Tabula Rasa? When to Start With a Clean Slate

I specifically liked the point made on page 22 of Meeting Minds: A Brief Rhetoric for Wrtiers and Readers about how there are certain assumptions a writer makes to grasp his or her intended audience: "when your readers identify an assumption or values they share with you, they will be more sympathetic to you reasoning."

One problem though: To what point does one assume? Surely a writer will assume the language is something the audience members will understand. But what about concepts? Ideas? Words? At what point does one say, "everyone should know this?" And when to we start tabula rasa?

Identity Crisis: Consultant vs. Tutor

Upon reading "Tutoring in Unfamiliar Subjects" by Alexis Greiner, I feel that I shall no longer be known as a WORD Studio tutor, but instead a consultant. Greiner makes a point in saying that it is a consultant that "help{s} by provoking thought through conversation, posing questions, and engaging writers in the work of writing" (115). The term tutor implies that the tutor has the ability to teach others to write well. I feel that it is not the case at Saint Lawrence because the application process simply asks for a written piece of work, not a resume showing one's ability to help others.
Epiphany: We as a writing center should stop even advertising ourselves as "the one's who can help with papers." Think about it: The ideal writing center should help students how to write better; we should not only help students when they have an assignment due soon. In order to do so, all of the "consultants" employeed should take a class *cough* English 229 Rhetoric and Communication Theory and Practice, with Professor Hillory Oakes on Tuesdays from 2:20 - 3:50pm *cough* that will enhance their ability to tutor others in writing. Only then should we be called tutors.

Professor Oakes, how do you feel about the WORD Studio changing not only its name but its mode of operation?