Tufts on Feb. 25 was named to the 2009 President's Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll for commendable volunteer contributions in the local area.
This is Tufts' second consecutive year making the honor roll — the highest federal recognition for service and civic engagement — although the university dropped a level from last year's standings, in which it was named to the 2008 Honor Roll with Distinction.
The Corporation for National and Community Service, a federal agency, named over 700 institutions of higher learning to the honor roll this year, according to Kevin Days, the program coordinator for Learn and Serve America, a program under the corporation; 29 schools in Massachusetts, including Tufts, received the award.
Institutions of higher education are evaluated on a number of criteria laid out by the agency.
"Overall, we look at the institutional commitment that the school is making to support student service on campus," Days told the Daily.
The judges consider the percentage of students engaged in community service on campus and the percentage of federal work−study funds that the institution uses to sustain service projects, according to Tisch College of Citizenship and Public Service Dean Robert Hollister.
The number of service−learning courses offered and the incentives used to promote students' participation in service initiatives are also integral to the final decision.
The corporation then reviews up to three project descriptions for individual initiatives at each school, according to Days.
"We look not just at the number of inputs, the number of students and hours, but also the impact of the projects and who is benefited," Days said.
Hollister cited the contributions of the Leonard Carmichael Society (LCS), Tisch College of Citizenship and Public Service, the Jumpstart program, the Greek community and non−affiliated service groups as pivotal in helping to secure Tufts' place on the honor roll.
"There are a lot of departments and student organizations that contributed to the overall institutional achievement," Hollister said. "We definitely have a strong combination of ongoing programs and new student initiatives on campus."
Hollister said that Tufts' commitment to service is unique because new student initiatives are continually being created each year.
"We not only have well−established ongoing service and social change efforts on campus, but each year there are new public service programs that students initiate," Hollister said. "It is encouraging that there are always new initiatives that add to the opportunity for service and grow our institution."
Days explained that there are three levels of recognition offered by the corporation. The top six institutions are named Presidential Awardees and represent the best examples of institutional commitment to civic engagement in the nation.
Institutions at the second level — the Honor Roll with Distinction — are identified as having exceeded the corporation's criteria by demonstrating an exemplary commitment to service, but fell just short of being named Presidential Awardees.
The final level attained by Tufts is for institutions that meet the basic service requirements set forth by the agency for strong volunteer service programs.
"This level of award is really about giving schools the opportunity to talk about the work that they are doing in their community," Days said. "We don't spend a lot of time talking about the contributions of higher education, and this is a means of doing that and recognizing the contributions schools make to their communities."
The President's Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll program began in 2006. According to Days, the agency has seen a dramatic increase in the number of applicants since its inception, from 500 in 2006 to nearly 750 in 2009.
"The honor roll was designed to point out to the public all the really important work that higher education institutions are carrying out to help their communities and the nation as a whole," Days said.
LCS Press Secretary Audrey Kuan, a sophomore, said that the recognition was a significant achievement for the university and for the LCS.
"It's a big applaud," Kuan said. "We are happy that we can say we had our hand in it."
Kuan hopes that the award will result in increased student involvement in service organizations on campus.
"It's a great first step. Our goal is to support service on campus, and to have Tufts recognized in this way is very encouraging," Kuan said. "It is definitely an extra push to keep encouraging us to promote service around campus."
Hollister is excited by the recognition, particularly since it is the second year in a row that Tufts has been named to the honor roll.
"We are really pleased to receive this recognition from the primary federal agency whose mission is to promote national service," said Hollister. "It is satisfying and definitely reinforcing."
He added that the national recognition was symbolic of higher education's growing focus on service.
"It's a reminder we are part of a broader movement in higher education," said Hollister. "We are in an exciting period in which higher education is elevating its community and civic mission."
