Re: Appointments

[tmhogue@iupui.edu]

On Sat, 3 Oct 1998, Sonja Bagby wrote:

> Dear WCenter Friends:
> My center has grown so much that I have questions about a good thing--too
> many writers for the number of tutors.
> 
> In the past, we have allowed mostly drop-ins, but now we find the need to
> encourage appointments.   We have some unhappy procrastinators, but we
> manage better when we DO ask people to make appointments by phone or email
> or when we must turn them away.

Our uwc at IUPUI (Indiana University Purdue University at Indianapolis)
went to appointments years ago for the same reason -- too many students,
not enough tutors.  Even though that has been our practice, we *still* get
students bent out shape, God love 'em, because they can't get appointments
at the last minute.  We've thought that perhaps since so many other
agencies on campus work with walk-ins (financial aid, registrar, etc) that
perhaps they think *all* campus services and agencies operate on a
walk-in basis.

Whatever the cause, we've included in staff training the notion that
stressed out students often are not at their best at the desk when they
cannot get appointments and that tutors should not respond by getting
wigged out themselves.  "Kill 'em with kindness," as I was taught in a
similar position in my undergraduate days. We work at quietly explaining
policies, expressing sincere regret we cannot help them out, and offering
to schedule appointments in future, etc.

> 
> The questions:
> 1)Do your centers insist upon appointments?  Why or why not?

We operate using appointments.  If, however, a student walks in when a
tutor is *not* busy -- we accommodate that student.

With appointments, Sonja, a whole new animal rears its head -- the issue
of no shows.  Each center operating via appointments needs to determine
how it believes no shows should be dealt with.  We hold appointments 10
minutes (undergrad appointments are 30 minutes;  grad appts 60), after
which we'll take walk-ins for short 20 minute sessions.

> > 2)Do you mostly have drop ins, or do you balance the two?  

one of our big publicity blitzes is going into writing and writing
intensive courses early in the semester to familiarize students with the
services our uwc offers.  we used to advertise drop-in appointments *if no
one else has already been scheduled* -- and reminded students that about 3
weeks into the semester, the book fills up -- so don't count on drop-in
appts after that -- and especially not before midterm and finals.  we
learned students don't "hear" the (i guess) complexity of this message.
so we just advertise appointments, while quietly accommodating dropins s
when we can as described above.


> > 3)And do you hire someone simply to "person" the desk and control the
ebb > and flow of humanity?  > >

to save money, we practice what i call "team tutoring" -- which has many
aspects, but one of 'em is ttutors taking turns answering phones, talking
to students at the desk.  

4) Hhow do you handle the panicked, the frantic, the upset, the angry, the
> hurried and the harried?  > We end up trying to fit people in because
they "didn't know" they needed an > appointment. 

See above -- kind but firm.  And we plaster the place with announcements. 
posters, messages to faculty listservs, etc.  "The appointment book is
filling 1-2 [or whatever] days in advance!!  Plan ahead so you can have an
appointment when its convenient for you!!" 
 
> > 5)Will people eventually accept this change?  Is this just a growing
pain > or a mounting problem?

i'd imagine it's part both.  if your center has always operated on a
walk-in basis, it will take time to re-educate students about this change. 
"it takes time to turn the titanic around," as the song stylist once
warbled. but human nature being what it is, i would imagine the problem
will never just evaporate.  training staff in appropriate ways of handling
this problem is a good thing. 


 > > 6)And if we do change to appoinment only, how can we spread the word
most > effectively?  > >

class visits, posters, postings to faculty and student listservs,
webpages, signs all over the center.

I really need
your input for this thorny challenge.  > Thanks in advance for your help. 
> Sonja > > Sonja S. Bagby > Director, University Writing Center > College
of Arts and Sciences > State University of West Georgia > Carrollton, GA
30118 > sbagby@westga.edu > 770-830-2258 >