Learning Support Center Management

[Revised Edition of the May 2009 version presented at an Innovative Educators Webinar and then presented by Frank L. Christ at a NCLCA post conference workshop in Golden, Colorado on October 3rd, 2009.]

Best practices are listed in 9 areas: 1) general, 2) clientele, 3) programs & services, 4) technology, 5) partnering, 6) program evaluation, 7) publicity & public relations, 8) staff training and 9) certification & recognition.

GENERAL [1-10]

1. The LSC has a mission statement congruent with its division and institutional mission
2. The LSC has the support of central administration
3. The LSC has an adequate budget to support its mission, goals, and objectives
4. The LSC has an adequate professional staff to support its mission
5. The LSC has an adequate clerical staff to support its mission
6. The LSC uses volunteers to support its mission
7. The LSC has annually developed and followed a systematic plan based on feedback and program monitoring
8. The LSC has developed a Three or Five Year Plan that is shared with administration
9. The LSC has an Advisory Board
10. The LSC is centrally located and is accessible at convenient times with adequate space for its programs and services
11. The LSC has adequate equipment and furnishings to implement its programs and services
12. The LSC has access to learning materials for student use that allows for learning style choices

CLIENTELE [13-14]

13. The LSC serves the total campus community: students, faculty, administration, staff, and alumni
14. The LSC serves academic departments and their faculty through orientations to the center's programs and services, faculty invited course presentations and/or workshops, student referrals and feedback service

PROGRAMS & SERVICES [15-20]

15. The LSC allows walk-in Learning & Study Strategies Assistance
16. The LSC encourages and tracks referrals for Learning & Study Strategies Assistance
17. The LSC offers campus-wide workshops
18. The LSC offers workshops to Campus Groups (Student Associations)
19. The LSC offers Faculty Invited Workshops to give In-Class Learning Strategies demonstrations
20. The LSC offers workshops to Administration, Faculty, and Staff

TECHNOLOGY [21-24]

21. The LSC uses technology to capture, analyze, and report usage data
22. The LSC uses technology to enhance individual student learning
23. The LSC uses technology to deliver its programs and services
24. The LSC uses technology including social media to develop and maintain communications with students and faculty

PARTNERING [25-35]

25. The LSC is involved in the institutional student orientation program
26. The LSC is involved in the institutional new faculty orientation program
27. The LSC is involved in supporting the learning needs of online students
28. The LSC is involved in supporting the needs of ESL students and faculty
29. The LSC offers programs and services to students in dorms, campus center, fraternity and sorority houses, clubs and associations
30. The LSC offers, upon faculty invitation, classroom presentations on learning and study strategies appropriate to a course
31. The LSC offers or partners online tutoring with academic departments
32. The LSC partners with academic departments that have high risk courses to develop and manage Supplemental Instruction
33. The LSC partners with other academic support services: TRIO and Upward Bound, Veterans, and other special populations
34. The LSC partners with the campus bookstore to display learning and study skills materials used in the center's programs and services.
35. The LSC partners with School Relations to support outreach to local high school administration, faculty, and students

PROGRAM EVALUATION [36-41]

36. The LSC has developed a mission and goals statements with specific objectives and follows a systematic plan based on feedback and program monitoring
37. The LSC uses benchmarking to review its practices
38. The LSC uses both qualitative and quantitative measures for program evaluation
39. The LSC programs and services are evaluated by faculty and students
40. The LSC is evaluated by an outside evaluator
41. The LSC publishes and disseminates an annual report to appropriate administrators

PUBLICITY & PUBLIC RELATIONS [42-52]

42. The LSC has both a publicity and a public relations policy to promote its programs and services
43. The LSC facility is visible through campus signage
44. The LSC is visible as an institutional support service in institutional publications: catalog, web site, and recruitment literature
45. The LSC attempts to maintain a non-remedial image of the center as an academic resource
46. The LSC has ongoing communications with deans, department heads and key faculty
47. The LSC has descriptive materials (videos, photos, bookmarks, brochures, flyers) for campus dissemination to administration, faculty, and students
48. The LSC publishes and disseminates a regular newsletter (print, email, or website)
49. The LSC has a virtual presence through its website
50. The LSC uses social media (RSS Feeds, Twitter, Blogs, Google.docs) to build and maintain a LSC community
51. The LSC maintains a PR and Publicity scrapbook as an ongoing record of its activities
52. The LSC staff reads and shares LRNASST and LSCHE information and research with faculty and administration

STAFF TRAINING [53-58]

53. The LSC holds a staff meeting at the beginning of the fall semester to develop or revise its mission, goals, and objectives
54. The LSC holds a staff meeting at the end of the spring semester to review outcomes based on its mission, goals, and objectives
55. The LSC holds regular staff meetings preferably weekly
56. The LSC has each staff member develop a professional development plan
57. The LSC holds a year-end review of each individual staff development plan and its hoped for outcomes
58. The LSC requires a report when staff attend a professional conference or campus committee meeting

CERTIFICATION and RECOGNITION [59-66]

59. The LSC chief administrator has institutional recognition as a program coordinator or director
60. The LSC administrator and/or staff are recognized by administration and faculty for their academic publications, research, consulting, and leadership
61. The LSC chief administrator is certified By NCLCA as a Learning Center Professional
62. The LSC staff is represented on relevant campus committees and task forces
63. The LSC' tutorial training program is accredited by CRLA
64. The LSC Tutors are certified by ATP
65. The LSC Website has won a Website Award
66. The LSC has received campus, district, or national recognition