CES 2013-2014

Nuts ‘n’ Bolts

Our People

Without the following people, none of our work can transpire the way it does. So thank you for your time, energy, and dedication. You all are appreciated beyond expression!

CESs 2013-14:

Alexandra Smith

Ayesha Popper

Brandon Siedlaczek

Brenda Guzman

Chelsey Shannon

Dana Allswede

David Graham

Eren Sipahi

Ivy McKee

Jordan Ernest

Katherine Mattison

Maddie MacWilliams

Madeline Vermeulen

Mallory McClure

Marcela Zaragoza

Nadia Torres

Raven Fisher

Roxann Lawrence

Samantha Luna

Sarah Sullivan

Tyler Armor

Viridiana Carvajal

Willina Cain

Yessica Hernandez

Zoe Beaudry

The Contents

Get Your Bearings

On Work: Do’s and Don’ts……………………………………………...1

On Money: “All That Is Solid Melts Into Air”…………………………..4

On “The Bureaucratic Stuff:” Timesheets and Tracking Hours…....7

On (Spatial) Mobility: Transportation………………………………..10

On Structured Reflection: “Cultivating Knowledge” from

Experience……………………………………………………………..11

Closing Words: Our Mission…………………………………..…...... 14

On Work: Do’s and Don’ts

CES Employment

It is to:

  • Bill for time spent on recruiting, training, orienting, advising, supervising, and responding to student participants in your programs
  • Bill for work with community partners on the activities mentioned, OR any other work related to the functioning of a CCE program/partnership
  • Bill for time spent on planning and facilitating structured-reflections
  • Bill for time spent on planning and implementing special events related to our programs/partnerships (e.g. forums, speakers, film screenings, field trips, etc…)

It is to:

  • Bill for the annual Fall Retreat
  • Bill for time spent attending special meals/receptions with guests
  • Bill for time spent attending any celebrations or award ceremonies
  • Bill for time spent traveling to and from program sites

The FinePrint

  • CESs should normally work about 10 hours per week, or less. Please check with CCE staff about the routine expected weekly hours for your program.
  • During times of peak activity, such as the start of the quarter, or for special projects like assessment of impact, we understand that CESs may work as many as 20 hours per week.
  • If weekly hours are greater than expected after initial recruiting and scheduling, CESs should check with CCE staff for approval. Failure to get approval in advance to exceed the usual hours could result in non-payment of hours.

International Student Employment

An Initial Caveat:

Due to budgetary constraints, we have a limited number of positions and hours to offer our international participants. Moreover, international participants must be “work-study” eligible (they should know this information).

Some Limitations...Not Fun, But Sometimes Needed:

  • International students interested in applying for paid positions are encouraged to work about 10 hours per week, and we give preference to those who are able to do so. In consequence, we will have fewer students in programs overall, and those who hold positions will be dedicated, knowledgeable, and able to form deep relationships with community members
  • We generally cannot pay international students for more than 10 hours per week, nor are we typically able to employ international students over holidays and breaks
  • Visiting International students may volunteer, but they cannot be paid

Legalese:

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Federal law prohibits international students from working more than 20 hours per week. Many work additional on-campus jobs and they must not exceed this maximum between them. Please relay this legal tidbit to your international participants.

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Federal Work Study (FWS) Student Employment

FWS Students should be interested in working about 10 hours per week. Students who qualify for FWS are encouraged to apply for various positions within our programs.

  • Please list the names of all students interested in your programs (both FWS and International Students (IS)) on the Student Hire Report Sheet(see retreat folder) and submit to . Once their eligibility has been confirmed and their paperwork completed with the Business Office, they will be set up with web time entry.

Volunteers

Both U.S. and International students who wish to work in our programs as volunteers (unpaid) or through courses are very welcome; we ask for a minimum commitment of three hours per week.

On Money: “All that is solid melts into air”

(But, we still have to talk Budgets andFinance)

Program Budgets

(Some Common) Expenses you may encounter:

  • Structured Reflection
  • Supplies for structured reflections and/or special programming
  • Food for structured reflections
  • Community Program Enhancement
  • Field Trips (transportation, snacks, cafeteria meals, “K’ souvenirs, etc.)
  • Parent engagement activities
  • Any other things that add value to community-based programs
  • See Grants Program Guidelines (and CCE staff) for more details
  • Campus Education and Consciousness Raising
  • Special events programming (speakers, films, panels, etc.) that deepen and expand campus-wide learning about local/global social justice issues
  • Possible topics for events: health and educational (in)equities, “X” industrial-complex, food justice/access, migrant workers’ rights, women’s and girls’ empowerment, mental health issues….

So what’s my budget?!

Okay, here’s the deal:

For Structured Reflection: Your respective quarterly budgets will vary according to program size. As such, the budgets are apportioned as follows:

  • “Large” Programs: $150 per quarter
  • “Medium” Programs: $75 per quarter
  • “Small” Programs: $50 per quarter

For Community Program Enhancement: See “Small Grants Program (Mo’ money?...Say whaaat?)”

For Campus Education and Consciousness Raising: Talk to CCE staff for details

Paulette Rieger is the point person for most of the finance “stuff.” Please contact Paulette for specific details regarding your respective program’s budget.

The (Intrinsic & ) Value of Collaboration

Because all social justice issues are inherently interconnected, and to stretch funds for the greatest impact, it often makes sense for CESs to pool their resources and produce programming together in SR, and on and off campus.

Wanna be paid back?…yeah you do:

To be reimbursed for structured-reflections & other program related expense, you MUST turn in (to Paulette) the following:

  • Sign-in sheets of participants in attendance (for structured reflections)
  • All original receipts
  • Your name and ID # on everything you submit

---OTHERWISE---

Moola will be spent (by you), but none can be returned (to you)

Small Grants Program (Mo’ money?...Say whaaat?)

The Back Story

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Thanks to the generosity of alumna Linda Primavera, K ’77, all CESs may apply for up to $500 per program per academic year to carry out their work throughactivities that promote a “more just, equitable, and sustainable world.” Funds may be used to support and enrich ongoing activities, deepen and assess the impact of existing programs, launch an innovation through a small pilot program, and/or “tell the story” of the work they do together, consistent

with the mission of the CCE and their specific program.

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Umm…yeah…so how do I get this ? Do tell…

CESs who wish to apply for these funds must fill out the application (see your retreat folder & the CCE Website) which spells out the criteria the programming must meet.

A few things to bear in mind:

  • We encourage community members as well as “K” students who participate in the program to envision and develop initiatives for this grant
  • We seek evidence of collaboration at every stage of the project
  • CES programs are also encouraged to work together, recognizing that all social justice issues are inherently interconnected, and that working together bolsters both morale and the power of the work that is created together

On “The Bureaucratic Stuff”: Timesheets & Tracking Hours

Reporting Hours: The Rules

The following rules apply to you, the CES, and the participants in your respective programs; please communicate these with them:

  • Hours reported must NOT fall on:
  • Holidays
  • Break days
  • Days after the end of spring quarter (unless written permission is sought and given, by Paulette)
  • Hoursreported during the periods mentionedwill not be paid; attempts to claim such hours could result in dismissal
  • Hours will not be paid unless they correspond to hours worked on the bi-weekly tracking sheets

Some More (Important) Thoughts on Reporting Hours:

  • Be sure to watch your “am(s)” and “pm(s)” when entering hours. A two hour shift can turn into a 12 hour shift, which will then be flagged and denied by the business office.
  • Remember to submit your pay period by midnight on the Sunday that the pay period ends. Failure to do so could result in lost wages
  • Enter all hours worked on the actual dates/days and times that they were worked. This is mandatory for federal accounting purposes

Tracking Bi-Weekly Hours

The importance of tracking hours over the course of the quarter, and submitting these hours bi-weekly to Mo, cannot be overstressed. (Note the border sequestering this section off—yeah, it’s that serious.)

Why Track? It’s a ton of work and messy!!!

  • True, tracking is a lot of work, and it can get confusing, especially when participants aren’t submitting their hours to you consistently. But it’s necessary…

Why Though Man?!?!....Well….

  • Tracking provides that data we need in order to apply for grants, special awards, or audits
  • The things mentioned above help us secure the information and resources needed to keep all of the wonderful work you do going
  • Tracking provides invaluable data on where our programs are at any given point, with regards to participation rates, attrition, and growth

Alright, Alright, You’ve Convinced Me. Now How Do I Track?

  • Well good people, Mo will provide you with the “specially designed” Excel spreadsheets in which you will input all your data
  • Mo will walk you through on how to fill out these spreadsheets
  • For a smooth & non-messy (as humanly possible) experience, it is imperative that you follow Mo’s instructions. These instructions will be provided in person, and will be up online on the CCE Website

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The FinePrint

When students –including CESs – fail to report hours in an accurate and timely manner, and/or report hours that occur at unlikely times, CCE staff reserve the right to deny payment, and /or to dismiss the student or CES from employment without further notice. This is never pleasant…

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Some Caring Words

Ridiculousness will not be rewarded. A claim of 16 hours at Woodward on Memorial Day will raise eyebrows and alarms…believe it.

On (Spatial) Mobility: Transportation

How am I ‘sposed to get around?

  • Student participants, and CESs, are expected to arrange their own transportation to their respective work sites (at their own expense)

Any Exceptions?

  • Yes, CESs for the CAPS program will arrange and monitor regular transportation for participants to Interfaith Homes with assistance from CCE staff
  • Heartbeat will also receive help with transportation

Bipedalism:

  • Students in the El Sol and Woodward programs can easily walk to their sites
  • In darkness, students are recommended to walk with another person or in a group (Yes, the buddy system still works…)

(Further) Notes on Transportation:

  • Pleases ensure that your participants understand the transportation requirement and can accommodate it (even if that means driving and/or ride-sharing.)
  • In programs where students need to car pool, transportation details should be spelled out clearly in advance.

What about Special Occasions and Events?

  • Special events/occasions, such as community partner panels, on-campus “field trips,” participant performances, etc. usually entail additionaland planning. While CCE staff can help with logistics and budgets, CESs will need to request special funding to cover these costs (see section “On Money”). Community partners are often able to absorb some of the costs but our coffers are limited, and we may not be able to accommodate all funding requests. So please plan ahead to troubleshoot all possible obstacles!

On Structured Reflection: “Cultivating Knowledge” from Experience

Why all the hullaballoo around this reflection stuff?...well …

John Dewey:“We do not learn from experience…we learn from reflecting on experience.”

Grace Lee Boggs:“Thinking about themselves, reflecting upon their past, their present and their future, is the unique ability which separates human beings from all other living creatures. [Reflection] is the ability which enables them to learn from the past and project into the future. Animals only react and spend their entire existence living by their instincts. Man/womankind, on the other hand, has been continuously evolving through the thoughts and actions of living men and women” (Revolution and Evolutionin the Twentieth Century).

Mo Lotif: Building upon the luminaries, (structured) reflection is a vital processin cultivating knowledge from experience, and subsequently applying that knowledge in action (whether it’s in our personal life, professional endeavors, activism, or scholarship). Reflection is a continuous process, and in this way, it is a powerful tool at our disposal as we work towards (personal and collective) growth and (societal and self) transformation.

For the Visual Learners

The diagram below is a concise and effective visual depiction of some important tenets of (structured) reflection.

The Fine Print

Whether they’re working in Kalamazoo through federal work study, in their courses, or as volunteers, all students in our programs are required to participate in SR to insure that they are connecting their experiences and framing the social issues they encounter in a critical context. As a CES you are required to organize, structure, and lead three structured reflections per quarter for the participants in your respective programs.

Some Nuggets (Not ’s[1], but of Wisdom):

A quality reflection depends on many variables, but here a few that you should especially bear in mind:

Preparation

  • It is essential that facilitators prepare thoroughly for a reflection

Reciprocity

  • Even if a reflection is flawlessly planned, if the participants do not come ready to engage and be fully present, it will likely result in a subpar experience for everyoneinvolved

Accountability

  • Structured reflection is central to our work in many ways. As such, it is supremely important that you plan your schedules accordingly to ensure that you are present at every reflection (unless something legitimately unavoidable comes up, in which case, I’d appreciate advance notification)
  • We, the CCE, and especially Mo, are accountable to you with regards to ensuring that you have all the support and guidance needed to plan and lead robust reflection sessions.
  • Apart from the Retreat, the bi-weekly reflections are the most likely times that all of us will be together. So in a way, these reflections serve as a bonding agent for strengthening our community, in addition to generating the collective knowledge that can propel us forward in our understandings (of socio-political issues, self, and our work).

Closing Words: Our Mission

Affirming central goals of the College, the Underwood Stryker Center for Civic Engagement (CCE) engages students, faculty, and community members in sustained partnerships that foster collaborative learning and civic participation in a diverse, democratic society. By forging a link between service and learning, the CCE works to strengthen the community, invigorate the educational experience, and promote students’ informed and ethical engagement to build a more just, equitable and sustainable world.

Your Notes (Yeah, They Matter)

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[1] The logo is registered trademark of McDonald’s Corporation, and its usage here is not authorized by, sponsored by, nor associated with the trademark owner. The usage of the logo is for educational purposes only, and as such is protected under fair use copyright laws.