A traitor to my generation, I despise technology. When the University of Richmond released its official statement suspending on- campus learning for the semester, I mourned the scenic walk from my dorm to class, the tired but content smiles shared in passing, and my success in some of the most rewarding classes I have ever taken. Remote learning threatened the campus experience that attracts so many to UR, and I felt nothing but fear for the transition to online- only instruction. However, in times of crisis, universities like UR have an important role: setting an example of unconditional support and adaptability for the sake of learning. As a part of this community, I knew I must also learn to adapt, and encouragement from UR faculty and staff cemented my trust in these support systems.

One of the university’s most valuable academic resources, The Writing Center, has also transitioned to meet students’ ongoing needs in their classes. As COVID-19’s ceaseless activity makes future remote learning more of a reality, it’s important to understand how writing centers can thrive online, particularly when academic writing remains central to college courses’ syllabi. Fortunately, our Writing Consultants already have the fundamental skills for successful tutoring which merely require more emphasis online, while encouraging both asynchronous and synchronous conference options may actually support a broader population of writers. These techniques will not only promote the writing center’s goal of building better writers, but also remind students that in times of uncertainty, the University of Richmond will always prioritize their academic success.

Though the tutors’ role, articulated by Cooper et al., as “facilitators of knowledge” through dialogue seems unlikely in a strictly online context, tutors already practice the communication skills now critical to bridging the physical distance between tutor and writer. These authors also observe how a tutor’s tone shapes collaborations, especially in introductory comments where friendly, approachable phrases earn the writer’s trust in place of physical assurances (130, 131). On the Writing Consultant’s end, this technique is no stranger; we are taught from our first commentary exercises to compliment the writer’s skills and guide them through our comments before even meeting in person. Tone has always mattered, but now more than ever, and Writing Consultants must put additional effort into “[retaining] a sense of collaboration and humanity” that Cooper et al. advocate via more personal introductory remarks regarding interests, extracurriculars, and other details that put a voice to words on a screen. Consultants should place themselves in the writers’ shoes when drafting online remarks: avoiding short, terse sentences and commands, shaping critiques through the “reader’s perspective” rather than the direct writer, and showing empathy for the writer’s choices (“I understand what you are trying to do here...”) promote a friendly yet professional tone. Fortunately, we are all students, so knowing which voices alienate or invite others in consultations should not be too challenging.

In addition to Writing Consultants managing tone, many other strategies used in face- to- face conferences are directly transferable to an online format. We are taught to ask the writer questions about their intentions and list clear priorities in our final typed commentary, all of which promote dialogue without requiring physical presence. Beyond this, certain tutoring methods are actually more appropriate online than in- person. Online writing platforms such as Google Docs and Word are useful tools with nearly infinite formatting options that make embedded comments as clear as possible (Cooper et al. 134). This greatly improves feedback efficiency as it saves writers from deciphering potentially complex handwriting, and allows both parties to instantly share questions or clarifications on specific comments. Most students have some exposure to these resources by college, so I do not anticipate much of a learning curve when transitioning commentary online.

One important question facing our online Writing Center is which students will actually use this resource. At first glance, procrastinators and fellow anti- techies would likely avoid online writing center appointments, which represent a growing portion of the population as online classes have, in my experience, hurt student and professors’ motivation alike. However, I do not see this creating lasting negative consequences, but rather expanding services to students who would benefit from them most. At a selective institution like UR, students are not easily discouraged from maximizing their opportunities, and a writing center can meet students’ ongoing needs by strongly promoting synchronous conferences (our beloved Zoom) to complement asynchronous options. First, teleconferences are useful for writers who, like myself, value body language and personal interactions over indirect ones. This is not a perfect substitute, but neither are online classes themselves, and we must dismount our high horses and accept a very close replacement in this new normal. On the other hand, offering synchronous and asynchronous options might attract students who find face- to- face tutoring intimidating. I am protective over my writing and understand the vulnerabilities of sharing work with another student, so the distance inherent to all online consulting might actually attract students who would otherwise fear the Center: introverts who prefer indirect contact, self- conscious students with little previous writing experience, or ESL writers who fear that their English does not meet University expectations.

Bryan Alexander anticipates sizable budget cuts among colleges facing rising costs and potentially lower attendance, which may eventually threaten the resources UR contributes to an online writing center and place further pressure on its success. However, since papers are one of few assessment types that students can perform entirely online, I believe professors will increase written assignments, making the writing center more necessary than ever. In this case, synchronous methods support parts of the writing process that will become increasingly important, such as dissecting assignment sheets. Anna Kendall asserts that the “assignment sheet is frequently misunderstood by students” (2), and tutors must prioritize assignment sheet diction, which reveals “the rhetorical action that students must take... a focus of the reader’s (teacher’s) evaluation” (4). Zoom’s screen sharing features allow students and tutors view the same paper as if they were in person, while students can ask tutors immediate questions if email proves too troublesome. Further, given Kendall’s emphasis on understanding the verbs used in a prompt, tutors have an infinite database at their fingertips and can easily share outside references that may explain or define these words if the tutor is not comfortable doing so.

Though hard to admit, I now believe that with all the technology we have available to conduct writing center appointments, students and tutors alike will develop better habits than in face- to- face tutoring. First, while many students seek writing consultants for grammar assistance, some ESL writers often expect grammar instruction from their tutors, which not only detracts from time spent on global errors but also puts the tutor in a “teacher” role rather than that of equal collaborator (Mosher et al. 3, 4). Following a similar strategy to sharing external resources for the assignment sheet, we might encourage students to share grammar instruction attachments so that tutors can use their time to focus on important structural and stylistic issues while clarifying remaining grammar questions when needed ( Cooper et al. 134). This way, students develop lasting writing abilities and tutors maintain a peer- level relationship with their writers. Developing a successful program for ESL writers is especially important given Alexander’s warnings that international student numbers will plummet with COVID-19 fears; if we provide strong support for ESL writers in our center, we may attract these students from abroad in the future. For all clients, the distance between tutor and writer may also support greater writing independence. For those who opt out of teleconferencing in particular, students will need to take responsibility for interpreting comments and reaching out to their tutors, which almost serves as a barrier for students who expect their tutors to give them direct answers (maybe even reducing honor code violations?).

There is no denying Alexander’s dismal predictions for the future of higher education institutions across the nation, especially as each day the news appears worse than the day before. Many of my own friends have already announced their gap- semester intentions if remote learning persists next semester, revealing how those of us lucky enough to attend private, selective colleges prefer no school to remote school in which our social lives, discussion- heavy classes, study abroad opportunities, and extracurricular involvements are negligible. However, with hardly any light at the end of the tunnel, this is the most important time for us to remember why we chose UR, and what we can learn from everything we have lost. It is times like these where we learn how far our support system extends, and how UR continuously values our success even in the face of budget cuts or changing student demographics.

For programs like the writing center, which show clear promise in an online context, demonstrating their success could assuage many of the worries we have about the future of such resources that make UR unique. A successful writing center in this environment has much larger implications than making students better writers; it shows our resilience and sets a positive example for how remote learning can actually bring students closer together, as well as how our education is one of very few constants in this turbulence. The Digital Age, for better or for worse, has made us more connected than ever. Now that physical distance is non- negotiable, we may as well use these resources to our advantage and recognize opportunities previously overshadowed by traditional, face- to- face learning. This has been one of the most challenging experiences of our lives, I am confident UR can make something from all of this nothing and remind us why we call it home.

Works Cited:

Alexander, Bryan,. “COVID-19 versus Higher Ed: The Downhill Slide Becomes an Avalanche.” Bryan Alexander, 31 Mar. 2020,

https://bryanalexander.org/future-of-education/covid-versus-higher-ed-the-downhill-slide-becomes-an-avalanche/

Cooper, George, Kara Bui, and Linda Riker. “Protocols and Processes in Online Tutoring.” A Tutor's Guide: Helping Writers One to One. Ed.

Ben Rafoth. 2nd ed. Heinemann, 2005, pp. 129-139.

Kendall, Anna. "The Assignment Sheet Mystery." Writing Lab Newsletter 33.1 (2008): 1-5.

Mosher, David, Davin Granroth, and Troy Hicks. "Creating a Common Ground with ESL Writers." Writing Lab Newsletter 24.7 (2000): 1-7.