News        from ABAC

Michael D. Chason Director of Public Relations ABAC 30 -- 2802 Moore Highway Tifton, GA 31793-2601 Phone 229-391-5055 Fax 229-391-5051 mchason@abac.edu

IMMEDIATE June 8, 2009

ABAC STUDENT SUPPORT RECEIVES CERTIFICATION FROM THE NTA

TIFTON –The TRIO Student Support Services program at Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College recently received national certification from the National Tutoring Association (NTA). Out of the 950 Student Support Services (SSS) programs in the United States, ABAC’s module is the only program to attain this type of certification.

Before the certification took place, certain requirements had to be met for certification. Criteria included the support, organization, space and other elements conducive to a learning environment; credentials of the staff; and the evaluation of the current tutoring program offered through Student Support Services.

“This certification ensures and enhances the credibility of our program providing confidence for students and faculty to know that SSS staff and tutors are specifically trained to offer the best in learning support,” said Dr. Gerald Williams, Director of the Office of Student Support Services. “Furthermore, certification insures that the program and the tutors in it are in line with the standards of the profession and standards by which work can be measured,”

Williams said with this certification, the approach and atmosphere of the tutoring services offered by ABAC can become more in-depth and allow for more responsibility from the tutors within the program.

“We plan to have regular monthly meetings called ‘Power Hours’ so that we can equip our tutors with all the new trends and tools needed to continue with the success of the program,” said Williams.

The SSS team hopes to offer innovative and imaginative services to help support the achievement of the students of ABAC and ultimately serve as a model for other programs with tutoring services.

The National Tutoring Association is the largest professional association dedicated exclusively to tutoring. It represents the interests of more than 16,000 tutors in the U.S. and seven other countries, practicing in all phases of tutoring, program administration, and supplemental student services.

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