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Writing center provides opportunities for students

By Kelly Morton
By Kelly Morton

By Kelly Morton

The Miami University community will celebrate the grand opening of the Roger and Joyce Howe Center for Writing Excellence Oct. 11. The center was made possible by a $10.5 million gift to the university from Roger and Joyce Howe, and last year this editorial board commended their recognition of the importance of improving students' writing proficiency. Because strong writing skills are important in virtually every career path, and the development of such skills constitutes an essential tenet of a quality liberal arts education, The Miami Student hopes that students will take full and meaningful advantage of the new writing center.

While there are currently several different avenues through which students can pursue writing advice and assistance, the scope and central location of the Howe Center will prove to be a valuable asset to the university. The Howe Center will attempt to offer students a variety of different services, ranging from walk-in consultations on papers, presentations and resumes, to writing workshops on specific topics. The easily accessible center on the ground floor of King Library will encourage students to stop in with questions, as well as to attend some of the more in-depth workshops and individual consultations.

Writing is a skill that requires practice in order to be improved, and it often seems to be the case that people with poor writing skills do not realize their shortcomings. The failure of some Miami students to develop a basic level of writing proficiency, particularly among students in non-writing intensive majors, is partly attributable to the shortcomings of certain courses. The university must stress the development of good writing skills early on in a student's Miami career and this board encourages that some courses, namely Miami Plan, require students to visit the new center. In addition, it is the hope of this editorial board that upper-level business, science and engineering classes will take advantage of the writing center's resources in order to maintain and further develop students' writing aptitude.

While it is incumbent upon students to take advantage of the Howe Center's many services, there is also a burden upon the university to ensure that the center is launched with adequate resources and trained personnel available so that it develops a strong reputation from the outset. It is important that both the full-time staff and the student employees are well trained and are thus able to offer constructive assistance. Likewise, students with strong writing backgrounds should seek to get involved with the center as student consultants.

The Howe Center has the potential to take a central role in the intellectual life of Miami's students. However, much will rest upon students' individual initiative and the university's continued desire to prioritize the center. With that in mind, it is our hope that the Howe's gift will pay dividends in the careers and personal lives of Miami graduates, as well as bolster Miami's reputation as a school that places writing at the forefront of its educational experience.