There are four categories of Writing Center Consultants. Each role has specific requirements:
Undergraduate Consultants’ duties are to work one-to-one with individual writers and to staff the reception desk. Consultants can expect to work in the Center for up to 20 hours a week and are paid hourly. They are eligible to begin employment at the UWC after completing ENG-W397.
Graduate students who are paid hourly have the same duties as undergraduate consultants. However, graduate consultants are eligible to begin employment at the UWC during their first semester, as long as they are enrolled in ENG- W597. Alternatively, graduate consultants may also begin employment immediately if they already have significant Writing Center experience, even if they aren’t enrolled in ENG-W597.
In partnership with the Department of English and the Graduate School, the UWC currently supports up to four Teaching Assistant/Research Assistant (TA/RA) lines for eligible graduate students. These lines require a different application process from that of a graduate consultant and are approved after interviews with the Director and the Assistant Director. TA/RA consultants have the same duties as the other consultants, but they will also be expected to complete long-term projects under the supervision of the Director and the Assistant Director. A TA consultant is also eligible to serve as the TA for the W397/597 course.
Faculty consultants bring expertise gained while teaching writing in the classroom to the consultation table. Faculty consultants work in the UWC ten hours per week (twice monthly staff meetings count toward those required hours). The position pays the same as teaching a 3-credit course for the Writing Program, and it counts as one course when computing the maximum for part-time employees. New faculty consultants may need to learn the differences between classroom teaching and non-directive consulting approaches. Faculty are also encouraged to take an active role in sharing their expertise at staff training meetings.
