UWC Hiring for Fall 2009

The UWC has received quite a few calls about hiring, so I'll provide a bit more information for interested students.

The UWC hires in the spring for the following fall semester. At a minimum, applicants must be juniors or seniors and have at least a 3.0 GPA to be considered.

Applicants must also submit a writing sample. Usually, this is a substantial piece that gives us a good idea of your ability as a writer. Feel free to submit a paper from class or a publication. Applicants must also submit a faculty recommendation that speaks to your ability as a writer and potential as a consultant in the UWC. This can be as simple as a call or e-mail to the UWC Coordinator, Rusty Carpenter, at rgcarpen@mail.ucf.edu or 407-882-0076. Please call Rusty for more information.

Apply for fall 2009

KnightOWL Consultations During Limited Hours

Students will be able to schedule KnightOWL Phone and Online consultations on a space-available basis during finals week. To schedule, students must call the UWC at 407-823-2197 and ask specifically for a KnightOWL consultation. Students will not be able to book these consultations online on their own during finals.

UWC to Operate on Limited Hours Schedule

The UWC will operate on a limited hours schedule from Monday, December 8 - Friday, December 12. This means that the UWC will be open M-R 9-5 and F 9-3. Appointments are booking up fast. Please do your best to schedule in advance, as we anticipate a busy finals week. Remember that if you cannot schedule an appointment, you can always visit as a walk-in and meet with the first available consultant. Good luck on finals, and we hope to see you in the spring!

International Journal of Arts and Sciences Conference

The International Journal of Arts and Sciences Conference will be held February 16-19 at UCF-South Orlando. Every year, the conference features a Teaching and Education track, but writing center researchers and administrators from across the country were invited to submit their research this year as well. This should be an exciting conference with writing center appeal.

Length of Appointments

UWC appointments take place on the hour and half-hour. We're extremely busy, and we must limit students to one hour for papers over seven pages and a half-hour for anything less. Students will need to keep this in mind when scheduling. The UWC reserves the right to cancel any appointment longer than one hour or multiple hour-long appointments in a given day.

Making the Most Out of Your UWC Visit

Although the UWC will remain busy through the end of the fall semester, there are a few things you can do (or remember) to make the most of your time:

• Schedule an appointment far in advance. This will help limit the amount of time you're waiting on the walk-in list.
• Bring specific ideas and questions that you would like to discuss.
• Come prepared with a copy of your paper ready to begin. (During these difficult budget times, please do everything you can to print your paper in advance.)
• Remember to cancel your appointment if you're not going to be able to attend. This will free up valuable time for other UCF students.
• Consider booking KnightOWL consultations, if you're having trouble visiting face-to-face.
• Plan your visit ahead of time, even if you're coming as a walk-in. Please do not try to sign in as a walk-in at the last minute. There's a good chance that we will not be able to see you if the UWC is busy.
• Be patient. Walk-ins are seen at approximately five minutes after the hour or half-hour. Consultants will have to wait for their next appointment to show up. If the student with the appointment does not show, the first walk-in will be seen. You must be present when your name is called.

For additional information on UWC policies and helpful information about using this resource, please visit http://pegasus.cc.ucf.edu/~uwc/Scheduler/scheduler_policies.html.

IWCA Conference Held in Las Vegas

The International Writing Center Association (IWCA) conference was held this past week in Las Vegas. Many writing center scholars assembled from across the nation to discuss "new directions in writing center work," the conference theme. There were so many incredibly informative and interesting presentations, some of which were related to new technologies. Some discussed Second Life and Inspiration, for example, and we'll be able to bring much of what we learned at IWCA back to the UCF UWC.