To assist students, staff, faculty, and community members with written and oral work.
Objective
Increase Writing Center Impact
Provide services within both the university and the community
Indicator
Client Use
Each client logs into a writing center tracking database linked to the university database and also completes a tutor session form.
Criterion
Client use
The writing center tracking database will show population demographics of writing center use. For a writing center which serves the entire university community, a 10% use is standard according to the Writing Center Research Project.
Finding
Client data
In the fall semester, the Writing Center provided services to 15.2% of the total student body, a total of 2500 clients. In the spring semester, the Writing Center provided services to 14.3% of the student body, 2207 clients. The demographics of students serviced matched the demographics of the student population in terms of ethnicity and gender. We serviced a higher percentage of freshman and graduate students.
Indicator
Departmental And College Use
Students who have brought a class assignment for tutoring indicate the class on the tutor session report and in the writing center tracking database.
Criterion
Departmental and College Use
The Writing Center should serve writing enhanced courses in all departments.
Finding
Departmental and College Use
The Writing Center worked with students on course assignments in departments in each college.
Action
Appointment system
Because of the comments about frustration with waiting for tutors to be available, we implemented an appointment system during the spring semester. We need to monitor the system to improve it and to see if students prefer it.
Objective
Tutors
Train undergraduate and graduate tutors
Indicator
Tutor Training
Outline of initial tutor training and continued in-house training.
Criterion
Tutor Training
The Writing Center will keep its tutor training program certified by the College Reading and Learning Association by providing the required topics and hours of training.
Finding
CRLA certification
Our training program follows the guidelines of the CRLA and is certified through May 2009.
Indicator
Client Survey Of Tutor Skills
Client perception of tutor's skills.
Criterion
Client perception of tutor skills
A representative sample of clients will complete a writing center evaluation form each semester to indicate that their tutor had appropriate skills. Of the clients surveyed, 80% will indicate that the tutor they worked with asked about their concerns and gave clear explanations.
Finding
Client survey data of tutor skills
Of the 1204 clients surveyed, 1161 strongly agreed or agreed that "The tutor asked what my concerns were." 1148 clients strongly agreed or agreed that "The tutor gave clear explanations."
Indicator
Tutor Assessment
Assessment of tutors' knowledge and skill in tutoring by the tutor, peers, and supervisor.
Criterion
Tutor assessment
The Writing Center director will assess each tutor each semester using the Tutor Evaluation Form. All tutors will receive an overall rating of 3 or above to maintain their position. Each tutor will complete a tutor self-assessment twice during each semester.
Finding
Tutors continued education
Two students who began working as tutors as undergraduates have received scholarships to Miami University and Purdue University to work on their doctorate.
Finding
Assessment of tutors
All tutors were assessed by the writing center director. 99% of all tutors received a rating of 3 or better. Tutors helped create a self-assessment instrument. Each tutor did a self-assessment once in the fall and twice in the spring. All tutors showed improvement.
Indicator
Tutor Certification
An accounting of the number of tutors who have reached the Regular, Advanced, or Master??????s Level in the College Reading and Learning Association international tutor Certification program.
Criterion
Tutor Certification
The Writing Center will provide 30 hours of in-house training and additional training for tutors to reach College Reading and Learning Association certification levels. The Writing Center will keep documentation of tutors'' training and tutoring hours. 10% of all tutors will reach Master level certification.
Finding
Certifications
8 tutors received certification. 4 tutors received Master level certification, 1 received advanced level certification, and 3 received regular level certification.
Action
Additional training for tutors
Provide training for tutors to help them use the time made available by the appointment system most effectively.
Objective
Evaluation Of The Writing Center
To provide assessment tools to determine the effectiveness of the tutorial process.
Indicator
Survey Of Writing Center Clients
Writing Center clients will be asked to evaluate the effective of the tutorial process. Clients who came during fall 2006 and did not return in spring 2007 will be surveyed to see if the writing center needs to make changes in policies, tutor effectiveness, or procedures.
Criterion
Client survey
The Writing Center will survey a representative sample of clients each semester. 85% of clients will be satisfied with the services offered. Non-returning clients will be surveyed. The majority of students who did not return did not have out of class writing assignments we could help them with.
Finding
Writing center survey
After 1204 sessions, clients were asked to fill out a survey about the writing center and their tutoring experience. This represents slightly more than 13% of the total tutoring sessions. We also did a web-based survey of students still enrolled in fall 2007 who had had a tutoring session during fall 2006, but had not had a tutoring session in spring 2007. We received 150 responses. From this survey, we learned that students found waiting for a tutor to be available a reason to not return to the writing center for tutoring.
Action
Revise client survey
Solicit clients'' opinion of appointment system.
Action
Survey distance clients
Do a survey of students who take advantage of our distance tutoring services to see if we can improve our services for them and to measure their perception of learning.
Objective
Provide Stable Funding For The Writing Center
The Writing Center will be provided with stable funding in sufficient amount to cover our expenses.
Indicator
Stable Funding
A budget to provide adequate salaries, resources, and development funds without the need for emergency supplementation and changes of budget accounts.
Criterion
Budget
A required stable budget of $225,000 that is available in budget accounts accessible to the Writing Center director to cover salaries, operating expenses, professional development, and capital equipment.
Finding
Budget
For FY08, the Writing Center was provided a budget of $189,000. Changes of budgets and accounts continued to be required again this fiscal year in order to receive this level of funding.
Action
Stable funding
Request a dedicated student fee to provide for a stable and adequate budget
Action
Solicitation of funding
Solicit funding from other departments, colleges to provide necessary resources.
Goal
Knowledge And Skills
To help all clients become better writers and to develop more confidence in their writing abilities.
Objective
Evaluation Of The Writing Center
To provide assessment tools to determine the effectiveness of the tutorial process.
Indicator
Survey Of Writing Center Clients
Writing Center clients will be asked to evaluate the effective of the tutorial process. Clients who came during fall 2006 and did not return in spring 2007 will be surveyed to see if the writing center needs to make changes in policies, tutor effectiveness, or procedures.
Criterion
Client survey
The Writing Center will survey a representative sample of clients each semester. 85% of clients will be satisfied with the services offered. Non-returning clients will be surveyed. The majority of students who did not return did not have out of class writing assignments we could help them with.
Finding
Writing center survey
After 1204 sessions, clients were asked to fill out a survey about the writing center and their tutoring experience. This represents slightly more than 13% of the total tutoring sessions. We also did a web-based survey of students still enrolled in fall 2007 who had had a tutoring session during fall 2006, but had not had a tutoring session in spring 2007. We received 150 responses. From this survey, we learned that students found waiting for a tutor to be available a reason to not return to the writing center for tutoring.
Action
Revise client survey
Solicit clients'' opinion of appointment system.
Action
Survey distance clients
Do a survey of students who take advantage of our distance tutoring services to see if we can improve our services for them and to measure their perception of learning.
Objective
Increase Client Knowledge Of Writing Principles And Skills
Provide services that facilitate the client learning and applying writing principles and skills.
Indicator
Client Survey Of Learned Skills
A survey of clients?????? perceptions of the skills they have learned by using the Writing Center??????s services.
Criterion
Client learning
A representative sample of clients will complete a writing center evaluation form each semester to indicate student learning of writing skills and principles. Of the clients surveyed, 80% will indicate that they can apply principles learned in the tutoring session, and that the tutoring session has improved their writing skills.
Finding
Client survey data of perception of learning
Of the 1204 clients surveyed, 1143 strongly agreed or agreed that "I can apply the principles discussed in this session to future writing/foreign language situations." 1082 clients strongly agreed or agreed that "I can now identify and correct my writing/foreign language errors more easily." 1097 strongly agreed or agreed that "The Writing Center has helped me improve my writing/foreign language skllls."
Goal
Professional And Personal Development
To provide opportunities for continued development of staff through in-house training. To encourage participation in regional, national, and international conferences. To provide opportunities for continued development of writers through workshops and readings.
Objective
Tutors
Train undergraduate and graduate tutors
Indicator
Tutor Training
Outline of initial tutor training and continued in-house training.
Criterion
Tutor Training
The Writing Center will keep its tutor training program certified by the College Reading and Learning Association by providing the required topics and hours of training.
Finding
CRLA certification
Our training program follows the guidelines of the CRLA and is certified through May 2009.
Indicator
Client Survey Of Tutor Skills
Client perception of tutor's skills.
Criterion
Client perception of tutor skills
A representative sample of clients will complete a writing center evaluation form each semester to indicate that their tutor had appropriate skills. Of the clients surveyed, 80% will indicate that the tutor they worked with asked about their concerns and gave clear explanations.
Finding
Client survey data of tutor skills
Of the 1204 clients surveyed, 1161 strongly agreed or agreed that "The tutor asked what my concerns were." 1148 clients strongly agreed or agreed that "The tutor gave clear explanations."
Indicator
Tutor Assessment
Assessment of tutors' knowledge and skill in tutoring by the tutor, peers, and supervisor.
Criterion
Tutor assessment
The Writing Center director will assess each tutor each semester using the Tutor Evaluation Form. All tutors will receive an overall rating of 3 or above to maintain their position. Each tutor will complete a tutor self-assessment twice during each semester.
Finding
Tutors continued education
Two students who began working as tutors as undergraduates have received scholarships to Miami University and Purdue University to work on their doctorate.
Finding
Assessment of tutors
All tutors were assessed by the writing center director. 99% of all tutors received a rating of 3 or better. Tutors helped create a self-assessment instrument. Each tutor did a self-assessment once in the fall and twice in the spring. All tutors showed improvement.
Indicator
Tutor Certification
An accounting of the number of tutors who have reached the Regular, Advanced, or Master??????s Level in the College Reading and Learning Association international tutor Certification program.
Criterion
Tutor Certification
The Writing Center will provide 30 hours of in-house training and additional training for tutors to reach College Reading and Learning Association certification levels. The Writing Center will keep documentation of tutors'' training and tutoring hours. 10% of all tutors will reach Master level certification.
Finding
Certifications
8 tutors received certification. 4 tutors received Master level certification, 1 received advanced level certification, and 3 received regular level certification.
Action
Additional training for tutors
Provide training for tutors to help them use the time made available by the appointment system most effectively.
Objective
Provide Stable Funding For The Writing Center
The Writing Center will be provided with stable funding in sufficient amount to cover our expenses.
Indicator
Stable Funding
A budget to provide adequate salaries, resources, and development funds without the need for emergency supplementation and changes of budget accounts.
Criterion
Budget
A required stable budget of $225,000 that is available in budget accounts accessible to the Writing Center director to cover salaries, operating expenses, professional development, and capital equipment.
Finding
Budget
For FY08, the Writing Center was provided a budget of $189,000. Changes of budgets and accounts continued to be required again this fiscal year in order to receive this level of funding.
Action
Stable funding
Request a dedicated student fee to provide for a stable and adequate budget
Action
Solicitation of funding
Solicit funding from other departments, colleges to provide necessary resources.
Objective
Conference Opportunities
To increase staff development through participation in regional, national, and international conferences
Indicator
Identify Conference Participation
An accounting of the number of conferences attended and papers presented at regional, national, and international conferences
Criterion
Conference Participation
Tutors will present research at professional conferences and will attend other conference presentations.
Finding
Conference participation
18 tutors and 4 supervisors attended the South Central Writing Centers Association Conference in March, 2008. There were 26 tutor presentations and 2 presentations from supervisors.
Action
Conference presentations
Encourage tutors to give presentations at Writing Center conferences. Provide opportunities for directors to attend different conferences.
Objective
Mentor Assistant Director
The director will provide mentoring for the assistant director to further his/her education. The position will provide opportunities for professional development with the goal of providing the assistant director with the qualifications needed for full-time employment with a writing center.
Indicator
Assistant Director
The director will assist the assistant director in applying for doctoral programs. The director will encourage the assistant director to apply for full-time employment with writing centers.
Criterion
Assistant director
The assistant director will apply for a doctoral program and, if an appropriate position becomes available, will apply for a full-time position with a writing center.
Finding
Mentoring of assistant director
The assistant director applied for and was accepted in the doctoral program in rhetoric and composition at Indiana University of Pennsylvania. She applied for and received a tenure-track position with San Antonio College as the director of the writing center and the writing across the curriculum program.
Objective
Professional Service By Writing Center Director
The Writing Center director will provide service to the International Writing Centers Association.
Indicator
Professional Service
The writing center director will hold an office in the South Central Writing Centers Association.
Criterion
Professional service
The writing center director will serve the South Central Writing Centers Association by holding office.
Finding
IWCA Representative for the SCWCA
The writing center director was elected to be the regional representative to the International Writing Center Association board.
Goal
Provide Quality Facility
To provide a comfortable facility with adequate resources to support successful writing experiences.
Objective
Increase Writing Center Impact
Provide services within both the university and the community
Indicator
Client Use
Each client logs into a writing center tracking database linked to the university database and also completes a tutor session form.
Criterion
Client use
The writing center tracking database will show population demographics of writing center use. For a writing center which serves the entire university community, a 10% use is standard according to the Writing Center Research Project.
Finding
Client data
In the fall semester, the Writing Center provided services to 15.2% of the total student body, a total of 2500 clients. In the spring semester, the Writing Center provided services to 14.3% of the student body, 2207 clients. The demographics of students serviced matched the demographics of the student population in terms of ethnicity and gender. We serviced a higher percentage of freshman and graduate students.
Indicator
Departmental And College Use
Students who have brought a class assignment for tutoring indicate the class on the tutor session report and in the writing center tracking database.
Criterion
Departmental and College Use
The Writing Center should serve writing enhanced courses in all departments.
Finding
Departmental and College Use
The Writing Center worked with students on course assignments in departments in each college.
Action
Appointment system
Because of the comments about frustration with waiting for tutors to be available, we implemented an appointment system during the spring semester. We need to monitor the system to improve it and to see if students prefer it.
Objective
Provide Stable Funding For The Writing Center
The Writing Center will be provided with stable funding in sufficient amount to cover our expenses.
Indicator
Stable Funding
A budget to provide adequate salaries, resources, and development funds without the need for emergency supplementation and changes of budget accounts.
Criterion
Budget
A required stable budget of $225,000 that is available in budget accounts accessible to the Writing Center director to cover salaries, operating expenses, professional development, and capital equipment.
Finding
Budget
For FY08, the Writing Center was provided a budget of $189,000. Changes of budgets and accounts continued to be required again this fiscal year in order to receive this level of funding.
Action
Stable funding
Request a dedicated student fee to provide for a stable and adequate budget
Action
Solicitation of funding
Solicit funding from other departments, colleges to provide necessary resources.
Objective
Resources
Provide quality tools and resources and appropriate facility
Indicator
Instructional Materials
Creation and purchase of instruction materials by and for tutors and clients.
Criterion
Instructional Materials
The Writing Center will purchase new editions of citation guides, new editions of tutor training materials, will create new training materials, and will provide current editions of freshman composition textbooks.
Finding
Instructional Materials
We purchased books and DVDs to comply with CRLA requirements for different modes in tutor training. We updated our tutor handbook and created handouts.
Indicator
Select New Technology
Acquisition of laptops and other technologies to assist writers, tutors, and staff.
Criterion
Technology
The Writing Center will provide state of the art technology to support writing and learning. All computers will be upgraded to system requirements, flat panel monitors will be provided for all computers, and the classroom will be equipped with laptop computers.
Finding
Technology
Computers that are becoming obsolete needed to be replaced but because of budgetary restraints, this was not possible. There were no technology purchases by the Writing Center in 2007-2008. The Reading Center did purchase a classroom set of laptaps which have been made available for writing center tutors.