Civic Learning andStudent Conduct:

Judicially SanctionedMentoring and Service-Learning

Experiences

Wendy Young

Greg Meyer

Tammy Knott

Dana Broadnax

Outcomes

• Understand how the Mentor and Site programs work at JMU

• Assess the applicability of such a program on their own campuses

• Implement volunteer recruitment and retention strategies

• Apply some of our sanctioning philosophies to their own processes

As a result of attending this program, participants will be able to:

Judicial @ JMU• Facts and Figures– Harrisonburg, VA– Public Institution– Enrollment:

17,964– On-campus beds:

6100 (4000 First-Year)

– ≈ 1150 cases/ 1500 students adjudicated last year (on and off-campus)

• Process– Single Hearing

Officer– Judicial Council– Appeal

• Sanctions– Substance

Education– Civic Education– Other

Sanctioning Philosophy

Office of Judicial AffairsMission Statement

We are committed to promoting student learning, civic responsibility and,

through partnerships, developing the community necessary for the university

to achieve its mission

Sanctioning Philosophy

• Guidelines• Responsibility vs. Sanctioning• Consistency vs. Fairness

• Substance vs. Civic Education• Individual vs. Group Experience• Student Needs

History and Evolution:Service-Learning as a Sanction

1998 - 2005• Theories– Dewey: Service-learning– Kohlberg: Moral and Ethical

Development– Astin: Involvement– Sanford: Challenge and Support

History and Evolution:Service-Learning as a Sanction

1998 - 2005• The Program– Assigned to work a given number of

hours at an on-campus site– Attend Weekly Reflection Group

Meetings– Write Reflection Paper– Journaling encouraged but not required

History and Evolution:Service-Learning as a Sanction

1998 - 2005• Roles– Site supervisor• Supervise student work• Approve timesheet

– Reflection Group Facilitator• Guide group in discussion and reflection on

learning

History and Evolution:Introducing Mentoring

2004 - 2005• John Whitmore: Coaching• Experimenting with mentoring as

sanction• Reflection groups not reaping the

intended outcomes in the Service Learning Program.

• Theories– Lois Zachary: The Mentor Guide– Laurie Beth Jones: Mission Statement

• Program– Students assigned between 25 – 75 hours of

service– Mentors meet for 15 weekly (one-hour)

meetings– 9 students were only given a mentor due to

lack of enough sites

History and Evolution:Madison Master Mentors with Site

2005 - 2006

History and Evolution:Assessment2005 - 2006

• University Sense of Belonging Scale– Students showed higher levels at post

test for important items– Students with a mentor showed higher

levels at post test for most items– Most significant gains shown for

students with ONLY a mentor

History and Evolution:Madison Master Mentors

with or without Site2006 - 2008

• Theories– Stages of Change

• Program– Volunteers receive meal vouchers– Students can receive just a mentor (15

hours) or a combination of mentor (8, 10, 12, 15) and site (25 – 75)

History and Evolution:Assessment2006- 2007

• University Sense of Belonging continued to significantly increase

• Increase was still highest in the mentoring only students (but not as high as the previous year—more stable)

• Finalized goals & objectives for civic learning programs (site & mentor)

• Assessment information used to acquire funding for full-time position

History and Evolution:Assessment2007- 2008

• Developed Help-Seeking assessment• Created rubrics for mentoring & site

experience• Continued to see increase in University

Sense of Belonging but smaller—decided to start to look into a more sensitive measure of belonging

• Divided programs so site experience would not require a mentor; added Values In Action to civic learning education

Civic Learning Today2008 - Present

Civic Learning Today:Mentor Experience

• 8, 10, 12, or 15 hours• Personal Direction• Mission, Values, Goals

Civic Learning Today:Site Experience

• 30, 45, or 60• ON-CAMPUS• Involvement• Reflection Groups

Civic Learning Today:Process

• Sanctioning• Intake Interview• Intentional Matching• Ongoing Communication• Reflection Paper• Exit Interview

AssessmentCurrent and Future

• Revised University Mattering Scale• Help-Seeking Scale• Performance Assessment• Qualitative Analysis (Nvivo)• Use of comparative groups• Civic Responsibility Behavior

Questionnaire• Further development of Values In Action

goals, objectives, & rubrics

Civic Learning Today:Growth

• 2006 – 2007– 45 intake

• 2007 – 2008– 73 intake

• 2008 – 2009– 106 intake

• Fall 2009– 68 Intake

– GA (20 hrs/wk)• 35 mentors, 20 sites

– Administrator (40 hrs/wk)– GA (20 hrs/wk)

• 55 mentors, 24 sites

– Administrator (40 hrs/wk)– GA (20 hrs/wk)– Student (5 hrs/wk)

– Administrator (40 hrs/wk)– GA (20 hrs/wk)– 2 Student (14 hrs/wk)

• 109 mentors, 28 sites

Volunteer Recruitment

• Start with people you know• Network & know your resources• Volunteer for other

departments/programs• Be excellent in what you do &

approachable• Word of mouth & other advertising• Provide feedback—direct quotes of

participants on how program goes

Volunteer Training

• Be flexible—time of year, week, day

• Balance length with need

• Clear goals & objectives

• Assess & implement feedback provided from participants and trainers

Mentor Training• Overview (2.5 hours)

– Student and volunteer quotes– Goals and Objectives– Stages of Change

• Listening Skills (1.5 hours)• Mentor Basics (3 hours)

– Mentor Phases– Strategies– Role Plays

• Mentor Activities (1.5 hours)– Sample activities– Mission and Goals

Site Supervisor Training

• Overview (2.5 hours)– Student and volunteer quotes– Goals and Objectives– Stages of Change

• Listening Skills (1.5 hours)• Supervisor Training (1.5 hours)

– Goals and Objectives– Appropriate use of student time

Volunteer Retention

Retention

Volunteer Retention

• Communication• Flexibility• Ongoing training• Challenges (i.e. ask volunteers to train

others)• Involve in decision-making about program• Provide feedback (i.e. reflection papers)• Recognition

What About Your Campus?

• What type of intervention would best serve students who come through your office?

• Does your office have the resources for a program like this?

• Does another office on your campus have the resources for a program like this?

• What theories influence practice in your office?

Tips

• Start small• Assessment• Theories• Don’t outgrow your resources• Keep student needs as central

concern• Relationships/Collaboration• Word of Mouth

Discussion and Questions

www.jmu.edu/judicial/civiclearning

Visit Us On the Web…

Or Contact Us With Questions

Greg Meyer – meyergi@jmu.eduWendy Young – young2wm@jmu.eduTammy Knott – knotttw@jmu.eduDana Broadnax – broadnds@jmu.edu