Depending on their school and appointment, faculty members may be involved in substantive service and leadership in one or more of these four areas: administrative/institutional, academic/professional, public, and community-engaged service. All faculty members are required to participate in departmental, school, or University governance.

Administrative/Institutional service includes leadership in or making significant contributions to the function and effectiveness of their department, school or the university through an administrative position or a membership on a major committee. This work might include, for example, developing or revising policy, engaging in campus governance, peer mentoring, recruitment of students, trainees, staff, or faculty, or advising student organizations.

Academic/Professional service may include work for regional or national academic organizations, councils or committees, professional organizations, and local, state, federal or international agencies and institutions. It must capitalize on the faculty member's special professional or disciplinary expertise. This work might include holding a leadership position in a scholarly/professional organization; serving on an accreditation body; reviewing external grant applications; editing or serving on the board of an academic journal; reviewing academics at other institutions for promotion; or adjudicating discipline specific competitions.

Public service is directed toward the general public, and might take the form of presentations to general audiences through seminars, conferences, and lectures or through media platforms like blogs, other serial web-based media, or television; serving on a local or national non-profit board; serving as an expert witness in legal proceeding or for the press; or testifying before a legislature or Congressional committees. Public service thus defined should capitalize on the faculty member's particular academic expertise.

Community-engaged service facilitates the university’s commitment to interacting with communities as partners. Therefore community-engaged service will intentionally enhance reciprocity, protect vulnerable populations, and continuously re-ensure community voice is respected and valued. By collaborating with localized community groups, this work requires that faculty members cultivate and strengthen community networks and is therefore an investment in community well-being.