September 25, 2023

Dear Colleagues,

We are excited to introduce the Volunteer Service Hours program at Colorado State University. This new program allows eligible faculty and staff up to eight hours of paid administrative leave each fiscal year to perform volunteer work at a broad range of designated community organizations.

We know our employees are community-minded and generous, and as a public land grant institution, service is at the core of CSU’s mission. This program aims to support faculty and staff’s involvement in the community, strengthen CSU’s partnerships, and spark interest in organizations that are making a positive difference.

The creation of the Volunteer Service Hours program is testament to the service orientation of our employees. Special thanks to Lani Williams of the CSU Libraries for spearheading this employee opportunity, to the Administrative Professional Council for supporting its development, and to the Human Resources staff who will administer the program.

Program Highlights

• Eligibility: State classified, administrative professional, research, post-doctoral fellows, graduate assistants, and faculty members are eligible to participate. Hourly employees are not eligible to participate in the program.
• Flexibility: Employees may use hours to volunteer in a single day or over multiple days. Hours can be used at more than one designated organization. Participation is optional. Unused hours expire at the end of the fiscal year and are not eligible for payout.
• Participation: Eligible CSU employees will receive paid leave – pro-rated based on their position’s full-time-equivalent (FTE) percentage – for volunteer service at one or more of the organizations designated by the university. Leave must be preapproved by the employee’s supervisor.
• Volunteer Opportunities: The program is being piloted regionally in partnership with community organizations in Northern Colorado. CSU employees outside the area can contact the designated organizations to inquire about remote volunteer opportunities. Expansion of the program beyond Northern Colorado will be reviewed after the pilot year.

For more information about the program, including the list of designated community organizations, visit the Volunteer Service Hours program webpage.

It is fitting that this program’s launch coincides with CSU’s Thematic Year of Democracy, a time when we are examining our responsibility to serve the greater community and to participate in civil society. Whether you find a new volunteer passion through this program, or you use hours to volunteer at an organization you are already engaged with, we encourage you to participate. We will both use this program to volunteer with our teams, and we hope to see you out there in the community.

Thank you for your service,

Amy Parsons
President

Eric A. Ray
Vice President for Human Resources