The dramatic shortage of tutors at the Educational Resource Center demands immediate attention from administrators. The problem is likely only to grow next semester, as students who sought, but could not receive, tutoring for fall-semester fundamental courses may struggle to keep up in more advanced spring-semester science and math classes that complement their fall semester prerequisites. Academically responsible students who recognize they need extra help to succeed in competitive introductory classes, known to sort out students who are committed to a concentration, are already at a disadvantage as administrators hesitate to expand the ranks of tutors and find innovative solutions to accommodate a student need.

The tutor shortage forces students to get involved with the ERC before tests marking progress and standing in a class have been given and while class material is still relatively simple. By the time students realize they need help in a class, tutor assignments have already been filled for the semester. This broken system forces students who need help to find less effective ways to study and results in overbooked tutors who may not have the time to commit to as many students as the ERC would like.

Unfortunately, a tutor shortage could be self-perpetuating. Because tutor applicants must meet a certain level of subject mastery, students who perhaps would have fallen into the pool of prospective tutors could lack the credentials necessary to help other students because they could not get assistance while enrolled in classes that require more tutors.

An aggressive hiring strategy could help attract students well versed in the subjects that have the highest demand for tutors. ERC directors should emphasize to potential tutors how teaching can enhance understanding of fundamental subject material that reappears in upper-level classes and ensure that tutors will not be overwhelmed by commitment to the center, lest they avoid involvement at all.

Students in large science and math lectures have, and will continue, to form peer study groups and attend office hours and discussion sections to prepare for tests. However, the recognized proficiency of a tutor hired by the ERC is a valuable asset to students preparing for exams. The ERC should consider creative ways to accommodate growing student demand for tutors without overwhelming existing tutors — perhaps by setting up small group tutoring sessions that can encourage tutees to learn from each other and the tutor.

While the increase in demand for tutors over last year is dramatic, it certainly should not be completely unforeseen to ERC directors. The number of students in the freshman class who are likely to need tutors — those who are in majors or pre-professional concentrations that require enrollment in large biology, chemistry and math lectures within the first semester — is easily quantifiable and known after summer orientation. Now that the shortage is clearly evident, it must be fixed as soon as possible.