The newly formed Community Service Council has hit the ground running this year, acquiring support from numerous organizations around campus.
The CSC is focused on pooling together the resources of various community service clubs on campus in order to better serve the community. The group’s mission is “to network the student-run service groups at UC Davis and to further promote the ideals of service on campus,” said president and founder Christian Commander.
“We are more of an oversight committee,” Commander said. “We are not here to replace the identity of different groups, but the CSC wants to bring them together.“
Many clubs have joined CSC already, including Arboretum Ambassadors, UC Davis Bonner Leaders, HELP (Health and Education Leading to Prevention), Spreading Smiles, LOXI, Campus Rotaract and Pink-A-Live.
“CSC is a unique opportunity to be involved with other clubs as well as your own,” said Jaquielyn Tango, an active member and representative from Pink-A-Live.
Commander started the group in the fall by approaching various organizations to spread the word about his idea of a supra-organization to pool together the resources of smaller clubs to better serve the community. People immediately took to the idea, he said.
Commander also worked with ASUCD Senator Chris Dietrich to get a resolution passed showing ASUCD support for the organization and their goals.
“I wanted to build bridges and show that ASUCD shows support for what we do,” Commander said. “It was a symbolic gesture that showed initiative and that ASUCD recognized our needs.”
Dietrich helped author the resolution and lobby for it in ASUCD. It received immediate support, and the resolution passed in early January, he said.
“I think it is important for ASUCD to validate the efforts of community members,” Dietrich said.
Commander said the two biggest goals of CSC are to reach out to the student body and communicate with the various service organizations to form a network. The group especially wants to focus on getting freshmen involved, Commander said.
Currently CSC has its own Smartsite, and is working on constructing a website.
“We want to have an open presence and promote all the service groups on campus,” Commander said. “We want people to find the one where they can find their niche.“
CSC is currently planning a social mixer event for Mar. 6 from 5 to 8 p.m. to get community service organizations within the group acquainted with each other.
They are also planning an early spring quarter event in which they hope to host a fair with food, music, entertainment and prizes, while showing off the various community service organizations people can get involved with.
This year the CSC is focusing on organizing itself, building its website and gaining support from around campus in order to be productive with events the following year. Commander said they are trying to get the word out about themselves.
“I think [the CSC] has been a successful program so far and I’m glad to see that it has gotten off the ground,” Dietrich said.
Any organization or club can join the CSC by attending its meetings in the Moss Room every other Tuesday from 4:30 to 6:00 p.m. or by contacting Christian Commander at cjcommander@ucdavis.edu.
CORY BULLIS can be reached at campus@theaggie.org.
