Service Learning Institute

As you begin your service relationship with a community agency, you are probably eager to get involved and make a difference in the lives of people with whom you work and the agencies with which you serve. We expect that you will view yourself as a representative of CSUMB in the community and as such, we ask that you carefully read through and abide by the following guidelines created to assist you in having the best and most productive experience possible:

Please read and follow these guidelines if traveling to/from service sites

1. Keep your automobile a non-attraction. Do not leave items visible in the car's interior. Place valuable articles in the trunk prior to arrival at site.
2. If you take the bus, be sure to know the route and cost of bus fare.
3. In case of a breakdown or a mix up with transportation, carry enough money for a cab ride home.
4. Develop a community safety net of resources in your placement area.
5. Familiarize yourself with people, places and things in the area that can be of assistance in times of emergency (e.g. know the location of phones, 24-hour stores, police station, etc.).
6. Give the phone number of the agency where you'll be serving to a roommate, friend, or relative before leaving for your placement site.

Final points

Use common sense and conduct yourself in a professional manner at all times. Every site has its own rules, policies, procedures, protocol and expectations, for which you are responsible. Familiarize yourself with the workings of the site/agency. This will contribute to your success in service.

CSU policies

The California State University Chancellor's Executive Order No. 345 requires each campus of The California State University to maintain a working and learning environment free from sexual harassment for its students, employees, and those who apply for student or employee status.

The following federal and state statutes prohibit sexual harassment as a form of sex discrimination:

• Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (as amended)
• Title IX of the Education Amendments Act of 1972; Government Code Section 12940; and the California Education Code, Section 200 et seq.

Responsibility

All members of the university community are responsible for ensuring that their conduct does not sexually harass any other member of the university community. This same responsibility extends to employees of third parties doing business with the University and to campus visitors.University administrators and supervisors have the further responsibility of preventing and eliminating sexual harassment within the areas they oversee. If administrators or supervisors know sexual harassment is occurring, receive a complaint of sexual harassment, or obtain information indicating possible sexual harassment, they must take immediate steps to ensure the matter is addressed, even if the issue or alleged problem is not within their assigned area of responsibility.

Faculty, staff, and students are expected to inform an appropriate administrator (i.e., deans or vice presidents) or other university officer (i.e., director of Human Resources) if they have reason to believe sexual harassment is occurring. Program administrators and department heads/chairs are responsible for taking appropriate steps to disseminate this policy statement to students and employees in their respective areas. All faculty, staff, and administrators will be held accountable for compliance with this.

Definition of sexual harassment

Sexual harassment is defined by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission as follows:

Unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature constitutes sexual harassment when:

• Submission to such conduct is made either explicitly or implicitly a term or condition of a person's employment or academic advancement
• Submission to or rejection of such conduct by an individual is used as a basis for affecting an individual's employment or academic standing
• Such conduct has the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with a person's work or academic performance or creating an intimidating, hostile, or offensive work, learning, or social environment

Not "just flirting" types of sexual harassment

• Verbal or physical contact with the intention of sexual relations may be quid pro quo (i.e., "in exchange" for favors such as promotions, employment perks, better grades etc.). The power of the person in authority (employer, supervisor, professor, etc.) to sexually harass increases in direct Correlation to lack of organization of the potential victim group - i.e., women laborers in the informal sector, temporary workers, students, women in institutions for the mentally/ physically handicapped etc. are most vulnerable.
• Sexual harassment by colleagues
• Sexual harassment by clients - particularly in professions where women's role is "sexually packaged" - such as air hostesses, workers in beer bars etc.
• Sexual objectification of an individual though sexual relations not intended (harassment on the road etc.). This can also include negative comments like "you're fat/ ugly" etc.
• Hostile, anti-woman environment (pornography in public places, foul language etc.). This may not be directed at any woman employee in particular, but the effect on women is one of discomfort.