Due to the reaccreditation process, students cannot get academic credit for service learning
(Photo courtesy of Yaneira Romero -- The Beacon)
By Sarah Hansell, Staff Writer -- hansell14@up.edu
Effective this academic year, UP is no longer offering academic credit for service learning trips through the Moreau Center for Service and Learning, with the exception of classes for the Nicaragua and East Africa trips.
The decision came from the Office of the Provost, which is in the midst of renewing UP's accreditation with the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities. As part of that process, UP must ensure it meets certain academic standards.
There was concern the process for earning credit through service learning trips, which entailed reading articles about social issues and writing papers in response, did not meet NWCCU's accreditation criteria.
"There is no certified instructor, and you don't spend enough time in the classroom, and it has to have an academic home," Provost Br. Donald Stabrowski, C.S.C., explained at the Jan. 24 ASUP meeting.
Director of the Moreau Center Laura Goble said she understood the reasons for the policy change.
"It is part of the mission of the university to produce students that are academically excellent and aware of what's going on in the world," Goble said. "We really want to make sure the programs are strong, robust and clear so that students can access the academic credits and we can justify that."
However, some students think the learning experiences offered by service learning trips are worthy of academic credit.
One of them is Carolyn Farris, a senior who has gone on several service learning trips through UP and is going on the Nicaragua Immersion.
"I definitely am pro-credit for plunges," Farris said.
Sophomore Allie Beck, who also is going on the Nicaragua Immersion this summer, agrees.
"It just blows my mind that a university that prides itself on social justice and service isn't recognizing us," Beck said.
Junior Yaneira Romero, who has coordinated the Border Plunge in the past, believes the time commitment required for service learning trips is deserving of credit.
"Since they're spending so much time already, I feel they should get some type of credit," Romero said. "It should be offered."
However, the academic standards required by accreditation go beyond how much time students spend in a learning activity or principles of social justice.
According to the NWCCU Standards for Accreditation, UP must document that its academic programs meet certain learning objectives and "faculty with teaching responsibilities are responsible for evaluating student achievement."
However, UP's policy change is not necessarily permanent. The Moreau Center hopes in the future to restore credit opportunities for service learning trips that meet accreditation standards. Although there is currently no official timeline for credit opportunities to be restored, the Moreau Center and the Office of the Provost are working together to find a solution.
"We're taking this year as a pause," Goble said. "We're in conversation about how that credit can be reinstated."
