Logging Hours
Students are responsible for carefully tracking and recording their community-engagement hours and for providing descriptions of the activities. Hours are tracked in our online system https://ccel-app.umn.edu. Hours will be verified directly by community organization supervisors online.
In regards to the 20 hour rule, students can and should begin logging hours as soon as they start with an organization, but students must have a minimum of 20 hours with the organization by the time the student decides to end their engagement.
How To Track Hours Online
- Log in to our secure system at https://ccel-app.umn.edu/. Your username and password are your x500 and student ID.
- Before you can log hours, you must create a position.
- On the left hand side, click "positions," then "start a new position."
- Use the drop down to search for your organization. If you don't find your organizaition, we recommend searching under different names. For example, the University of Minnesota Medical Center is listed under "M" for M Health. The Hope Lodge is listed under American Cancer Society Hope Lodge. If you're still unable to find your organization, you can enter the necessary information. Click "continue."
- Choose your supervisor. It might not always be the person who is training you or doing orientation, often times it is the volunteer coordinator for the whole organization. If your supervisor is not listed you can enter their information. Please make sure you have the correct email address since this is where the system will send your timesheets. Click "continue."
- Enter the corresponding information for when you started. For the month you should count orientation and/or training as your first day. ALWAYS enter 1 for the day, regardless of when you started. Leave the end date blank.
- Choose your position from the list. Again, if your position isn't listed, you can enter the appropriate information. Click "continue."
- After submitting your position, you'll receive an email stating whether your position has been accepted. If your position is accepted, you may begin logging hours online. If it is rejected, you'll receive an additional email from Scholars Program staff. You must create multiple positions if you have more than one community engagement experience you'd like to track. If you have two different positions with one organization, you should create two different positions. Ex: You volunteer as a housewarmer and classroom helper with Ronald McDonald House, you should have one position for housewarmer and a different one for classroom helper.
Once your position has been accepted, you can log hours.
- From your homepage, on the left hand side, click "manage hours," then click "view, add, and submit hours." Select a position from the drop down.
- Click on the day you want to log hours. Choose the day you want to log hours and beneath it click "add hours for...." enter the necessary information.
- Choose the "type" of hours. Restricted = paid hours (job, paid internship), Unlimited = everything else, including community engaged learning course hours.
- If you will be logging additional hours that week, "save, but do not submit the timesheet." If you are done logging hours for the week, "save and submit the timesheet." Make sure to check the box that all the hours are correct to your knowledge. Once you submit your timesheet you will not be able to make changes or edits. If you realize you have made a mistake, please call 612-626-2044 as soon as possible.
- Timesheets can be submitted weekly or monthly, but all timesheets for the semester must be submitted by the following dates below. While hours need to be submitted by the following dates, they may be approved by the organization after the date. As long as you have submitted the hours, you do not need to worry about when they will be approved. The Scholars Program staff will monitor submitted activities and urge supervisors to approve hours or reserve the right to reject those that do not fit the parameters of the program.
SUBMISSION DEADLINES:
—Fall Semester: December 21
—Winter Break / Spring Semester: May 16
—Summer Hours: September 14
Logging Hours Abroad/Outside the Twin Cities Area
Students should always meet with a program advisor before completing program requirement abroad. Please download the following google sheet to track hours with an orgaization outside the Twin Cities area and abroad. If traveling to an area without internet access, students should download and print the form before departure.
