About

Established in 1972, the Disco Student Learning Center (SLC) at Appalachian State University — part of App State’s University College — provides holistic support services for undergraduate students that are designed to enrich their academic, personal and professional lives. These services, which help students foster self-advocacy and develop academic independence, include tutoring, academic success coaching and academic strategy instruction.

Our Mission

The Disco Student Learning Center serves students in gaining a deeper awareness of what helps them learn and succeed through tutoring, academic strategy instruction, and executive skill development. We provide holistic support for all students at Appalachian State University, empowering them to become active participants in a transformative education to meet their academic goals and achieve their academic potential. 

Vision

The Disco Student Learning Center seeks to adapt strategies and methods to meet the ever-changing demands of students in higher education settings by using current data and research to build intentionally inclusive models of academic support.

What We Do

  • Provide holistic mentoring, coaching, tutoring, and teaching that fosters self-advocacy, develops academic independence, and facilitates student connections to resources on and off-campus, all of which are designed to enrich their academic, personal, and professional lives.
  • Form relationships based on trust and genuine regard for our students as individuals. Treat every student with respect and dignity, and celebrate the individual diversity each student at Appalachian contributes to campus and our community.

Tutoring Training Program Certification

The Student Learning Center's peer tutors are recruited and trained to provide support according to the College Reading & Learning Association (CRLA) International Tutoring Training Program Certification (ITTPC) standards. ITTPC requirements include:

  • Sound hiring and selection practices, ensuring trainees are knowledgeable in the content and ready to take on the responsibility of tutoring.
  • Planned training experience, including a minimum number of hours in required training topics.
  • Tutoring experience directly with students for a minimum number of hours.
  • Regular evaluation by a knowledgeable and experienced evaluator.

CRLA International Tutor Training Program CertificationThe CRLA Certification Team's core value is to help tutor training administrators develop and deliver exemplary training. CRLA helps tutor training programs to meet the needs of their institution, reflect the program philosophy, and provide meaningful engagement for the tutors they train and students they serve.