ABSTRACT
In Alaska, where distances between students and campus can reach up to 800 miles, the University of Alaska at Fairbanks (UAF) writing center needed a way to reach distant students. Through the use of existing computer equipment, the Internet, and a few brave tutors and students, we developed a method of collaborating with off-campus students. The University of Alaska system consists of three main branches containing 15 campuses stretched across an area equal to the distance from Washington, DC to Albuquerque, NM. Approximately 40% of residents live away from the main campuses, away from areas with face-to-face writing center support. The state has a population density of approximately 1 person per square mile, compared to the U.S. average of 71 per square mile, making for a widespread population. Of the approximately 100,000 native Alaskans, 77% live away from the three main campuses. One of the University’s main missions is to reach these rural and native populations.
