Ellie Hawkins Journal Staff
Suffolk University’s Writing Center had grown remarkably each year, seeing hundreds more students seeking help with papers.
“There has been a lot of support from Dean Greenberg and Dean Royo,” said Bryan Trabold the Interim Director of the Writing Center. Trabold has been working in the writing center for three years, where he hires and trains the tutors, supervises the staff, and supervises graduate fellow, whose responsibilities include creating workshops for the center.
He went on to explain how the Writing Center had moved from their original location in the current English department in Fenton to their new location in the library, on the third floor, a few years ago. He talked about how the Writing Center is not privately funded. It is funded by the school; part of the Suffolk University budget.
The move has provided the space for more tables and tutors to accommodate more students who are looking for help with their papers. There are now 16 tutors and six tables to work at. In Fenton, there were only be ten tutors and three tables.
Since they have moved, the Writing Center has been able to serve more students. In 2010-2011 academic year only 451 students were served totaling 1,174 tutoring sessions (some students make more than one appointment throughout the year). During just the fall 2012 semester they served 502 students and there were 1,264 tutoring sessions. This is more than the 2010-2011 academic year altogether.
The Writing Center is willing to help anyone with their papers. If an undergraduate or graduate student is looking for help from the Writing Center, they can call or walk-in to make an appointment. The writing center is able to help students with papers ranging from English, to government, to business and more. The only papers they are not able to help with are law papers (students from the law school) and papers that are written in another language.
The sessions are 60 minutes long, because students’ tutoring sessions usually run 40 to 45 minutes long according to statistics pulled together by Trabold and writing center staff. Although the average session time is less than 60 minutes, the appointment times are scheduled long so students and tutors will not feel rushed. Students are not required to stay the duration of the 60 minutes if not needed. Kirstin Mulvaney is a senior this year and majoring in English. She started working as a tutor in fall 2011 and loves the experience.
“An on-campus job makes it easier. When I was working off campus I wanted to die. They didn’t understand I had school and would schedule me whenever,” Mulvaney said.
So if students want to become a tutor or get help with a paper, make sure to stop by at the writing center in the Suffolk library.
The times are:
Sunday: 4 p.m.-7p.m.; Monday-Thursday: 9 a.m.-8 p.m.; and Friday: 9 a.m.-5 p.m.
They can be reached at (617) 573-8270. If a Suffolk undergrad wants to become a tutor he or she can apply. The application is simple with general information and a few short answer questions.
