Welcome Message from the Associate Dean
On behalf of the Rinella Learning Center staff, welcome to our web pages. They are designed with you in mind. If you are a prospective student, explore the various programs and services our learning center here at Miami University can provide. All services are free to enrolled students. If you are a current student, we encourage you to use us to help you reach your educational goals. There are learning specialists available for academic counseling; workshops offered throughout each semester on the most effective ways to achieve academically at Miami; and peer tutors in most disciplines eager to assist and help you earn or maintain high achievement in your studies. If you are a parent, become familiar with the comprehensive academic support system available for your student and encourage your student to use us. Lastly, if you are faculty or staff, we have resources available to assist you as you work with students. We believe that every student can achieve and be successful. Our motto is "we meet the students where they are and go where they take us."
History of the Center
Miami's learning center has been in operation for over 35 years. Listed below is a chronology of our history.
- 1912 - Tutorial assistance provided to Miami students
- 1973 - First office established - Office of Developmental Education (ODE) funded by an Ohio Developmental Education Grant. This office functioned in conjunction with the Office of Minority Affairs and the Educational Opportunity Program. Services were restricted to qualifying students.
- 1979 - Office of Developmental Education became a stand alone office. Services were still restricted to qualifying students defined by ODE grant.
- 1980 - ODE began to assess fees for tutoring, thus expanding services to all Miami University students. The office moved from soft money to an income generating operation.
- 1982 -1983 - ODE was renamed Office of Learning Assistance (OLA). A tutor training course was added (EDT 310 - Methods in Tutoring Adults).
- 1988 - Learning Disabilities Services was added.
- 1994 - Academic Support Program was added providing outreach to at-risk students.
- 1997 - Scholastic Enhancement Program was merged with OLA.
- 2000 - The office name was changed to The Bernard B. Rinella, Jr. Learning Center,due to an endowment established by Bernard and Gloria Rinella in memory of their son Bernard Rinella, Jr.