The Office of University Writing opened a new satellite writing center Monday at the Student Center Starbucks.
"Our philosophy is to bring writing center services to where the people are," said Margaret Marshall, director of university writing.
The Starbucks center will offer the same services as the other sites on campus.
Students can sign up for an appointment online, but walk-ins are welcome if a tutor has an opening.
Help is available with any stage of a writing assignment--getting started, revising a draft, basic proofreading for grammar or any other writing issue with which a student might be struggling.
Since the program began in January, satellite centers have been set up at the Athletics Center, School of Forestry and Wildlife Science and College of Architecture, Design and Construction, in addition to the main center at the Ralph Brown Draughon library.
Starbucks was chosen as a location because of its convenience and appeal for students.
"Setting up shop there seems like a good idea, adding another convenient location for students and giving us some publicity," said Todd Aldridge, graduate assistant director of the writing center. "I still talk with students and faculty who are surprised that we work with writing in all the University courses. I would like everyone on campus to know that we are available to help with all types of student writing."
They also said the hip setting of Starbucks may attract more students.
"What I find most exciting about opening up the Starbucks satellite: writing tutoring will be taken out of these classroom-like settings that the other satellites provide, and I think this will attract students who may dislike talking about writing in such settings," said Beth Savoy, Starbucks tutor and English graduate student. "It may even make the process of writing more enjoyable to students who find writing to be unenjoyable or tedious."
The program staff would like to expand and add even more sites around campus.
Marshall said more sites would be beneficial because of the strong student response to the program. Students have asked for more tutoring hours than University Writing services can provide, so the office has had to impose a cap on appointments of one hour per week per student.
"Right now, we have only a few hours at Starbucks," Aldridge said. "If this operation goes well, we could add more hours there or look into other potential locations."
The Office of University Writing came about after the University Senate endorsed a resolution last spring that stated Auburn should require significant writing requirements beyond the core curriculum in every major.
"I expect that, by next fall, every department will have a plan for writing in their major," Marshall said.
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