Susan Backofen

Bret-- You certainly have very student-friendly practices. Major kudos to you!!!!! I know that many school administrators don't feel like they can take time to the types of things you have outlined, but I'm sure you'll agree in the long-run they are time well invested. The more you can personally interact with students the more connected they feel and the more likely they are to persist. EXCELLENT! Susan

Joanne-- This is excellent! Certainly a way to get people over the 'tutoring' hump by providing a wonderful incentive. Many times students are hesitant to ask for help even though they know they need it...hard to admit! Your model makes it a reward. Susan

Matt/Bret-- Informal communications are great as long as they are working. Leadership, which it sounds as if you two are providing, is key to making this effective. Just beware if players on the 'team' stop playing or you grow so quickly (wouldn't that be a great problem!) that this gets left by the wayside just trying to keep up...it's easy to stop sharing that type of valuable information. Susan

Joanne-- Absolutely true on all accounts, especially the peer interaction. It adds a great deal of credibility--they EXPECT employees to say good things. It means much more if it comes from other students. Susan

Joanne-- Awesome! That is certainly a great way to get student in to tutoring and take away the stigma associated with it! Kudos! Susan

Bret-- EXCELLENT! These are the types of 'hidden gems' that can be excellent sources of retention if identified. Be sure that information is shared appropriately, of course....but the more employees can have to help retain students the better!!! Susan

All-- Bret's observation regarding keeping the picture board up-to-date is extremely important--for all informational things you have distributed or displayed. It simply adds to the frustration students are feeling when they are in need of interacting with someone. It doesn't hurt to change it up once in awhile as well. Rearrange the pictures, put up a new background, etc. Students will stop and look at it with 'new eyes' even though the same material is there. Susan

Joanne-- Tell me more about the 'club' part...do you do some things that make it feel less like 'tutoring' and more like a 'club'? Susan

Tony-- Welcome! I'm sure you will find your classmates' comments helpful...they certainly are doing some excellent things! Coming from 'traditional' higher education will be a little different for you, but will also provide you with some good practices that you can tweak and implement in your current position. Even though you feel you are basically starting from scratch, the good news is that you will be able to implement some high-impact things fairly quickly! Susan

Joanne-- This sounds like an excellent system! I really like the name plate/bio aspect...they can make it as personal as they'd like. Identification of their support group at home provides a great perspective on possible barriers as well. Your process for late enrollments being assimilated within 2 days is a great best practice. It is timely and also provides for consistency by having the same person/department perform this each time. Congrats!