Emily Heady, Ph.D. Executive Director, University Writing Program Shelah Simpson Director, Distance Writing Center What's New in the Writing Center?

Big Announcements Like LU, we have adopted a growth plan. Expansion of GWC to distance grad students Opening residential Undergraduate Writing Center Expansion of GRST 500 to distance students

Expansion to DLP Students All services except ESL conversation groups will be online in Fall 2008—for DLP GRADUATE students only. New staff Ten trained tutors – DLP grad students One part-time admin assistant Location The Distance Writing Center website, linked from the GWC site:

Software & Hardware – The Online Tutoring Service Based on Microsoft SharePoint & Microsoft InfoPath Windows XP or Vista or Mac OS X; Word 2003 or Word 2007 Either Yahoo, AOL, or Skype for live sessions Microphone & speakers or headset required for live sessions

The Online Tutoring Service Request Form

Online Tutoring Service Policies Students may submit drafts only once per assignment—must schedule a live appointment if they need further help with a draft. Turn around time is 48 hours for regular assignments, longer for dissertations. Live appointments may only be scheduled a week in advance. Not a proofreading or editing service Not a “prove my professor wrong” service Tutors may contact professors for clarification Professors may request the content of a student’s tutoring session or reviewed draft. (contact

Expansion to Undergrad Students Timeline: Fall 2008 Location: DeMoss 2 nd floor—glassed areas just past Jazzman’s New Staff: FT Manager FT Administrative Assistant 10 tutors (graduate and advanced undergraduate students) Hours: M-F, all day and a few evenings

What the UWC Will Do One-on-one writing tutoring Content Structure Grammar/Language Usage Documentation Develop writing aids for courses Provide conversation groups for ESL students Engage in an ongoing teaching program with students Enable students to write their own papers Document all activities for cumulative instruction

Assurances for Faculty The UWC will not edit or proofread. The UWC will not write students’ papers for them—tutors do not hold the pen. The UWC will not question or contradict a professor’s instructions. If in doubt, the UWC will query the professor. The UWC will consult assignments on Blackboard and follow instructions. The UWC will not comment on or make judgments about grades. The UWC will make all tutoring reports available to professors and discuss any tutoring session in depth upon request.

What To Tell Your Students Make an appointment—don’t just walk in. Plan to go to the UWC a few days before a paper is due. When you find a tutor you like, schedule with that person every time (like going to the doctor). Don’t expect suddenly high grades on everything you do— it’s a teaching center, and you’re responsible for using the skills yourself. The UWC is for all writers—good, bad, and somewhere in between. The UWC is free! Use it!