Hello Everybody,
I've been at the Dalhousie Writing Centre for 18 months, but am told
that Louise Young worked there for 30 years before her retirement in 2004,
so that would put Dal's beginning date at about 1974.
Margie Clow Bohan
----- Original Message -----
From: "Betsy Sargent" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Saturday, January 28, 2006 3:56 PM
Subject: When Writing Centres in Canada were established
> Dear Inkshedders:
> In case anyone else would find this useful, I've compiled responses so far
> about dates when various writing centres were established. At U of
> Alberta, the Writing Task Force will find this information helpful SOON
> (which is why I've taken the time to pull it all together), so please--if
> your institution is not on the list below, see if you could send the
> information to the list ASAP. I'll do my best to do another compilation
> after more replies come in. Many thanks to Wendy K for asking the
> question!
> Best,
> Betsy Sargent
> Department of English and Film Studies
> University of Alberta
> Edmonton, AB T6G 2E5
> CANADA
> (780) 492-0457
> [log in to unmask]
> _____________________________
>
> On Jan 27, 2006, Wendy L. Karglund-Gauthier asked the question below on
> the CASLL/Inkshed listserv:
>
> The StFX Writing Centre is celebrating its 10th year this year. Our campus
> newspaper editor is wondering how old we are in comparison to other
> centres. Could you tell me what year YOUR writing centre was established?
> Wendy
> Wendy L. Kraglund-Gauthier
> Academic Skills Instructor
> Camden Hall 113
> (902) 867-4530
> [log in to unmask] www.stfx.ca/people/wkraglun
> The Writing Centre, StFX University
> Antigonish, NS B2G 2W5
>
> Within minutes, the INkshed listserv sprang into action! The following
> responses were received Jan 27:
>
> 1. York U. wrote--
> Ours (Atkinson) started in 1983. The Centre in the Faculty of Arts at York
> is
> older; it probably started in the early 1970s.
> Leslie
> [log in to unmask]
>
> 2. Ottawa wrote--
> The Academic Writing Help Centre at the University of Ottawa was started
> in
> 1999.
>
> Martin Holock
> Assistant aux communications / Communications Assistant
> Service d'appui au succès scolaire (SASS)
> Student Academic Support Service (SASS)
> Université d'Ottawa / University of Ottawa
> 110, rue Université / 110 University
> 613.562.5800 poste/xt.3394
> Téléc/Fax 562.5229
> (Martin also sent the results of his recent research on writing centres, a
> list of places that do not have writing centres--or if they do, the WC
> didn't seem to have a significant web presence--then a bunch of other
> emails came in with info or URLs for writing centres at a few of the
> places on his list. I'm hoping that maybe he'll send out an updated list
> soon, once email updates stop coming in? or that someone else will?)
>
> 3. Wilfred Laurier wrote--
> The Writing Centre at Laurier was established in its current form in 1997.
>
> Emmy Misser, MA
> Manager: Writing Centre
> Wilfrid Laurier University
>
> 75 University Avenue West
> Waterloo, Ontario, Canada
> N2L 3C5
> (519) 884-0710, ext. 3339
>
> 4. Saint Mary's at Halifax wrote:
> The Writing Centre at Saint Mary's opened in 2002.
>
> Julie-Ann Stodolny
> Director, The Writing Centre
> Saint Mary's University
> Halifax, Nova Scotia, B3H 3C3
> (902) 491-6201
> [log in to unmask]
>
> 5. UT wrote:
> U of T always likes to claim it was first! Innis College and Woodsworth
> College started a couple of "writing labs" in the early 1970s -- I've been
> told 1972. Now we have at least 14 units, though called a lot of different
> names and doing a wide range of teaching (there's a list of links at
> www.utoronto.ca/writing/centres.html).
>
> Margaret Procter, Ph.D.
> University of Toronto Coordinator, Writing Support
> 15 King's College Circle, Toronto ON M5S 3H7
> 416 978-8109; FAX 416 971-2027
>
> [log in to unmask]
> http://www.utoronto.ca/writing
>
> Also from UT, Rob Irish responded at almost exactly the same time:
> "Actually our program in Engineering Communication Program in Toronto is
> also
> 10 yrs old this year. Our college writing centres are generally much
> older,
> but someone with a longer institutional memory/historical knowledge would
> have
> to tell you just how old."
> [log in to unmask]
>
> Also from UT:
> The UTSC Writing Lab was established in 1978. I don't know exactly when it
> changed to the Writing Centre, though ten years is a reasonable guess.
> Sarah King
>
> Sarah King, PhD
> ** Coordinator, UTSC Writing Centre
> *** Lecturer, Department of Humanities
> **** University of Toronto at Scarborough
> ***** 1265 Military Trail
> ****** Toronto, ON
> ******* M1C 1A4
> ******** tel(416) 287-7480
> ********* fax (416) 287-7507
>
> 6. Winnipeg wrote:
> The University of Winnipeg Writing Centre started in 1988.
>
> Janice Freeman
> Janice Freeman <[log in to unmask]>
> Also, Winnipeg has a great resource online for checking out places where
> tutoring is offered in Canada:
>
> "Many years ago, I worked with our tutors to set up a site identifying
> where tutoring was offered in Canadian Univeristies and colleges. As I'm
> no longer coordinating the Tutoring Centre here at U. of W., the site is
> embarrasingly out of date.
>
> http://io.uwinnipeg.ca/~cawtutor/Writing_Centres/Canadian_Writing_Centres.html
>
> If there's a group of tutors/coordinators who wants to take up the torch
> and get this resource up to date, I'd gladly pass it on. Is it a
> useful/necessary resource? Perhaps we just need to let it fade from the
> Internet."
> Janice
>
> 7. Simon Fraser wrote:
> This is an interesting question, Wendy.
> I am also wondering, watching the list of responses grow, if anyone knows
> of
> a university, other than SFU, which does not have a writing centre? Or
> even
> another post-secondary institution? [Martin responded here with his
> list.]
> Janet Giltrow and Michelle Valiquette began writing centre work at SFU
> around 1987 I think, (I'll check that) and the unit itself was dismantled
> around 1999/2000, about to be resurrected this year...or next...we
> hope...we're waiting for it!
>
> Wendy Strachan
> Wendy Strachan <[log in to unmask]>
>
> 8. McGill wrote:
> The McGill Writing Centre started as a tutorial service in 1978 and
> offered its first course in January 1980. (Boy, does that make me feel
> old!)
>
> Anthony Paré
> Director
> Centre for the Study and Teaching of Writing
> Faculty of Education
> McGill University
> 514-398-5600
> [log in to unmask]
>
> 9. U of New Brunswick at Fredericton wrote:
> The url for the UNB Fredericton WC http://extend.unb.ca/wss/
>
> Ken Craft, B.A., M.A., B.Ed.
> Student Development Coordinator
> University of New Brunswick, Saint John
> Ken Craft <[log in to unmask]>
>
> 10. Stanford U in California wrote:
> At Stanford, we started our Writing Center in 2001, so it's one of the
> "youngsters" in the U.S.
> Andrea
> Andrea Lunsford <[log in to unmask]>
>
> 11. U of Calgary wrote:
> The University of Calgary started its Writing Centre in 1978 too, so
> Anthony and I can feel old together.
>
> Dr. Doug Brent
> Associate Dean (Academic)
> Faculty of Communication and Culture, University of Calgary
> Social Sciences 110
> 2500 University Drive N.W.
> Calgary, Alberta, Canada T2N 1N4
> Voice: (403) 220-5458 Fax: (403) 282-6716
> http://www.ucalgary.ca/~dabrent
>
> U of Calgary also wrote in about U of Saskatchewan and Royal Roads:
> I believe the U of Saskatchewan just started its writing centre within the
> last five years. I also believe that Royal Roads was looking into starting
> one as we had a representative from their campus visit our writing centre
> last year.
> Jo-Anne Andre
> U of Calgary
> Jo-Anne Andre <[log in to unmask]>
>
> 12. University of Saskatchewan wrote:
> I can't pin point an exact date for the U of S writing centre, but I
> worked there as a grad student in 1996 and made use of it as a senior
> undergrad in 95, so it's been at least ten years.
>
> Jeanie Wills Course Coordinator Oral & Written Communication
> College of Engineering
> University of Saskatchewan
> 57 Campus Drive
> Saskatoon, SK: S7N 5A9
> 306.966.5360
> [log in to unmask]
>
> 13. Thompson Rivers (formerly U College of the Caribou) wrote:
> The TRU (formerly UCC) Writing Centre opened in 1996, but in preparation
> Susan Bell and I conducted a somewhat informal national review of
> writing centres in 1995.
> For anyone interested, a report with the results is available at
> www.cariboo.bc.ca/ae/WRTGCNTR/Survey.htm
> Henry Hubert
> Henry Hubert <[log in to unmask]>
> (that URL connects to their writing centre and they have an interesting
> page about staffing, but I couldn't find the survey there).
>
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[log in to unmask] or, if you experience difficulties,
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For the list archives and information about the organization,
its newsletter, and the annual conference, go to
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