record keeping

[cleveren@english.fsu.edu (Carrie Leverenz)]

Dear Centaurs:  I am writing from sunny north Florida (with an anticipated
high of 67 today) to get some advice about setting up a useful record
keeping system. Many of you will find it hard to believe that I have not yet
had to keep many records in my Center, but that is because I am not in
control of a budget and don't have to make a report to anyone.  We offer
individualized instruction in writing and reading on a for credit basis, and
do walk-ins to fill in the gaps.  I am funded (given grad student tutors) on
the basis of the number of students enrolled.  I think the English
department (where I am housed and where the money comes from, though
somewhat tight-fistedly) also gets some $$$ from student retention, minority
affairs, etc., but no one in the English department office bothers me with
that kind of information.  Since, no one butme has been interested in doimng
anything with the Center except maintain the status quo, the only numbers
I've had to keep track of have been the number of students enrolled from
term to term, and we've done that by counting rosters.

Although I don't have any immediate plans for expanding our services, I do
have a long-range interest in initiating a peer tutoring program for
undergraduates, setting up some e-mail tutoring (distance learning is a hot
topic at Florida State), offering workshops, and in general increasing
visibility for the Center, so I figure that in the very near future I am
going to need to be able to describe accurately what exactly it is we do and
for whom, especially if I am going to make a case for more funds, more
personnel, more technology, or whatever.

so, the real question is, what are some of the numbers y'all (this is
_north_ Florida) keep track of and how do you do it?  Do the tutors tally
their appointments?  Does a secretary or desk person enter the numbers into
a lotus-type computer program?  Thanks for your help.  Carrie