Community Service for Unmet Hours (Graduating Seniors)
The Work College Program is a required and integral part of a Berea education, as outlined in the Enrollment Agreement each student signs upon entering the College. A graduating senior who fails to meet the Program's minimum hours requirement in their final term will have their transcripts withheld, both academic and Work College Program, until they complete a required number of community service hours. The Associate Dean determines this number based on the hours not met and the student's past work-learning performance.
- The number of service hours typically equals the student's total hour shortage for the final term, though it may exceed that amount if the student showed substantial performance concerns during the term, including a poor evaluation score.
- The graduate is responsible for locating and securing an unpaid community service position.
- Before beginning the work, the graduate must submit written details to the Work College Program, including the community service organization and agency contact information.
- A sponsor from the organization must oversee the service work.
- The sponsor should contact the Associate Dean before the work begins, to review expectations and procedures.
- Upon completing the work, the graduate must submit a timesheet showing hours worked, signed by the sponsor.
- All documentation should be on official organization letterhead or email.
- The Work College Program uses this information to verify and approve the position.
- Once verified, the graduate's transcripts are released to the student.
Note: This policy is not intended as a way for a graduating senior to avoid the consequences of not meeting their requirement. Since work-learning is a core educational obligation of enrollment, a student who fails to complete the requirement during their final term remains subject to all formal actions described elsewhere in this handbook, including suspension prior to graduation.