The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee strivesto develop active citizens by promoting civic involvement and leadership in the community through service. Through the UWM Student Service Record (SSR) Program, students can track their service in a university-supported format and receive a certificate to be used alongside their academic transcript and resume.
Program Gudelines
Getting Started
Students interested in the Student Service Record Program must meet with a Center for Student Experience and Talent staff or intern and turn in the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU).This is an agreement between the student and the site supervisor that the student will complete doing regular service. The MOU can be turned in via email orin person to the SET-Union office. Participants need one MOU for each agency they work with. All forms are available in the SET-Union office and are found on the resources page on our website.
Types of Service
SSR participants must find a non-profit, school, or government agency service site to volunteer with. Participants may utilize our community partner list, find a service site on their own, or speak with a SET staff member. Students must participate in regular service (2 hours a month) with a SET approved service site.
Students can also log service hours through SET sponsored events or service-learning courses. Due to the format of the SSR Program, service hours that cannot be logged include episodic volunteer events outside of the Community Engagement and Experiential Learning office, partisan political activities, work for an on-campus student organization, work with an agency where the student receives college credit or paid, or service that promotes religious ideas. This does not mean that participants cannot volunteer at a religious service site that provides a community service (ex: a food pantry in a church).
Logging Hours
Hours must be recorded using VicNet and a timecard. Once a student turns in their MOU, SET staff will create a VicNet profile for the student. At least once a month, students should submit their volunteer time. At the end of each semester, timecards should be turned in via the SSR Canvas page. In addition to VicNet, throughout the semester SSR participants should record their hours on a paper which they will bring with them to their service site each time they volunteer. Paper timecards are available online or in the SET-Union office. The paper timecards will verify the monthly hours being submitted in VicNet.
If a student fails to record their volunteer hours for a full semester, they will be counted as inactive and their information will be archived. If a student is studying aboard or has another reason why they cannot complete and log volunteer hours, they must let the SET staff know before the beginning of the semester.
Workshops
Sometimes workshops will be offered to SSR students. The workshops will have different themes centered around one of the four SSR program learning goals.SSR participants are not required to attend the workshops, but the workshops will create an opportunity for SSR participants to engage, collaborate, and reflect with one another. Through the workshops, SSR participants will combine reflection with experience to develop and strengthen skills as well as their civic identity.
Requesting a Certificate
Students must complete a minimum of 75 hours of volunteer work during their college career to receive a university recognized Student Service Record Certificate. Once a participant is eligible, they can request a certificate by filling out a Certificate Request Form and returning it to the SET-Union office. Certificates can take up to two weeks to prepare. The SET staff will notify the participant when their certificate is ready for pick-up.
Requesting Graduation Cords
Students must complete a minimum of 100 hours of volunteer work during their college career to receive university recognized graduation cords. Once a participant is eligible, they can request graduation cords by filling out a Graduation Cords Request Form and returning it to the SET-Union office. Cords can take up to two weeks to prepare. The SET staff will notify the participant when their cords are ready for pick-up.
SSR Program Canvas Site
Once students join the SSR Program they will be added to the SSR Program Canvas support site. This site will be used for students to ask questions, see announcements from staff, and connect with one another. This will also be where students turn in the MOUs and timesheets each semester.