What is service?
For Alpha Phi Omega at Saint Louis University, Delta Delta, service is defined as an action that is performed for the benefit of the chapter, Saint Louis University, the St. Louis Community, the United States or the world. This action includes but is not limited to community beautification, feeding the hungry, helping the elderly, supporting Boy and Girl Scout Troops, and aiding in education. APO members may count service for fundraisers of St. Louis or National organizations whose goal is to foster research in a medical related field. Service is an action that is performed without monetary compensation.
Service must be done during the semester of membership. This time frame starts on the FIRST day of classes and ends the LAST day of classes. Hours are due at midnight on the last day of class for the semester. While doing service over Winter and Summer Break is great, it will NOT count towards requirements for the next or previous semester. For pledges, the service must be done during the pledge period. This means that the Wednesday after Initiation is the first day that any type of service will count. Any pledge-specific Episodic service will count during Pledge Week as well.
What is NOT service?
Service is NOT an action performed due to requirements of a specific organization in which the member receives some sort of monetary compensation through a scholarship or other means.
Transportation time in order to do service is NOT counted as service. Shadowing or an unpaid internship is NOT service.
Service to the campus done with another SLU organization whose main purpose is in doing the service to the campus does NOT count for APO (for example: Billiken Buddies, International Ambassadors, Student Alumni Ambassadors, etc). This is because doing this service to the campus is, in effect, your membership to that organization.
Any hours done for licensing requirements in your field of study do NOT count. However, community service hours done for a service learning course not required by your major will count for APO.
Fundraising for another SLU organization does NOT fall under any category of APO service. This includes (but is not limited to) tabling for another club's event in the BSC, working at Chaifetz with another group besides APO, or helping coordinate a fundraiser for another organization.
APO does NOT endorse any political parties and therefore any service directly affiliated with a particular political organization or service that advances a particular political party's agenda does not count as service.
APO is NOT associated with any one religion in particular, rather it encourages students of all religions to join together and serve others in the community. APO wants to encourage people of all religions and backgrounds to do service and does not want to appear biased toward a certain religion. Therefore, APO does not count service that directly benefits only a religious organization. Altar serving and singing in the mass choir would not count as service. However, service events that benefit a group of people in need that are sponsored by a religious organization such as working at the Jewish Center for the Aged would count as service.
Service to the campus done with another SLU organization whose main purpose is in doing the service to the campus does NOT count for APO (for example: Billiken Buddies, International Ambassadors, Student Alumni Ambassadors, etc). This is because doing this service to the campus is, in effect, your membership to that organization.
Any hours done for licensing requirements in your field of study do NOT count. However, community service hours done for a service learning course not required by your major will count for APO.
Fundraising for another SLU organization does NOT fall under any category of APO service. This includes (but is not limited to) tabling for another club's event in the BSC, working at Chaifetz with another group besides APO, or helping coordinate a fundraiser for another organization.
APO does NOT endorse any political parties and therefore any service directly affiliated with a particular political organization or service that advances a particular political party's agenda does not count as service.
APO is NOT associated with any one religion in particular, rather it encourages students of all religions to join together and serve others in the community. APO wants to encourage people of all religions and backgrounds to do service and does not want to appear biased toward a certain religion. Therefore, APO does not count service that directly benefits only a religious organization. Altar serving and singing in the mass choir would not count as service. However, service events that benefit a group of people in need that are sponsored by a religious organization such as working at the Jewish Center for the Aged would count as service.
How many hours do I have to complete each semester?
The amount of required hours depends on your membership status.Active Member: 25 hours, at least 10 Episodic/Continuous, remaining 15 can be from Other Service
must attend Showers of Service/Make A Difference Day
Senior Member: Nothing except Showers of Service/Make A Difference Day
Associate Member: Nothing
Grad Member: Nothing except Showers of Service/Make A Difference Day
Not In Good Standing: 25 hours + deficit hours from previous semester and SOS/MADD
How do I get credit for my hours?
For Episodic Service, you must sign up for the site on APO Online. Once you show up and the service site leader takes attendance, the Episodic Service team will log your hours for you on APO Online. For Continuous Service, you must sign up for the weekly event on APO Online. It will show up on the event calendar. You will log your hours on this page and the Continuous Service team will approve your hours within the week. For Other Service, you must log the hours yourself on APO Online. Hover over the Reports tab and click on Service Hours. You will log your hours here, and the Continuous Service team will email you if they have questions about your service. Otherwise, the hours will be approved within the week.What is Episodic Service?
Episodic Service is a site that is generally a one-time opportunity presented at chapter by the VP of Episodic Service. If you have a site that you would like to be promoted as an Episodic site, feel free to e-mail serveapo@slu.edu about a week beforehand. Almost any site can be an Episodic site as long as it is open to all members of APO. However, it must be approved presented at the chapter meeting by the VP of Episodic Service.What is Continuous Service?
Continuous Service is any service that requires a commitment throughout the semester. You must register your continuous site with APO and you must go to the site at least 5 times throughout the semester (Actives Only) in order for it to count as Continuous Service. A Continuous site must be approved by APO before hours will count. A list of approved Continuous sites can be found on the Continuous Service website. If a site is not on that list and you would like it to be your continuous site, please contact the VP of Continuous Service at apocontinuous@gmail.com to get it approved.What is Service to the Chapter?
Service to the Chapter is any service that goes towards the development of APO. This type of service includes, but is not limited to, leadership positions (eboard, family head, being on a committe etc.) fundraising, and the Bigs/Littles Program. You can only count a maximum of 5 hours from leadership positions. For example, you cannot get 15 hours from being on a committee, being family head, and being on eboard. However, fundraising events for APO do not have a limit on the number of hours as long as you do at least 10 hours of Episodic and/or Continuous Service.What is Fundraising?
Fundraising is any APO sanctioned events where the money directly benefits the chapter. This includes Chaifetz Fundraising, Bake Sales etc. This type of service will be presented at chapter by the AVP of Finance.What is Other Service?
Other Service is any service that is not Episodic or Continuous Service. Service to the Chapter counts as Other Service in terms of the membership review for hours. If you sign up for a continuous service site, but don't attend it all 5 times, it will count as Other Service. Other Service must be approved by the VP or AVP of Continuous Service. If you do Other Service, please make sure you fill out all of the information on the log. You will be notified only if the service is not approved via e-mail. There is a possibility that the hours will not be approved because they are not deemed as service. If you are worried whether or not your service will count, please e-mail apocontinuous@gmail.com and ask beforehand.Spring Break service trips can be counted as Other Service if approved by the Continuous VP.