Scheduling 
All clients of the Writing Center should schedule their appointments online.  The client may choose the time of his or her visit (depending on availability) and the tutor he or she would like to see (depending on availability).  There are no appointments made over the phone.

Referrals 
Instructors across the curriculum at George Mason can refer students to the Writing Center by sending an e-mail to wcenter@gmu.edu or by contacting the Director or Assistant Director.  In all cases, we ask that instructors specify the kind of writing assistance the student requires.

Referred students operate under the same client confidentiality rules as all other clients: if a student indicates that we may not discuss the session with the instructor, then we do not—even if the student has been referred.  If an instructor wants proof of attendance, the student may ask for a Visit Verification form.

Writing Center Consultations 
The Writing Center offers two kinds of appointments to its clients.  First, clients may schedule single sessions.  These are standard 45-minute, face-to-face sessions.  Clients who schedule these kinds of appointments may book one appointment at a time and only two appointments per week, maximum.

Clients also have the opportunity to schedule appointments in a block of several sessions over the course of a relatively short period (say, two weeks).  In this situation, ideally, clients work with the same tutor, and many times on the same assignment, for all of the sessions.

During the first session the client and the tutor should work collaboratively to develop a plan of action that will guide them through the subsequent meetings.  It is our hope that clients who book multiple-session consultations will benefit from their tutors’ expertise at several stages of the writing process.  We also believe that this plan will help to develop a solid client base of student writers who are seriously dedicated to long-term writing improvement.  These clients may book one multiple-session consultation at a time.  It is important when scheduling these consultations that the client be given adequate time to revise between sessions.

Limits on Visits
The Writing Center has a policy limiting clients to two visits per week and no more than ten a semester.  OWL as well as tutoring sessions at other locations and campuses count toward this total.  This policy is the result of an ever-increasing demand for tutoring services and a growing number of clients being turned away.

No Shows 
If a client does not show up for an appointment, that client’s file will be marked.  After two no-shows in one semester, the client cannot make another appointment without talking to the Director or Assistant Director.