What Do Students Think of the Writing Center?

 PCCC Students come to the Writing Center for one of several reasons. They may be taking a WI course and are required to come for an assignment. They may be taking a WI course and just want a little extra help with their papers. They may be preparing to take the CWE (repeating or for the first time). They may attend a workshop. Or, maybe they have taken a WI course at some point in their college careers and want help with some other writing, whether for a class or for another purpose. Whatever the reason, we are here to help.

How much do students feel they benefit from the services the Writing Center has to offer? Students are given a survey that asks that very question after every workshop and session with a writing consultant. For last academic year (Fall 2010-Spring 2011), about 19% of students who came to the Writing Center were not required to do so. Whether required or not, all students reported that they were satisfied with the service they received, with 92.5% saying they were very satisfied. About 83% said they intended to come back for more help in the future.

The survey also gives a space for students to write their own suggestions for improvement of the Center. The most frequent suggestion was that the Center provide more hours of consulting for students, including late nights (we are currently open until 8) and Saturdays. Other suggestions, such as providing more practice topics for the CWE and more materials on the writing process have already been put into place.

For more information about the Writing Center, including hours and contact information, go to http://pccc.libguides.com/writingcenter.

Graduation Day

PASSAIC COUNTY COMMUNITY COLLEGE 
39TH COMMENCEMENT CEREMONIES
THURSDAY, MAY 19, 2011 6:00 PM
PATERSON CAMPUS

Nearly 600 graduates will receive their degrees and certificates tonight at PCCC's 39th commencement ceremonies tonight.

 

Keynote Speaker: The Honorable Miguel de la Carrera,
Superior Court Judge, State of New Jersey.

Valedictorian: Linda Finnan,
Associate in Arts in Liberal Arts Degree

The commencement ceremony will take place in the gym, with the College Faculty, Administrators, and Staff in attendance, as well as friends and family of the candidates for graduation.

 

New WI Faculty Institute

The next Writing Initiative Faculty Institute will be held May 17 &18 from 9am – 3 pm in the PCCC Writing center.

This Institute is for faculty developing or taking on new sections of WI courses for Fall 2011. This group includes three new WI courses being piloted next semester: SO 102 Institutional Racism, MA 101 College Mathematics I and BS 203 Microbiology. New WI instructors will also be taking on additional course sections of Intro to Literature and Western Civilization I.

TOPICS TO BE COVERED INCLUDE:

• The Writing Initiative Teacher's Handbook
• Writing Initiative goals and requirements
• Using the Writing Center and online resources for online and face-to-face course sections
• Using eTutoring
• A review of the existing course materials: syllabus, assignments etc. and suggestions for WI revisions and additions.
• Hands-on session using LibGuides and making additions to it (links, resources, media objects etc.)
• Student portfolios: objectives, use of the eFolio product, sample student portfolios, grading strategies
• Formal and informal writing
• Responding to and grading student writing for content vs. for writing
• How to evaluate writing for critical thinking and information literacy using the rubrics and templates
• Initiative assessment of WI Courses