ABOUT THE THINK TANK

Located in the Nugent building, The Think Tank at the Student Academic Learning Center is staffed by learning center professionals, talented graduate students, and a dedicated team of peer tutors and mentors who grasp the idea that nobody understands the needs of a college student better than another college student.

A department within the Student Affairs division, the Think Tank evolved from a desire to streamline and centralize existing pockets of academic support services across campus. Based on the very successful SALT (Strategic Alternative Learning Techniques) model, the Think Tank concept was born: to provide excellent academic assistance and support to all UA students.

Professional staff of the Think Tank upholds the mission and goals of The University of Arizona, and thereby places the highest priority on both academic integrity and the student code of conduct.

Philosophically, the Think Tank views its partnerships with academic departments and colleges as the critical element of a successful and vibrant academic support center. The Think Tank cannot effectively facilitate the academic achievement of students without having direct connections to the departments and faculty who create the curriculum and learning outcomes. Our goal is to have a Faculty Advisory Board for the Think Tank to keep the lines of communication open and help Think Tank staff stay current in all the courses and content areas it plans to support.

Students don’t receive answers from the Think Tank, but are rather a part of a collaborative process that helps them to discover the answers with the help of tutors, mentors, graduate assistants, and professional staff.

Undergraduate peer tutors go through a rigorous training program certified by the College Reading and Learning Association (CRLA) and are required to continue enhancing their tutoring skills by attending ongoing training throughout their time at the Think Tank. Additionally, Think Tank tutors are expected to uphold specific departmental expectations around the content they are tutoring (i.e. Math, Writing, etc).

Our mission: to empower UA students by providing a positive environment where they can master the skills needed to become successful lifelong learners.