Give us back the Writing Help Desk and Jason Horn!

In President McMurtry’s welcome message, he boasted that the University of Windsor provides “exceptional student supports.” However, the university has interrupted students’ writing support and remains silent on the issue. Many faculty, staff, and students were not aware that the centre is currently not available to students and have continued to refer their students and peers to the excellent services that the Writing Support Desk has to offer. How can our institution claim to provide “exceptional student support” while denying students basic writing services? Without writing support services –students are merely provided a discounted education.

Underperforming In Southern Ontario 

Despite last year’s budget cuts, most institutions in southwestern Ontario still offer their students writing support such as Waterloo, Western, Guelph, Wilfred Laurier, McMaster, Carleton, Queens, and University of Ottawa. 

In fact, the University of Guelph, with a student population comparable to UWindsor, continues to prioritize student academics through continued writing support. The University of Guelph offers students more than 8 academic writing advisors who provide one-on-one consultations. Take a look! 

We are all impacted from ‘interrupted’ writing support

Each day that the Writing Support Desk remains ‘interrupted,’ students are denied the constructive and engaging feedback needed to excel academically and beyond. Faculty and staff are denied a resource that they often referred students and peers to. Leddy librarians watch multiple undergraduate and graduate students check the centre throughout the day in hopes that the centre is up and running again –each time the students walk away in disappointment as they are left to fend for themselves to develop writing skills. The student comment book on public display in Leddy Library contains multiple students advocating for the Writing Support Desk’s continued services and mentions how Jason Horn helped them develop their writing skills.  

If it was not for the Writing Support Desk, I would not be here today. I am in my last year of law school, and I could still benefit from writing support. Like many students across campus, I relied on the Writing Support Desk to help me develop writing skills beyond what high school offered me. Books did not teach me how to write, nor did non-elective writing courses. I learned to write through the support offered by the Writing Support Desk, help provided by Jason Horn and his colleagues. 

Bring Jason Horn Back 

Every academic writing advisor at the Writing Help Desk was wonderful – but Jason Horn went above and beyond. Before the university ‘interrupted’ our Writing Support Desk, Jason passionately helped students develop their writing abilities. 

Jason Horn is incredibly talented and has a gift for teaching writing and research skills. Students enjoyed practical evening tutorials with Jason Horn –including learning how to avoid countless common mistakes even many professionals fall prey to. He creatively engaged students using humour and active participation tools. 

During appointments, Jason would throw in helpful keyboard shortcuts and discussed research tips. He offered a plethora of information, a contagious passion for learning, and encouraged students to always strive for a better tomorrow. Jason loved his job and is eager to get back into the centre and help students again. 

Empowering Positive Change

Campus-wide, we are shocked that the services of the Writing Support Desk is currently being denied to us and that there are no signs of it getting up and running again soon. Each day without the Writing Support Desk at the University of Windsor, students are denied essential writing support and access to education. Please, lets join our voices together to make a difference. 

We’re not sitting in silence any longer. We deserve better Windsor.