From the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs

Buffalo State remains deeply committed to service learning, also known as community-engaged learning. Service-learning is a high-impact teaching practice in which students enrolled in a designated course engage in organized service activities that address identified community needs. Through structured reflection, students connect their experiences to course content, deepening their academic understanding. Following dissolution of the administrative functions of the Civic and Community Engagement Office, the structure and support of service learning at Buffalo State has been reconsidered.

The Service Learning Policy (DOPS IV:16:00), outlines minimal requirements for service-learning designation.  A new Service-Learning Oversight Committee has been established to oversee course quality, compliance, and data collection. The committee will also serve as a faculty resource and make recommendations on service-learning policies, procedures, and promotion.  Additionally, the experienced committee members will serve as a resource for faculty participating in service-learning and will make recommendations on service-learning policy, procedures, and promotion. Thank you to Deborah Silverman, Alan Delmerico, Pixita de Prado Hill, Dana Serure, and Kristy Tyson for agreeing to serve on the committee.

All faculty wishing to teach service-learning courses must receive periodic approval from the Service-Learning Oversight Committee following the process outlined on the service-learning designation website prior to teaching service-learning courses at Buffalo State.  Additionally, all service-learning courses must be designated as such in Banner by the time the course schedule is published.

For more information, please contact the coordinator of the Service-Learning Oversight Committee, Dr. Scott Goodman, directly.