Learning Assistance & Resource Center

LARC Information & Hours 

The LARC will offer virtual tutoring sessions and professional staff will be virtually available in Winter 2022. 

• Tutoring Hours:
  • 9am-5pm (Monday-Thursday)*
• Professional Staff Hours:
  • 8am-4:30pm (Monday-Friday) 

The LARC will offer in-person and virtual tutoring sessions in Spring 2022. Professional Staff will be available both virtually and in-person to answer your questions in Spring 2022. 

• Tutoring Hours:
  • 8am-9pm (Monday-Thursday)*
  • 8am-4pm (Friday)*
  • 6pm-9pm (Sunday)* 
• Professional Staff Hours: 
  • 8am-4:30pm (Monday-Friday) 

*Tutoring hours vary based on subject. 

The LARC is located at 224 Lawrence Center (second floor of Lawrence Hall). 

• All in-person sessions will take place at 224 Lawrence Center, except Music Theory and Music History, which take place in Swope. 
• To locate your tutor, see the dotboard at our back entrance (across from the Career Center). It will tell you which cubicle your tutor is located in. If it is past your start time or you have any trouble, visit the front desk at our front door (across from the ASP office and OSSD). 
• Success Coaching takes place at the Student Success Center, located at the front of the LARC (top of stairs in Lawrence Center). 

Spring 2022 Tutoring Plan 

The LARC will offer both virtual and in-person tutoring for SPRING 2021. All in-person tutoring (except for Music, which is in Swope) will take place in 224 Lawrence. All virtual sessions will take place via zoom. Students can contact or visit the LARC staff for weekly, recurring sessions. Students will sign-up for as-needed appointments here: https://wcupa.mywconline.net/   

1. Students must create an account using their WCU email on WC Online. If students already have an account, then they only need to sign-in. There is an option to remember the password and keep yourself signed in. If you need help resetting your password, email kmachcinski@wcupa.edu. 
2. Registration for weekly, recurring tutoring sessions will take place Tuesday, January 25th- Friday, January 28th (all schedules will open for individual appointments on Friday, January 28th at 3pm). Tutor registration will be virtual. Registration instructions will be released shortly. 
3. After January 28th, students will select a tab for the subject they want. They are divided by content area (Biology, Chemistry, Math, Humanities/Social Sciences, Music, and Business+) and one schedule for virtual options. You must also select a "focus," which means the course. 
4. You can only sign-up for individual appointments. If you'd like a weekly, recurring session, please visit the LARC staff in person at the LARC or online here. 
5. Tutoring appointments are 50-minutes long (per 1-hour slot).
6. You will be emailed a confirmation email after you sign-up. All tutor zoom links are in their profile on WC Online for virtual appointments. 
7. ALL IN-PERSON SESSIONS WILL REQUIRE A MASK TO BE WORN (OVER THE MOUTH AND NOSE) FOR THE ENTIRE SESSION. If you do not want to wear a mask, chose a virtual session. If you do not wear a mask, you will be asked to leave the session. 

Items to Know

• If you can no longer attend your session, you must do so with at least 30-minute notice by canceling on WConline. If you do not, it will be counted as a "no show." 
• A total of three "no shows" will lock you out of the system, and you will need to contact kmachcinski@wcupa.edu if you'd like to sign-up for future tutoring sessions. If a student misses three sessions of the SAME COURSE (e.g. three BIO 110 sessions), the rest of the schedule will be cancelled and a students account will remain locked. 
• After your session, you may be asked to complete an optional assessment survey. We ask that you complete this to tell us about your session so that we can continue to improve our services.
• Any questions or concerns should be directed to Kaitlyn Crouse-Machcinski at kmachcinski@wcupa.edu.

The Supplemental Instruction (SI) model of student academic assistance helps students in historically difficult classes master course content while they develop and integrate learning and study strategies. The LARC currently employs over 40 SI Leaders who sit in the high-risk Biology and Chemistry courses. The success of the SI program suggests SI has a positive impact on student retention. By continuing and expanding the current SI program, we hope to maintain improvement of the academic achievement of students at risk of poor performance (D, F, or W) in the high-risk courses.

The SI model, developed at the University of Missouri - Kansas City (UMKC) in 1973, is a method to help students succeed in college. The SI Leader facilitates discussion for students to discover gaps in their knowledge and better strategies for learning. The SI Leaders are thus crucial to the success of the program, as they demonstrate proficiency in the subject and model effective reading, writing, and thinking skills necessary for content mastery. SI is a program offered at the LARC for students to voluntarily seek assistance in 100- and 200-level courses in the Biology and Chemistry and SI has three primary objectives: to increase retention, to improve student grades, and to increase graduation rates.

Courses currently offered under SI

• Biology: 100, 110, 111, 204, 210, 211, 214, 217, 259, & 269
• Chemistry: 103, 104, 107, 230, 231, & 232

Learn more about the SI Model

What is an SI Leader?

Our highly qualified and trained student leaders have previously earned an A or A- in the course they are assigned to tutor, have above a 3.0 CGPA, and received two faculty recommendation letters. Also, SI Leaders attend class with the students to serve as a model student in all capacities. SI is a completely free service to students, and it is expected students attend their assigned weekly session in addition to attending class.

Duties of a SI Leader:

• Attend Supplemental Instruction Leader Orientation prior to the beginning of the semester.
• Attend all class meetings of selected course.
• Act as model student, by taking good notes, reading all assigned materials, and being on time to class and study sessions.
• Schedule and conduct tutoring sessions weekly.
• Prepare materials for each session when necessary.
• Make in-class announcements concerning SI sessions.
• Maintain contact with course professor while maintaining confidentiality of the students.
• Schedule exam review sessions as necessary.

The Academic Success Program (formerly Academic Development Program), is a special admissions program for students who do not meet current admissions criteria but who still show the potential to succeed in college. Aside from the individualized mentoring and advising, students in ADP are required to attend mandatory tutoring for the classes provided to them through the program. Those classes include:

• Public Speaking: SPK 208/230
• Writing: WRT120/123WRT123
• Math: MATQ20/Q30/113/121

In tutoring sessions, students are required to come with materials and questions regarding content. Tutors will have students work in pairs or independently on material during their sessions, and tutors will also help students with their study skills. Our ASP tutors act as model students and tutors to help implement time management skills and to help students gain academic confidence throughout their first two semesters.

Here are a few anonymous testimonials from ASP students on the Tutor Evaluation given at the end of each semester:

• "Rachel is very respectful and knowledgeable. She has helped me so much in public speaking and I would have been lost with many speeches without her. She makes sessions fun and enjoyable also." – Anonymous
• "My tutor was a great tutor. She always helped me during my session or even when we didn't have sessions. I have learned so much from her. She’s a great person to get along with and a great tutor." – Anonymous
• "He always has things for us to work on; we are never wasting time in tutoring." – Anonymous

ASP-Affiliated Student Attendance Policy (Fall and Spring semesters)

In the Academic Success Program, you sign a student contract to attend your weekly tutoring sessions at the LARC. Weekly tutoring is a requirement alongside your coursework and comprises ten percent (10%) of your course grade. We’re glad to work with you consistently because we know weekly support improves your academic performance. If you are not utilizing and/or maximizing your tutoring opportunity, you will consequently be dropped from the tutoring program and your course grade will be negatively affected.

Weekly attendance to your sessions is required; your tutoring time is permanent for the semester.

After the first absence, you are required to meet with the Associate Director of the LARC. You will also be required to schedule a makeup session with your tutor. You may be permanently dropped from tutoring with the LARC in the ASP program after two (2) unexcused absences, whether or not they are consecutive.

Prior to your absence, you should email your tutor and Associate Director of the LARC. In case of emergency, contact your tutor and Associate Director of the LARC as soon as possible via email. If you don’t communicate your prior commitment and absence to your tutor and the Associate Director, it will be considered an unexcused absence, even if you can provide documentation. Only documented emergencies excuse an absence with no prior notice.

The following absences may be considered excused with appropriate documentation:

• Illness or injury: provide a doctor’s note, ER certificate, or Student Health Center letter
• School-sanctioned activity: provide verification note from coach, professor, or advisor
• Court-mandated appointment: provide a copy of court documents bearing your name
• Funeral: documentation may be required; schedule an in-person meeting with Assistant Director of the LARC
• Wedding: provide program or invitation bearing your name

Note: Work obligations will not be considered excused absences. Please arrange your work obligations accordingly. According to the Student Contract you sign at the beginning of your tutoring, not being present, not being prepared, or not participating in the session can also result in an absence.

Frequently Asked Questions – ASP tutoring

Can I schedule a/an ___________________ appointment during my tutorial time?

Routine medical, advisory, financial aid, or other appointments should be made outside of your scheduled tutoring sessions. In cases of immediate need, a documented medical appointment may be excused by contacting Assistant Director of the LARC. Visits with advisors or to other campus offices will not be excused.

I don’t need help this week, do I need to attend?

Yes, you need to attend your tutoring session. In the Academic Success Program (ASP), your attendance to every session is mandatory and a component of your grade. You are required to attend tutoring even after completion of major assignments and tests or exams. There’s always a benefit to attending tutoring! Ask, “How can I challenge myself?” Set long-term goals, reinforce concepts, or review your syllabus with your tutor. As an ADP student, your tutoring is required throughout the semester.

I had a prior commitment and didn’t notify my tutor; is that excused?

If you don’t communicate your prior commitment and absence to your tutor and Assistant Director of the LARC, it will be considered an unexcused absence, even if you can provide documentation. Only documented emergencies excuse an absence with no prior notice.

I’d like to petition for my attendance status to be changed.

Please contact Associate Director of the LARC, with your request for a re-engagement meeting. Please share your tutor’s name, tutoring day and time, and the attendance date(s) in question via email with the subject line: “Request for Tutoring Re-Engagement.”

• GPA Calculator
• GPA Calculator Instructions

Did you know that WCU offers FREE Online Tutoring through Smarthinking? Tutors are trained to provide high quality learning assistance to you, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week! View all Smarthinking courses offered. 

• To access SmarThinking, log onto D2L with your WCU email and password. SmarThinking is under "University Resources." 

 To book an appointment, follow the link below and select the schedule you'd like to see. You will be able to select a meeting time that works for you!

 

GRE Test Preparation Guide

Created by one of our previous Peer Tutor Coordinators, Matthew Graves ('21)