The Volunteer Students Bureau was organized in the fall of 1969 at Indiana University in order to better coordinate the activity of student volunteers. It was originally coordinated by the Student Activities Office. The VSB acted as a liaison between students seeking placement and local community organizations seeking volunteers. By the 1971-1972 academic year, over 400 students were volunteering through the VSB. Rebecca Sandridge, assistant coordinator from 1969-1972, used the term "communiversity" to describe the relationship between Bloomington and Indiana University. "Communiversity" was the name given to the VSB's first newsletter.

As of 1990, the VSB had about 800 student volunteers. They specifically coordinated volunteer trips to the Indiana Boys' School, Indiana Girls' School, the Indiana School for the Deaf, and the Madison State Hospital. Other student activities included volunteering at physical and mental health programs, preschools, day care centers, youth programs, senior citizens housing, and other organizations both on campus and in the local community. More recently the bureau is more focused on actively promoting student volunteerism while organizing a few large events during the academic year, such as Week of Caring, Children's Holiday Wish Program, and Senior Citizen Program. However, they still serve as a source for students looking for volunteer opportunities but unsure of how to find an organization which relate to their interests. The VSB also works alongside the Bloomington Volunteer Network and ACE's (Advocate for Community Engagement) in order to promote student volunteerism.