Faculty and staff interested in working with partners in the local community can reach out to the Office of Experiential Learning and Career and Employment Services to source and explore opportunities for engagement.
Faculty and staff exploring opportunities for a student group to volunteer in the community can use the Group Volunteer Opportunities page to identify organizations seeking groups for volunteer projects.
The Office of Experiential Learning Programs and Support manages the application and awarding process for Community Engagement Initiative grant funds to assist faculty and staff in taking their class or groups of students off campus to apply their learning through experiences and interactions in the local community. Awards range up to $500 per class or group activity (and no more than two awards per department or program).
Applications for fall semester grants will become available on August 12 and will be due by 5 p.m. on September 12. Applications for spring semester grants will be due by 5 p.m. pm on January 30. If a deadline falls on a Saturday or Sunday, the deadline will be 5 p.m. on the Monday immediately after.
Awarded funds can be used to reimburse departmental accounts for allowable expenses per parameters outlined in the grant award letter. Allowable expenses include transportation expenses, supplies, admission tickets, and printing and copying. See CEI grant application for full details.
Faculty and staff should consider inquiring into discounts available for groups, and/or Puget Sound students with local business and organizations when planning off-campus experiences for their students.
Currently, the university has a Membership for University Student Enrichment (MUSE) with Tacoma Art Museum (TAM), which provides several benefits for Puget Sound faculty, staff, and students, supported through the Catharine Gould Chism Fund for the Humanities and Arts. The Office of Human Resources provides information on this program and other Benefits & Other Services.
Facilities Services at University of Puget Sound manages two types of vans available for rent by faculty and staff. The total number of seats per van is either 12 or 15, including the driver. Van rentals are first come, first served and should be reserved at least two weeks in advance. The process for van rental and driver training can be found on the Facilities Services website.
The associated costs for van rentals will be charged to the departmental account designated by the faculty or staff person renting the vehicle. Please note that faculty and staff are able to apply for Community Engagement Initiative grants to help support off-campus, community-based learning activities. If awarded, these funds will be distributed to the designated departmental account at the conclusion of the activity, once all receipts have been submitted.
ASUPS has two smaller vans available to rent for $30 or $60 for a half- or full-day, respectively. They can seat up to 7 people. Contact the ASUPS Office by email (ASUPS@pugetsound.edu), call 253.879.3600, or drop by the ASUPS office in Wheelock 210 to see if a van is available for your requested dates. For additional details regarding the rental process, see the ASUPS Services website.
The ASUPS Office maintains ORCA Cards for use by students. Any individual, fee-paying student or group of students from the University of Puget Sound may use these cards for recreational or academic purposes. No non-fee-paying members are allowed to use the ORCA cards. ASUPS manages a limited number of ORCA cards for student use, therefore, faculty and staff should plan alternative options in the case ORCA cards are unavailable.
Faculty/Staff wishing to use the public bus system to transport a group of students to course-related, community-based learning activities in the local area should email ASUPS at ASUPS@pugetsound.edu to discuss availability and process at least three weeks in advance of the planned trip.
The Office of Finance provides information regarding discounts and outlines the process in securing a rental vehicle off campus for community-based learning activities. Vehicles rented for university programming are covered under the university’s auto insurance policy when traveling domestically. Additional coverage is not required. The university does not carry insurance that covers rental vehicles when traveling internationally. Please contact Risk Management at riskmanagement@pugetsound.edu to coordinate options.
While individuals are always allowed to drive personal vehicles, the owner’s insurance would be the source of any insurance coverage for an accident. Risk Management offers an acknowledgement form for faculty, staff, and students driving personal vehicles. Please contact Risk Management (riskmanagement@pugetsound.edu) for a copy of the form and ask all faculty, staff, and students driving personal vehicles to complete the form and submit it to the faculty or staff member coordinating the activity.
For insurance purposes, activities that involve going out on boats or flying in aircraft (not including commercial carriers) will require prior approval from the university’s insurance provider. This approval is obtained by contacting Risk Management (riskmanagement@pugetsound.edu).
While the university does not require waivers for every type of activity that may involve physical exertion or travel off campus, if you are contemplating an activity that would be considered physically demanding, elevated risk for physical injury, or require special skill, Risk Management can help you identify whether there would be an appropriate acknowledgement of risk form for your students. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:
If there will be activities that involve interactions with non-matriculated minors, the university’s Policy for the Protection of Minors Participating in University-Sponsored Programs must be adhered to. If our students, staff, or faculty will be considered the supervisors in such interactions with non-matriculated minors (because parents or teachers are not present), annual training and background checks will be required for involved students, staff, or faculty before the start of the programming. Please contact Risk Management (riskmanagement@pugetsound.edu) to make arrangements.
If you have any questions regarding risk management considerations, please contact Stacy Kelly, Chief Risk Management Officer & Assistant General Counsel:
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