Tutoring, planning, advising services combined in new Office of Academic Success

“Every office and every person on campus has a little piece of supporting student success, but there hasn’t been a centralized location,” Tylee said. “I’m trying to come up with a coherent message.”

CSC’s Learning Center, which offers individual tutoring in writing, math, science and other subjects on a walk-in basis at the King Library, is the most visible part of the OAS portfolio. The center has traditionally been part of Student Services, but has been brought into the realm of academics to help keep students enrolled and on track to graduate.

“Retention is the buzzword these days,” Tylee said. “Traditionally colleges have looked at recruitment … without focusing a lot of attention on the students we already have. Retaining a student that is already here is much more cost effective than spending time and effort recruiting a new student.”

Academic support is one of the keys to keeping students enrolled, and overseeing the peer tutoring services offered at CSC is a big part of Tylee’s job. Top students who have been recommended by faculty members and have expressed interest in tutoring go through a hiring process and a certification program before they can start helping other students with course work. Tutors also have periodic reviews and 10 hours of additional training annually.

“We want to make sure the help students are getting is valuable and from someone who is well trained,” Tylee said.

The greatest demand for tutoring is in writing.

“We have about 10 peer tutors in writing, which is probably the most training intensive. That’s because a lot of students who can write well don’t necessarily know how to approach it from the side of composition and organization.”

Math and science are also popular subjects for tutoring assistance and one or two tutors are available in almost every subject, Tylee said.

Until now tutoring at CSC has always been provided in person, but the increase in online course offerings has Tylee exploring use of the internet to provide the service. The first such effort took place at the beginning of March, when a tutor used video conferencing software to help an American student in Nicaragua who is taking a math class online. Both tutor and pupil could use a white board to write on and could see each other on their computer screen, Tylee said.

“It seemed to work really well. There are some neat tools,” he said. “Now an online student can email or call us and say, ‘I need tutoring,’ and what day and time. They just click a link in an email and a web conference starts.”

Tylee is excited about developing online tutoring, because it will allow CSC to offer summer students individualized help if they need it.

“I’m going to get a pool of tutors who I can contact throughout the summer so that we can offer online tutoring in the summertime, which I think is a first,” he said.

Though many students think of seeking help from a tutor only after they have fallen behind in a class, Tylee would like to reach them before they are having trouble. “Tutoring is not an emergency fix. It’s best when a student can come in early and get into the routine of getting help,” he said.

To that end, the Office of Academic Success makes an effort to identify students who are struggling with course work and offer them help, and also advertises the tutoring service through the school newspaper, posters and classroom visits.

Tylee said he also is developing connections with faculty members, as they have the closest connection with students.

“Because this is a new office I try to introduce myself and explain what the office is,” he said. “Rather than a faculty member having to learn what all the resources are and who to talk to, they can just talk to me and I can connect the student to the resources.”

Another big influence on student retention is one-to-one interactions with instructors, whether in advising sessions or during office hours, according to Tylee, who is working to support faculty advising efforts.

“We have open hours where different faculty members volunteer to advise any students who walk in,” he said. “We are trying to build that up.”

Having success workshops for students who are placed on probation for low grades or failing too many classes is another aspect of Tylee’s job.

“The last one we did was on taking responsibility,” he said. “Another one was focusing on goals and how to stay on track. It’s the soft skills of how to be a good student and stay committed.”

The Career and Academic Planning Services office is another college department that has been incorporated in the OAS, and is also housed in the library. Helping undecided students choose a major field of study, assisting with preparing résumés and facilitating and monitoring internship opportunities are among the offices’ responsibilities.

Tylee earned a bachelor’s degree in English from the University of Montana and a master’s in linguistics, then taught English as a second language in Montana before taking a job teaching various English courses at Western Nebraska Community College in Scottsbluff. While at WNCC he also managed recruitment and retention of international students and headed a project for redesigning advising services.

“I love teaching,” said Tylee. “I love being in the classroom, but I found that my strengths and my passion was growing more to coming up with projects and solving problems. That’s why I jumped at the opportunity to come up to Chadron.”

The harsh winter weather Tylee experienced during his first two months on the job hasn’t deterred his enthusiasm for moving to Chadron. Growing up in Idaho and Washington and going to school in Montana made him accustomed to winter weather, and he said his home outside of Scottsbluff had no protection from the region’s strong winds.

“I’m happy to be in town and tucked away,” Tylee said.