re: Promotions

[Jim Bell <jimb@unbc.edu>]

Jeri, If I might indulge in a little story--
About 5 years ago I was put incharge of starting an adult literacy 
awareness project, essentially to be judged by how many low literate 
adults phoned in for help of one sort or another. I started with a 
(borrowed) pen and tablet of paper, and I contacted all the educational 
institutions in the city, asking counsellors, teachers, admissions 
clerks, and faculty to refer people. After two months of frantic 
work--almost nothing. When I went to my Board for help, at coffee break, 
Saif Mabrouk pulled me aside and said, "As an Egyptian lawyer who has 
immigrated to your country and is working as an administrator, I ask you 
this: What have these people got to gain from helping you? Go directly to 
the people, the students." Numbers soared, I was considered for a 
national award, etc. etc. When I started the Center at UNBC last year, I 
went directly to the students (although always including faculty). On our 
questionnaire, the vast majority of students say they referred themselves 
to the Center.


Jim Bell				Ph. (604) 960-6365
Learning Skills Centre			Fax (604) 960-6330
University of Northern BC		email jimb@unbc.edu
3333 University Way
Prince George, BC
Canada  V2N 4Z9                    =====-=-====-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=


On Fri, 2 Feb 1996, Jeri Gillin wrote:

> Wow, Sarah, your post was soooooo heartening!!  I started our 
> writing center just one year ago, and constantly worried about 
> our lack of "accountability" as far as numbers go.  We still 
> have a VERY long way to go, but this past semester more than 
> half of the freshmen on campus used the services.  We cannot 
> seem, though, to get students from other disciplines to come in 
> for help on papers that are not specifically for English 
> classes.  Any suggestions?  I've talked with faculty members, 
> deans, etc., but it's almost as if they see encouraging their 
> students to come in as some reflection of ineptitude on their 
> parts.
> Jeri
> -------------------------------------
> Name: Jeri Gillin, Ed.D.
>       Director, Academic Resources Center
>       Roger Williams University
>       Bristol, RI 02809
>       (401) 254-3219
> E-mail: Jeri Gillin <jgg@alpha.rwu.edu>
> Date: 02/02/96
> Time: 15:14:18
> 
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