Part #13: Performance Goals - Eugene

Hi everyone... I was having trouble with UBlearns over the weekend, so I'm posting my part on the blog (but I'll try to send it again via UBlearns). I'm afraid, though, it's not pasting like it is in Word...oh well. At least Dan will have the Word copy...

Eug.

Performance Goals

Narrative

Building from our service goals of enhancing student learning and providing academic skill assistance, the Library Learning Center (LLC) will provide continual service for the outlined academic areas during normal hours of operation, likely to be established as 9am to 9pm. This will be one of the LLC’s primary goals.

Students will be able to obtain assistance for most general coursework in a liberal arts curriculum, including math, science, and literature. Since Buffalo State College places particular value on writing as evidenced through its “Writing Across the Curriculum” commitment (http://www.buffalostate.edu/writingprogram/x789.xml), writing will be considered a key academic service area as well. At least one academic tutor/helper for each identified area of academic service will be available during normal hours of operation. Also, each department will develop a packet of key tutorial and information resources to facilitate students’ abilities to learn independently.

Peak usage times will be calculated by tallying: 1) the number of students in a given hour (a simple “stick count” or stroke count), 2) the academic area/department/coursework (e.g. math; writing; etc.), and 3) the estimated length of time for one unit of service. This will enable monitoring of the total number of service units provided, which can be factored into budgetary and staffing analyses. Naturally, times of expected peak usage (or documented peak usage) will result in increased staffing levels.

The Library Learning Center will minimize duplication of services offered in other parts of the college institution. For example, a student brings their resume to the LLC for review. A writing tutor could help the student proofread the document for errors, but a student with more extensive needs, such as needing help with resume writing and/or career planning, would generate a referral to the Career Development Center. Another example would be a student who needs to get information resources to write a paper but does not know how or where to obtain those resources. A LLC helper would refer the student to a librarian at the Reference Desk for specialized assistance with developing information literacy skills and bibliographic instruction. Referrals will be tallied and monitored so as to document the frequency and nature of referrals. High numbers of referrals may be indicative of unclear service marketing strategies (i.e. students not knowing the “correct” place to go for help), which, in turn, could lead to a revision of promotional outreach to clarify services offered at the LLC and on other parts of the campus. Also, high numbers of referrals to a specific support program may indicate a need to collaborate with that program to pinpoint strategies for service differentiation.

User satisfaction will be monitored through brief student exit surveys after each service unit. These surveys will collect two kinds of information. First will be the service received; students will check a box (√) which will specify the academic area/discipline/coursework. Second will be an overall measure of satisfaction. Tentatively, the overall measure of satisfaction will be a basic 4-point Likert-type scale, such as “4 - Strongly Agree,” “3 - Agree,” “2 - Disagree,” and “1 - Strongly Disagree.” Average scores for each academic area will be compiled quarterly and yearly. Any service satisfaction scores averaging a score of 2 or less likely will facilitate further data gathering and service review. For example, conducting a nominal group of users might be able to clarify service delivery issues. Another example would be to conduct a more extensive survey, perhaps focusing on issues related to staffing (e.g. friendliness, knowledge), accessibility (e.g. convenient hours, prompt service delivery), and tutorial resources (e.g. copies of APA citation style guides, example of an annotated bibliography).

Operationalization of Performance Measurement Goals

Students will obtain academic assistance at times convenient to their schedules.
The Library Learning Center will be open from 9am to 9pm throughout the academic semester.

Students can obtain academic assistance for a variety of liberal arts coursework and academic skills.
At least one academic tutor/helper for each service area will be on staff during normal business hours.
Copies of key resources, predetermined by staff in each service area, will be up-to-date and on hand at all times.

Students are entitled to prompt, efficient service.
Peak usage times will be analyzed over a 1-year period of time, and staffing levels will be adjusted to meet higher traffic time periods.
All academic helpers will maintain a tally sheet documenting the number of students served in each hour of operation, their service area, and an estimate (in minutes) of the length of the unit of service provided.
More than 5 students receiving a specific service in any given hour of operation will be defined as a “peak usage time” for that specific service (not for the entire Library Learning Center).
Walk-in service requests are welcome, and appointments with academic helpers for lengthier service needs are encouraged.

Students will be referred to other campus services when their service request cannot be accommodated and/or if a different campus program can better meet that need. This will minimize duplication of service.
The academic helper will provide the contact information and/or on-campus location of the referred service/program.
The academic helper will document the time of the referral, a brief (one-sentence) description of the student’s need, and the program to which the student was referred.

Students will feel satisfied after visiting the Library Learning Center for a service need.
Students will be asked by the LLC receptionist and/or academic helper to complete voluntarily a very brief satisfaction survey (outlined in the narrative portion).
Survey data will be compiled, and services receiving an average score of 2 or lower in a given quarter or academic year will be reviewed, likely resulting in additional, more extensive user satisfaction data collection.

Submitted April 26, 2009

Eugene J. Harvey

Group evaluation

Laura and I drafted this narrative--if there is a mistake, I apologize. Please let me know and I will correct it. I wrote in the details according to the Excel spreadsheet. --Amy

In approaching this project, the first step our group took was to share our strengths and past experiences with one another to ensure that we were able to produce the highest quality of work possible. Each member of the group identified an area of the project they were interested in working on and we volunteered for sections of the market plan.

We chose Eugene to be our group leader as he immediately displayed the skills needed to effectively run group meetings and organize tasks. He sent out weekly emails after our Tuesday meetings with notes to update everyone on decisions and inform those who were absent of group progress.

Dan and Laura did preliminary market research (#1) on other universities that have similar learning centers to the one we are proposing for Buffalo State College. They also researched the current services at Buffalo State to determine possible improvements.

Jennifer and Khalil created the opportunity identification and selection (#2 & 3) which received feedback from all group members before being finalized.

Amy reviewed the college’s mission statement (#4) and discussed the ways in which the new learning resource center would achieve Buffalo State’s goals in addition to running the opportunity through a futures lens.

Janet researched the college community to determine the target market (#5) while Laura identified the general service goals of the proposed learning center (#6).

The detailed service description and plan of action (#7) was drafted by Jennifer and Khalil and then reviewed by all group members.

User costs (#8) were examined by John A. with collaboration from John M.

Aindrea identified potential competitors (#9) by identifying other tutoring services in the area.

The promotional plan (#10) was created by Janet and Caitlin.

Nick drafted the service positioning (#11) while John M. created the budget (#12) which was reviewed by John A.

Eugene created the quantifiable goals section (#13).

Although each member of the group was responsible for a section, all members reviewed each others’ drafts and offered feedback to the author.

Dan was responsible for compiling the components and editing the final draft of the plan. Amy and Laura worked collaboratively to develop this narrative.

Service Positioning

Here's a rough draft of what I have so far. I'll work on it some more this weekend before sending it on to Dan Saturday night. Comment if you notice anything glaring I left out.

Through our reading of the mission and goals of Buffalo State College and our realization that the E. H. Butler Library could become the intellectual center of the College community, we have decided to centralize the services of three previously separate help centers, namely, the Academic Skills Center, the Writing Center and the Writing Help Desk. By consolidating these services into a single Library Learning Center, we will be able to achieve a level of service which was previously unattained.

The services offered at the Library Learning Center will be freely available to all students of Buffalo State College. Students will be able to either walk in at any time during operating hours. It will also be possible for students to make appointments with staff members. Appointments will be preferred for students who need extensive help. It will also be advisable to have an appointment during peak periods, such as at the end of the semester, to ensure that the individual does not have to wait a long time for help. For those without an appointment services will be offered on a first-come first-served basis. The services offered and the hours of operation will be advertised to the student body through the promotional methods previously described.

As the Library Learning Center will be a private resource for students of Buffalo State College it will have an advantage over other tutoring services in its marketplace. Students, having paid tuition and comprehensive fees, will be able to visit the Center as often as they need to, without being charged additional fees, over the course of their studies at the College. The fact that this service is free to use, means that it will have a distinct advantage over other tutoring services which can be quite expensive. In addition, having graduate students, exceptional undergraduate students and even professors working at the Center will ensure that the students who make use of the services offered receive high quality instruction. This level of instruction will not be matched by many competitors.

Due to the centralization and consolidation of the services offered by the Academic Skills Center, the Writing Center and the Writing Help Desk into the Library Learning Center, the E.H. Butler Library will be able to offer high quality service to the student body of Buffalo State College. By offering free services only to students the Library Learning Center will ensure that students consider the Center the first and only stop for their tutoring needs. Also, the high quality of instruction will keep students engaged and will prove beneficial to the point that students will not need to rely on other paid services in addition to the Center.

Goals

Sorry this is posted so late, but if any of you have some time to look over it in the next few days and offer some feedback, I'd appreciate it. Let me know if there is something the should be included and I've missed or something you think if off track from what we want to accomplish. Thanks. Laura

GOALS
The goal of our proposed plan is to bring awareness of the various help services available to students and increase student usage. With the three support services spread out throughout the campus, they are underutilized, as many students may not be aware they are available. The library is where students go when writing a paper or completing an assignment. If the academic help center and the writing center are made visible in one centralized location within the library, students will become aware of their presence and the ways they can help them develop their thoughts and improve the quality of work. Furthermore, having these services available in the same location as the students are doing their research and writing makes it easy and convenient to utilize the services.

Secondly, we aim to increase the number of students reached by eliminating the referral policy currently in place at the Academic Skills Center. We believe students should be able to receive tutoring assistance whenever they need it. By eliminating this referral policy, students will be able to receive immediate assistance on assignments without having to go through their instructors.

Thirdly, we aim to create an understanding amongst students of the importance of writing skills to their larger academic and career success. By receiving the assistance of the Learning Center, the quality of student work will improve and students will have more success in their classes. In this way, they will begin to see that the skills developed by visiting the Learning Center will benefit them as they progress through their academic careers.

All of these together will help us achieve our over-arching goal of enhancing student learning. Providing assistance in the writing process will increase student confidence in abilities as they see their skills begin to improve.

What Will the Service Cost the User?

Here is the final revision of my part in narrative form:

What Will the Service Cost the User?

Although users of the Learning Center stand to gain much from this new and improved service, in order for students to benefit from the services offered by the Learning Center, they will incur certain costs. Monetary loss, time consumption, effort and a learning curve are several of the costs users of the Learning Center will be faced with. To what degree each user will incur these costs, however, is contingent upon the circumstances surrounding each student. For most of these costs, the preexisting skill set each user comes to the Learning Center with along with how quickly one is able to learn new concepts and skills will determine how much the use of this service will cost each user.

As mentioned above, there is a financial cost that students will incur as a result of utilizing the services offered by the Learning Center. However, this will be the case for every student at Buffalo State regardless of whether or not they use these services. Since the Learning Center will be funded by a portion of the tuition fees paid by each student at Buffalo State, every student will be paying for this service. Nevertheless, if a student chooses to use the Learning Center, they could potentially face additional monetary costs. For instance, those who choose to get extra help at the Learning Center might be forced to take time off of work, thus causing them to lose income. Users of this service will also have to deal with the expenses associated with getting themselves to the Learning Center, such as paying for gasoline for their car. In the end, it is clear that users of this service will incur an additional monetary cost relative to those who choose not to use the Learning Center.

Besides a financial cost, using the services offered by the Learning Center will cost students time and effort. First of all, there will be a general time and effort cost associated with simply making the time and getting one’s self to the Learning Center to use its services. Additional time and effort costs will be incurred by students who seek to benefit from the Learning Center’s one-on-one services. The degree to which each student is willing to commit time and effort both inside and outside of the Learning Center toward learning the skills and concepts they are getting assistance with will impact how much of this time and effort cost they will incur.

Along with the time and effort costs associated with getting one-on-one assistance with particular concepts and skills, students who choose to use the computer in the Learning Center to get assistance with their grammar will have to put forth time and effort toward learning and using this service. How computer savvy a student is will definitely impact how much of a time and effort cost they will incur in this regard. For those who receive tutoring help in a group setting, an additional time and effort cost is likely. Tutoring assistance in a group setting will generally be more time consuming for each student. Moreover, working in a group tends to require more of an effort in order succeed relative to just simply working with tutor on a one-on-one basis. Once again, a student’s preexisting skill set and the pace in which one can learn unfamiliar concepts and skills will impact these time and effort costs.

Another cost that users of the Learning Center will have to contend with is a learning curve. Like time and effort costs, how much of a learning curve cost each student is faced with when getting help is contingent upon how quickly one can learn unfamiliar concepts and skills. The skill set each user brings with them to the Learning Center will also affect their learning curve cost. Furthermore, one’s learning curve cost will be impacted by the student’s ability to adapt to working with a tutor either on a one-on-one basis or in a small group. A learning curve cost can also be anticipated for those who utilize the Learning Center computer for grammar help.

updated mission statement

Buffalo State College’s purpose “is to inspire a lifelong passion for learning, and to empower a diverse population of students to succeed as citizens of a challenging world...the college is dedicated to excellence in teaching and scholarship...and service.” In realization of this goal, the Library Learning Center at the E.H. Butler Library is dedicated to providing one-on-one and small-group tutoring to students of any discipline. Whether students need help understanding class concepts, writing academic assignments, or improving research skills, the Library Learning Center guides students towards excellence in their coursework. The Center works in collaboration with the E.H. Butler Library, which is “dedicated to supporting the scholarship, research, and creativity” of the Buffalo State College student population.

 

The Library Learning Center provides one-on-one or small group instruction to students during walk-in hours or scheduled appointments. It is staffed by Buffalo State professors, librarians, work-study students, and local volunteers who have demonstrated excellence and experience in academic instruction and writing. Tutoring is provided in any discipline. Writing instruction is offered on topics such as annotation styles; grammar, syntax and punctuation; thesis creation; and critical thinking and research skills. Collaborative writing projects are also welcome. By fostering students’ confidence, the Library Learning Center promotes “the intellectual, personal, and professional growth” of Buffalo State College students and seeks “to inspire a lifelong passion for learning.”

 

This opportunity is sustainable due to 2005 requirement that all incoming freshmen and transfer students complete Foundations of Inquiry (BSC 101). Course objectives for this class include critical thinking and research skills that utilize library resources and the internet. The Library Learning Center seeks to assist students in developing skills necessary to ensure academic success and the acquisition of a broad basis of knowledge.  

Proposed Service

Check your e-mail for the attachment! If any of you have Caitlin's e-mail could you forward it to her? I've already e-mailed it to Khalil.

I've streamlined much of what was written so, although the document appears shorter, all of the updates are there. We should all be able to move forward with this piece as I believe what remains is all in word choice. That can be tweaked, but the basis of the idea is there. Speaking of which, I wouldn't mind getting started on the marketing aspect

competitors

I still have a bit more work to do but here is a list of potential competitors. We obviously have an advantage over them (for our students) as the services will be 'free' (or paid for previously in tuition fees). Will we be offering services to anyone in the community? If so, how will we charge for that? If anyone has ideas of what more to add about these places, feel free to let me know and I'll do more research. I didn't know how specific to go with this.

here are the main potential competitors:

Brooks Learning Center
1490 Jefferson Ave
Buffalo, NY
(716) 883-0088
www.brookseducationalservices.com
*provides tutoring services to all ages and backgrounds

Kaplan Educational Centers
520 Lee Entrance #201
Buffalo, NY
(716) 636-1882
www.kaptest.com/tutoring
*offers test prep as well as tutoring for all ages and backgrounds

Your Tutor World
Williamsville, NY
(716) 803-4551
www.yourtutorworld.web.officelive.com
*offers online and face-to-face tutoring in a variety of subjects


here are a few that would not necessarily be considered the top competitors for various reasons (but may prove to be good referral sources for students):

Princeton Review
4498 Main St #2
Amherst, NY
(716) 839-4391
www.princetonreview.com
*offers grad school prep work specific to grad school admission tests (ie, MCAT, GMAT, LSAT, GRE); this is not as much of a competitor as it does not appear to offer regular tutoring and writing help

Literacy Volunteers of Buffalo
1313 Main St
Buffalo, NY
(716) 876-8991
www.literacybuffalo.org
*provides basic reading skills and services for English for Speakers of Other Languages

Latin American Institute
115 Elmwood Ave
Buffalo, NY
(716) 553-7472
www.latinst.org
*provides English tutoring

Sylvan Learning Center
4927 Main St
Buffalo, NY
(716) 565-0572
www.tutoring.sylvanlearning.com/index.cfm
*this appears to be geared more toward high school students and college prep and may not pose a threat to our service

Huntington Learning Center
3086 Delaware Ave
Buffalo, NY
(716) 873-4565
www.hungtingtonlearning.com
*this also appears to be geared more toward high school students

#5 Identification of the target market 1st draft

IDENTIFICATION OF THE TARGET MARKET

There are approximately 9,000 undergraduate and 2,100 graduate students enrolled at Buffalo State College. Of this largely undergraduate community 7.370 students are under 25 years of age, 1,767 are over 25. The campus boasts a student body from around the country and the world; however, their census shows that the majority of the student body is actually local Erie County residents (6,567 combined undergraduate and graduate students). Despite these figures the campus is diverse in the proportion of different ethnicities represented on campus with White (non Hispanic) students representing the largest proportion (7,280 combined undergraduate and graduate students), Black (non-Hispanic) the second (1,417 combined undergraduate and graduate students), and Hispanic students the third (480 combined undergraduate and graduate students).
Of this diverse student body, large portions of the students are commuters and parking is always a problem on campus.

In June of 2008 the largest number of undergraduate students graduating from the University obtained a Bachelor of Science degree (1,193). This seems unique considering one would suspect a Bachelor of Arts degree to be the most popular degree granted from a four-year Liberal Arts College.

(Does anyone know if BS’s are awarded to education majors?)

For graduate students, the highest number of degrees granted were Masters of Science in Education.


WHAT DOES THIS ALL MEAN? IDENTIFING THE USER.

A Learning Center within the Buffalo State College Library, would serve the diverse community of undergraduate and graduate students on campus, both part time and full time students. Since, a large portion of the student body is over the age of 25, one can assume that, they are returning students; who may especially benefit from a review of the writing and research skills reinforced at the Learning Center. Furthermore, although the international community is small (92 students enrolled last year), there does exist a community of patrons where English is a second language and extra assistance in writing and research may be especially beneficial. Finally, we hope that the comfortable and inviting environment created in the Learning Center may be an enticing location for commuter students to spend time between classes hanging out while working on assignments.


WILL IT BE SUCCESSFUL?

In their annual report, Buffalo State College has announced the introduction of a new bachelor’s degree in writing. The program will focus on:

Providing a selection of writing courses balanced with complementary courses in literature, communication, and television arts. Students (will) learn to write fiction, poetry, and screenplays; other concentrations will include professional writing, journalism, and literary nonfiction genres such as the personal essay, memoir, and nature writing.

(http://www.buffalostate.edu/pdf/annualreport.pdf)

The institutional support of this new, interdisciplinary approach toward writing, is unique to the area and is sure to have a huge draw for the University. As the school has demonstrated support for the writing career path, they may also show support for a learning center that reinforces the skills tackled in such a program. Exceptional scholars within the writing track may be considered for employment in the center, demonstrating interdepartmental promotion and support. However, the center is not just for writers, as the skills taught at there are an integral part of all collegiate paths.

Writing support does currently exist on campus, but this assistance is dispersed throughout the campus and hours are limited. A new learning skills center, will expand the offerings of the current writing initiatives and expand them toward general research. Furthermore, the centralization of services next to the materials needed for research should be wildly popular. Although consolidation sometimes may seem like a bad thing, no staff will be lost. In fact, we hope to solve the problem of limited hours by allowing the staff to cover a wider spectrum of segments throughout the day.

Janet L. Balicki
April 6, 2009
First Draft

Khalil asked me to post this

BUTLER LIBRARY LEARNING CENTER

IN 2004, the president of Buffalo Sate college organized a task force to develop critical thinking skills as a core element of the academic experience at Buffalo State College through the Intellectual Foundations program. One of the main objectives for the Foundations of Inquiry introductory courses and entire program is to impart the research skills necessary to use the library, databases, and the Web to weigh and to construct arguments and their conclusions.
The president’s objective was to Buffalo State among the national leaders in teaching critical thinking. (More information on the Intellectual Foundations Program is available at www.buffalostate.edu/intellectualfoundations.) In 2005, all incoming Buffalo State students—freshmen and transfers—began taking the Foundations of Inquiry course. This course is the cornerstone of the Intellectual Foundations Program, the new general education curriculum which began at the same time.
When the IF cour=se was being developed, the committee asked professors, “What should educated people know about your field?” The natural science faculty members gave priority to the big ideas underlying modern science—the Einsteinian revolution, evolution, plate tectonics—and the experimental method, which is the form critical thinking takes in the sciences. Other disciplines gave their responses and these were integrated into the IF program. This way the Foundations of Inquiry course will develop the critical thinking skills necessary for academic and career success while helping students make the transition to Buffalo State College. It will help our students understand the importance of a liberal arts education in a technologically progressive democracy. Each year students will refine their skills and acquire a higher level of knowledge, information literacy and the ability to create new knowledge.

FROM COMMONS TO LIBRARY LEARNING CENTER
In concert with this vision, we propose to consolidate the academic Skills Center, Writing Center, and the Writing Help Desk into the Library Learning Center at Butler Library. The Butler Library will reorganize the library commons to become a learning center that prepares students to develop these skills, do research, meet with professors and find all the resources to develop a thesis or dissertation at one location.
Many students believe that college is about getting professional training for a particular career. The LC will help them understand, at the outset, that a degree from Buffalo State provides such training within the context of a liberal arts education. With that knowledge, students will appreciate the general education requirements and the relationships among courses from diverse disciplines.
This center has four main areas: writing, research, research librarians in various disciplines and workshops.

WHY CENTRALIZE?

Currently the three academic support services are provided in three different locations across the campus. The Academic Skills Center and Writing Center are only available to students with a refereal from a professor/instructor, and the Writing HelpDesk is open on a limited basis. By combining the three services, placing them in a location central to students, and eliminating the referral process, students will be better served.

HOW WILL THE SERVICES OPERATE?
Beginning in 2005, all incoming freshmen and transfer students must complete BSC 101, a FI course. This course teachers students the foundations fo learning and research. Our goal is to proved the following services to support this course as well as student learning across the campus.

WRITING CENTER: Previously the Writing Center was located in Hall. The English department and library have re-organized the center and it is now located in the Learning Center. The main focus of the writing center is to

RESEARCH CENTER: Our research center is staffed by research librarians who work with the departments to supplement and complement the work professors are doing in the classroom. We meet with the departments to see what research students are doing, look at what classroom instruction is being provided and then offer supplementary research training, consultation to help students do their research.

SUBJECT LIBRARIANS: After talking to the departments, we have developed a schedule for subject librarians to staff the kiosk in the Learning Center. Each day different research librarians from the humanities, sciences, business, etc. staff the center and work with students in that particular field. This way students can meet with librarians indifferent fields to develop an interdisciplinary understanding fo their particular field of study.

WORKSHOPS: Each week the LC offers workshops on different aspects of research, information literacy, technology skills and research writing. Our courses range from

SYNERGY: By concentrating these four areas into one area our students can begin a classroom project, come to the LC, and work with our staff to develop a research project or paper from start to finish. During this process, our staff will also collaborate with the professors to complement each other’s work.

compatibility with library and college's mission statement

Hi everyone,

I created a draft this weekend for the LLC's compatibility with Buff State's and the Butler Library's mission statements.

Buffalo State College’s goal “is to inspire a lifelong passion for learning, and to empower a diverse population of students to succeed as citizens of a challenging world...the college is dedicated to excellence in teaching and scholarship...and service.” In realization of this goal, the Library Learning Center is dedicated to assisting students, of any discipline, as they address academic questions and move through the writing process. Whether students are studying for class, creating writing for academic or personal purposes, or have questions about research skills, the Library Learning Center guides students towards excellence in their coursework. The Center works in collaboration with the E.H. Butler Library, which is “dedicated to supporting the scholarship, research, and creativity” of the Buffalo State College student population.

The Library Learning Center provides one-on-one or small group instruction to students during walk-in hours or scheduled appointments. It is staffed by Buffalo State professors, librarians, work-study students, and local volunteers who have demonstrated excellence and experience in academic instruction and writing. Tutoring is provided on many different disciplines. Writing instruction is offered on topics such as annotation styles; grammar, syntax, and punctuation; thesis identification and creation; understanding a paper’s audience; and critical thinking and research skills. Interactive, student-paced software lessons on mechanics and grammar are available. Collaborative writing projects are also welcome. By fostering students’ confidence, the Library Learning Center promotes “the intellectual, personal, and professional growth” of Buffalo State College students and seeks “to inspire a lifelong passion for learning.”

This opportunity is sustainable due to 2005 requirement that all incoming freshmen and transfer students complete Foundations of Inquiry (BSC 101). Course objectives for this class include critical thinking and research skills that utilize library resources and the internet. The Library Learning Center seeks to assist students in utilizing the library as an integral part of the research and writing process.

I hope this is on the right track :-)

--Amy

Project

What is the proposed new/improved service?
We propose to consolidate the Academic Skills Center, Writing Center, and The Writing Help Desk into the Library Learning Center located at Butler Library on the Buffalo State campus.

Why?
Currently the three academic support services are being provided in three different locations across campus. The Academic Skills Center and Writing Center are only available to students with a referral from a professor/instructor, and the Writing Help Desk is open on a limited basis. By combining the three services, placing them in a location central to students, and eliminating the referral process students will be better served.

Who?
· reference librarians
· subject librarians
· professors
· work-study students (demonstrated excellence in target area)community volunteers

Where?
The Library Learning Center will be located at the Butler Library where the current Writing Help Desk is housed. (I am not familiar with the layout, please advise!)

What will happen here exactly?
As of 2005 all incoming freshman and transfer students will be expected to complete BSC101, a Foundations of Inquiry course. This course aims to teach students the foundations of learning and research. It is our goal to provide the following services to support this course as well as student learning across the campus. (This needs to be reworked, but I feel we should mention the BSC101 initiative.)

-academic, creative, career writing at all levels of experience
-collaborative writing projects
-interactive, student-paced software lessons for mechanics, grammar, and punctuation
-business, humanities, languages, math, science, and statistics
-Citations
-using databases
-using print resources-the library as part of the research process
(I have this organized in a table. Blogger doesn't cut and paste tables!)

When?
Full implementation to take place Fall 2009
Hours of operation:
· By appointment
· Evenings and Weekends

How? This is where we need to talk more...

I hope this gives some guidance. It is a rough, rough copy to get us started. It needs feedback, so please give some!

jenn rothfuss

Sonoma University

To add to Dan's research, here's some info on the writing center at Sonoma State University in California. http://www.sonoma.edu/programs/writingcenter/default.html

The writing center is located in the information commons on the first floor of the library. The library's circulation and reference desk are on the second floor. The writing center started in 1997 in the library. In 2000, Sonoma built a brand new library and the writing center was on the second floor there. In 2003, they moved to the information commons on the first floor.

The staff work one-on-one with students or in small groups to help them develop writing skills and also offer help to faculty on developing writing instruction. They help students recognize how to build an argument in their papers, teach proper style, and
understand their audience.

The writing center is open Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, 9:00 am to 5:00 pm, and
Tuesday and Thursday, 9:00 am to 7:00 pm. Appointments are not required at the writing center, although they do suggest it as the center is a busy place.

They offer handouts on grammar and syntax; punctuation; process issues and writing strategies; and real world tips (including resume writing). Their website provides links to dictionary and thesauri; grammar, online handbooks and style manuals; other university writing centers; and internet search engines.

Sonoma has initiated The Written English Proficiency Test (WEPT), which is test designed by Sonoma State University that all students must pass in order to graduate. "The two-hour test asks students to write a persuasive article, essay, or letter on a topic of general interest and is scored on the basis of organization, appropriateness of content, clarity and facility of expression, and mechanics." The writing center serves as the WEPT administrative office and provides workshops to help students prepare for the test.

Basic Research

Hey, everyone. Sorry that I haven;t posted this sooner, the internet at my apartment has been really screwed up of late. Anyway, here's what I've found so far, and I 'll be bringing copies to class. - Dan

BUFFALO STATE: http://ic.buffalostate.edu/writing.html

The Writing Center
323 Ketchum Hall
878-5409

Walk-in or scheduled appointments Monday through Thursday 10-4; Friday 9-3 Published and distinguished Buffalo State College and community writers assist students with academic, creative and career related writing, at all levels of experience and through all steps in the writing process, from "brainstorm" through final draft. We welcome collaborative writing projects and offer group and individual tutoring, as well as semester long participation with specific classes at the instructor's request. Interactive student-paced software lessons are available in all areas of mechanics and content from grammar and punctuation through content, thesis and MLA/APA citation concerns.

The Writing Center in Ketchum Hall provides writing guidance and assistance to student writers from novice to distinguished skill levels. We assist student writers from across the disciplines in arts and humanities in academic, professional, and creative areas. Another goal is to provide mentoring and professional development to advanced English students through tutoring, workshops, and publication assistance, to initiate future teachers in the teaching of writing and writing to learn, to provide publication coaching and opportunities in a range of literary and written genres, and to share the power of writing, literature and literacy with the Buffalo schools and community through service learning.
Ultimately, the Writing Center aims to foster a broad-based, creative, scholarly, and giving community of writers, scholars and learners at Buffalo State College. The Writing Center is open Monday through Friday at 9:00 a.m. Appointments and walk-in sessions are available until 4:00 p.m. M-Th, and 3:00 p.m. Fridays.


Academic Skills Center
330 South Wing
878-4041

Tutoring and workshops by professional tutors, who address questions regarding subjects that include business, humanities, languages, math, science, statistics, and writing, including MLA, APA, Documentation in Essays and Research Papers. Instructors may fill out the Instructor Referral Form (a printable PDF file available on our Web site) and have the student present it to the tutor at their meeting. Visit our office to make an appointment. Information on subjects and schedules available on our website.

MISSION
The Academic Skills Center, in accordance with the Mission Statement of Buffalo State College, promotes "the intellectual, personal, and professional growth" of our students. It seeks "to inspire a lifelong passion for learning, and to empower a diverse population of students to succeed as citizens of a challenging world." The Academic Skills Center encourages excellence in all Buffalo State students. It provides a dedicated staff of professional tutors who are prepared to assist students in a variety of subjects and enable them to succeed in their academic, individual, and vocational pursuits.
VISION
The Academic Skills Center of University College will be a recognized leader in accomplishing the following goals:
• Providing students with the most competent tutors available.
• Supporting students in fulfilling their academic goals in specific subjects and ultimately in their chosen disciplines.
• Increasing student confidence in Buffalo State College as a school that cares about their academic success.
CORE VALUES
• Tutors of the Academic Skills Center treat every student with respect and consideration.
• Tutors are prepared to answer students’ questions with a genuine concern for their success.
• Tutors strive to instill students with greater understanding of their subject and greater confidence in their coursework.
• Tutors encourage students to achieve academic excellence.


Canisius College: http://www.canisius.edu/tutoring/

The Tutoring Center provides a variety of opportunities for students to achieve their own academic success. The services are free-of-charge and open to all Canisius students. Individual Tutoring Services allow students to receive one-on-one academic assistance from peer and adjunct professor tutors. Tutors are available in the majority of academic disciplines and employ various academic strategies to help address individual student needs.

Supplemental Instruction (SI) is an academic assistance program that utilizes peer-assisted study sessions. SI sessions are regularly-scheduled, informal review sessions in which students compare notes, discuss readings, develop organizational tools, and predict test items. Students learn how to integrate course content and study skills while working together. The sessions are facilitated by SI leaders, students who have previously done well in the course and who attend classes, understand the material and act as a guide through the coursework.

Monday-Thursday:
10am-10pm
Friday: 10am-2pm
Saturday: closed
Sunday: 2pm-10pm
No appointment necessary

The Study Hall Program is open to all students. Study Hall is an opportunity for students to focus on their academic work in a quiet environment where tutors are available to answer questions and provide academic support
Monday & Tuesday:
9am-1pm OM 219;
4pm-10pm OM 314
Wednesday: 9am-11:30am
OM 219
Thursday: 4pm-10pm
OM 314
Friday: 9am-1pm OM 219
Sunday: 2pm-10pm OM 314


Damon/Monroe: http://www.monroecc.edu/depts/writing/

At the Writing Center, we guide students through the writing process and provide support for faculty who assign written work. Tutoring sessions encourage students to make informed decisions about their writing. The outcome of tutoring should be that the writer, not necessarily a specific piece of writing, will be changed.
Tutors do not write, re-write, or line edit any portion of a student’s paper. Rather, they assist with pre-writing, drafting, researching, revising, and editing. Most importantly, the Center aims to build students’ confidence and improve their writing skills.

Inside Integrated Learning Center, 4-258
phone: 262-1556
e-mail: schamberlain@monroecc.edu
Hours:
Mon. 12:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Tues., Wed., Thurs. 8:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Fri. 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
(Hours may vary)

Buffalo State Annual Report

Hi Folks!
For my Demographics Study I found a link to Buffalo State's Annual Report, which may be useful to others in this preliminary stage.
Annual Report

I have a few other notes I jotted down which I will post later on tonight.
- Janet

Beginning the Project

I have begun to look at the mission statements of both the library at Buffalo State and Buff State itself. I will take a look at the current purpose of the writing center as well as the tutoring options and flesh something out for next Tuesday. Keep me in mind for marketing. There are a plethora of opportunities as this piece is not highlighted very well and holds much potential. See you guys!

Here are the links for the writing center and tutoring:

http://www.buffalostate.edu/english/writingcenter.xml

http://www.buffalostate.edu/english/x849.xml

I did not receive Eugene's email address. I guessed from the roster what it was, but if anyone has Eugene's email please let me know.
Thanks,
Janet

Welcome to the Academic Librarians Planning Project Blog!