The Writing Center's Mission Statement

The UNC Writing Center supports all UNC students in writing by providing knowledgeable, individualized assistance in solving writing questions and developing writing skills that are transferrable to multiple contexts. 

Goals for Consultants

The Writing Center's assessment centers on developing Consultants and their skills to efficiently and confidently work with writers who visit the Writing Center. Therefore, the Writing Center has specific goals for Consultants that are regularly assessed. 

1. Consultants will develop skills to provide effective feedback to writers on a variety of genres.
2. Consultants will develop skills to prioritize student needs and demonstrate patience and flexibility in sessions.
3. Consultants will develop skills to work effectively with writers from diverse backgrounds at multiple levels.
4. Consultants will develop skills to be effective and efficient communicators via different modalities and different situations (i.e., one-on-one meetings, both in person and online, and in small- and large-group interactions).
5. Consultants will develop skills to be campus leaders through empowering writers, facilitating workshops and presentations, and representing the Writing Center at campus events.

Antidiscrimination Statement

As an anti-oppressive space we will 

• Dedicate ourselves to each writer,
• Affirm the value of all patterns of all language,
• Uphold the voice and identity of each writer, 
• Examine our own biases, 
• Accept that we will make mistakes,
• Receive criticism with gratitude,
• Grow from our missteps, 
• Pursue professional training related to identity, race, culture, and writing, and 
• Diversify writing center staff and practices.

Linguistic Racism and Discrimination
Linguistic racism and discrimination are what speakers and writers of color and those from various backgrounds experience based on their linguistic variety. The Writing Center is part of an educational system that has historically valued and prioritized “standard academic English,” which inherently privileges white voices. As such, the Writing Center is committed to antiracist practice and the support of Black, Brown, and Indigenous voices in our community.

Students are often asked to navigate educational expectations, which are not always aligned with their identities and realities and are, at times, even contradictory. The UNC Writing Center is devoted to affirming the value of writers’ voices in an open and inclusive space for collaborative talk. We recognize that this is a lifelong process and that we still have much to learn. We are committed to supporting the UNC community and its culturally and linguistically diverse population.

This statement was inspired by many others: St. Lawrence University, Skyline Writing Center, Washington State University, Pullman, and Metro State University of Denver.

Land Acknowledgement Statement

The University of Northern Colorado acknowledges the forty-eight tribes that are historically tied to the state of Colorado. The University occupies the lands in the territories of the Ute, Cheyenne, and Arapaho peoples. Thus, the land on which UNC is situated is tied to the history and culture of native and indigenous peoples. UNC appreciates this connection and respects the land. Additionally, the University community pays its respect to Elders past, present, and future, and to those who have stewarded this land throughout the generations.