Policies for Students

All WCU students are expected to comply with University Policies and the Code of Student Conduct. Additionally, to ensure orderly and effective services for our students, we expect all participants to familiarize themselves with the following policies. Non compliance with any of these may result in dismissal from a tutoring session and/or loss of tutoring privileges.

Policy Enforcement

Attendance and cancellation policies are handled through Navigate, and students will be notified by email of their missed appointments. Violations of the active participation, session attendance and cancellation, disruptive behavior, cell phone use, and facilities and materials policies will result in a direct verbal warning from either the tutor or another member of the tutoring staff. Subsequent violations of the same kind could result in loss of privileges, but serious disruptions or obstructions of learning may result in immediate dismissal from tutoring and referral to the Office of Student Conduct.

Active Participation:
We expect students to be active participants in the learning process. Our services are intended to supplement class instruction but not to replace missed class content. Our associates will not write your papers for you, complete your homework assignments, or re-lecture material that you missed because of absences from class. Students should come to sessions prepared with assignments, class materials, and a list of topics or questions they wish to review with the tutor. Students who participate in our services to earn extra credit for a class also are required to comply with this policy.

Session Duration:
Students are limited to one hour of tutoring at a time. More than one hour of consecutive tutoring results in decreased productivity for both students and tutors. If students feel they need more than one hour, they should plan ahead and space out their sessions across multiple days. Students who schedule appointments during the last hour of the day are expected to conclude their business, log out of Navigate, and exit the center at closing time. Students and tutors will receive a ten-minute warning before the center closes.

Session Attendance and Cancellations:
Tutors are students, too, and they have busy schedules! Please respect their time: show up on time and come prepared with all necessary materials. Students who repeatedly miss or arrive late for sessions may lose their tutoring privileges. If you must cancel an appointment:

• Please provide 12 hours advance notice if you must cancel.
• To cancel a tutoring session or academic skills consultation, call 828.227.2274 or log into Navigate, choose the appointment on the right hand side of the screen, and select "Cancel My Attendance."
• If you are unable to keep a scheduled session and you do not cancel 12 hours in advance, it will be marked as a "No Show.” Students may not miss more than three sessions in a 30-day period.
• If you are 15 minutes late or more to a session and do not communicate with your tutor, your session  will be marked as a "No Show." Please call 828.227.2274 if you are running behind due to an emergency. 
• Three "No Shows" within a 30-day period will result in the inability to schedule additional sessions until you’ve spoken with a member of the WaLC Leadership Team about attendance policies.

Disruptive Behavior:
Any behavior that disrupts or obstructs the learning process will not be tolerated. Possible examples of disruptive behavior include but are not limited to: inappropriate language, excessive complaints about the class or professor, repeated interruptions, and inappropriate use of computers or other electronic devices.

No Contact Order Policy:

We take the safety of our WaLC associates seriously. We recognize that there may be instances when an associate feels uncomfortable or unsafe with the behavior of a student during a tutoring session or in the course of their work at the WaLC. If a student is exhibiting disruptive or inappropriate behavior in a session, WaLC associates are empowered to have a direct but respectful conversation with the student (see also Disruptive Behavior).

If an associate feels that a student’s behavior continues to be unacceptable or inappropriate, they should discuss the situation and any potential corrective actions with their supervisor, including whether requesting a no contact order through the Office of Student Conduct is appropriate. A no contact order is a directive issued by the Office of Student Conduct that requires the students in question refrain from any form of contact, including in-person and electronic communication.

We will honor no contact orders issued by the Office of Student Conduct. WaLC supervisors will work with associates to ensure that the order is followed and that the associates are not put in any unsafe situations. If a WaLC associate is the subject of a no contact order, they are required to inform their supervisor immediately. (If a student has a no contact order against any WaLC associate, the student is encouraged to communicate with the WaLC director).

If a WaLC associate violates a no contact order, they will be subject to disciplinary action up to and including termination of their employment. Any student who violates a no contact order is also subject to disciplinary action under the Student Code of Conduct, administered through the Office of Student Conduct.

We encourage all WaLC associates and visitors to report any behavior that makes them feel uncomfortable or unsafe and to seek the support they need to feel safe and secure. We are committed to providing a safe and comfortable environment for all students.

Vaping and Tobacco Use
Vaping and Tobacco use (chewing or smoking) is not permitted during tutoring or in the Writing and Learning Commons. Any person found vaping or using tobacco will be asked to dispose of and refrain from using the product.

Cell Phone Use:
Students are encouraged to be mindful of their cell phone use during sessions. Excessive texting or talking on your cell phone is distracting and disruptive to other sessions happening in the WaLC. If you are expecting an important call during a session, please communicate with your tutor before your session begins and excuse yourself from the session before you answer a call.