This document outlines David DiSarro's proposal to expand the Endicott College Writing Center into a "Center for Writing." The summary includes: 1) DiSarro proposes increasing the Center's social media presence, creating space for undergraduate and graduate research, and expanding professionalization opportunities for tutors. 2) He discusses establishing a "Writers Community" through "Conversation Partners" and a "Writing Fellows Program" to provide feedback on drafts for students in writing-intensive courses. 3) DiSarro believes these changes would help the Center better achieve its mission of helping all students improve as writers across disciplines by providing an interested audience and engaging students actively with their own writing.

1. Endicott College Writing Center Making the Writing Center the “Center for Writing” at Endicott College Presented by David R. DiSarro

2. Educational Background and Teaching Experience BFA in Creative Writing from the University of Maine at Farmington MA in English from Southern Connecticut State University (Graduate Research Fellow) Ph. D. in Rhetoric and Composition from Ball State University (expected July 2011) First-Year Composition, Writing in the Workplace, The History of Women’s Writing and Rhetoric (Designed & Taught), and The Rhetorical Art of Writing Online (Designed)

3. Administrative, Tutoring, and Relevant Experience Assistant Director, Writing Center, Ball State University August 2007 to June 2008 (Tutor: Spring 2010) Supervised, assessed, and advised undergraduate tutors Organized workshops, training, and events for faculty and staff Updated promotional material Tutored undergraduate and graduate students in face-to-face and virtual environments Researched grants for potential Writing Fellows program Development Officer, The Hartford Conservatory Established partnerships with community organizations, foundations, and national corporations Solicited donations from alumni Researched potential grants Prepared and wrote grant proposals for various programs

4. The Center for Writing Increase Social Media Presence Place for Undergraduate and Graduate Research Expansion of Professionalization Short Term Goals The Writing Center Long Term Goals Writers Community Conversation Partners Writing Fellows Program

5. Social Media and Networking Clients Other WCs Promotion & Instruction Virtual Q&A

6. Facebook

7. Twitter

8. YouTube ….and Jing

10. A Place for Undergraduate and Graduate Research

11. Example: ECWCA Conference What perceptions do creative writing faculty have about writing centers? What experience do creative writing faculty have with writing centers? What institutional and pedagogical similarities / differences do creative writing faculty see between their field and writing centers?

12. Activity Theory: A New Frontier for Research and Training in the Writing Center Modified from Simon Tan, University of California Berkley Tool Physical objects and systems of symbols that people use to accomplish the activity Division of Labor Rules Community Laws, codes, conventions, customs, etc. that people adhere to while engaging in the activity How the work in the activity is divided among participants in the activity

13. Activity Theory: Observation Tool for Peer Tutoring Sessions Tool Division of Labor Instructor assignment sheets, pens, pencils, computers, reading aloud, dialogue, language, etc. Rules Community Sign-in, dress code, length of session, requirements from instructor, conventions, etc. Client reads paper aloud, tutor follows along silently, tutor poses questions to client, etc.

14. Expansion of Professionalization

15. The Writing Center as a Space

16. Establishing a Writers Community and “Conversation Partners”

17. The Writing Fellows Program What is it? One undergraduate fellow is assigned to 15 – 20 students in a writing-intensive course. Students enrolled in the course are required to submit a draft of each paper (usually 2 – 3 a term) to the writing fellow two weeks before it is due to the instructor. The fellow responds in writing to each draft and returns the drafts to the students. The fellow prepares a summary of comments for the instructor. Students revise and (may) meet for one-to-one conferences with the fellow before handing in the final version. The students submit drafts and fellow comments with final version for the instructor. Some fellows are asked to run writing workshops for the instructor.

18. The Writing Fellows Program (cont.) What are the benefits? What would Writing Fellows Do? What wouldn’t Writing Fellows Do? What’s the cost? How would Writing Fellows be trained? How would Writing Fellows be selected?

19. The Writing Fellows Program and the Writing Center Mission Statement We believe that all writers, no matter how strong their skills, need an interested and attentive audience and learn best when actively engaged with their own writing. Our mission is to help all students improve as writers across disciplines and genres. The Writing Center mirrors the College's larger mission to act as a "student-centered institution that supports undergraduate and graduate students in their pursuit of knowledge.“ To that end, the Writing Center seeks to empower student writers to take full authority over their own writing: students are responsible for knowing their instructors' specific expectations and for the quality of all submitted work.

20. Final Thoughts… Management style: I’m not a micro-manager. I believe in the co-existence of a horizontal and vertical structure to an organization and believe that each tutor, client, and administrator is a “knowledge worker.”

21. Questions, comments, concerns? Thank you for your time and consideration.