Volunteer Policies and Framework
Community service and engagement involve actions that support community needs, promote the common good, work toward a just society, and create social change.
Service Activities Policy
Service activities outside of club events which students would like to log with Brandeis as completed “community service hours” must include documentation and a rationale for their purpose and significance. These submissions will be reviewed by the Department of Student Engagement (DSE). The DSE will contact you for further verification if additional information is needed.
The DSE supports student involvement in community-engaged work. Our policies are being updated to better reflect our values. Approved service hours include:
- Direct service (e.g., tutoring, building homes)
- Indirect service (e.g., fundraisers, community organizing)
- Community organizing (e.g., voter registration drives)
- Mandated service hours
- Service-related trips
- Independent volunteer work while a current student
- International Brandeis-related service
- Religious education/volunteering at places of worship
- Advocacy activities (e.g., voter registration drives, writing letters to legislators)
- Certain advocacy activities (e.g., proselytizing, political campaigning) are excluded. Service completed while not enrolled cannot be logged.
- Service activities completed during summer breaks or between semesters may be logged, provided they meet the criteria outlined in the Service Activities Policy.
Other approved activities include:
- Planning community service activities
- Engaging with students/community during university office hours
- Service projects sponsored by clubs/organizations
- Trainings for service-related activities
- Direct service projects, planning, and reflection hours linked to community-engaged courses
- Community-based research projects
- Internship hours related to Brandeis programs
- Non-profit internships (with individual request form submission)
- Community-engaged fellowship programs
- Brandeis Educational Justice Initiative (BEJI)
- Some service scholarship programs
Note: Paid activities are not eligible for service hour logging.
Service impacting the university requires details on how it supports community needs.
For questions, please contact the DSE.