Welcome to Volunteer Hub

At Oregon State University, volunteers play a vital role in supporting our programs, services, and community engagement efforts. The Volunteer Hub, powered by “Get Connected” from Galaxy Digital, is the platform we use to enhance the volunteer experience. It helps streamline processes, reduce compliance risks, and simplify administrative task, making volunteer management more efficient and effective. This platform serves as the official system of record for all university volunteers. It helps: 

  • Align volunteer activities with university policies.

  • Avoid duplicate tracking or registration efforts across departments.

  • Support volunteers through centralized oversight and tools.


What Can You Expect?

Volunteer Service Units

  • Register and manage volunteer opportunities.

  • Complete recruitment and select your volunteers.

  • View progress in real-time.


Volunteers

  • Sign up for volunteer opportunities.

  • Receive required forms such as the Conditions of Volunteer Service, Photo Opt-Out.

  • Complete background checks when your role involves sensitive duties.

  • Participate in university service with clear expectations and support.


Important Definitions

Who is a Volunteer?

  • A volunteer is a person appointed to perform official University duties without compensation or remuneration.

  • The volunteer performs activities at the request of, for the benefit of, and under the supervision of, the University.

  • The services or activities that are performed are typically associated with volunteer work.

  • The volunteer willingly provides volunteer service without any promise, expectation, or contemplation of payment or remuneration of any kind.

  • Volunteers may not serve in a capacity comparable to an employee.


OSU Employees as Volunteers

Employees, including student workers, generally cannot volunteer in roles related to their job. Under Oregon law, a person may only qualify as a volunteer if:

  • The task is performed on their own initiative.

  • It occurs outside their regular employment work hours.

  • It involves charitable or community service.

  • It is not part of their normal job duties.

University supervisors may not request, encourage, or imply that an employee, including student employees, should volunteer. Employees may not receive any present or future benefit, such as pay, grades, participation in activities, or employment, as a result of volunteer hours.


Students as Volunteers

Students may volunteer at Oregon State University, but important distinctions apply to avoid misclassifying paid work as unpaid service. Students who are not OSU employees can volunteer if their service:

  • Is not tied to academic credit or coursework.

  • Is not a condition of participation in any other program or benefit.

  • Meets the university’s definition of volunteer service.

Volunteering must never be a condition of receiving grades, employment, or enrollment in academic or extracurricular programs.


Minor Volunteers

Minor means any individual under the age of 18. Individuals who are seventeen (17) years of age or younger may serve as a University volunteer so long as a signed parental/guardian consent/waiver and photo form is on file with the department. Any volunteer seventeen (17) or younger who performs volunteer activities on any premises owned, controlled, occupied, operated or maintained by the University must be accompanied by a University representative at all times during the course of the volunteer’s service to the University.

Please read the Protection of Minors Policy to learn more.


Background Checks

Volunteers are subject to background checks according to University Standard 05-010 Comprehensive Background Checks.

Sex Offender Registry Checks

Pursuant to section 5.1.1 of the Standard, the university will conduct sex offender registry checks when offers to serve as a volunteer are made to individuals not employed by the university. If the volunteer is serving in a university-operated youth program, the sex offender registry check must be conducted at least every two years.


Criminal Records Checks

Pursuant to section 5.1.12 of the Standard, the university will conduct criminal records checks when offers to serve as a volunteer are made to an individual not employed by the university, for positions with access to protected, confidential or non-public data; stewardship of public funds; access to minors; access to student residence halls; access to vulnerable populations inclusive of individuals or animals; responsibilities to provide sensitive services to members of the university community; access to laboratories, nuclear facilities or utility plants to which access is restricted in order to protect the health or safety of the public; access to property where chemicals, hazardous materials and other items controlled by state or federal laws or regulations are located; or other positions identified by the Chief Human Resources Officer or their designee as requiring a criminal records check. Volunteers serving in a university-operated program, the criminal records check must be conducted at least every two years.


Motor Vehicle Checks

Volunteers that have driving as an essential function of their volunteer position are subject to a motor vehicle history check pursuant to University Standard 05-030 Motor Vehicle History Check.