The perks of Princeton University’s plans for a new first-year program would make any Ivy League undergraduate green with envy: Incoming freshmen who qualify spend an entire “bridge year” decompressing from the anxieties of constantly attaining academic superlatives while volunteering abroad in exotic locations. The university plans to provide its generous financial aid resources to participants. Most importantly, the administration seems ready to encourage — even motivate — students to join the program, and shows signs of accommodating more students if necessary.
Boston University has neither the time nor the funding to organize a program comparable to that which Princeton will draw up. Still, those volunteer programs that BU does already endorse leave much to be desired. The two most popular programs — the First-Year Student Outreach Project and Alternative Spring Breaks — both require volunteers to pay program fees to participate for a week — proportionally too much money for such a short time.
These costs would not matter much if they simply paid for program maintenance costs — food, transportation and lodging — but the fees usually exceed any reasonable price for the program. FYSOP, for instance, charges $375 to house and feed students during the week before the rest of the incoming class moves into dormitories. Though they cover many maintenance costs, the fees are too high for what they materially provide. BU should be encouraging — indeed, reaching out to students who otherwise would not participate. High fees and selective application processes are no way to do that.
The Community Service Center would do better to eliminate the fee altogether while advertising its program better. After all, those incoming freshmen who participate will pay much more in tuition and student fees to BU than it would cost the university to offer the program for free. The cost is no heavy burden for the university to take on, especially if the program helps the community.
The CSC should consider freeing up some funding by allowing staff leaders to volunteer for free. It seems counterintuitive to force one group of volunteers to pay for their own labor while providing a few organizers with wages. Some students certainly earn the pay they receive after spending years volunteering, but that does not mean more spots could not be filled by equally enthusiastic volunteers at less cost.
At the same time the CSC charges students hundreds of dollars to pay for the logistics of its programs, many independent student groups struggle to effect real changes in their communities without the benefit of university funding.
With a whole summer’s worth of planning all for one week of service, FYSOP program coordinators should also find a way to do more good with the time and effort they put into planning that week. The CSC should seriously examine extending its existing programs or adding new ones that feature the kind of dedicated service that allows students to forget about academics and focus on more pressing matters.
