Practices & Policies

Due to limited resources, Writing Center consultants can only work with writers who are currently enrolled as students at the University of Minnesota.

Every writer can consult with us for up to 45 minutes per day.  

If you are more than 10 minutes late for a consultation, your appointment might be marked a no-show. After two no-shows within 30 days, you will not be able to book appointments for 30 days unless you contact [email protected] to schedule a meeting to discuss lifting the hold on your scheduling account.  

If you cannot attend your appointment, avoid being marked as a no-show by canceling at least 24 hours prior to your appointment start time.  To do this, log in to Penji, select the appointment you need to cancel from the home screen, click on the three dots in the top right corner, and select “Cancel Session.” Please note, changing your Google calendar RSVP to no, does not cancel your appointment.

• Write your paper, or tell you what to write: “How would you answer this prompt?”
• “Fix” all errors in your work (but we can teach you how to proofread for grammar errors)
• Read and interpret your course readings for you: “What would you say if you were asked to reflect on this article?”
• Tell you what your instructor wants: “Will my instructor like what I have written here?”
• Evaluate or guarantee a grade for your paper: “Will this get me an A?"
• Provide evidence that you did not plagiarize or use GenAI: “Can you help me prove that I didn’t use ChatGPT for this paper?”

Consultants cannot work with a writer who accesses our services using another student’s U of MN internet ID, and students who attempt to do so may lose access to Writing Center services. Using another student’s identity, even with their permission, is a violation of Section VI of the Student Conduct Code (italics added):

Subd. 3. Falsification. Falsification means willfully providing University offices or officials with false, misleading, or incomplete information; forging or altering without proper authorization official University records or documents or conspiring with or inducing others to forge or alter without proper authorization University records or documents; misusing, altering, forging, falsifying, or transferring to another person University-issued identification; or intentionally making a false report of a bomb, fire, natural disaster, or other emergency to a University official or an emergency service agency.

Subd. 4. Refusal to Identify and Comply. Refusal to identify and comply means willfully refusing to or falsely identifying one’s self or willfully failing to comply with a proper order or summons when requested by an authorized University official, by law enforcement personnel, or by emergency medical staff responding to an emergency.

Subd. 13. Unauthorized Use of University Facilities or Services. Unauthorized use of University facilities or services means wrongfully using University properties or facilities; misusing, altering, or damaging fire-fighting equipment, safety devices, or other emergency equipment or interfering with the performance of those specifically charged to carry out emergency services; or acting to obtain fraudulently—through deceit, unauthorized procedures, bad checks, or misrepresentation—goods, quarters, services, or funds from University departments or student organizations or individuals acting on their behalf.

Writing Center consultations are not a confidential resource. Like other UMN employees, our consultants are mandated reporters with respect to the UMN policy on Sexual Harassment, Sexual Assault, Stalking, and Relationship Violence (collectively called sexual misconduct). If employees learn about sexual misconduct in the course of an interaction with a writer, they are required to report it to the Title IX Office. For more details, visit the Office of Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action's Employee Reporting Requirement page.