Presentation/Proposal Title
The Citizen Model: Student Governance in the Writing Center
Type of Presentation/Proposal
Special interest group/roundtable
Start Date
5-4-2019 3:15 PM
End Date
5-4-2019 2:15 PM
Keywords
Student Leadership, Autonomy, Student Governance
Description
This session will present and create a dialogue about the structure and function of the Student Governance Model at our Writing Center through the Student Leader Board (SLB), Tutor Coordinators (TCs), and committees. The Writing Center is “a collaborative and friendly profession, one that welcomes members at all levels -- secondary school; college or university undergraduate or graduate; professional; administrative” (Ryan and Zimmerelli 125), and we encourage all employees to take part in important decisions that maintain and grow the center. The SLB sets an example of active citizenship in the writing center by taking on many of the tasks that are traditionally the responsibility of the director, such as hiring, running monthly meetings, and conducting semester reviews. The activities and visibility of the SLB help encourage leadership among the student employees, and all employees are expected to take initiative to enact their visions for the center, to present at conferences, and to lead during the daily activities of the center. TCs keep up with tutors through daily secretarial and administrative duties to increase efficiency in the center, as well as doing a large portion of the behind the scenes work.. Through participation in committees, all employees have autonomy that allows them to determine how the Writing Center is structured. By dictating the center’s events, appearance, and other details, the committees become the backbone of the Writing Center and give students a chance to realize their idea of what they want to make of the writing center.
The Citizen Model: Student Governance in the Writing Center
M2225
This session will present and create a dialogue about the structure and function of the Student Governance Model at our Writing Center through the Student Leader Board (SLB), Tutor Coordinators (TCs), and committees. The Writing Center is “a collaborative and friendly profession, one that welcomes members at all levels -- secondary school; college or university undergraduate or graduate; professional; administrative” (Ryan and Zimmerelli 125), and we encourage all employees to take part in important decisions that maintain and grow the center. The SLB sets an example of active citizenship in the writing center by taking on many of the tasks that are traditionally the responsibility of the director, such as hiring, running monthly meetings, and conducting semester reviews. The activities and visibility of the SLB help encourage leadership among the student employees, and all employees are expected to take initiative to enact their visions for the center, to present at conferences, and to lead during the daily activities of the center. TCs keep up with tutors through daily secretarial and administrative duties to increase efficiency in the center, as well as doing a large portion of the behind the scenes work.. Through participation in committees, all employees have autonomy that allows them to determine how the Writing Center is structured. By dictating the center’s events, appearance, and other details, the committees become the backbone of the Writing Center and give students a chance to realize their idea of what they want to make of the writing center.
Comments
We wanted to open this presentation into a discussion. Each center is different and what works in our center may not work in another Writing Center. As Student Leader Board members, we can offer critical, informed perspectives to the discussion, and can discuss different student governance models in various centers.