Letter to the editor

The Academic Resource Center (ARC) appreciated the compliments Mr. Ellis outlined in the unfortunately titled opinion piece Academic Resource Center: poorly staffed, poorly funded.
As Mr. Ellis stated, the ARC is “always here to help” and we do indeed help boost the grades, cash flows, and resumes of Mercer students.
The ARC strives to support Mercer students academically through our Supplemental Instruction (SI) and tutoring programs.
We also take pride in supporting students professionally by providing jobs to many students through our lab assistant, tutor, and SI leader positions.
In this brief follow-up comment, we would like to offer some background information about some of the staffing issues Mr. Ellis raised.
The ARC operates on a budget that, like the budgets of many other campus departments, does often get stretched to its limits.
We prioritize our staffing based on factors such as outreach potential, demand, and historical trends.
Direct support for students at all levels of study and in each subject taught at Mercer might be an optimum solution, but the targeted support we provide leverages our resources so that we reach a broad audience as students embark on the University’s core academic programs.
When we are unable to accommodate specific tutoring requests, we connect students with useful web resources, meet with students individually to discuss their study skills, and hold workshops on how to study specific subjects.
As does any employer, the ARC first defines our positions and subsequently fills them according to established hiring procedures.
Our hiring managers respond to student and professor inquiries about ARC staffing through courteous and professional dialogue.
When students speak to supervisors about available positions, we ask them to complete an application that we will keep on file or we suggest a better time for them to look for available positions (beginning or end of each semester).
We do not coordinate or sponsor any volunteer tutoring.
The ARC deeply appreciates the amount of support we have received from Mercer students, faculty, and administration through the years.
Be assured, we will welcome and be happy to plan for opportunities that allow us to expand ARC offerings and our great student staff!
In the meantime, come find us in the breezeway of Connell Student Center or look us up at mercer.edu/arc.

Jenny Zimmerman,
Director
Stephanie Mooring,
Assistant Director
Emmilee Mercer,
Administrative Coordinator