Before the pandemic, the Tutoring Center operated with around 100 employees. Now, in spring 2022, the center employs 42 people, less than 50% of its capacity. In addition, only one of three locations on campus are open.
“Student Employment is hurting in general,” said Janice Taylor, the program manager. “We’ve had to keep job postings up for the past two years, which is something we’ve never had to do.”
Times are desperate for organizers, who say that a lack of in-person interaction led to general ignorance about the center and insufficient means of building a relationship with campus denizens. For some, this service is integral to healthy student life, but as it stands now, few people learn about what they can gain from it.
For a place like the Tutoring Center, in-person interaction is vital for the services they provide. Students receive individualized attention that supplements their education and learning, meaning that a tutor can cater to a student’s needs, method of learning, and personal struggles with the material. Locations also serve as quiet spaces for doing homework and working with peers.
Nowadays, most students learn about classes and programs like the Tutoring Center through the Clark website, but this route is less engaging than past methods.
“In the past, we would lead class workshops, hold presentations, and organize tours of our locations,” said Taylor. “Reading about [the Tutoring Center] is different from experiencing it.”
Tutors would volunteer to enter classrooms and provide help to new students to give them an idea of what their service was like, even if a student decided they didn’t need it.
“I feel like not many people know about this place,” said Lauren Roberts, a tutor of two terms. “I see two to three students every week, even though I’m in here for 11 hours during that time.”
During her first term, Roberts mentioned she would only see one student each week, meaning that campus engagement is better, but not by much. For many at the center, returning to their pre-COVID state will take a lot of hard work.
Many employees attribute the recent improvements in campus engagement to their program manager, who helped spread the word by organizing stands at the Involvement Fair, taking part in Welcome Week, and consulting Career Services.
“Janice has been working her little tail off, and I think her efforts have been paying off,” said Roberts.
