The Learning Assistance Resource Center (LARC) at San José State University evolved from the Tutorial Center at the Student Development Services (SDS). The tutorial program at Student Development Services was originally created in 1992 to assist students in both EOP (Educational Opportunity Program) and ASPIRE (Academic Support Program for Increased Retention in Education) programs. Over the years, the SDS Tutorial Center extended its support services to also include student athletes as well as students with disabilities. In 1998, Student Development Services expanded its programs and officially adopted the name of “Academic Services”.
In 1999, a university task force was appointed by the Provost’s Office to study the needs for student academic assistance and available learning support services. The committee found a fragmented system of more than thirty labs or clubs offering various types of learning services on campus. A complete inventory of tutorial programs revealed a patchwork of fragmented and decentralized services that were often difficult to access or inconsistently presented. Many students expressed great frustration in their experience of finding the appropriate academic support they desperately seek. Some students needed help to build basic skills or to refresh the background materials for a current class. Others would need further diagnostic tests to assess the real hidden problems. Most students using the services reported limited access with restrictions in eligibility requirements and/or demand in concurrent registration in classes. Many faculty in those support programs also described problems with limited space, funding and staffing. The need for a centralized Learning Center was evident in order to systematically serve the large number of students who require various levels of academic assistance.
On February 9th, 2000, at the Provost’s Forum titled “Academic Services and Learning Assistance”, the task force reported the survey result to the campus community followed by a program presentation from the Tutorial Center. Subsequently, a special consultant was appointed by the Provost’s Office to work with the learning specialists at the Tutorial Center to complete the preliminary draft of a campus-wide Learning Center. A 5-year strategic plan was developed and presented to the Provost’s office. The name of the Learning Assistance Resource Center (LARC) was adopted in the fall of 2000 when the center opened its services to all San José State University students.
LARC is a comprehensive learning center that consists of three major components: Writing, Mathematics/Computer Science/Engineering and Tutorial programs. The Center’s mission is to help students develop their full academic potential to become independent, life-long learners. It is also dedicated to supporting the curriculum offered by the university faculty. The center provides year-round academic and tutorial assistance in most of the introductory and intermediate classes offered at the university.
LARC employs five full-time professional staff, the Director, one coordinator for each of the three components, one administrative assistant and one half-time faculty for the ESL/Writing Skills Test tutorials as well as 50 to 70 peer tutors. The Tutorial Component offers tutor training, evaluation and general administration of both drop-in and scheduled appointments in one-on-one and group tutorials. The tutor training program at LARC is certified by the College Reading and Learning Association for both Level I and Level II training in Writing, Mathematics, General Education and Science areas. The Mathematics Component offers support in remedial, lower and upper division mathematics as well as Engineering and Computer Science courses. The Writing Component offers tutorials in English classes and support for general writing assignments as well as the assistance for ESL students and the preparation for the Writing Skills Test, a junior-level writing requirement. LARC mathematics and writing coordinators are also university faculty who teach in their respective subject areas. Every semester, the center presents a series of Skills Improvement/Information Seminars on test preparation and specific topics on academic and college surviving skills. The computer lab in LARC provides 35 stations and wireless access. Students and tutors often work together in the lab or use their personal computers for special projects.
The staff at LARC strive to build a learning community that provides a welcoming and nurturing environment for all students. They also collaborate with other departments and the campus community to form an academic support network. Tutors are the center’s ambassadors to bridge the instructional gap by conducting office and classroom visits. The professional staff work closely with the Academic Advising and Retention Services, Counseling Services, the Disability Resource Center, Athletics and other tutorial centers on campus to identify collaborative services needed. Staff often present workshops, assist with student referrals from faculty and provide consultation on Writing Across the Curriculum issues and other topics upon request.
In the past year, the center’s tutor training program was cited by the University’s Faculty Scholars at the 2004 SJSU College Teaching and Learning conference as an impressive writing resource on campus for embodying a student-centered pedagogy. LARC is also the winner of the 2004 Honorable Mention for the “Learning Support Center Website Award” given by the Learning Support Centers in Higher Education (LSCHE) and the National College Learning Center Association (NCLCA). LARC tutors are often awarded with prestigious scholarships. Many are also honored each year as Dean’s and President’s scholars. Staff at LARC are proud of their achievements and deeply dedicated to serve the students and faculty at the San José State University.
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