Consistency is something that individuals thrive on, and what we look to find in everything we do. Consistency is something that needs to be more present in the Psychology of Civic Engagement classes.

Psychology of Civic Engagement, or Psy 233, is one of the required classes that fills the field of Area of Knowledge one. Many students who take this class have totally different requirements in the course. Over the course of the semester, I have heard three different variations of what is asked of students who take this class.

Some students have been asked to fulfill ten hours of community service at two different locations, while others have been asked to fulfill fifteen hours at just one location. Then there were students who were asked to go the extra mile with a class requirement of fifty-five hours of community service.

That is a huge number to ask for, especially when the schedule of a college student can be extremely hectic. The means of transportation to off-campus sites are another issue to take into consideration, because if students can’t get to off-campus sites as often, that hurts their hours.

“Had I known that there were classes that only required ten or fifteen hours of community service I would have chosen those instead,” says Brandon Simmons, a Junior student-athlete. “I love giving back to others but fifty-five hours was a little too much.”

In a situation such as this, students expect their core requirement classes like Psy 233 to be similar in many ways, much like how English classes are similar at almost every level they are taken at. From English 110 up unto English 201, students know that there will be four portfolios that they have to put together.

Teaching styles may vary, and we expect them to, but the class requirements still stay the same. Consistency in the class is a big help to the mental aspect of students. It is easier for them to get through a class when they know what to expect out of it.

Each Psy 233 class should have the same amount of required hours of community service, and if not the same amount, somewhere in the same area. That allows students to have some peace of mind, knowing that whatever Psy 233 class they register for, they won’t be doing way above what the next person is doing. Consistency is key and consistency is everything.