Learning Commons at Tutt Library
The intensity, pace, and intellectual rigor of the Block Plan require both time and space for students to reflect on what happened in class and to continue to learn beyond the classroom. By bringing together academic support resources for both students and faculty across the curriculum, the Learning Commons fosters intellectual engagement in an environment designed to energize yet personalize the learning process. The Learning Commons includes the Colket Student Learning Center, the Computer and Advanced Technologies (CAT) Lab, the Office of First and Second-Year Studies and Advising, the Crown Faculty Center, the Writing Center, the Quantitative Reasoning Center, a Reading and Rhetoric Fellow, a Learning Consultant, the Office of Disability Services, and two Reference Librarians.
Office of First-Year and Sophomore Studies and Advising
The office of first-year and sophomore studies and advising was created to strengthen the current faculty-based, academic advising system by making available to students a supplementary professional advisor. Students are welcome to make appointments to discuss academic progress, course selection and pre-registration, adding/dropping courses, waiting lists for courses, change of grading track, academic difficulties, all-college requirements, the “points system” for selecting courses, selection of a major, change-of-advisor requests, learning skills and strategies, and issues related to college transition. The office is located in the Learning Commons of Tutt Library. Call 389-6986 to set up an appointment. See www.ColoradoCollege.edu/academic/fye/firstyearadvisor.asp for more information.
Disability Services
Disability Services provides individualized assistance to qualified students with disabilities, including verification of eligibility for services and coordination of accommodations. For additional information, please see the Disability Services section under "College Policies and Procedures" in the Pathfinder or visit www.coloradocollege.edu/disabilityservices. The office is located in the Learning Commons at Tutt Library, room 152, and the director can be reached at 227-8285.
Writing Program/Writing Center
The Writing Program
Colorado College offers a variety of ways for students to practice and improve their writing within the academic curriculum, and we encourage all students to make use of these opportunities. Although the college does not require a standard composition course, writing is central to academic work across disciplines. Faculty members periodically offer writing evaluations of students in courses that demand significant writing. If students receive two or more less than satisfactory reports from faculty members, they and their advisor will be notified by letter before pre-registration so they can confer about an appropriate course of action.
Writing-intensive Courses
Writing-intensive courses provide opportunities for students to continue to improve their writing skills through practice and criticism. The writing component of each course is related to course content and is intended to promote learning within the field as well as greater facility in writing. Writing-intensive courses have limited enrollment to allow time for individual conferences, small group sessions, and detailed criticism.
The Writing Center
The Writing Center offers an arena where students can work through the writing process and improve the expression of their ideas by participating in individualized conferences with trained peer consultants and professional staff. Our services include:
One-on-one consultations with writers (sessions usually last 30-60 minutes) during which students can work on their writing in any stage—from inception to revision of a “finished” draft—with peer consultants.
Continuing tutorials for:
students with serious writing issues (under-prepared, anxious, etc.)
students working on major projects (thesis, seminar papers, grant proposals, etc.)
students with disabilities
speakers of English as a second language
Class-based workshops that address a spectrum of learning-enhancing skills (e.g., critical reading, presenting an argument, brainstorming, incorporating research, interpreting data, etc.)
English as a Second Language
English as a Second Language (ESL) support is available to any multi-language speaker on campus. Two ESL adjunct courses in writing/composition and oral fluency are designed to help students strengthen their ability to write disciplinary-based critical essays and research papers as well as to create and deliver oral presentations. In addition, individual tutoring sessions enable students to work intensively at any stage of the writing process. International and non-international students do not have to be enrolled in the ESL adjunct courses to participate in individual tutoring sessions. All are welcome.
Adjuncts and Extended-Format Courses
The Writing Center offers a variety of adjuncts and extended-format classes to help students improve their writing: the Writing Practicum, Advanced Written Practice in English as a Second Language, and Advanced Oral Practice in English as a Second Language. Peer writing tutors are trained and certified following successful completion of Theory and Practice of Peer Tutoring and Peer Tutoring Practicum. Please refer to the Colorado College Course Catalog for full course descriptions.
Phone 389-6742 – www.ColoradoCollege.edu/writingcenter – Fax 389-6016
Monday-Thursday: 9 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Friday: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Sunday: 2 p.m. to 10 p.m.
The Colket Student Learning Center
The Colket Student Learning Center offers students the help they need to succeed academically by offering a wide spectrum of learning resources. These resources include the Quantitative Reasoning Center, Colket Fellow in Reading and Rhetoric and Learning Consultant . The Quantitative Reasoning Center offers tutorial assistance for students enrolled in mathematics and science classes, provides information about science tutoring elsewhere on campus, and offers a pre-assessment (with consultation) for those who wish to determine their level of basic mathematics competency before embarking on quantitatively demanding courses. The Colket Fellow in Reading and Rhetoric provides a range of support services for students wishing to improve their reading ability. The Colket Fellow offers adjunct courses, small group specialized workshops, and individual consultation. The Learning Consultant helps students identify their learning styles and develop effective learning strategies. The Colket Student Learning Center was established by a generous gift from Ruth M. and Tristram C. Colket, Jr., parents of Carolyn Cullen ’91. More information about the Colket Center can be found on the Web at: www.coloradocollege.edu/learningcommons/academicsupport/
Colket Reading and Rhetoric Fellow
In an effort to help students tackle complex, long, or large amounts of reading material, the Colket Fellow provides tutoring, workshops, and adjunct courses in strategies and skills for successful college reading. Students can get help with Reading Across the Disciplines, Efficiency, Comprehension, Speed Reading, Reading for Tests and Exams, Reading in a Second Language, and Purpose Driven Reading. The Reading Fellow offers group and one-on-one reading assistance. For further information call 227-8291.
Learning Consultant
The Learning Consultant is a Clinical Psychologist who meets with students to help them determine their most effective learning style. He also helps students make learning adjustments to adapt to the Block Plan and does initial screenings for students who may have significant learning issues. He assists students in developing effective learning strategies and utilizing the resources available in the Learning Commons and other areas of the College. Call 389-6168 to set up an appointment.
Quantitative Reasoning Center
The Quantitative Reasoning Center offers free professional tutoring to help students improve their quantitative and problem solving skills, all in an atmosphere that promotes collaborative learning. The QRC offers staffed evening and afternoon “Drop-in” hours every block. For further information call 227-8289.
