The student news site of Marquette University

Marquette Wire

The student news site of Marquette University

Marquette Wire

The student news site of Marquette University

Marquette Wire

Staff editorial: Give tutoring program a room

The Office of Student Educational Services has been assisting students for 13 years. Last year alone, tutors employed by the office helped more than 1,600 students.

With massive demand each year and steady growth in the programs it offers, Student Educational Services deserves room to thrive. In fact, the office needs a few more rooms, and we urge the university to provide for one of its most valuable assets.

Unfortunately, the office's tutorial program has only one permanent space in the Alumni Memorial Union, despite the fact that it serves more than 200 tutorial groups each week and often needs up to three rooms on the AMU's third floor. And AMU officials said permanent space cannot automatically be reserved for the tutoring program. Well, we want to know why not.

The tutoring and disability services programs are valuable assets to Marquette. At one time or another, we've all needed assistance with writing a paper, studying for an exam or catching up in a class. At times, students can be shy about asking for help, especially in lecture halls with hundreds of other students. That makes this free programming all the more valuable.

Talk has swirled since February of last year that plans are in the works to remodel the AMU. If that's true, we think that a remodel would be the perfect opportunity to dedicate permanent space to the tutoring program. If not, university officials should pursue a plan to give the Office of Student Educational Services permanent space that will meet its needs — and the needs of the students it serves. Further, we hope Marquette Student Government will make the issue of more room for tutoring programs its next project.

The tutoring program should not be — as expressed by program coordinators — a victim of its own success. The growth of the Office of Student Educational Services should be celebrated and rewarded.

A stable tutoring program is vital to the academic success of Marquette's students. Hesitating to support such a program would be detrimental to the university's success and academic growth.

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