UWC Policy Statement

The goal of the University Writing Center (UWC) is to instruct in basic writing skills by means of tutorial interactions and peer response groups. Our services are best used if students or their professors identify what, exactly, they would like to accomplish during their time working with a writing consultant. This means that students should come prepared to discuss their assignment and where in the writing process they think they are in completing the assignment. This might also mean that teachers who send their students to the UWC send along the assignment and some indication of writing problems that the writing consultants can help the student remedy.

Writing Consultants are also trained in helping WI course instructors set up peer response groups. A Consultant can come to a faculty member's class and arrange for students to help each other with their writing assignments. The Director of the writing programs will assist in the first such session and provide guidance in subsequent ones.

Writing Consultants will NOT do the following:

• evaluate an entire piece of writing,
• grade or anticipate a grade on a paper,
• edit a piece of writing dropped off by students, or
• do any writing whatsoever for a student.

Rather, the University Writing Center staff has been instructed to teach specific skills in writing, revising, and editing.

When a student comes to the UWC or one of its satellite sites, the student should come ready to learn new skills. Writing consultants have been trained in methods of teaching those skills.

Because the UWC has as its goal that instruction of skills, we generally do not work with students on their writing on the day that an assignment is due. We feel that this does not allow for ample time for a writer to consider our suggestions and implement them in a revision. Please visit the UWC with enough time to revise.

Any questions or concerns about the University Writing Center should be directed to the Director of University Writing Programs, Dr. Jim Kirkland, by email at kirklandj@ecu.edu or by calling 328-2922.