Service organizations need fee referendum

With the student election fast approaching, I’d like to
focus on the Promoting Understanding and Learning through Service
and Education Referendum ““ a significant part of the ballot
for me, of which many are probably unaware.

The total of $6.50 that the Community Service Commission, the
Community Activities Committee, the Student Initiated Outreach
Committee and the Campus Retention Center are asking students to
add to their fees is only meant to sustain these organizations that
do so much for the outside community, higher education efforts and
the students on our campus.

I was talking to one of my friends the other day about my
upcoming responsibilities. I quickly mentioned some Community
Service Commission errands. His response surprised me briefly.
“Oh yes,” he said. “The focal point of your
college life.”

I paused for a second, quickly agreed mentally, and then
continued. Later that day, I proudly thought to myself,
“Community service is a large part of my life.”

And I’ve found the best service is accomplished only after
finding where one is most needed and doing one’s absolute
best to treat the source of that need.

With this knowledge, I started looking at my future a little
differently. The purpose of my aspiration to be a doctor always
reflected a desire to serve. My love of community service began to
integrate with my pursuit of pediatric medicine.

In other words, community service inspired me to help medically
where the need was most apparent.

All the community service I have done has encouraged me to
modify my future plans, and to work closely with the Community
Service Commission staff and projects.

One aspect of our service to various recipients in numerous
locations includes what we call a “community
assessment.” The purpose of the community assessment is to
evaluate the logistics and problems of their sites. The greatest
function of the community assessment is to advocate change.

Service is needed because there is a particular problem, but
merely providing service will not prevent future troubles. The
community assessment gives directors a chance to work directly to
remedy the source of the problem, eventually allowing the service
recipients to become self-sufficient.

With the stress of school and other commitments, knowing
everything that our projects do to improve the lives of so many
makes it completely worth it. But it is impossible for us to
sustain our projects given the money problems we experienced this
year.

Community service projects not only help service recipients in
need, they also build the ambitious leaders that make our
university so reputable. Something needs to be done to sustain
these valuable community service organizations. As a student, I am
reassured every day of the need for the community service fee
referendum.

Malik is a second-year psychobiology student. She is
assistant commissioner of the Community Service Commission
staff.