About UIowa's WC and Bedford Handbook

Hi all,
I've become overly reliant on ICON and left my paper syllabus in my office on campus, so I'm unsure if we're posting our thoughts on the Writing Center guidelines and Bedford Handbook here. Just in case, I'll cast my questions into cyberspace.

Given the size of the student population at UIowa, the systems in place for managing appointments and enrollment program students sound expedient. Although they're necessary, I was still impressed compared to my previous experiences with scheduling appointments over the phone, accepting walk-ins, and filling in tutoring reports/summaries by hand for paper files. I noticed there's still only a few undergraduate peer tutors despite the high demand. Why are there so few? Why is this a more recent program? Also, how are the tutoring reports used? (I'm an evaluation nerd.)

The first few chapters of the Bedford Handbook aligned well with my previous training. I'm not sure I agree with their emphasis on professionalism. Creating a safe space for writers is critical, so I agree with the emphasis on respect and confidentiality. But writing can be a fun process and I loved the camaraderie among tutors and our "frequent fliers." Is there a space for tutors to chat and relax together? Does our WC have opportunities to lighten things up?

 Thanks,
Rachel

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