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Service-learning courses may occur in any discipline, major, or at any level. All designated SLCs at Ä¢¹½¶ÌÊÓƵembody the principles and practices of service-learning pedagogy and the growing field of community engaged teaching and learning.

All SLCS must include the following:

• Reciprocal benefits to community, faculty, and students
• Direct link between the service project(s) and course learning objectives
• Community service project(s) that address a need identified by the community partner and offer significant immersion for the students; a minimum of 10 hours of work applied to the service and ideally 20 or more. Service projects are with external community organizations or campus groups that serve external stakeholders.
• Preparation for the service project, including information about the community partner and the related social issue(s)
• Structured, rigorous reflection integrated throughout the course to deepen the connection between the service experience and academic course content, to facilitate understanding of community engagement, and to explore personal learning
• Partnership and ongoing contact between faculty member and community partner(s), with the partners’ knowledge being incorporated into the education
• Grading procedures that assess the students’ knowledge and critical analysis of the experience vis-à-vis the course learning objectives (not for the service alone)
• Opportunity for community partners to provide feedback about the project(s), students, and the service-learning process
• The Ä¢¹½¶ÌÊÓƵStatement of Service-Learning included in the syllabi (see below)
• Release of liability form signed by students (facilitated by faculty, form provided by CCESL)

SLCs may incorporate projects in a variety of formats, such as:

• Direct Service - students learn about the community partner and clients through volunteerism at the site.
• Indirect Service - the partner brings a community problem to the students, who primarily work on the project off-site throughout the semester.
• Research & Advocacy - students gather information about an area of interest for the partner or work to create awareness or action regarding a community need.

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This class is designated as a Service-Learning Course (SLC). At WCU, SLCs integrate critical reflection and purposeful community service as central components of the course to achieve the following goals: deepen academic learning outcomes, address a need identified by the community, and enhance students’ sense of civic responsibility to local, regional, national, or global community needs. Community organizations serve as co-educators with the faculty member. The community service hours in SLCs count toward WCU’s SPARK Award Program. To learn more about how you can become involved in the SPARK Award Program and other community service opportunities, please contact WCU’s Center for Community Engagement and Service Learning (CCESL). Back to top

Though some Community Experience Courses may incorporate elements of service-learning, they are not designed with service-learning methodology. Instead, CECs may focus more on other methods of experiential learning or serve as incubators for new approaches to community-engaged learning.

All CEC's must include the following:

• Reciprocal benefits to community, faculty, and students
• Interaction with community partners that serve stakeholders external to campus
• Instruction to help students contextualize the community experience
• Collaboration and respect
• The Community Experience Course Statement included in the syllabi (see below)

Examples of CEC activities:

• Site visits to non-profit organizations or government agencies
• Field education placements in nursing, education, and other disciplines
• Volunteer service activity with a community partner

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This class is designated as a Community Experience Course (CEC). At WCU, CECs are courses that meaningfully incorporate one or more community-engaged components from a range of possibilities such as intensive field education placements to volunteerism, site visits, or other innovations. The common theme in CECs is that course activities engage students with community partners reciprocal, collaborative, and respectful exchanges around community issues. Students engaged in community service through course work may be interested in WCU's SPARK Award Program. To learn more about how you can become involved in the SPARK Award Program and other community service opportunities, please contact WCU's Center for Community Engagement and Service Learning (CCESL). Back to top

Faculty complete and submit the .

• request designation for a SLC or CEC (~10 minutes to complete)
• or to communicate interest in teaching a SLC or CEC (~3 minutes to complete)

Deadlines to submit the form for designation are:

• October 1-6, 2025 for Spring 2026 courses
• March 2, 2026 for Fall & Summer 2026 courses

These deadlines are selected so that courses can be approved and then officially tagged within Banner prior to start of class registration for the upcoming term. Submissions will gladly be accepted after these deadlines, but faculty are highly encouraged to apply according to the timeline listed above.

When submitting the form for designation purposes, you will need the following:

-descriptors for your course (title, number, etc.)
-brief description of intended or potential community project/interaction
-draft version or working copy of course syllabus

Initial designations are valid for one academic year. Course previously designated should renew yearly using this . After three years, faculty are kindly requested to re-submit the initial designation form. These processes support Ä¢¹½¶ÌÊÓƵin tracking changes to courses, correctly identifying which faculty are utilizing these high-impact practices, and updating best practices as needed.

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After receiving the submission, the CCESL Review Committee will evaluate it for the required service-learning and community experience elements. 
Courses retain their designation for ONE ACADEMIC YEAR. All faculty will be kindly reminded to resubmit the brief designation form on an annual basis to assist Ä¢¹½¶ÌÊÓƵwith tracking changes and keeping course design current with practices within the field of community engagement. CCESL will provide feedback and collaborative consultation (if desired) for any courses that submit for designation and do not initially meet criteria for the requested designation.

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When approved, CCESL notifies the faculty member, Department Chairperson, and Administrative Support Associate (ASA) and provides instructions for the ASA to tag the course Banner prior to Advising Day and the start of course registration.

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CCESL will contact faculty toward the end of the course term to confirm basic information about the implementation that occurred during the semester such as names of community partners, brief update on the service project/community experience, and final syllabus. CCESL will also provide a brief survey for students regarding their service-learning or community experience engagement and outcomes. This survey is not course-specific and serves to provide overall date to inform future directions for community-engaged course programming.

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Courses retain their designation for ONE ACADEMIC YEAR. All faculty will be kindly reminded to resubmit a brief on an annual basis to assist Ä¢¹½¶ÌÊÓƵwith tracking community-engaged courses.

Renewal form deadlines follow the same standard timeline as initial designations:

• October 1-6, 2025 for Spring 2026 courses
• March 2, 2026 for Fall & Summer 2026 courses

After three years, faculty are kindly requested to re-submit the initial designation form. These processes support Ä¢¹½¶ÌÊÓƵin tracking changes to courses, correctly identifying which faculty are utilizing these high-impact practices, and updating best practices as needed. 

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All SLC/CEC Instructors are required to:

• Distribute the student safety packet to course participants (Download Student Safety Packet)
• Collect signed copies of the two enclosed waiver forms from each student
• Store the signed copies of the enclosed waiver forms for retention period of 5 years
• Review safety tips with students and report any incidents to CCESL

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First call 911 or appropriate service. If on campus, Ä¢¹½¶ÌÊÓƵCampus Police can be reach at 828.227.8911 for emergencies and 828.227.7301 for non-emergencies.

Community experience/service-learning participants—including students, faculty, and community partners—involved in any unusual incident (risky or hazardous situation) related to a Ä¢¹½¶ÌÊÓƵproject should submit a report to CCESL. The report should include the following information:

• Student’s name and contact information
• Agency’s and site supervisor’s name
• Faculty member’s name
• Date and location of incident
• Synopsis of incident

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• Comply with the Ä¢¹½¶ÌÊÓƵStudent Code of Conduct
• Travel in pairs or groups as much as possible; if traveling alone, tell a classmate or friend about your service site/location and the (approximate) time you expect to return to campus.
• Drive carefully.
• Keep your cell-phone handy in case of emergencies, such as the breakdown of your car; however, do not use your cellphone while operating a vehicle.
• Dress appropriately and if in a virtual environment, adhere to appropriate social standards (i.e. consider your apparel, background, noises, etc.)
• Use appropriate language.
• These are substance-free activities. Do not consume alcohol, regardless of your age, and do not perform services under the influence of illegal substances.
• Follow all rules and/or guidelines of the agency for which you are serving
• Do not engage in activities beyond the scope of your service project.
• Do not give agency clients a ride in a private motor vehicle.
• Do not engage in or tolerate talk or behavior of a sexual nature; and if you feel harassed, tell your agency supervisor, course instructor, and/or the service-learning project coordinator.
• Do not enter into an amorous or sexual relationship with a client during the term of your service.
• During the term of your service, do not engage in any type of private business activity with a client which may compete with your service-learning activity.
• Do not have contact with anyone in the service setting in a harmful and/or violent manner.
• Inform the agency representative of any problems that occur while you are performing services.
• If you feel uncomfortable with or unsafe at your current service site, contact your course instructor, project coordinator, or the Center to report your concerns and to request an alternate site.

*Prohibited Activities*: There are certain activities that Ä¢¹½¶ÌÊÓƵ students, faculty and staff may not perform in the course of their service learning/community service projects. The prohibited activities include:

• Aiding or engaging in partisan political activities
• Organizing or engaging in protests, petitions, boycotts, or strikes
• Engaging in religious instruction, conducting worship services, or engaging in any form of proselytizing
• Activities that pose a significant safety risk to participants
• Assignments that displace employees

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CCESL manages and loans out vehicles to support service activities. These vehicles are fully subsidized by CCESL for the purpose of service-learning and accessible to all University employees. University Policy 30 states that when University-owned/operated transportation is provided, only employees (including student employees) who have received special training are allowed to be the drivers. Learn more

In addition to CCESL vans, there are several additional transportation options for students to travel to service sites: personal vehicle, walking, carpooling, and public transportation. It is recommended that faculty collect students’ cell phone numbers ahead of departure.

REMINDER: All students must sign the "Transportation Release and Informed Consent Form" in the student packet.  

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This optional timesheet made available through CCESL helps students, faculty, and community partners keep track of activities at the service sites and provides some measure of accountability. Students can also count their service hours towards the Spark Award, tracking them in Engage. Back to top

CCESL has developed a step-by-step guide for how to design a SLC, as well as a tool to facilitate project development with community partners.

Download the SLC Quick Guide.
Download the Project Scope Info Sheet.

For in-depth resources, peer reviewed articles, and podcasts about community-engaged learning, view the

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