor's Office created a Community Engaged Learning Tool (CELT) based on the course framework. The CELT is a survey faculty/departments complete that asks questions around the six essential elements outlined in the framework. Based on survey responses, an attribute is identified for the course (or N/A as relevant). 

Because courses are identified based on the student learning experience and community impact - not course title or label, if within an "internship" course student community-based activities benefit the community and students also engage in reflection on discipline or major learning, this internship course may be identified under the attribute umbrella of CCEL or CSLI.

Course review falls into one of two categories: 

• Initial - Courses that need to undergo an initial review for an attribute. 
• Renewal - Courses that require renewal review for an attribute. The CO requires attribute review every five years.

Courses scheduled for a renewal review may or may not be offered in the scheduled year, but are still expected to undergo an attribute review. We recognize that courses may evolve over time, and that for attribute renewals, the course attribute may change.

Step 1: Annual Notice 

Responsible: CCE 

Each fall: 

• CCE maintains a list of courses that either need initial review or five-year renewal.  

• CCE prepares courses for the AY in August - including both fall and spring courses, if possible. 

• CCE prepares and sends notification to Department Chairs with request to designate a faculty (or Chair) to submit the attribute survey. 

Step 2: Department Designation  

Responsible: Department Chair 

Chair determines who completes the attribute survey. Possible options: 

• Current instructor 
• Course coordinator 
• Department curriculum committee representative 
• Department chair 
• Program director 

Step 3: Survey Sent to Designee(s) & Report Prepared for CIC Service Learning Subcommittee 

Responsible: CCE 

Survey link emailed to designees.

SLS report includes: 

• New and renewal course lists by department 
• Designees 

Step 4: Faculty/Designee Complete Survey 

Responsible: Designated Department Representative 

Designees complete survey, attaching required sample syllabus.

Step 5: Center for Community Engagement Review 

Responsible: CCE 

At deadline, CCE: 

• Confirms survey completed 
• Confirms sample syllabus attached 
• Flags any issues and follows up with faculty as needed 
• Compiles review packets for SLS 

Step 6: Service Learning Subcommittee Review 

Responsible: SLS Subcommittee 

Subcommittee reviews packets: 

• Survey 
• Syllabus 
• Attribute verification
• SLS requests clarification if needed. SLS Chair contacts Department Chair.  

Step 7: Department Chair Attribute Confirmation  

Responsible: SLS, CCE 

SLS sends a Course Attribute Confirmation Letter to the department chair. 

Letter includes: 

• Attribute (or NA as relevant with)
• Clarifications around course description and attribute if needed 
• Course/community-engagement information as provided in survey
• Expected implementation consistency across sections - Ensuring that all instructors teaching a course with a CCEL or CSLI attribute deliver the course consistent with the attribute standards, even when instructors change over time. 

Step 8: Final Step - Attribute Implementation 

Responsible: CCE, Curriculum Coordinator

Approved attributes: 

• CCE updates spreadsheet and communicates updates to Curriculum Coordinator
• Updated in curriculum system 

New courses or courses undergoing revision: 

• When a course is submitted through Curriculog for curriculum review and approval, there is a specific set of Yes/No questions in the section titled “Community Engagement | Service Learning | Internships.  

• Based on the responses to these questions, the course description provided within Curriculog, and the sample course syllabus attached within Curriculog, the CCE Director identifies a preliminary attribute (or none as needed).   

          Questions:

• The Director notes the course on the CCE’s internal tracking mechanism for the identified semester of course implementation. 

• The course will then be included in attribute survey workflow the following year (presuming the course meets all curriculum approvals).

The CCE maintains responsibility for tracking and reporting on community engaged, service learning and internship courses.

• The CCE uses the CalStateS4 platform to manage data tracking related to course offerings, student placements and community partnerships.

• The CCE maintains internal spreadsheets tracking course attributes and renewals.

• The CCE reports this data via:
  • The Chancellor's Office Call to Service Report
  • The CCE's Annual Report
  • ORSP's annual centers report

While not every department with CCEL/CSLI and internship courses uses CalStateS4, any department interested in using CalStateS4 and taking advantage of the data visibility it offers, should contact cce@csueastbay.edu.

Ultimately, this effort will help AVÀÇ better:

• understand student learning
• support student success
• recognize and support faculty workload
• understand community impact

For the purpose of Chancellor's Office risk management, addresses documentation requirements for academic internships and community engaged learning, including relevant course and experience definitions. Please see our Student Community Placements page or the CO's 

For the purpose of liability insurance within academic internships and community engaged learning courses, allied health and credential departments are distinguished from courses that fall in other departments.

This distinction is important to the type of liability insurance and documentation that is required, and the resources available to support these processes. SAFECLIP covers non-allied health/credential experiences; SPLIP covers medical and educator professional liability needs.

The Center for Community Engagement is the unit on campus designated to support processes for the broad array of departments that implement community-based learning courses covered under SAFECLIP. Please see this covered under SAFECLIP and SPLIP.

As a university resource, the CCE is happy to consult with any campus department to provide insight and input into student placement and partnership processes. 

Insurance Policies:

General Field Experience - Student Academic Field Experience for Credit Liability Insurance Program (SAFECLIP): SAFECLIP provides general and professional liability coverage for students enrolled in community-engaged learning and internships for which students receive academic credit. In essence, the program provides indemnity, including legal defense costs for students, faculty, the University, and the learning site (when required by contract/ agreement), if there is a claim or lawsuit involving injury to others or damage to property in connection with academic internships and community-engaged learning experiences. Please note the SAFECLIP program does not afford coverage for activities that occur outside of the United States and its territories. International service-learning and academic internship placements should be reviewed with the university risk manager.

Allied Health/Credential Experience - Student Professional Liability Insurance (SPLIP): SPLIP provides medical professional liability and educators errors and omissions insurance of CSU students enrolled in a health profession practicum, social welfare program, social work program, or education credential program of the CSU who are required by a host institution to obtain general liability and/or professional liability insurance for participation in the institution’s affiliation program.

In General:

• SPLIP applies to credential/allied health and student teaching placements that require professional liability coverage.

• SAFECLIP applies to all other academic internships and service learning/curricular community engaged learning placements, except those governed by SPLIP. 

• These programs do not cover international lawsuits. SAFECLIP and SPLIP do not cover a students’ workers’ compensation; W-2 employees are covered by the employer's insurance.