Reporting Service Hours & Guidelines

Award recognition and hour verification are based solely upon those hours reported to the Office through the processes listed above. Only service hours completed during the academic year (or in association with college-planned projects over the summer) and that meet the College’s guidelines may be reported. 

• It is the student’s responsibility to ensure that they record hours after performing service to count towards LVC awards.  
• Students must submit service hours by logging in their GivePulse account before the end of the semester in which the hours were completed.  
  • Hours completed in the Fall Semester are due by January 15 
  • Winter hours are due by February 15
  • Spring Semester hours are due by May 15 
  • Summer hours are due by September 15
  • Note: Service hours must be entered through the GivePulse system by the first week in April of the student’s graduating year OR have hours approved by Student Affairs if they will be performed outside of this submission deadline in order to be considered for a service award. 
• PAID EXPERIENCES DO NOT COUNT FOR SERVICE. 
• Students are encouraged to complete at least 5 hours off campus to better understand the needs of the community. 
• Students are encouraged to limit their online or virtual service to 5 hours.  
• Students in need of physical accommodations may contact Service & Community Engagement for additional virtual/online or other service options. 
• Service hours performed with an on-campus entity (defined as a department, club, or athletic group) should have a significant contribution and impact on others, including other sports teams or clubs.  
• Service‐learning courses (as designated by faculty) qualify for 15 hours of community service. 
• Volunteer work done solely to promote a particular religious or political point of view such as proselytizing or campaigning for a party candidate does not count as volunteer service hours. All youth group or church activities must be service to a community in order to receive credit. 
• Volunteers receive a maximum of 8 hours credit for any 24-hour period of service, and a maximum of 45 hours credit for any seven-day period. Time for travel to and from a service site or time sleeping overnight at a service site does not earn service credit. 
• Baby-sitting/pet-sitting for free for private individuals does not count as service. The same activity for a group of people or nonprofit organization does count as service. 
• Involvement in the service projects of for-profit businesses that address a community need will count as service hours. 
• Individuals who serve as volunteer firefighters or ambulance drivers receive credit for any shifts done at the station. Volunteers will receive 100 percent credit for all calls to which they respond. 
• UNPAID tutoring provided at non-profit schools or organizations counts as service hours. 
• UNPAID hours spent coaching youth sports count as service hours.