ABSTRACT
As learning commons spaces have emerged on many university campuses over the last decade, writing centers and their directors have faced challenges to their deeply rooted pedagogies and identities when the centers physically joined the commons. While there is no single narrative that encompasses the way a learning commons is formed, one common thread (especially in the tales from writing center directors’ perspectives) points to the difficulties of defining what “collaboration” means in the minds of every potential resident in the shared space. These disparities often lead the group to encounter obstacles, which can consequently lengthen the process of defining learning commons plans. Using the obstacles that have prevented my university from constructing an often discussed learning commons, this chapter explores the challenges that arise when various opinions and visions clash. From that narrative, I extract the assertion that writing centers are well-positioned to be anchor residents of the learning commons, since collaborative work and flexibility are at the heart of our work. Further, I provide recommendations for ways that writing center directors can speak up amidst the dissonant conversation to preserve the fixed elements of their spaces and retain their autonomy—especially to keep the students the writing center serves at the forefront of the conversation.
