Policies & Procedures

These policies cover the expectations, requirements and restrictions for peer tutoring.

Booking a Tutor

This policy outlines the requirements for students when booking peer tutoring appointments.

  • Advance Notice: Peer tutoring appointments must be made 48 hours in advance of the appointment.
    1. Advance notice is required when requesting the initial appointment, as well as for all future appointments.
    2. If special arrangements are made between the student and the tutor to meet short notice (less than 48 hours advance notice) a written approval must be given by the tutor.
  • Appointment Limits: Effective May 7, 2018, tutees are limited to the following appointment hours:
    • Maximum 3 hours of appointments per day
    • Maximum 12 hours total of appointments per week

Peer Tutoring Format

This policy defines the format and expectations of peer tutoring sessions.

  • Tutee limit: Tutoring is a one-on-one service only.
    1. Tutoring is a one tutor to one student service. The Peer Tutoring Centre does not offer a group tutoring service.
    2. Attempts by tutors or students to circumvent this policy may result in suspension from the service. Circumvention of this policy will also result in the tutor not receiving compensation for hours worked.
  • Role of tutors: Tutors act as a guide. They help students with their course material. Tutors do not complete assignments or homework for students, and doing so would be considered an act of Academic Misconduct.
  • Required Materials: Students are expected to supply the materials needed for their session. Materials may include textbooks, class notes, questions, etc.

New Tutees

This policy outlines expectations for assisting students who are new to peer tutoring, or who are meeting a tutor for the first time.

  • Meeting a New Tutee: Tutors are expected to wait at the Peer Tutoring Booking Kiosk located in C259 (DARE District) if they are meeting a student they have never had an appointment with before.

Payment

This policy outlines the payment expectations for tutoring.

  • Paying for Peer Tutoring Appointments: Correct payment is expected from students for tutoring appointments.
    1. The fee for tutoring appointments is $8.00 per hour (effective May 8, 2018). Students with severe financial hardship can apply to the Peer Tutoring Centre for financial support.
    2. Students are expected to pay for their tutoring appointments in advance. If a tutor chooses to hold an appointment with a student without advance booking, the onus is on the tutor to ensure the student pays. Failure to ensure payment from the student will result in the tutor not being paid for the hour.
  • Back-Booking of Appointments: Tutoring appointments may occasionally be paid for after the appointment has taken place.
    1. It is ok for a student to pay for a previous appointment if it was from a time the Kiosk was closed. In some instances, a tutor will offer a student an extra hour of tutoring over a weekend when the Peer Tutoring Kiosk is closed. The student must pay for the appointment when the kiosk reopens.
    2. Students are not permitted to back-book a significant number of hours that took place more than a couple days previously. If this situation arises, the Peer Tutoring Coordinator should be informed and permission is to be given to the desk staff before proceeding.

No-Shows

This policy defines what constitutes a no-show and explains the consequences to students or tutors when a student or tutor fails to arrive at scheduled appointment.

  • A Student/Tutor Does Not Show Up for an Appointment: In case of no-shows, tutors and students are only required to wait 15 minutes.
    1. If a tutor does not show up within 15 minutes of the appointment start time, the student is entitled to a refund.
    2. If a student does not show up within 15 minutes of the appointment start time, the tutor is entitled to get paid for their time. The student will not be refunded for the missing hour.
    3. If a student/tutor repeatedly does not show up for an appointment, they may be suspended from accessing the tutoring service.
  • No Show on Short Notice Booking: If special arrangements are made for a tutor and student to meet on short notice (less than 48 hours advance notice)and the student does not show up for the appointment, this special arrangement may not be extended to the student moving forward.

Cancellation

This policy outlines the expectations for students and tutors when cancelling an appointment.

  • Notice of Cancellation: Students are expected to give 24 hour advance notice of an appointment cancellation.
    1. If the student does not give the proper 24 hour advanced notice for a cancellation, the cost of the appointment will not be refunded to the student and the tutor will still be paid.
  • Cancelling an appointment: To cancel an appointment the student must do one of the following:
    1. Cancel the appointment online.
    2. Speak with a representative at the booking desk.
    3. Contact the tutor directly and receive a reply acknowledging the cancellation.

Sponsored Tutoring

This policy explains the guidelines for paying for tutoring using a sponsorship.

  • Booking appointments with a sponsorship: When a sponsorship form is initially submitted, there will be a 24 hour processing delay before an appointment can be booked.
  • Sponsored Tutoring Hours: Tutoring hours that are sponsored must be used in accordance with the restrictions of the sponsorship.
    1. Students cannot save hours to use outside the guidelines laid out in the sponsorship agreement. Attempts to do so may disqualify students from using the sponsorship in the future.
    2. Hours will not be accepted if the student and tutor try to enter all or most of the sponsorship hours at the end of a semester in an attempt to compensate for the hours they spent throughout the semester that we not properly booked in the system. In this situation the tutor may not be paid for the hours worked if they have not been booked in advance in the system.
  • Multiple Sponsorships – Financial Aid: Students are not permitted to access the Financial Aid Sponsorship if they are already receiving another form of Sponsorship for Peer Tutoring.

ESL Tutoring

This policy covers requirements for ESL tutoring.

  • Tutor qualifications: In order to be eligible to tutor in English as a Second Language (ESL), tutors must meet one of the following requirements:
    1. Be a student with the Teaching English as a Second Language program (TESL).
    2. Hold a recognized international certificate related to teaching ESL.

Becoming a Tutor

This policy includes information for students interested in becoming a tutor.

  • Tutor requirements: In order to be eligible to become a tutor, students must meet all of the following requirements:
    1. Be a registered student at Algonquin College.
    2. Have a minimum B+ grade in the course(s) they will be tutoring and a minimum GPA of 3.0 in their program.
    3. Successfully complete the peer tutor training program, including online WHMIS and AODA certification.
    4. Have a reference from their Professor/Coordinator.
  • Applying to become a tutor: Students interested in becoming a tutor can apply in one of the following ways.
    1. Online at: Peer Tutoring Booking System.
      When applying online, students must be on campus and connected to the College Wi-Fi network.
      For access off campus you must connect through the Algonquin Secure Portal.
    2. In-person at the Peer Tutoring Booking Kiosk, located in room A148.
  • Compensation: Tutors are paid $14 per hour.