Students requiring assistance with writing assignments can now seek help from peer mentors at the new, centralized UCSD Writing Center. The center opened at the beginning of Fall Quarter 2012 in the Mandeville Center as a campuswide writing assistance outlet for students.
Last year, the Council of Provosts, consisting of academic leadership from all six colleges, decided to institute a campuswide service that could provide writing assistance for students regardless of the college they belonged to. The Council of Provosts decided to launch a three-year pilot project in the new UCSD Writing Center.
Previously, each college had its own writing assistance program. After the three-year pilot period, UCSD will decide if it will permanently provide funding for the Writing Center.
“We’ve been very successful so far. In Fall 2012, our first quarter of operation, we saw 844 different students for individual sessions and group workshops; many of them returned for multiple visits,” Dr. Madeleine Picciotto, director of the Writing Center, said. “Our level of busyness varies — we’ve been absolutely packed at peak periods, but on most days students can still get same-day appointments.”
There are currently 29 peer writing mentors from all six colleges working at the center. Peer mentors help students develop their papers at a variety of stages, from brainstorming ideas to revising rough drafts.
“The Writing Center is really helpful when I’m trying to get my ideas together — the tutors serve as a sounding board and help me make sense of my ideas,” freshman Priya Bisarya said.
Students may go to drop-in hours on Monday through Thursday from 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m., Friday 1:30 p.m. to 4 p.m., and Sunday 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Students may also enroll in a free 30-minute appointment or various free writing workshops online.
There are several program and course workshops currently available at the center. A workshop on communicating with professors and others in a university setting called “Academic Communication” is coming up on Feb. 28.