Each year, the Academic Support Center (ASC) hires and trains 25–30 peer writing consultants to serve as course-specific Writing Assistants (WAs), staff the Writing Center, and provide ongoing writing support for student partners in the Term-Long Program. 

During fall term, all available WAs support A&Is; the ASC dedicates about 800 consultant hours to supporting writing for A&I courses each fall. However, demand for WAs decreases in the winter and spring when A&I courses do not run. Read on for more information about the best scenarios in which to request a WA, innovative ways to use a WA, and tips to support a healthy, happy partnership between you and your WA.

Who should request a WA?

In winter and spring terms, the Director of the ASC contacts all faculty teaching 100- and 200-level WR courses about the availability of WAs. Faculty can contact the director to request WAs for 300-level or non-WR courses. Faculty increase their chances of being assigned a WA when they:

• Submit a completed WA interest form by the deadline (or contact Melanie directly by week 7 of the term prior)

Additionally, faculty who plan to do the following in their courses are good candidates for a WA:

• Assign sufficient writing and revision to warrant 30 hours/term of WA support for students
• Have a plan to promote the WA regularly (inviting them to your class, putting their information on Moodle, reminding or requiring students to schedule a meeting)
• Regularly communicate with your WA about assignments, course updates, and writing trends in your class
• Ensure assignments are scaffolded and include time to incorporate the WA in the revision process

How can I use a WA?

Although WAs most commonly conduct 1:1 meetings with students outside of class time, WAs can also:

• Facilitate a reading and writing space for students outside of class
• Support students with speeches and presentations
• Partner with a second WA for larger WR courses
• Facilitate group peer review
• Attend class occasionally (if schedules and hours allow)

Why should I have a WA?

While employing a WA in your course does not ensure a reduction in workload, it does offer benefits for you, the WA, and your students. Benefits include:

• Valuable mentor/mentee relationships
• Professional development for the WA, including the growth of their skills, independence, and confidence 
• Another set of eyes and ears outside of your classroom who can spot trends and share student feedback and questions with you
• “Near peer” support for students navigating the demands and expectations of a course
• Collaboration with a partner who contributes to the overall success of a course by providing a student perspective on writing assignments

How do I maximize the benefits of a WA?

WAs have 30 hours devoted to your class each term. WAs tend to be more effective when faculty:

• Provide clear guidelines (assignment sheets, deadlines, etc.)
• Share their preferences and expectations (including pet peeves)
• Reassure WAs that they are NOT responsible for students’ performance, lack of engagement, etc.
• Require students to meet with the WA 1–2 times each term
• Stagger assignment deadlines by assigning different due dates to groups of students
• Encourage students to use the WA at various stages of the writing process (brainstorming vs. drafting vs. polishing)
• Promote other writing resources, including the Writing Center 
• Support the WA in setting boundaries 

Are you curious and want to learn more? Do you have an idea and want to discuss specifics? Contact Melanie Cashin (mcashin@).