Students swarm writing center

By Enid Spitz Asst. Copy Editor spitz13@up.edu

UP writing assistants found their inboxes flooded with requests for help last week, raising concern of an overcrowded Learning Resource Center.

The 12 writing assistants currently working received 24 requests and completed 82 appointments, plus walk-ins, within four days, according to Lars Larson, the integrated writing program director and a professor of English.

Many writing assistants took on extra appointments, and the maximum number of work hours was raised from 10 to 15 to meet demand.

"I ended up working eight hours in a row yesterday," Moonwalker Williams, a senior who is in her third year working as a writing assistant, said.

Usually, the center gets two or three email requests a week, according to Larson.

Last week was different.

"I don't think my inbox has ever been as flooded as it was this weekend," senior Laura Eager, a writing assistant, said.

Professors requiring students to visit the writing center caused the packed schedule, according to Williams, who said writing assistants were also busy editing the thank-you letters scholarship recipients at UP are required to write.

This huge influx of appointments happens yearly.

"September is our most vulnerable month," Larson said.

The number of writing assistants is lowest during the first few months of school, when senior assistants have graduated and the new assistants are still in training, Larson said.

Sixteen new writing assistants will join the returning assistants Oct. 10. Currently they offer 115 half-hour appointments weekly. With the new assistants, the number of appointments will rise to 230 a week, according to Larson.

While Williams said the writing center's appointment book is still full, the assistants were able to meet every request during the big rush, and she thinks things will begin to quiet down.

"I think the big wave is over," Williams said. "It's kind of like the perfect storm this week."

Larson plans to work with professors in the future so these big rushes come as less of a shock.

"Unfortunately, we haven't gotten word from profs of any further deadlines/required visits in the next few weeks, so we're unsure when the next heave will come," he wrote in an email to the Writing Center team on Sept. 21. "But I can urge them all to make these required visits transparent."

In the spring of 2010 the writing center eliminated its Writing Intensive Tutor (WIT) program, writing assistance intended especially for theology class papers.

The WIT program was ended, according to Williams, so the center could have a broader focus and not favor one department over others.

Theology papers still make a up a majority of writing center appointments, according to writing assistant Lizz Bryant, a senior.

Bryant's expertise is in biology, but she said all assistants are trained to help with any discipline. Due to demand, Bryant reviewed all theology papers last week, she said.

Another change is a new hotline service this year, which helps link students and writing assistants. When a student emails writing@up.edu to schedule an appointment, every assistant receives the email, and Williams follows up to make sure the request is met.

"Our goal is to respond to everyone within 24 hours," Williams said.

Students seeking help may not realize how quickly appointments fill up.

Br. Thomas Giumenta, C.S.C., the learning assistance counselor at UP's Learning Center, said many students don't come in until just before their deadline.

"Don't wait to speak up and ask for help," Giumenta said.

Despite the influx of students, the learning center in Franz Hall still accommodates all the appointments. Along with the writing assistants, math, speech, group process and general learning tutors also hold meetings in the center.

Neither Giumenta nor the writing assistants said they felt overcrowded, though.

"We've expanded our space about two years ago, and the new configuration allows for the five units to operate together there," Larson said.

Helping students succeed in all areas is the Learning Center's top priority, according to Giumenta.

"It's important that students feel free to ask for help," he said. "We make that commitment to each student when we accept them."

Students who are still looking to make an appointment should sign up online.

"Get on that schedule and sign up right away," Williams said.