(Proposed Revisions in CHAPTER 9, APPENDIX K, Pages 142-145 of the Student Handbook to incorporate the developments/changes ushered in by the creation of the USIC)

APPENDIX K

Policy on Credited Community Outreach

The following forms of Community Involvement shall be credited as curriculum or graduation requirement. These forms of community involvement may also serve as creditable outreach for purposes of organizational or individual student involvement awards, recognition or citations.  Creditable community Involvement shall be certified by the University Social Involvement Council.

In pursuit of the Mission of the University, creditable community outreach is a sustained and continuing engagement with partner communities undertaken by the members of the University, particularly students beginning in their first, to their second, to their third, up to their fourth and final year in the University.

I.   The following are credited community outreach

1. Creditable Community Outreach (CCO) -   those which have been undertaken by the student under any of the following forms of involvement:
   1. Curriculum-based Outreach (CBO)
   2. Voluntary Community Outreach (VCO)
2. Community Outreach Program (COP)

II.   Procedure for Certification of Credited Involvement

1. Outreach activities undertaken either as Curriculum-based Outreach or as Voluntary Community Outreach shall be credited in the year when the outreach was undertaken. The requirements for certification are provided under section IV below on Forms of Creditable Involvement.
2. Outreach activities carried out under the Community Outreach Program shall be credited in accordance with the procedure outlined in the succeeding sections.

III.   Mechanics for joining the Community Outreach Program

Step 1: Registration.  Registrants are expected to write personally his/her name, Student I.D. Number and Signature on the Official Registration Form provided at the COP Desk at the CCD Office. No proxy registration is allowed. Such registration is considered invalid and thus will be deleted from the list. Registration is done in the 1st month of the current semester and will last for 1 month.

Step 2: Registration for Basic Orientation Seminar. Similar to Step 1, students are required to register personally for the Basic Orientation Seminar. She/he chooses the time and date most convenient for him/her to attend the BOS. The BOS runs for half day.

Step 3: Basic Orientation Seminar. Schedule and venue of seminars will be announced 3-1 weeks before the seminar activity. It will be posted in the Bulletin Boards around the campus. Only the officially registered participants will be accommodated based on the BOS reservation registration form. Students who come in late will not be allowed to participate in her/his chosen BOS time.

Step 4: Registration for participation in COP Activity.   Registration for participation in COP activity can be done beginning Monday afternoon of the week or at least 3 days before the scheduled activity.

Step 5: Participants’ Meeting.  Activity guidelines will be discussed and given to registrants during the participants’ meeting (to be announced when and where): it includes transportation, work schedules, expenses, parental consent, and other arrangements.

Step 6:  COP Activity. The implementation of the COP activity is under the over-all charge of the COP Coordinator. The COP Coordinator may enlist assistance from volunteers (students, faculty, personnel) in carrying out the activity.

Step 7: Reflection Paper.  An opportunity shall be made available for the participants to reflect on and share their experience in the outreach activity undertaken.  Students may also join the one-half day reflection session which the COP coordinator shall hold, in partnership with pertinent offices,  at least once per semester on pressing development issues.   At the end of the session, participants are expected to submit a one (1)-page (short size coupon bond, single space) reflection paper or any other literary work (poem, song etc.) or art work (drawing, painting etc.) on his/her community outreach experience on or before the end of the current semester.

IV. Forms of Creditable Community Outreach

The following is a list of engagements that have already been identified as creditable community outreach: 

V. Issuance of Certificate of Credit.  The Certificate of Credit shall be issued to applicants  for certification of creditable outreach  who have satisfied the requirements as above enumerated. For outreach undertaken as COP,  the Certificate of Credit shall be signed by the COP Coordinator, the CCD Director, and the USIC Chairperson.  The Certificate my be secured from the CCD a week before the end of the semester.  A certificate of Credit shall be issued for each creditable outreach activity undertaken.  A Masterlist of students who have been issued the Certificate of Credit will be maintained by the CCD.

VI. Signing of Clearance. (Graduating Students Only).  Schedule of signing of clearance will be posted at the CCD Office.  The Clearance shall be signed by the CCD Director or designated representative based on the Masterlist (official list) mentioned in the immediately preceding section.  To qualify for signing of clearance, a student must have been issued a certificate of credit for at least 16 hours of direct community engagement every year, exclusive of curriculum-based outreach engagement.