From the ACU Volunteer and Service-Learning Center, August 2004:

In order to better track the types of service activities ACU students are involved in, we have created three categories of service for our documentation purposes. These are

• Service to community
• Service to ACU
• Service to church.

Below are our current working definitions for each of these areas. With each definition are some examples of service that would qualify for that area. These examples are not an exhaustive list.

We ask that any faculty or staff who require community service of students (for a class, LYNAY, Presidential Scholars, etc.) determine which of these areas are appropriate to meet that requirement. We do acknowledge that some service activities may fall within more than one definition and students may indicate that on student records as is appropriate.

Service to community is defined as unpaid services provided for or through a non-profit organization that helps the organization or the individuals, groups, or community sector that the organization serves. Community service is also defined as helping an individual or family in our community with meeting a specific need even though this opportunity was not identified through a formal organization. Examples include the following:

• designing brochures, stuffing mailers, answering phones
• reading to students, tutoring/mentoring kids, working in a child care setting
• helping at the animal shelter, picking up trash, delivering meals (Meals on Wheels)
• mowing lawns, other personal/home care (when individuals have no other resource)
• working construction to benefit someone in need (Habitat for Humanity or other)
• helping to raise money for a specific need (personal medical bills) or for a non-profit organization

Service to ACU is defined as any voluntary action or selected position (that is not paid as wages or scholarship) taken to specifically benefit the ACU community. Examples are as follows:

• working with the production of Sing Song or Freshman Follies as a volunteer
• holding an unpaid elected or appointed office in a student organization
• assisting with special ACU events (Lectureship, Welcome Week, Homecoming)
• assisting in any office or department on campus

Service to church is defined as any unpaid position or voluntary action taken to specifically benefit that church body. Following are examples:

• teaching a class, cleaning the building
• working with a specific program sponsored by the church
• helping in the nursery or preschool or with other age group activities