To: Paul Smith’s College faculty

Delivered: August 25, 2020

Dear Faculty,

Welcome back! I hope you all had a great start to your classes last week. I am sending you this update so you are aware of some changes to our services this semester, as well as our estimated start dates. Please see below for details regarding each service.

Tutors and SI Leaders should be in touch this week to make you aware that they are supporting your course. Please let me know if you would like them added to your Canvas course as Observers by sending me a quick email.

As always, please feel free to reach out if you have any questions or concerns. I look forward to another great semester working with you to support our students! If there are students you would like to recommend for any of these services, please add them to our shared Recommendations list.

Important Note:

Students attending sessions in our center will be required to confirm their scheduled appointments at our check-in station upon entry. They may print or pull up the Starfish confirmation email (phone, tablet,etc.)  to show to the check-in station attendant upon arrival.

Peer Tutoring

• 8/25/20 start date for students to begin to see tutors in their Starfish network. Students are still able to submit requests to me through the provided form in the Tutoring card, if needed, also through Starfish. 

Instances a student will need to use this form are: 

1. No tutor listed for the course in student’s My Success Network listing in Starfish, under Your Services
2. All available tutor sessions are full
3. All available tutoring times conflict with student’s class schedule 
4. Student is remote learning this semester and wants to set up online tutoring sessions, but is having issues getting set up.

For safety, all tutoring sessions (excluding online) will not exceed more than three people (one tutor and two students), all meeting spaces will be scheduled with protective barriers in place, and masks required in any instance where students are without a barrier and closer to each other than 6 feet. Sanitation stations are provided throughout the library.

Peer Writing Support

• Week of 8/31/20 is the start date for students to begin to make appointments. There will be NO drop-in this semester. All students must have an appointment, regardless of personal or course required visitation, to see a Writing Tutor. 
• For any assistance needed prior to the start date for appointments, students are being directed to seek assistance from their professor or (for basic grammar/editing assistance) to use Grammarly. 
• Group projects or class assignments requiring writing support will be assessed on a case-by-case basis and will require approval and set up prior​ to appointment. Please provide us with a minimum of 1 week advanced notice of any group assignments (students of two or more working together) or class-wide assignments requiring individuals to visit with a Writing Tutor. This will give the team time to receive, evaluate, respond, and schedule accommodations when necessary.

Supplemental Instruction 

• Week of 8/31/20 start date (estimated) SI Leaders should be finalizing details this week and the schedule will start to be regularly updated the following week.
• SI sessions will not exceed more than ten students in rooms with the capacity to maintain proper social distancing mandates and will be on a first-come, first-served basis. All other students will be directed to attend the live session online via Microsoft Teams. Capacity for each SI will be listed on the schedule.

All the best,

~Tracy

Tracy Elliott (She/Her/Hers)

Tutoring & SI Services Coordinator

Don’t forget to wear your mask 🙂 

JWAL 208 A

Center for Academic & Career Success