August 13, 2007
To: All New Math Faculty
From: Amy McDiffett
Re: the math lab
Hello and welcome to Miami University Middletown. I’d like to introduce myself to you. I am the math specialist for the Middletown campus. As such, I am responsible for the math lab and its operation. I also teach two of the developmental math courses (MTH001 and MTH002). As we begin the year, I am looking forward to meeting each one of you and to working with you to create useful support services for our math students.
Our primary support service is the math lab. The lab is located in 9Johnston (lower level) and is a quiet room where students can drop by without an appointment to work on and study their math. The lab is staffed by tutors (current students who have been successful in math, almost all of whom have completed Calculus I) who can answer questions and provide helpful guidance. If needed, I also am available to answer questions. The math lab will open for the fall semester on Monday, August 27. The lab is open Monday – Thursday from 10am – 7pm and Friday from 10am – 2pm. Please encourage your students to use the services of the math lab. Also, please tell your students that they need to sign in and out every time they use the lab (even if you do not require or give credit for lab time) and that they should sign on the page for their course and their instructor. You will receive a copy of the pages for your classes at the end of each month.
Our other support service is one-on-one tutors. They are available at no cost to the student although the student is asked to attend the math lab for at least three one hour sessions (or six half-hour sessions) before the student can be assigned a tutor. Individual tutors are arranged by contacting Mandy Hart in Student Services, 1 Johnston, 727-3330.
As the semester begins, I would appreciate it if you would inform your students regarding the math lab and its services. They will see fliers appearing before the lab opens, but I feel that the instructor’s mentioning the lab will encourage its use.
Please feel free to talk with me at any time regarding the math lab or other ways in which I may help you. Thanks for your support.
Amy McDiffett, Math Specialist
9C Johnston, 727-3334,