On a Mission for a Statement

At Wednesday's meeting, we discussed creating a mission statement for our writing center. Here is our current "statement":

"The Writing Center provides assistance to writers from across the University community. Offering a mix of appointment-based and walk-in tutoring appointments, the Writing Center also makes writing resources available to students and teachers on the Kingston campus. The Center employs as tutors both undergraduate and graduate students, who work with writers as a complement to their University studies.

The Writing Center is also a research center. While working in the Writing Center, tutors may participate in research studies that add to knowledge about writing center practices. Research studies also provide a means for inquiring into broader problems in writing, rhetoric, and education. Graduate and undergraduate tutors have the opportunity to present at local and national writing center conferences and to publish their reflections and research."

As you can see, we need a mission statement. I've picked out some good example statements (in my opinion) from other colleges' writing centers:

Endicott College: "Tutors facilitate student-writers' own efforts and processes. They do not edit or do work for students. Instead, they encourage students to identify their own strengths and weaknesses and to understand how and why changes can be made." --We discussed this Wednesday, but I would like to repeat how Endicott states what their tutors do not do.

Western Carolina University: They have a list of ethics which was kind of cool:

• "Tutors will not write papers for students or assume ownership of a student's paper or ideas.
• Tutors will not comment negatively to students about instructors' teaching methods, assignments, personalities, or grading policies.
• Tutors will honor the confidentiality of the tutoring relationship.
• Tutors will honor the professionalism and varied ability of fellow tutors, requesting assistance when necessary and offering assistance when invited to do so."

IUPUI University: "The University Writing Center is a free service available to all IUPUI students, faculty, and staff, at both the graduate and undergraduate level. If you are a student, staff, or faculty member, the Writing Center is a place where you can sit down with an experienced reader who will provide assistance with your writing. UWC tutors aid both experienced and inexperienced writers at all stages of the writing process, and in any discipline. Additionally, tutors can assist you with other writing-related projects such as resumes, scholarship letters, etc..." --I thought that this statement reflected our writing center well. And it really opens the center up and encourages its use, as its light language reflects.

Central Washington University: "They guide their peers toward communication that is effective in a global and diverse environment, during and after studying at Central." --Always thinking about the future!

I think that these are a few good examples of some of the things we may want to include. What are some other thoughts?