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Summary Report

Clinton Community College

External Review of the Tutoring Center

External Reviewers: Judith Grice Zamurs

Hudson Valley Community College

Education Specialist/ Learning Assistance Center

Karin Killough

State University of New York College at Plattsburgh

Director, Claude J. Clark Learning Center

Date of Visit: April 25, 2007

Clinton Community College faculty and staff involved in site visit:

  • Jennifer Waite, Coordinator of Human Services
  • Dr. Rita Ward-Slater, Associate Dean for Institutional Research and Planning
  • Dr. Steve St. Onge, Vice President for Student Services
  • Kim Bressette, Associate Dean for Retention Services
  • Tutoring Center Learning Center Skills Coordinators:
  • Dr. Rebecca Kasper
  • Mary Tisdale
  • Patti LaDuke
  • Lisa Kelley
  • Various Tutoring Center Tutors including:
  • Mark Morpurgo (English/Writing)
  • Angela Ryan (Algebra, Calculus, Finance, Accounting)
  • Three currently enrolled students—Rachel, Brian and Melisha

Strengths/Highlights Observed:

  • Clinton Community College has one of the top retention rates among SUNY community colleges, despite being the 2nd poorest community college.
  • Centrally located within Main Building and located near the Accommodative Services office.
  • Demonstrated commitment to students.
  • Paraprofessionals provide an excellent level of support.
  • Student satisfaction with TC is very high.
  • Excellent job of student placement as a result of Computer Lab Coordinator of the TC working closely with Admissions Office and the Humanities and Math/Science Divisions.
  • Thorough advertising of services including classroom visits, orientation presentation given to Faculty Council and “Academic First Aid Kits.”
  • Hours of service availability – of particular note are the evening hours when service is provided in the residence halls.
  • Block Program addresses the needs of under-prepared students.
  • The Tutoring Center has clearly articulated goals, objectives and measures.

Concerns and Challenges:

  • In 2003, a major reorganization took place at Clinton Community College. With respect to the Academic Assistance Center, the center was moved to Student Services, it was renamed the Tutoring Center and four full-time positions were established (three positions were 10 months and one position was 12 months). All positions carried the same title of Learning Skills Coordinator, however, job duties varied. It soon became apparent to the Tutoring Center staff that the job descriptions needed to be more clearly defined and that one position needed to assume supervisory responsibilities.
  • No secretarial support.
  • Complicated reporting structure – The Learning Skills Coordinators and TC staff report to 4 different offices: VPAA, VPSS, Associate Dean for Retention and to the Division Coordinator in which they fulfill their teaching load.
  • While current data collection is working and provides an appropriate snapshot, there are certain limitations from a college-wide perspective.
  • Paraprofessional pay rate has barely kept up with minimum wage (Minimum wage as of 1/1/07 is $7.15).
  • Concern that while need for services increases (e.g. pilot program with Vietnamese/ESL students), the TC will be losing a full-time position (Learning Skills Coordinator for Computer Science/Math).
  • No possibility of advancement as Learning Skills Coordinators
  • Paraprofessionals in the TC have scheduled work hours and should not be used as substitute classroom instructors during those hours.

Future Considerations:

  • Commitment to establishing own identity as a center for developmental education—a number of models exist (see Hudson Valley Community College and Schenectady Community College, among others).
  • Involvement of staff in conversations regarding future direction of the Tutoring Center (e.g. the transition from Student Services back to Academic Affairs and the need to establish a Senior Learning Skills Coordinator position).
  • Establishment of a Senior Learning Skills Coordinator (SLSC) position:

-12 month position with appropriate compensation

- assume most, if not all, of the administrative responsibilities for the TC

-attend meetings with Vice President of Academic Affairs

-if possible, have access to secretarial assistance;

  • Build some flexibility into the TC budget so that the SLSC could adjust the schedule of paraprofessional hours when student demand increases.
  • In order to assist in their professional development, establish a formal evaluation process for tutors.
  • Develop a schedule of pay raises for the paraprofessionalsto assure that they receive increments on a regular basis.
  • Create a better data collection system that can be used to evaluate and improve services.
  • Consider establishing a peer tutoring budget in addition to the paraprofessional tutoring budget. Understandably, it can be challenging to recruit, hire and train peer tutors within a two-year college structure; however, it would help expand services.
  • The Learning Skills Coordinators jobs are defined as hybrids; as such they need to be treated as faculty (47% of the time). They need the opportunity to devote time to course prep, teaching in the classroom, office hours and grading as part of their course instructor responsibilities as well as devoting time to tutoring and workshops in the tutoring center.
  • More appropriately designed office space for staff that provides some privacy (at least cubicles/moveable dividers).
  • Support active participation in professional development organizations and activities that focus on learning center administration and developmental education. Consider such organizations as the New York College Learning Skills Association, the National Association of Developmental Educators, the Association of Tutor Professionals, the Training Association of College Tutors, and New York State Mathematics Association of Two-year Colleges.
  • Establish a system that will provide recognition the TC staff.
  • With open enrollment, the need for developmental education is increasing, which means the TC will need to create a vision that will address these needs satisfactorily. It would be good to set some long term goals with assessment plans to determine that the college is meeting the needs of these new students.