February 8, 2011

Tutors take a hit at East Stroudsburg University

by Christa Tatu, originally published in the Pocono Record on 12/13/10

University cuts back hours for popular program

Math was never their best subject, so after taking their first geometry test, East Stroudsburg University sophomores Kellie Smith and Antoinette Burns signed up for the school’s free tutoring program. What they got were weekly, hourlong sessions from a professional tutor, someone with either a bachelor’s or master’s degree who specializes in a particular field. It’s a pretty good deal, but one that may be difficult to come by next semester.

The university’s 75 professional tutors have learned their hours will be cut next month, allowing them to work a maximum of 15 hours per week, compared to 35 hours weekly. About 16 of the tutors work the maximum allotted time.

“I would be failing if I didn’t come here,” Smith said as she and Burns worked through math problems with professional, full-time tutor Teri Miles. Burns and Smith worry about getting the same level of attention if the tutor’s hours are cut. “She’ll come out and meet us on a Sunday if we have a test on Monday morning,” Burns said of Miles.

Record semester

In this semester alone, the university tutored 1,200 students, said David Rheinheimer, director of the university’s tutorial program. In all of 2009, 1,500 students were tutored. “It’s a record semester,” he said.

There are a lot more students like Smith and Burns who seek tutoring as a preventative measure before they start to fail classes they know will be difficult. The interest is probably driven by rising tuition costs and students’ concerns about getting into good graduate schools, Rheinheimer said.

In October, he learned the tutoring center’s $114,375 budget would be cut by 26 percent next year. Students have the option of being tutored by their peers, an option university officials have been pushing, but student tutors have yet to earn a degree.

To read the full story click here.

Filed under: Academic Learning Centers,College

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