New Funding Cuts Cost Of Tutoring

Money from the $25 million Annenberg Fund has allowed the Bureau of Study Counsel (BSC) to lower its fees for peer tutoring and a popular reading course and to pay its student tutors more, changes administrators say may increase the number of students participating in the Bureau's programs.

According to Dr. Charles P. Ducey, director of the Bureau, peer tutors will now receive $10 an hour instead of $8. Students will pay $4 instead of $8 for an hour of tutoring, and participants will pay $25 for the reading course, which cost $75 before the changes.

According to Ducey, while most students found the Bureau's tutors affordable, some students previously said they could not or did not want to pay $8 an hour for tutors. Because the Bureau's help will now cost students less, Ducey said more students will now be able to afford the services.

Peer tutoring "provides students with opportunities to compensate for differential levels of preparation for courses, to expand their knowledge base, and to ensure a solid grasp of course material through an individually adjusted learning pace," Ducey said.

Last year, the peer tutoring program, comprised of three specialized tracks, employed approximately 270 undergraduate tutors. Tutors log an average of 3,200 hours of work per year, Ducey said. He now anticipates a 25 percent increase in the demand for tutoring as a result of the price reduction.

The Harvard Course in Reading and Study Strategies, according to Ducey, is "the course that begins all courses." The class increases students' reading speeds and "focuses [their] minds on college-level academic expectations [like] independent thinking [and] marshalling of evidence."

During the past four years, an average of 140 undergraduates per year enrolled in the course, offered twice each semester. An enrollment increase of 25 to 33 percent is now expected, Ducey said.

The Annenbergs gave $25 million to the Faculty of Arts and Sciences in 1994 to promote undergraduate education. Much of the money, until this point, has been earmarked for student financial aid.

Last year, Dean of the College Harry R. Lewis '68--responding to financial requests from the BSC--proposed the present allocation to Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences Jeremy R. Knowles, the administrator of the gift, hoping that the lowered costs would "eliminate the disincentive to seek these types of help."

Ducey had proposed the additional funding in writing on May 22, stating that "University support for [the BSC's] services would go some way to communicating to all students that they are an intrinsic part of the educational experience, not merely an `extra' for those who need them." Dean Knowles agreed, granting approximately $54,000 to the Bureau to cover the direct costs of its programming.

Students involved in peer tutoring said the added money was welcome, but might not cause significant changes.

Jennifer R. Weinberg-Wolf '99, a peer tutor in the areas of math, physics and astronomy, said while she does not fore-see a huge jump in the demand for tutors, "it's great that the school is subsidizing the service."

"It's nice to get a raise," she added.

Harold E. Luber '99, also a tutor in math and physics, said "making [tutoring] cheaper will only slightly increase the number of students" but may increase the number of hours that each student reserves.