Academic Assistance and Tutoring Center at Shields Library Reopens After Major Renovations
Impact at a Glance: By the Numbers
- 10,000 — or nearly 1 in 3 — UC Davis undergrads receive tutoring through AATC each year
- 8,000 of those students come to the tutoring center at Shields Library
- 1.3 million visits to Shields Library in the past year
- Nearly 90 percent of visitors to Shields Library are undergrads
The Academic Assistance and Tutoring Centers (AATC), which provide peer tutoring support to 10,000 students—nearly 1 in 3 UC Davis undergraduates—each year, welcomed students back to their central hub at Shields Library in style this fall. Chancellor Gary S. May was on hand to cut the ceremonial ribbon at the grand reopening, which took place yesterday following major renovations of the tutoring center space over the summer.
The tutoring center, which is located on the Lower Level of Shields Library, has been refurbished with:
- More comfortable and functional seating,
- Modern whiteboards to facilitate group work,
- Additional wi-fi access points to improve internet connectivity, and
- New carpeting to keep noise levels in the space — which is buzzing with activity from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays — to a low hum.
“The new renovation is amazing,” said Mana, a peer tutor in math. “We have new chairs, tables, whiteboards and a carpet that makes you feel less distracted and creates a learning space for all of us.”
A shared vision to support student success
“The transformation of this space represents the kind of imagination and vision I’d like to see us bring to every corner of campus. That is, the ability to see the potential for what could be,” Chancellor May said in his remarks at the ribbon-cutting ceremony. “I encourage our campus units to find new ways to work together, especially in closing gaps in academic outcomes for students from underrepresented, first-gen and socioeconomically disadvantaged backgrounds. Let’s aim to make an impact at scale.”
The tutoring center renovation was made possible through a year-long collaboration between the UC Davis Library and Student Affairs, which oversees AATC. The idea was borne out of conversations between William Garrity, university librarian and vice provost of digital scholarship, and Sara Hawkes, then-executive director of AATC (and recently appointed associate vice chancellor for student success and equity innovation), who worked together as part of the Provost’s Student Success and Equitable Outcomes Task Force. Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs Pablo Reguerín also championed the project, providing crucial funding for its implementation.
“AATC has spent over 50 years helping students thrive through peer-to-peer tutoring that fosters academic and personal growth. Our tutors are engines of belonging, and the space in Shields Library is designed to be a welcoming environment where students can build connections and grow in confidence,” said Reguerín. “We’re grateful to the Provost and Chancellor for their support and to the Library for joining forces with us to increase our capacity to serve rising scholars.”
The tutoring center at Shields Library, which is AATC’s primary location, serves 8,000 individual students each year. With its centralized location and recent space improvements, the potential may be even greater; Shields Library receives over a million visits each year (including repeat visitors), and nearly 90 percent of those are undergrads.
“The missions of AATC and the Library are so aligned: We are all about providing academic support to every student on campus, no matter what classes they’re taking, or what major they are pursuing,” Garrity said. “Now they can come to the library to study and get tutoring support, all under one roof. It is tremendously exciting to see that vision come to fruition.”
