Agency FAQ
1. How do I become an agency partner with the NMSU Grants Service Learning Program?
In order for an agency to become a partner, the following must occur:
- A NMSU representative must conduct a site visit and meet with all the contact personnel the students would be reporting to.
- The agency must attend a mandatory NMSU Grants Service Learning Orientation, either at NMSU Grants or onsite at the agency.
- NMSU Grants must have the following paperwork on file before students can be placed at the agency:
1) A signed Agency/NMSU Grants Letter of Agreement form.
2) A copy of the agency liability insurance.
3) An agency description form.
4) Proof of not-for-profit status (if applicable).
2. Do I have to take all NMSU Grants students who interview for a Service Learning placement?
- No. Agencies are free to accept students that meet their criteria for non-paid persons on their premises, such as volunteers. Service learning is different from volunteerism, yet following your agency procedure for the interviewing and acceptance of volunteers would be good practice for service learning students.
3. Can I require students to do more hours than the amount required by the
NMSU Grants faculty and Service Learning Office?
- Yes. Students are informed that if they are accepted at an agency that requires more hours, then they are bound to that amount.
4. Who do I contact at NMSU Grants for program information or concerns?
- Genevieve Humenay, Service Learning Program Coordinator, can be contacted at (505) 287-6634 (office), or by e-mail at ghumenay@nmsu.edu
5. What can service learning students do at my agency?
- Service learning students may work on any number of projects at your agency site. Each project MUST be related to what the student is learning in their corresponding Service Learning course at NMSU Grants. Please refer to the student's course syllabus to ensure that the service the students is providing to you is complementing the material being learned in the Service Learning course. Students working on a project that isn't related to their coursework MAY NOT RECEIVE CREDIT for the learning experience.
6. Should I take the time to reflect with the student on what they are doing and
how the service related to the coursework?
- Yes, as any time given to the student for reflection upon what they are doing for you and how it relates to their coursework is beneficial. Students will learn more and will further integrate their experiences from both the classroom and their service with the agency.
7. What should I ask a student when I interview them?
- Students should be asked the same questions that the agency would pose to prospective volunteers, in order to assess whether the student is likely to be able to serve in the capacity needed by the agency. The agency should also determine whether the placement is complementary to what the student is learning in their Service Learning course at NMSU Grants.
- Students should be asked for the following:
1) The Student Service Learning Letter of Agreement and Enrollment
2) The Student Time Sheet
3) A copy of their course syllabus (this will allow you an opportunity to plan their work at your site)
8. What forms should the student bring to the interview?
Each service learning student should bring the following forms to
their interview:
- A copy of their course syllabus, which will allow you an opportunity to plan their work at your site.
- The Student Service Learning Letter of Agreement and Enrollment. If you accept the student for placement at your agency site, both the agency supervisor and the student must sign this Enrollment Agreement. The student then takes their form to their instructor for their signature. The form is then routed to the Service Learning Office for data entry. A student is not enrolled in service learning until the forms have been processed.
- The Student Time Sheet. The Timesheet is the documentation that records the student's work at the agency site. It needs to be signed by the agency supervisor each time the student serves hours at the agency site, and should remain on the agency premises until the required service learning hours are fulfilled by the student. (The number of service learning hours required may vary between instructors and agency sites.) It is important that the timesheet be returned to the student before the term ends so that he or she can receive credit for their Service Learning experience.
9. What do I need to do if I have to release a service learning student?
- A call must be made to the Service Learning Coordinator to explain the situation.
- Preferably, you have met with the student to discuss the situation prior to release. If the situation is not remedied, then you would follow the same procedure to release a service learning student as you would a volunteer at your agency.
- A letter documenting why the student was released and efforts the agency took to prevent it should be sent to the Service Learning Office New Mexico State University-Grants, 1500 Third Street, Grants, NM, 87020.
- All documentation should be received by the NMSU Grants Service Learning Coordinator within 48 hours of initial contact regarding the release.
10. Can agencies be removed from the NMSU Grants Service Learning Agency list?
Yes. An agency can be removed for the following:
- At the agency's request
- Unresponsive to the calls of students and/or NMSU Grants Service Learning Office
- Student evaluations indicated a difficulty learning environment (research and facts-gathering are gathered prior to making a decision)
- Agency is deemed unsafe for students
- Failure to provide necessary documentation
- Not attending required agency orientations
11. How do I contact the Service Learning Office?
- The office number is (505) 287-6634.
You can also choose to e-mail: - Genevieve Humenay, Program Coordinator, Service Learning
ghumenay@nmsu.edu - Linda Marion, Project Director, Service Learning
lmarion@nmsu.edu
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"This information has been adapted with permission from the Center for Community Programs and Partnerships, Central New Mexico Community College." |