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CCACSA Tutoring Program Achieves Certification

by Jennifer Rodrigues
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CCACSA Tutoring Program Achieves Certification

BATON ROUGE, La. — LSU’s Cox Communications Academic Center for Student-Athletes (CCACSA) has achieved College Reading & Learning Association (CRLA) certification for all three levels of the department’s tutor training by the International Tutor Training Program Certification (ITTPC) committee.

The ITTPC committee is a vital part of the CRLA and is recognized as a leader in the field of tutor training by the six professional organizations that make up the Council on Learning Assistance and Developmental Education Associations (CLADEA).

“We are extremely proud of our recent ITTPC certification, as this is the first time our tutorial program has been certified at the highest tier of CRLA Level 3 Master Tutor Training,” said Lydia Dorsey, the tutorial coordinator and learning specialist for the CCACSA. “We’ve worked tirelessly over the past two years to revise both the content and presentation of our training material to make our training sessions more interactive and engaging for our tutors.

“By adopting a blended learning format, which combines in-person training with online components in our Canvas learning management system, tutors are able to access and implement our training resources from any device with an Internet connection,” added Dorsey. “Our training now gives our tutors research-driven, session-applicable skills and strategies to enhance the efficacy of their tutoring sessions, which, in turn, will bolster the academic success of our student-athletes.”

The ITTPC establishes benchmarks for effective tutor training based upon research and best practices including tutor selection, the content and sequencing of training topics, tutoring experience and tutor evaluation. The ITTPC certifies programs, which in turn certify their tutors who meet or exceed the guidelines of the ITTPC. 

The ITTPC identifies programs based on three levels of certification and more than 1,600 programs around the world have been certified since 1989. There are nearly 850 Level 1 programs, more than 500 certified at Level 2 and LSU joins more than 350 programs with a Level 3 designation. 

“We are delighted to welcome Louisiana State University’s Academic Center for Student-Athletes into the elite ranks of the Level 3 certified programs,” said CRLA-ITTPC Coordinator Roberta Schotka. “As noted by the lead reviewer, ‘this program is incredibly well organized and thought through. It contains a great mix of topics at each level, with well-presented content. The program also has a great evaluation system. They’ve built a great tool in their rubric, making evaluation smooth and pedagogically sound.’”

The Cox Communications Academic Center for Student-Athletes, under the direction of Kenneth O. Miles, is a 54,000 square foot facility comprised of an academic affairs, student affairs and an information technology team, serving more than 530 student-athletes. The purpose is to provide an all-inclusive, student-centered support structure for all student-athletes from matriculation, through graduation and life beyond.