Where is the Tutoring Center located?
The Tutoring Center is in the back left corner of the first floor of Butcher Library.
How much does it cost to work with a tutor?
Currently, there is no out-of-pocket charge to work with tutors. Tuition and fees cover the cost of operating the Tutoring Center.
When is the Tutoring Center open?
The Tutoring Center office hours are usually weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
When are tutors available?
Each tutor has a different set of hours when they are available to assist students. Usually, tutoring sessions are possible at various times morning, afternoon, and evening daily except for Saturdays. In addition, NightOWL online tutors are available 7 p.m. - midnight, Sundays through Thursdays.
How do I find out who can help me and when?
The Tutoring Center publishes a Tutoring Schedule that lists tutors and their hours with the courses or subjects they can tutor. This schedule is also posted in the Tutoring Center. It is updated most weeks during the fall and spring semesters as new tutors are hired and when tutors need to change their hours.
Who are the tutors?
The Tutoring Center has two categories of tutors: professional tutors and peer tutors. All are part-time employees who have differing tutoring schedules. Both pro and peer tutors are required to participate in tutor training.
Professional tutors have already completed a bachelor’s degree or higher, whereas peer tutors are currently enrolled students at the college.
To become a peer tutor, a student must have earned a cumulative college GPA of at least 2.75 and individual course grades of at least B (3.00) to tutor a specific course (their average cumulative GPA each semester is around 3.50). Peer tutors must have also be recommended by at least two of their professors.
Do I have to book an appointment to meet with a tutor?
No, tutoring is available both on a drop-in basis and by appointment. However, students with appointments receive assistance first. Drop-in students are then helped on a first-come, first-served basis if time allows.
How do I book an appointment to meet with a tutor?
Students can book a tutoring appointment through Starfish, a web-based software system used at the college. The deadline for booking a tutoring appointment is 24 hours in advance of the start time for the meeting. The instructors for how to book an appointment are linked to the Tutoring Schedule web page.
Can I schedule an appointment with a tutor for every week of the semester?
Initial appointments with a tutor are a one-time appointment. However, at the end of that appointment, students can let the tutor they would like to meet every week at the same day and time. We will then set up that recurring appointment for the student.
Where will I meet with my tutor?
Face-to-face tutoring sessions occur at the Tutoring Center in Butcher Library unless otherwise noted. Campus-based online tutoring sessions occur using Go Board, a software designed for virtual tutoring. NightOWL Online Tutoring occurs using software called Pisces, which is also designed for virtual tutoring.
How do I work with a NightOWL online tutor?
Visit the NightOWL web page and follow the instructions provided to sign in during the hours of operation, 7p-midnight Sundays through Thursdays. NightOWL doesn’t offer tutoring by appointment, so students sign in online and receive assistance in the order they log in.
How long can a tutoring session last?
Campus-based tutoring sessions can last up to 45 minutes. NightOWL Online Tutoring sessions can last up to 60 minutes.
How often can I have a tutoring session?
Students may have one tutoring appointment per course per day. Students may have a second session on a drop-in basis if a tutor is available after they have worked for at least an hour on the class without a tutor’s help.
My study partner/team and I would like to work together with a tutor for our class. Is that possible?
Yes, students may request to work together with a tutor for a small-group session. Sometimes, the Tutoring Center will also pair students taking the same course together to work simultaneously with a tutor when separate times aren’t available. The only exception to forming group tutoring sessions is tutoring for writing assignments. We keep sessions for help with papers as one-on-one sessions (unless a group needs to write a single document).
Will writing tutors proofread my papers for me?
The Tutoring Center’s primary goal is to help students learn how to do their work independently, not do their work for them. Therefore, writing tutors will not proofread students’ writing assignments for them. However, they will help you learn how to proofread your papers for yourself. In addition, writing tutors can help with all stages of the writing process: prewriting (understanding the assignment, brainstorming, researching, organizing, etc.), drafting, revising, and editing. We recommend that a student seek tutoring as soon as an instructor assigns a paper. That way, tutors can help with each of these steps. Students may also access the Tutoring Center’s premier subscription to Grammarly, software that can help students to improve their writing.
Can tutors help me with general study skills, such as reading, taking notes, time management, how to memorize, test-taking strategies, and so on?
Yes, tutors can help students with general study skills. Often, these matters come up during tutoring sessions. In addition, the Tutoring Center also discusses these general study skills in its student workshops known as Student Success Seminars (SSS). Most weeks of fall and spring semesters, the Tutoring Center holds SSS sessions. They are usually 1-1:50 p.m., Tuesdays and Thursdays.
Will the tutors have copies of my textbooks and other course materials?
No, the Tutoring Center does not have copies of textbooks or other course materials. Students should bring the course materials necessary for what they would like to work on to their tutoring sessions.
How do I apply to become a peer tutor?
Currently enrolled students can apply to become peer tutors if they have completed at least 12 credits of college-level coursework with a cumulative GPA of 2.75 or higher. Applicants should have also earned a B (3.00) or higher in any courses they would like to tutor. Interested students should submit the online application form and submit their resume and cover letter through Handshake (the Career Services job listing site) or email those documents as attachments to Ms. Stephanie Lawhorne, Director, Tutoring Center, at LawhorSL@morrisville.edu.
Whom should I contact if I would like to speak to the person in charge of the Tutoring Center?
Many questions can be answered by reading the Tutoring Center’s web pages. Please email (TutoringCenter@morrisville.edu), phone (315.684.6042), or contact us in person at the Tutoring Center to discuss questions not answered there.
If you have something more confidential or private to discuss, please contact Stephanie Lawhorne, Director, at LawhorSL@morrisville.edu.