For Faculty and Staff
At the Writing Center, we fully understand that working with students is only part of the equation. We are also here to serve the faculty and staff of Western Michigan University regarding any number of writing related issues.
Classroom visits
During a classroom visit, a Writing Center staff member will discuss the services that the Writing Center provides, as well as the Writing Center location, hours of operation, etc. The more that students know about the services available to them at WMU, the more likely they are to utilize those services.
Confirmation of student visits
When students book an appointment at the Writing Center, they can provide an email address for an instructor if that instructor requires verification that the student attended the Writing Center. Simply remind your students to provide email information, and the consultant working with your student will email you a confirmation note once the student has completed their consultation.
Staff and Faculty writing
The Writing Center is happy to help faculty and staff with their professional, academic, and personal writing efforts. Our consultants can help faculty and staff with any number of documents—including abstracts, articles, resumes, CVs, cover letters, letters of recommendation, creative writing, etc.
Syllabus Statement
To provide students with information about the Writing Center, we encourage faculty members to include the following paragraph in their course syllabi:
"The Western Michigan University Writing Center is a free consultation service for all WMU students, where experienced writing consultants help writers of all levels and all abilities. Our consultants help writers to determine strategies for effective communication and to make academically responsible choices at any stage in the writing process and on assignments in any field of study. Both appointments and drop-in sessions are available. The Writing Center is located in 1343 Ellsworth Hall. To learn more information, including hours of operation, and to make an appointment, visit our website at wmich.edu/writingcenter."
Working with English Language Learners
We acknowledge the difficulty in creating meaning in another language and openly explore that difficulty in conversation with ELL students. If possible, we encourage instructors to meet with ELL writers and discuss the ways in which their primary language(s) may influence their English Compositions. We can facilitate conversations between instructors and ELL students about expectations around language.