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MWSU | Center for Academic Support | MISSION, CLIENT PROFILE & FAQs |
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Mission
The mission of the Center for Academic Support is to provide qualified student tutors and staff who support classroom instruction while encouraging students to set and reach their academic goals. Client Profile The Center serves a broad range of students: those who have high GPAs and want to keep them, those who have low GPAs and want to improve them, and everyone in between. Students using the Center come in an average of 5 times during the semester for an average of 4 hours per student. In a typical fall semester, students receive over 3000 hours of tutoring.
Where are you located on campus?
Can I come to the CAS to study or use a computer? What does being a member of CRLA mean?
Answers to Frequently Asked Questions
During Fall and Spring semesters, the CAS is open Monday through Thursday from 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. and on Fridays from 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Summer semester the CAS is open Monday through Friday 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Where are you located on campus? We are located on the east end of the library building (Hearnes 213). Look for our entrance with the CAS logo. See the campus map for building location. Who can use the services that the CAS offers? Any MWSU student can receive tutoring for courses they are currently taking. Is there a fee for using the CAS? All of the services the CAS provides are free for MWSU students. What should I bring to a tutoring appointment? When you come to the CAS for an appointment, you should bring your MWSU ID and any materials that will be useful for your tutoring session: textbook, class notes, assignment sheet, calculator, etc. Do I have to make an appointment? Appointments are strongly suggested for math and writing, but if slots are available, we do take walk-in appointments in these two areas. You can call the CAS at 816-271-4524 or stop by to schedule an appointment. Content tutoring requires an appointment. These appointments are scheduled by emailing the tutor(s) from the Content Tutor List on our website. Be sure to include the course that you are requesting the tutoring for along with days and times that you are available to meet. What should I do if I am going to be late or cannot make it to a scheduled appointment? If at all possible, please call 816-271-4524 and let us know. This helps us when we are scheduling other appointments. What should I do if I need help in math? Making an appointment with a math tutor is the first step. Appointments with math tutors for MAT081-MAT167 can be scheduled by calling 816-271-4524 or by stopping by the CAS. We also take walk-ins if slots are available. Appointments for math courses above MAT167 can be made with a content tutor. See the content tutor list here. What can I expect from a math tutoring session? Math tutors will assist with concepts presented in class, calculator questions and will work additional example problems with the student. The tutors rotate among students offering assistance in these areas and then give students time to process and practice the concepts on their own. Tutors will then return to check again with student for understanding. The goal is to help students become independent learners.
How can I get help using a graphing calculator? Graphing calculator workshops are offered at the start of most Fall and Spring semesters. Many of our math tutors can also help with calculator questions. What should I do if I need help writing a paper? To make an appointment for writing, you can call 816-271-4524 or stop the CAS. We do take appointments for writing, but we also take walk-ins if slots are available. What can I expect from a writing tutorial? Writing tutors will assist you with any phase of the writing process, including help with correctness. What happens during a 30-minute appointment will depend on where you are in the writing process. Tutors could assist with any of the following:
At the end of the session, tutors will encourage clients to make the appropriate revisions and then come back for a follow-up appointment. A Writing Tutorial Summary describing what occurred in the session will be sent to the student’s instructor after each appointment, unless the student wishes for the appointment to remain confidential. Where can I go for help with a resume? Writing tutors assist clients with class-related writing as well as non-class-related writing such as resumes, cover letters, applications for scholarships, or personal statements for admission into graduate school. Can I get a tutor for Spanish, biology, chemistry or any other subject on campus? Absolutely! On the left of our home page, there is a link titled “Content Tutors.” Click on that and scroll down until you find the class for which you need help. Tutor(s) will be listed. Click on the e-mail address to e-mail the tutor directly. Make sure you include several days and times that you are available. The tutor will e-mail you back confirming a day and time that you will meet with them at the CAS. If the class you need help with is not listed, call 816-271-4524 or stop by the CAS and request a tutor for that class. It takes several days to find, hire and train a tutor, so if you think you are interested in tutoring, request early!
Click here to go directly to the Content Tutor List.
Supplemental Instruction (SI) is a series of weekly review sessions for students taking historically challenging courses. SI is provided for students who want to improve their understanding of course material and improve their grades. Attendance is voluntary. The SI leader does not teach the session but acts as a guide and resource for learning. SI is a chance for you to get together with other people in the class to compare notes, discuss important concepts, develop strategies for studying the subject, and to test yourself before your professor does, so that when he/she does, you’ll be ready. Click here for a current list of our SI meeting times. Can a study group meet in the CAS? Study groups do meet in the CAS. They are often, although not always, led by a content tutor. If you are interested in using our facilities for a regular study group meeting, please contact us at 816-271-4524. Can a tutor meet with me somewhere else on or off campus? No. All tutoring takes place at the CAS during our normal operating hours. Can I bring a drink or food to the CAS? We allow clients to have beverages. Food, however, is not allowed. Will my professor know that I came in for help? When clients come for writing assistance, we complete a Writing Tutorial Summary, documenting what was covered in the session. A copy of the summary is mailed to the instructor, unless students prefer their instructors not know about the visit. If students want their professors to know they have come in for other tutoring, we can provide that information as requested. Some professors do ask us whether or not students have used the CAS. For example, math professors want to know which of their students have come for math tutoring. We send those professors weekly usage reports. What is your policy regarding cell phones? Talking on cell phones is not allowed in the CAS. However, if there is a phone call you need to take, you can step outside to talk so you do not distract other students. I can’t afford a babysitter so can I bring my kids with me to the CAS? Children 12 and over are allowed when accompanying a parent or guardian. Because younger children tend to become restless and can become distracting to our clients, they are not allowed to visit the CAS with you. Tutors need to have taken the courses they will be tutoring and earned an A or B AND be recommended by MWSU faculty. All of our tutors need to maintain at least a 3.0 GPA. To apply to be a tutor, students can apply online by going to Career Development website OR come by the CAS and complete an application.
Writing Tutor Application Math Tutor Application Content Tutor Application What can I do if I need basic computer help? We do have some tutors who assist with basic computer help. Call the CAS at 816-271-4524 for more assistance. Additionally, we have handouts that cover many basic computer skills. Do you offer tutoring for CBASE? We do offer tutoring for the CBASE. E-mail CBASE tutor Lauren Upton at lupton@missouriwestern.edu to set up an appointment.
If English is not my first language, can I get help in the CAS? Yes, English Language Learners can work one-on-one with a writing tutor to receive assistance with papers. Can I come to the CAS to study or use a computer? Yes, students can use the CAS as a place to study independently or use one of our computers. What does being a member of CRLA mean? College Reading and Learning Association (CRLA) is an international organization that provides certification for tutoring programs. The CAS has been certified through CRLA since 1992 to train tutors on three levels. All of our math and writing tutors are required to reach Level One Certification. Tutors then have the option of pursuing higher levels of certification by completing additional training.
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