Department of Community Service

Tasks:

1. Engage in dialogue with campus partners, Student Union, and Graduate Student Association to pursue funding (scholarships, work-study or other) for student leaders and volunteers
2. Initiate conversations with the Student Union to ensure leadership, advising, and adequate funding for all alternative break programs. Work through issues that limit participation, address white savior complex, and explore new sites that may be of interest to BIPOC students.
3. Rollout an alumni fundraising campaign and/or research and apply for foundation or grant funding to sustain scholarships.

Criertia:

1. Creation of at least 10 work-study positions that are directly connected to DCS programs and community partnerships. (FY24)
2. Enhance the current scholarships and/or new funding opportunities for Alternative Break Program participants and advisors.(FY24)
3. Pilot a scholarship and/or new funding opportunities for students to volunteer in and/or serve as leaders for affiliated service clubs. (FY24)

Progress:

1. We have initiated conversations with the Waltham group Alumni Network to assist with fundraising for student scholars.

Tasks: 

1. Intentionally collaborate with the Intercultural Center, ISSO, GSC, and other campus partners to ensure all students from all identities are engaged and aware of the resources and programs within the department.
2. Conduct Focus Groups of all students, but also underrepresented students, to determine systemic or evolving barriers that may limit community engagement and necessary departmental resources.
3. Establish intentional leadership and community engagement programming for BIPOC students.
4. Ensure we have diverse student, staff, and community partner representation on all DCS panels and committees.

Criteria: 

1. Develop at least 2 collaborative partnership programs/initiatives with the ICC, ISSO, GSC, and/or other campus partners each year. (FY22)
2. Facilitate the creation of a student-centered network of leaders across ICC, service, and activist clubs to increase awareness of and access to leadership opportunities and programs. (FY23)
   
3. Conduct at least one annual survey and host at least one community listening session to measure progress and areas of growth on operations and anti-racist work. (FY22)
4. Pilot the new Roses in Concrete BIPOC leadership Series (with or without grant funding) for at least FY22 and FY23 and evaluate the program's impact through qualitative and quantitative assessment (FY23)
5. All selection committees, working groups and panels will have diverse representation across many social identities and experiences.(FY22)

Progress:

1. The Department has begun conversations with both the Intercultural Center and the Gender and Sexuality Center to ensure that all students see themselves in the service and community engagement opportunities available at Brandeis. Two examples are partnerships formed with the Black Future Fund of Waltham and the Trans Community of New England. 
2. We continue to ensure that there is representation of social identities on all committees, panels, and working groups throughout the department. 
3. Our Community Engagement Ambassadors have laid the framework for RISE (Resources in Supporting Engagement) with the hopes of creating a student centered network to increase access to leadership opportunities and programs. 
4. We have successfully completed our fall semester of the Roses in Concrete BIPOC Leadership and Mentoring Program. Our 17 amazing inaugural students will transition to the role of volunteers for Waltham youth in the spring.

Tasks: 

1. Establish a committee to review all policies and decisions made for the Commitment to Service Award (CTSA) Program, to elevate the goals of the program while ensuring informed and inclusive decisions.
2. Build framework and resources to support students who are engaged in activism and civic engagement efforts by expanding our definition of types of community engagement to be more inclusive of diverse student needs, cultural definitions, interest, and abilities to engage.
3. Purchase a new tracking hour software platform that will meet the evolving needs outlined within this plan.

4. Advocate for the sustainable inclusion of Racial Justice grant applications in the Rich/Collins Community Leadership.& Impact Fellowship  (R/C CLIF) Program.  

Criteria: 

1. CTSA review committee meets at least 3 times annually to review and update policies and approve student requests. (FY22)
2. Benchmark logged community engagement hours and types of service by those enrolled in CTSA program as compared to previous years. (FY22)
3. Conduct at least one annual survey for participants and non-participations in the CTSA program and include questions that elevate issues of racial justice and identity in service. (FY22)

4. Evolving definitions and the process to determine them, will be transparently provided to students on DCS website, service tracking website and announced in newsletters and email updates. (FY22)

5. Secure funding for R/C CLIF projects that advance racial justice. (FY23)
6. Establish intentional relationships with community partners that provide space for reciprocal learning and impact that aligns with the interest, identities, and skills of all students.  (FY23)

Progress:

1. EngageDeis has launched and a Commitment to Service Award Review Committee has been established to review policies and create an emergency framework that expands our departments definition of service.  We are actively considering all requests and encourage students to complete this form if you have impacts/hours that you would like tracked within the platform. 
2. As we encourage usership of EngageDeis we are committed to benchmarking our data to ensure we have representation and service opportunities that align with the skills and interest of all students. As we continue to expand these options and definitions of service we’ll update our website and  ensure we are assessing impact and measuring impact on DEI trainings. We have begun making progress on the vision for a Social Justice resource library and ensuring that all students have access to resources to be successful in their community engagement work.  
3. We are pleased to share that the Rich/Collins Community Leadership Impact Fellowship has secured sustainable funding and permanently included Racial Justice work as a priority for the program.

The department and its affiliated student leaders and volunteers will develop critical knowledge and skills focused on anti-racism and issues of bias, prejudice, and marginalization as it connects to our work on campus and in our local, national, and global communities. We seek to create an inclusive space among our staff, students, and community partners to explore the ways racism manifests in ourselves and in our practice of community engagement and service. We commit to coordinate DEI training for DCS staff members, key community partners, and all departmental student leaders, including R/C CLIF Fellows, CEAP Ambassadors, Waltham Group Coordinators, and Office Assistants.

Tasks: 

1. Staff will participate in coordinated DEI trainings and professional development workshops and attend or facilitate trainings through Brandeis and external organizations.
2. Staff will participate in an annual book or article discussion series.
3. Share resources when all staff cannot attend sessions and ensure a report back at staff meetings on topics covered.
4. Coordinate at least two DEI training for all departmental student leaders.
5. Coordinate at least one training or curriculum for all community partners and co-educators for our signature programs.
6. Host an annual panel discussion or workshop on prejudice and racism in community engagement work.

 Criteria:

1. All completed trainings and literature reviews will be outlined in the department’s annual report and/or website or supplemental materials. (FY22)
2. Knowledge and perspectives gained and action steps will be measured by assessments following at least 2 trainings, during supervision conversations and at least a quarterly staff meeting. (FY22)
3. A shared drive with DEI resources will be developed for both students and community partners. (FY22)
4. Student Leaders will complete at least two Annual DEI trainings. (FY24)
5. All volunteers will complete an all-Volunteer Training, which will have DEI topics highlighted. (FY23)
6. Provide honorarium to partners and speakers who facilitate training when within university funding guidelines. (FY24)
7. Community partners will complete a departmental training which centers topics related to diversity, equity and inclusion. (FY24)

Progress:

Tasks: 

1. Build or share resources to support students who are engaged in activism, community and civic engagement efforts.
2. Provide opportunities for students to reflect and grow through a variety of outlets that embrace learning styles, social identities, and cultural practices.
3. Engage student leaders in conversation and assess the value of and need for affinity spaces for students engaged in departmental programs.
4. Ensure students and community parnters are aware of resources for support (confidential and non-confidential) to report discrimination, harassment or sexual violence that you may encounter on campus or off-campus through your community engagement work.

Criteria:

1. Host at least one training or workshop per semester focused on mental health and wellness resources for student leaders and volunteers in service. (FY22)
2. Identify one dedicated staff liaison in the BCC to support students connected to the department. (FY23)
3. Complete focus groups, review departmental surveys, and complete a bench mark or affinity spaces for BIPOC students at peer institutions. (FY23)

4. Provide confidential and non confidential information on the departments websites, during trainings, and in email signatures.(FY22) 

Progress:

1. Staff members now provide confidential and non confidential information on the departments websites, during training, and in email signatures.