Your Personal Tutor is your first contact on the University staff. Details of your Personal Tutor can be found on Tabula under the 'personal tutor' tab.
They will want to get to know you as an individual, as well as check how you are getting on, what is going really well for you, what problems you might be having and how you are dealing with them. This allows them to get to know you well enough to write references on your behalf when you apply for a job, or to speak on your behalf at exam boards.
Tutors can help overcome many of the major or minor problems of university life relatively easily, provided you bring them up in good time. When tutors can't deal with a particular problem, they can usually direct you to someone who can help. So, make sure your tutor knows if you are ill, or in dispute with your landlord, or anything else, but also tell them positive news too. They want to know both sides!
Meeting your Tutor
You must see your tutor during the first week of each term so that we know that you are safely back. Details vary, but usually your tutor will want to see you on the first day of term. This meeting is often used to discuss which modules you are taking, registration formalities, and arrangements for tutorials. If an exam or other really unavoidable cause means you can't come when it is suggested, send an e-mail instead and call at the very first opportunity.
Your tutor will arrange tutorial times with you. During years 1 and 2 you should expect to see them at least every other week.
Keep your appointments! If you are unable to attend a tutorial or supervision which has been arranged for you, don't leave someone wondering why you have not turned up. Send advance notice (e.g. by e-mail or telephone) that you will not be there. If (as in case of sudden illness) this is not possible, you need to send an explanation afterwards as soon as you can. This is in your own interest as well as being basic courtesy. Remember that at the end of your course, prospective employers are likely to ask your tutor about your reliability and regularity of attendance.
Academic work with your Tutor
As well as being a source of pastoral support, your tutor is an academic member of staff who will expect to advise you about the choices in your course and discuss mathematics in detail.
In the first year you are likely to have group tutorials. Occasionally you may wish to arrange an individual appointment with your tutor. This is possible too, discuss it with your tutor as necessary. In later years, as modules become more specialised, you will probably receive most of your direct mathematical support from other sources; although your tutor will be involved for some modules and will continue to be your first port of call for general mathematical advice about module choices, etc.
The role of a Personal Tutor
Your tutor has a number of responsibilities, including:
- Being your initial point of contact for discussion of academic and pastoral matters.
- Helping you with your induction and orientation in University life.
- Retaining an interest in your personal and academic development throughout your time at Warwick.
- Providing academic feedback and advice on your progress and development, including advice on module choices.
- Responding as quickly as possible to requests for help and advice about pastoral/non-academic matters, insofar as they are competent to do so. This might also include signposting you to professional University support services for further help where necessary.
- Signposting you to relevant careers advice or skills provision.
- Acting as your advocate, if required.
- Acting as a writer of references for applications for jobs or further study.
- Keeping a record of discussions and any agreed follow-up actions, particularly in relation to confirmed monitoring points.
Specialist Tutors
The Department has the following specialist tutors who have experience in answering questions and solving problems related to their specialist areas. Please make use of them in addition or in place of your personal tutors.
- Tutor for Women
- Year tutors
- Senior tutor
- Director of Student Experience
- Careers consultant (more information can be found in the careers section of this handbook)
- Overseas students' tutor
- Maths/Business Studies degree representative
- Maths/Economics degree representative
Please ask in the Undergraduate Office for details of which staff member has each job and how to contact them (e-mail, phone or room numbers).
Changing your Tutor
Occasionally a student does not get on well with their tutor. If this happens to you, you can easily change, and no offence will be taken. Simply ask the Senior Tutor in Mathematics or the Undergraduate Office, to assign you a new tutor. You will not be required to explain your reasons. Note, however, that you will not be able to choose who your next tutor will be!