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Community Service Information

One type of sanction given to student respondents by Judicial Panels is the imposition of specified hours of community service to be served at an on-campus and/or off-campus organization. Below are examples of organizations that are currently looking for volunteers. Students also have the option of researching and selecting other organizations for their service projects, contingent upon approval by the Office of Community Standards.

If imposed along with a suspension, community service is normally to be served to the Stanford community during the first quarter re-enrolled, unless an alternative place/time is specified by a Judicial Panel. Students are not allowed to volunteer for an organization in which they are already serving, nor are they permitted to receive any type of compensation (including, for example, academic credit, as well as monetary payment) or to perform their service as part of an organized group/team.

Prior to beginning service, students must contact the Community Standards Administrator or Judicial Advisor, for approval of the organization and the intended project. At the conclusion of the project, the Community Service Form, which verifies the number of hours served and the type of work performed, must be completed by the student's supervisor at the organization and submitted to the Community Standards Administrator.

Sample Community Service Projects

Type of Organization

Name of Organization

 

Location

Arts

City of Palo Alto Art Center

Palo Alto

Arts

Mid-Peninsula Media Center

Palo Alto

Children/Youth

Boys & Girls Club

Multiple Locations

Children/Youth

Building Futures Now

East Palo Alto

Children/Youth

YMCA

Multiple Locations

Children/Youth

Palo Alto Junior Museum and Zoo

Palo Alto

Education

East Palo Alto Tennis and Tutoring (EPATT)

Stanford Campus

Education

Reading Partners

Multiple Locations

Education

Rosalie Rendu Center

East Palo Alto

Education

10 Books a Home

East Palo Alto

Education

City of Palo Alto Library

Palo Alto

Education

Friends of the Palo Alto Library

Palo Alto

Education

International Institute of the Bay Area

Multiple Locations

Education

Palo Alto Housing Corporation

East Palo Alto

Education

Palo Alto High School

Palo Alto

Environment

Acterra

Palo Alto

Environment

Canopy

Palo Alto & East Palo Alto

Environment

Hidden Villa

Los Altos Hills

Environment

Peninsula Humane Society

Multiple Locations

Environment

Save the Bay

Multiple Locations

Environment

Environmental Volunteers

Multiple Locations

Health

Ronald McDonald House

Palo Alto

Health

The Almost Eden Garden Project

East Palo Alto

Health

Ravenswood Family Health Center

East Palo Alto

Health

Palo Alto Farmers' Market

Palo Alto

Social Services

Lytton Senior Gardens Community

Palo Alto

Social Services

Community Services Agency

Mountain View

Social Services

Ecumenical Hunger Program

East Palo Alto

Social Services

InnVision

Multiple Locations

Social Services

Second Harvest Food Bank

Multiple Locations

Social Services

Habitat for Humanity

Multiple Locations

Social Services

Rebuilding Together- Peninsula

Multiple Locations

Stanford Affiliate

Stanford Health Library

Stanford

Stanford Affiliate

Stanford Hospital

Stanford

Stanford Affiliate

Lucile Packard Children's Hospital

Stanford

Stanford Affiliate

Stanford Bechtel International Center

Stanford

Single Event On-Campus Service Opportunities 

These events require significant logistical support and use many campus volunteers for multiple hours over a shorter period of time. Contact the organizers directly for more information.

  • Stanford New Student Orientation: Mid-late September. NSO is managed by Undergraduate Advising and Research.
  • Stanford Reunion Homecoming Weekend: Late October. Reunion Homecoming is put on by the Stanford Alumni Association.
  • Stanford Rowing: Opportunities to assist with equipment maintenance and repair at the Stanford Boathouse, and/or with transporting student athletes from Stanford to the Stanford Boathouse for practice. To inquire, please contact Yaz Farooq.

Websites Posting Volunteer Opportunities

The following websites are a great resource for learning about current and on-going volunteer needs in our local community and beyond. Most of the following are direct service opportunities:

  • VolunteerMatch: VolunteerMatch has thousands of volunteer opportunities in participating cities nationwide.
  • Idealist: Idealist also posts thousands of volunteer and internship opportunities nationwide.
  • Hands on Bay Area: Hands on Bay Area organizes over 120 direct service projects a month.

If the organization and opportunity is a match for you, make arrangements with the volunteer coordinator, supervisor, group leader, etc. to get started. Request a time to meet and get formally oriented to the organization, the community, the people you will be working with and serving, and to your and responsibilities. Be sure to clarify expectations in regard to time commitment and duties.

Service Advising

If you are looking for an opportunity in an issue area of interest and are having trouble finding one, please drop by the Bing Information and Resource Center (BIRC) on the first floor of the Haas Center for Public Service anytime M-F 1pm - 5pm. Professional advising staff are available to assist you.


Additional Questions

Please email community_standards@stanford.edu or call 650-725-2485, if you have questions.