After a year of uncertainty, the national service program known as AmeriCorps will come to an end at ETSU on Dec. 31.
“April 31 was supposed to be the end of the grant,” said Teresa Brooks-Taylor, assistant director for service-learning at ETSU. “We got an extension for the members to finish their hours. The extension ends Dec. 31 and after that there is no AmeriCorps.
“It wasn’t ETSU’s decision … We were part of a nationwide cut,” she said.
Taylor has set placement sites for AmeriCorps members and has managed the daily aspects of the program since its beginning in 1999.
Debbie White, assistant vice president for student life and leadership, wrote the grant to have AmeriCorps come to ETSU, and AmeriCorps gave 96 slots to be filled statewide.
“The program was supposed to be statewide with ETSU being the hub,” Taylor said. “That didn’t happen.
“Positions were supposed to be divided among Tennessee colleges, but the brunt fell on ETSU because we initiated the grant.”
AmeriCorps is a network of national service programs that engage volunteers each year to meet critical needs in education, public safety, health and the environment. Volunteers tutor and mentor youth, build affordable housing, clean parks and streams, run after-school programs and help communities respond to disasters.
In November 2002, a hold was put on the program and no new members could be enrolled. The pause was not lifted until March 11, 2003.
AmeriCorps’ Web site says about the pause, “[November 2002] AmeriCorps notifies grantees it has authorized too many positions for available Trust funds and implements an enrollment pause for AmeriCorps members. The pause was used first to inventory enrolled members, and then to hold enrollments until additional funds were appropriated to the Trust.”
“There was an investigation into AmeriCorps over enrolling people and not having enough money,” Taylor said.
Since then, Leslie Lenkowsky, CEO of the Corporation for National and Community Service, has resigned and positions were rearranged.
White said, “I hate to see it go, yet it’s not a reflection of our campus or our AmeriCorps students. It’s unfortunate for everybody. Relationships were just starting to get built and boom, funding goes down.”
Ashleigh Miller, a graduate assistant for service-learning and an AmeriCorps member, said, “I am disappointed at so many cutbacks. It really frustrates me because college AmeriCorps programs are such a small part and it sucks they’re the one being cut.”
Miller, who was one of the last members enrolled, has a few words for potential members, “Don’t be deterred by the cuts. Still pursue it. Through popular interest the program will build itself back up. I have faith.”
Taylor said, “I hope we can apply again and bring it back to ETSU. I think it’s a benefit to the community and to the students.”
Anyone interested in AmeriCorps can contact the agency at www.americorps.org.

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