Provost's Committee on Service Learning Overview

Since its creation in 1994, the Provost’s Committee on Service Learning has supported the development of Community Service Learning (CSL) at UMass Amherst.  Leadership and vision from key UMass faculty have helped to ground the campus' community service learning program in a strong intellectual framework.  Faculty members from across the university with interests in active learning, public service and campus-community partnerships have provided direction and support for the Office of Community Service Learning.

The Provost’s Committee, co-chaired by David Schimmel and John Jenkins, has provided funding and support to UMass faculty through the Faculty Fellows program.  Through this program, individuals have built CSL into their courses, teams of faculty from departments or other units have designed CSL courses together and faculty have conducted research on or through CSL.

Over 100 faculty members have been named as teaching fellows in service learning since 1994.  Since 2000-2001, Communication, Information Technology, Marketing, Legal Studies, Sport Studies, Polymer Science and Engineering, Psychology, Veterinary and Animal Sciences, and Social Justice Education have received unit fellowships to develop CSL as part of the department's curriculum.  In addition, Art & Architecture, the Psychological Services Center, Sport Studies and Communication Disorders have received CSL planning grants.  An interdisciplinary team of faculty from Journalism and Nursing has also been awarded a planning grant.

Members of the Provost’s Committee on Service Learning 2006-2007

David Schimmel (co-chair)
   Education
Leda Cooks
   Communication
Kelly Cowdery (graduate student)
    Educational Policy Research and Administration
Sharon Fross  
    Vice Provost for Outreach
Dan Gerber          
    Public Health, Community Health Studies
John Jenkins  (co-chair)      
    Music and Dance
Art Keene      
    Anthropology
Linda Lowry      
    Hospitality and Tourism Management
Robert Marx      
    Management
Shirley Mietlicki      
    UMass Extension/Public Health
KerryAnn O’Meara      
    Educational Policy Research and Administration
John Reiff 
    Director, Office of Community Service Learning
Bernd Schliemann   
    Division of Outreach
Margo Shea (graduate student)   
    History

To learn more about the Provost’s Committee members, read their reflections on public service and engaged scholarship.