1. What is a placement?
A placement is the site where a student fulfills the service component of PULSE. Students are required to stay at one placement for the entire year, therefore the placement process should be taken very seriously. All PULSE placements are carefully sele cted and would provide any student with an enriching experience. Students should choose their placements carefully, taking into consideration things such as the time requirements, types of tasks and the mission and nature of the agency.

2. What is the placement process?
The placement process is intended to aid a PULSE student in choosing his or her placement. It is a seven-step process, that is carefully outlined on the back cover of this booklet. Students are expected to actively participate in the placement process which occurs throughout the month of September.

3. What is the Town Meeting and why is it important?
The Town Meeting, which takes place on September 16, 2009, is a wonderful opportunity for students to gain first-hand knowledge about all of the PULSE placements. At the Town Meeting, supervisors from each of the placements come to BC to discuss their agenc ies and describe in detail all of the responsibilities and expectations of the PULSE students. Students will attend four sessions, each about a different agency in which they might be interested, and have the chance to ask questions and clarify anything with the supervisor. The Town Meeting is mandatory for all students.

4. What is advisement?
Advisement is the step of the placement process that occurs between September 17th and September 20th. PULSE students sign up for advisement on the PULSE office door. At this time, each PULSE student individually meets with 2 PULSE Council Members to discuss the various options that student would like to pursue for their placement. PULSE Council Members will guide the PULSE students and answer any questions that they might have at that time.

5. Why should I go on tours? And when should I interview?
The more placements that a student actively pursues, the more knowledge he or she will have before making final decisions. Touring at an agency will give a student a better understanding of that agency, the supervision, and will help the student determi ne whether or not they would like to work at that placement. At least two or three tours are offered at each placement, and the available times will be posted outside of the PULSE office. The PULSE program advises that students tour at least three agencies; however, students are encouraged to go on as many tours as they would like. Interviews are required at some agencies. The interview times will also be posted outside of the office. Keep in mind that some placements are highly competitive so students should leave themselves other options in the event that they are not "selected" for a particular placement.

6. Does travel time count towards the 10-12 hour service requirement?
Travel time is included in a student's 10-12 hour time commitment. Therefore, volunteering far away from campus does not increase a student's weekly time commitment. All students are expected to spend 10-12 hours a week focusing on the service component of the class, so students close to campus will spend the same amount of time in service work (10-12 hours) as will students who travel to agencies located farther away from BC.

7. What is a Council Member?
There are eighteen PULSE Council Members. They are all undergraduate students who have completed PULSE. Each Council Member coordinates three or four placements, and serves as a contact person for both the students and supervisors at those placements. A Council Member can assist students and supervisors by answering questions, discussing concerns and mainly acting as a resource for everyone involved in PULSE. A Council Member should be the first person called whenever concerns arise.

8. What is a supervisor?
A supervisor is a PULSE student's on-site contact person who will provide the students with guidance and feedback regarding their service work. The supervisor will hold supervisory meetings with the students, and is also responsible to assign a grade for each student at the end of each semester.

9. How much of my grade does my placement work count for?
Faculty members calculate a student's overall grade by combining the grade assigned for placement learning with the grade assigned for classroom learning. The placement grade accounts for "40%" of the overall grade while the classroom grade acounts for 60 % of the overall grade.

10. What is a Learning-Work Agreement?
A Learning-Work Agreement is a contract that is completed by the supervisor and the student together at the beginning of placement work. It outlines the goals and expectations of the student and the supervisor. It is signed by both the supervisor and t he student and both agree that the student will fulfill the expectations stated in the agreement. The student's grade will be a direct reflection of the Learning-Work Agreement.

11. What is Charlie Card distribution and travel reimbursement?
Since most of the PULSE placements are located away from the BC campus, traveling becomes a major expense. To defray the cost of travel to and from PULSE placements, the PULSE Program reimburses students for the cost of public transportation by providing Charlie Cards for MBTA trains or reimbursement for use of MBTA buses. A student who chooses to use his or her own vehicle will be reimbursed an amount equivalent to the cost of public transportation. Travel reimbursement takes place in the PULSE office at the end of each semester. Travel reimbursment and/or Charlie Cards will not be available after the specific dates listed on the PULSE calendar.

12. What resources do I have access to as a PULSE student?
PULSE will assist students in obtaining use of BC facilities (such as audiovisual equipment, meeting rooms, admission to sports, cultural events and recreational facilities) for PULSE-related use. Also, BC has memberships at the Museum of Science and th e Museum of Fine Arts. Stop by the PULSE office for more information.

13. Where is the PULSE Office and why would I go there?
The PULSE Office is located in McElroy, Room 117. The phone number is (617) 552-3495. The PULSE website is www.bc.edu/PULSE. The PULSE office is open from 10am until 4pm, Monday through Friday. The staff is always willing to help with anything, so students are invited to stop by anytime!

14. What does community service have to do with Philosophy and Theology?
Good Question! During the next few months, you may find yourself asking questions related to social issues or problems that you see in your service work. Believe it or not, these are philosophical questions! The goal of this course is to get you to start thinking about the decisions we make as a society and as individuals. Serving the community through your placement is one way to give you an idea of the big picture behind issues addressed by Philosophical and Theological inquiry. If you don't understand the answer to this question, that's ok! Just wait about ten months, and you might have a better understanding of what we are talking about.