The Technician

Issue date: 7/30/09 Section: News

A familiar standby of Kettering's academic culture is getting a new face-and possibly a coffee maker.

As part of a push to make academic assistance more accessible, Kettering University's tutoring system is in the process of being re-branded as a friendlier, less intimidating, "Peer Assistance" program. This accompanies recent remodeling of the SARC as well as potential upgrades to the spaces and equipment used by academic services.

Ella Derricks, Assistant Director of Academic Services, spoke with The Technician to explain the rationale behind these changes. The main goal, she emphasizes, is to engage more students to utilize the tutors or peer assistants. Ella makes a dismissive gesture as she mimics a common student reaction to the idea of "tutoring". "A lot of students are like, me, go get help? Yeah, right!" Her expression turns serious as she glances at a hefty sheaf of fresh printouts on her desk. Just over two hundred A-section students, she explains, will be on academic warning or probation for Summer 2009. "Many of these students could have been saved if they just asked for help."

Making it easier to ask for help is the goal of not only the nomenclature change, but of several planned improvements to the Student Academic Resource Center as well. Ella comments that the SARC may soon feature couches, a coffee maker, and special events, all with the goal of making the center-and its knowledgeable, available peer assistants-more accessible to students seeking help at any level. "Sometimes a student coming in and asking one question can build a relationship with this peer assistance program," she says, "Then, in the future, they know where they can go to get help when they need it. That's what we're trying to do with these changes."

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