Monday, October 5, 1998
The University Daily Kansan
Section A · Page 7
Writing lab highlights coaching
Students to receive help,not judgment from 20 peer tutors
Angela Place, co-organizer of the Writers' Roast writing center, talks to a group of students preparing to serve as peer tutors. Twenty tutors were selected from 46 applicants. Photo by Kate Levenson/KANSAN
By Melody Ard
Kansan staff writer
With the opening of the Writers' Roost, a free writing center for students, only a week away, 20 students selected as peer tutors spent the weekend sharpening their skills and their pencils.
The peer tutors will not be writing or editing papers for students. Instead, they will help students complete those tasks themselves, said Michele Eodice, peer tutor coordinator.
"They don't need to think as teachers, but more like a coach," Eodice said. "The strategies are different than what teachers do. Tutors don't judge or evaluate student work. They are effective listeners who pull information from the student through conversation."
The peer tutors spent Friday and Saturday in training sessions about coaching methods, ethics rules and some issues not directly related to writing.
"People will come to us with health problems, personal problems and all kinds of problems," Eodice said. "Part
of your job as a good tutor is to refer them to the right places."
Peer tutor Suki Ranieri, Hampton, Va., graduate student, said writing centers were necessary because of the students' wide range of writing abilities.
"This is important, particularly at an open-admissions university," Ranieri said. "There are so many levels of writers. It is a necessary component."
Eodice said 46 persons applied for the two-semester, paid positions. The 20 finalists were chosen based on their
interests, commitment and responsibility.
"We wanted a balance of undergraduate and graduate students," Edodice said. "This is a pool of tutors who are highly diverse. One of the myths is that only English majors can do this, but we have a range of writing disciplines."
Tutor Ann Meechal, Red Bud, III., doctoral student, said she thought the work would help her as much as it would help other students.
"I wanted to do this for the experi-
WRITING CENTER
Writing centers will open at several locations across campus. The Burge Union will serve as the main center, and it will open Oct. 19. All other centers will open during the week of Oct. 12.
9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Mondays through Thursdays at 4003 Wesco Hall and at the Sunflower Room in the Burge Union
1. to 4 p.m., Mondays through Thursdays at Alcove G in the Kansas Union
days at Alcove G in the Kansas Union
9 a.m. to noon, Mondays at 156
Strona Hall
7 to 9 p.m., Wednesdays in the Multi cultural Resource Center conference room
7 to 10 p.m., Sundays in Templin Academic Resource Center
ence with writing," she said. "I will be teaching a lot of writing, and I am focusing on teaching English as a second language."
Pat McQueeney, director of writing consulting, said the skills will prove useful even if tutors do not pursue a career in education.
the benefit is that students have an opportunity for professional work," McQueeney said. "The interpersonal communication will help them in any profession where they deal with people."
Economic woes hit international students
Overseas financial crisis affecting cash supply
By Chad Bettes
Kansan staff writer
With the global economy continuing its recent roller coaster path, some international students at the University of Kansas are expressing anxiety about their economic futures.
Lynne Vanahill, assistant director of International Student Services, said her office had noticed an increase in students seeking assistance this semester. She said some students handled the financial pressures better than others, but that some students were stressed out and concerned.
rhe hardest-hit groups are those from the Far East and Southeast Asia, Vanahill said.
"They have legitimate fears," Vanahill said. "Some of them may only lack one to two semesters to graduate, and they are trying to avoid going home degree-less."
innonesian Student Association and Jakarta, Indonesia, sophomore, said conditions in his country were unstable with rioting and financial troubles. He said students from Indonesia still could get money from their home country, but the devaluation of their currency compared to the dollar made things expensive.
Fabian Dharmawan, president of the
"We're pretty worried," Dharmawan said. "We never know what's going to happen to us or our families."
Lynne Vanahill
Certain foreign groups that had not experienced as much financial difficulty before are starting to hear rumors that worry them.
Brazilian students said they were concerned about their government limiting the amount of money their families could provide to them each month. They thought the government might take action to prevent the flow of money out of Brazil into other markets.
Renato Citelli, Sao Paulo, Brazil, senior, said he had adjusted to the fears by not charging as much on his credit card and by budgeting his money more carefully.
"They have legitimate fears. Some of them may only lack one to two semesters to graduate, and they are trying to avoid going home degree-less."
Assistant director of International Student Services
Diana Victor, Rio de Janeiro. Brazil, junior, said credit cards were a convenient way for international students to make purchases without converting currency. But she said that her Brazilian credit card company now was charging higher interest rates for this convenience.
Citelli said other means of getting money could be even more expensive. He said it could cost as much as $100 to send money via bank wire from Brazil to the United States.
A representative from the Brazilian Embassy in Washington said he had heard the rumors of currency control but that none had been implemented. He said the country is working on a financial stimulus package that would
avoid those restrictions.
A U.S. State Department representative said Brazil set its own policy, and he had not heard of restrictions at this time. He said it is just one of many options a country may use.
Vanahh encouraged international students to let her office know if problems arose. She said the office had many services to assist students. For instance, students can apply for special emergency loans or apply to have credit hour restrictions lowered.
Students also can request that work restrictions be lifted in special circumstances. International students usually are limited to work on campus, Vanahill said.
Early preparation for employment is key to landing internships, jobs
By Liz Wristen
Kansan staff writer
Sunshine May seem a long way away. But Ann Hartley, associate director for the University Career and Employment Services, said that it was never too early to begin preparing a resume for future employment opportunities and summer internships. Students who are applying for more competitive jobs may want to begin researching companies now.
Summer may seem a long way off.
"Depending on the companies, some may have spring deadlines, and it is important that the students begin preparing their resumes now so that they don't end up missing the deadlines," Hartley said.
Luis Corteguera, assistant professor of history and the graduate placement officer for the history department, said he offered his students three tips when designing a resume.
"students need to design their resume in a way that sells themselves in the best possible way," Corteguera said. "They also need to highlight their areas of specialty and design their resume so that it focuses on the objective of the job they are applying for."
Hartley also offered some resumé tips for students. These included adding previous work experience, leadership roles, activities, volunteer work and computer skills to a resumé. Hartley said that she suggested students keep their resumés limited to one page in length.
Students can look for jobs online through the University Career and Employment Services, 110 Burge Union. Hartley said students could check out the University job Web site at http://www.ukans.edu/~upo to find out what jobs are available both on and off campus for the current semester.
Students who are interested in further resume advice may contact career services to have their resumés reviewed, said Wayne Stark, assistant director for University Career and Employment Services. Students also can submit their resume online through Career and Employment Services. Students will then be eligible for on-campus interviews with companies that contact the University with student employment opportunities, Stark said.
"It is important that students begin concentrating on internships and career opportunities so that they can start getting real world experience," Stark said.
Stark said that the University began career development with students as early as their freshman year.
One freshman already has begun his job search for next summer.
"I have already started looking for a job so that I know what's out there," said Joe McPeek, Olathe freshman. "This way, it's better than just winging it and being unprepared for interviews."
also being unprepared for the future.
Students who are interested in learning more about
the University Career and Employment Services may
contact Stark at 864-3624.
More information
The unemployment rate in the United States is rising for the first time in years.
See page 6B
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