Frequently Asked Questions

1. Where is the Writing Center?
We're located in the Academic Support Center on the 2nd floor of Saint Joseph Hall.
2. Do students need an appointment?
Yes. Students can sign up for either 30 or 60 minute sessions with a tutor (up to 3 appointments per week). They can stop by the front desk of the Academic Support Center or call 454-5299 to make an appointment. There are also some walk-in hours offered each semeseter. Please see the current semester's tutoring schedule for more information. 
3. Who are the Writing Center tutors?
The tutors are graduate students who have been hired through the Graduate Assistantship program here at the college. They are hired by the Director of the Writing Center for their accomplished writing skills, understanding of the writing process, and superior ability to work with students in a tutoring setting.  
4. My student said he/she visited the Writing Center but the paper still has many errors. Why? The tutors work with students on higher order concerns (thesis, organization, development, support, and coherence) first before addressing later order concerns (grammar and punctuation). A student may visit the Writing Center for an hour and not discuss grammar in great depth with the tutor because there were more severe problems with those higher order concerns. Students are encouraged to visit the Writing Center multiple times for the same assignment to receive the best support possible for improving all aspects of their writing process and skills. This type of improvement can understandably take some time. Tutors are also not editors or proofreaders. They will discuss with students any patterns of errors in their writing and explain any rules and how to fix their mistakes by looking at a few examples in the paper, but it is up to the student to go through the rest of the paper and make the needed changes.
5. Can I require my students to visit the Writing Center? 
We strongly discourage requiring an entire class of students to use our services because doing so tends to overwhelm our resources. Also, some students who visit us out of this type of requirement can be a challenge to work with because they view the visit as a way to fulfill the requirement, not to really work on their writing. However, requiring individual students who need and want the help to use our services is acceptable. If you have any questions about this, please contact Jaclyn Amoroso, Director of the Writing Center (458-5483).
6. How can I help my students get the best assistance possible at the Writing Center? 
Send assignment guidelines, model examples, or evaluation rubrics to the Writing Center ahead of time when possible. These can be very useful in helping the tutors help your students. Students will not see these materials at your request.
7. Can I find out if a student has visited the Writing Center? 
Yes. Contact Jaclyn Amoroso, Director of the Writing Center (458-5483) , for a report from the Writing Center database if you require proof of a student session. Tutors are not allowed to sign off on papers or sign forms to verify student attendance.
8. Is the Writing Center staff available for classroom visits? 
Yes. The tutoring staff is able to visit classrooms to provide students with information about the Writing Center's services (about a 5 minute visit). We are also able to present workshops on MLA, APA, and Chicago styles of documentation (about a 45 minute visit). All visits are dependent on staff availability. Please fill out the Workshop Request form at the right and send it to Jaclyn Amoroso, Director of the Writing Center.