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AUSU NEWS

Volume 2, Issue 1

Tutor/Staff Pets & Peeves

A notice was sent out to all AU staff and tutors asking them to contribute to this column.  These are some of the responses.  Students read carefully!

I am a tutor with a "pet" PEEVE! It has to do with students emailing assignments to me without a title page or TME and often no page numbers!

- K. Neilsen WMST tutor

PEEVE: Messy Handwriting: Not everyone has penmanship as one of their academic strengths.

If you have ever been told your writing is "not quite calligraphy" please consider the following steps to ensure you do not lose points on exams from squinty eyed tutors who are struggling with their decoding skills:

* Underline key words or themes
* Use point form as permitted
* Leave generous spaces between questions and clearly identify which questions you are answering
* If time allows, consider printing, if not go back and do the first two points.

Judi Malone - Tutor Psyc 343 / 406

PEEVE:  Students sending in all of their assignments at once at the end of the course so that they can't benefit from the tutor feedback as they work through the course.

PET:  Students engaging critically with the course materials.

Kathy Williams

PEEVE: When students ask for advice on fixing a problem, then seem to not follow the instructions that are given and get angry about how we haven't fixed their problem.  I don't even mind so much when they just don't follow the instructions, as I figure it's probably because I haven't been clear enough in explaining what or why certain things need to be done, it's when they start firing off angry e-mails because they still have the problem.

Karl - Help Desk

PETS: 
- when students fill out their new address on the TME forms and point out to you that the address has changed
- when students let you know that their last name has changed (and what it is!)
- when students phone outside of tutor hours but say, "Are you sure you have time to talk now?"
- when students let you know that you have helped them

Alex - Tutor

PEEVES:
- when students not only don't submit the TME forms, but don't include their names or contact information anywhere on the assignments!
- when handwritten assignments (or the TME forms) are scanned and e-mailed
- when assignments are e-mailed as BIG files and take A LONG time to download
- when a student phones outside tutor hours with a quick question--but that question is really many, longer questions
- when students forget the time difference and phone before 7 AM
- when assignments smell like they have been to a smoky bar
- when students copy passages from the textbook!


But, hey--it's not so bad, and at least we tutors have some interesting stories!

PEEVE: When students ask you to answer questions that are part of a quiz!

PEEVE: When a student calls and does not leave pertinent information such as their name, phone number or what course they are in!

Anonyomous Tutor