§4971. Congressional statement of purpose

(a) The purpose of this part is to assist students, through service-learning and community service programs, to undertake volunteer service in such a way as to enhance the educational value of the service experience, through participation in activities that strengthen and supplement efforts to eliminate and alleviate poverty and poverty-related problems. Its purpose further is to provide technical assistance and training to encourage other students and faculty to engage in volunteer service on a part-time, self-supporting basis, to meet the needs of the poor in the surrounding community through expansion of service-learning and community service programs and otherwise.

(b) This part provides for the University Year for VISTA (UYV) program of full-time volunteer service by students enrolled in institutions of higher education. The purpose of the UYV program is to strengthen and supplement efforts to eliminate poverty and poverty-related human, social, and environmental problems by enabling students at cooperating institutions to perform meaningful and constructive volunteer service in connection with the satisfaction of course-work while attending such institutions. Volunteer service under this part is conducted in agencies, institutions, and situations where the application of human talent and dedication may assist in the solution of poverty and poverty-related problems and secure and exploit opportunities for self-advancement by individuals experiencing such problems.

( Pub. L. 93–113, title I, §111, Oct. 1, 1973, 87 Stat. 399 ; Pub. L. 98–288, §9, May 21, 1984, 98 Stat. 191 ; Pub. L. 99–551, §5, Oct. 27, 1986, 100 Stat. 3073 ; Pub. L. 101–204, title II, §201(2), Dec. 7, 1989, 103 Stat. 1813 ; Pub. L. 103–82, title III, §330(a)(2), (3), Sept. 21, 1993, 107 Stat. 902 .)

Amendments

1993-Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 103–82 substituted "University Year for VISTA (UYV)" for "University Year for ACTION (UYA)" and "purpose of the UYV" for "purpose of the UYA".

1989-Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 101–204, which directed the amendment of the first sentence of subsec. (a) by inserting "and community service" after "service-learning" both places it appears, was executed by making the insertion once in each of the first and second sentences of subsec. (a), as the probable intent of Congress.

1986-Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 99–551, §5(1), (2), designated existing provisions as subsec. (a) and struck out "This part provides for the University Year for ACTION (UYA) program of full-time volunteer service by students enrolled in institutions of higher education, together with appropriate powers and responsibilities designed to assist in the development and coordination of such programs. The purpose of this part is to strengthen and supplement efforts to eliminate poverty and poverty-related human, social, and environmental problems by enabling students at such cooperating institutions to perform meaningful and constructive volunteer service in connection with the satisfaction of such students' course work during their periods of service while attending such institutions, in agencies, institutions, and situations where the application of human talent and dedication may assist in the solution of poverty and poverty-related problems and secure and exploit opportunities for self-advancement by persons afflicted with such problems."

Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 99–551, §5(3), added subsec. (b).

1984-Pub. L. 98–288 inserted after first sentence "The purpose of this part is to assist students, through service-learning programs, to undertake volunteer service in such a way as to enhance the educational value of the service experience, through participation in activities that strengthen and supplement efforts to eliminate and alleviate poverty and poverty-related problems." and substituted "provide technical assistance and training to encourage other students and faculty to engage in volunteer service on a part-time, self-supporting basis, to meet the needs of the poor in the surrounding community through expansion of service-learning programs and otherwise" for "encourage other students and faculty members to engage, on a part-time, self-supporting basis, in such volunteer service and work along with volunteers serving under this part; and to promote participation by such institutions in meeting the needs of the poor in the surrounding community through expansion of service-learning programs and otherwise. Its purpose further is to provide for a program of part-time or short-term service-learning by secondary and post-secondary school students to strengthen and supplement efforts to eliminate poverty and poverty-related human, social, and environmental problems".

Effective Date of 1993 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 103–82 effective Oct. 1, 1993, see section 392 of Pub. L. 103–82, set out as a note under section 4951 of this title.

Effective Date of 1986 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 99–551 effective Oct. 1, 1986, except as otherwise provided, see section 11 of Pub. L. 99–551, set out as an Effective Date note under section 4950 of this title.