WAC Committee
Minutes of 3/6/08

Present: Bonn, Cassidy, Matthews, Preston, Snavely, Short Wallace,

Waiver Petitions Passed: Kaminski, Xu (tabled from last meeting)

Waiver Petition Denied: Huczla

Waiver Petition Tabled: Diaz (Pending more information)

The committee discussed sending representatives to the International WAC Conference in Austin, TX in late May. Matthews and Preston will go from the committee. We are still considering another person, likely someone outside the committee who is committed to WAC and has been at the fore of teaching WI courses.

The WAC workshop will be August 26, 27 and 28 this year. Wallace and Matthews agreed to begin outlining the workshop and then bring a draft to the committee.

Courses

Faculty Member Course Action

Dan Miller Neroscience 250 Passed
Ellen Hauser Sociology 271 (Women in Developing Countries) Passed
Ellen Hauser Sociology 271 (African Transitions) Passed*
Schlack Economics 450 Passed

Meeting Adjourned at 1:00

*Passed pending Wallace discussing with Hauser the use of a mid-term exam as part of the writing assignments in the course, the committee felt the mid-term, as presented, was not process writing.

WAC Committee Minutes
2/20/08

Present: Bonn, Cassidy, Matthews, Preston, Snavely, Wallace

Several courses were brought by the committee:

Instructor Course & Number Action

Cynthia Allen Methods and Materials EXSS 420 passed
Mark Petering Music Technology & Industry MUS 117 provisional pass
Brian Schwartz Experimental Physics PHYS 406 passed
Aaron Trautwein Linear Algerbra MATH 200 renewed
Ellen Hauser SOCI 271 tabled
Ellen Hauser SOCI 271 tabled

The committee discussed what to do in the event the course caps are violated. Consensus was that the committee should send a letter to the faculty member, copied to the department chair, division chair and Dean of the College reminding about the importance of maintaining the integrity of the 22 student limit on WI course enrollments.

The committee reviewed petitions by students requesting exemption from WI:

Student Reason Action

Xuelean Peak no course offered before graduation granted
Yuen Shing Ka unclear tabled for clarification

Two other petitions were distributed to committee members to be voted on by email (Joanna Huszla and Kevin Kaminski).

Meeting adjourned at 2:20

The following WI proposals were approved via e-mail.

POLS/ECON 405 Senior Seminar, Cyr
POLS 205 Philosophical Foundations of Political Economy, Cyr
MATH 309 Real Analysis, Snavely (renewal)

WAC Committee Meeting Minutes
11/15/07

The meeting was called to order at 3 p.m.

The committee welcomed Dan Miller to the meeting to speak about possible methods of assessing both the W.I. program and student outcomes in regard to writing. After much discussion, the committee and Dan agreed that the committee should prepare in 07/08 for the first round of departmental assessment of writing skills of their majors in 08/09. Dan suggested that the appropriate time for WI assessment in the disciplines would be no sooner than 2009, and many departments will probably do theirs at the end of the first full cycle of WI in 2010. During this spring and next year, departments should identify what discipline-specific writing traits they want to test and should find or create the instruments to assess those traits in their graduating seniors. The WAC Committee should start planning how to assist departments in their writing assessment.

Alan Wallace announced that Anne Cassidy has agreed to be the representative from the Fine Art’s Division, and the committee’s liaison with the Heritage program.

Jean Preston presented a draft of a letter to the Administration requesting a wage for Writing Fellows more equitable to what wages are for other student positions on campus. The committee requested a second draft, revises per committee suggestions, be sent to the committee via email for further input and/or committee endorsement.

The committee approved the renewal of Pam Smiley’s Interpreting Literature course for W.I. renewal. The other proposals and renewals on the agenda will be voted on by the committee via email.

The meeting was adjourned at 4:15 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,

Jean Preston

WAC Meeting Minutes
10/24/07

Present:

Mark Snavely
Maria Carrig
Rick Matthews
Alan Wallace
Michelle Bonn
David Steege
Jean Preston

W.I. Workshop Completion Certificates will be signed and distributed to faculty next week.

The Committee will meet next on Thursday, November 8th, at 3 p.m.

The Committee conditionally approved Christine Renaud’s W.I. course proposal for the J-term trip, Greek Religions, pending a clarified explanation of the application of process writing in the course.

Rick Matthews shared with the Committee a letter he composed to Mike West regarding Adult Education and the Writing Intensive Requirement. The Committee agreed that the letter should be sent to Mike West with one minor change.

Because W.I. is moving from development to implementation, Alan Wallace recommended adding a standing agenda item, Management and Maintenance, to all WAC meeting agendas. The Committee agreed.

Alan Wallace will continue to work with Temple Burling to develop a Writing Mentorship Program to assist new faculty with the teaching of writing.

The Committee agreed that the WAC should request time on the December and May faculty meeting agendas to report on W.I. progress.

Dan Miller will be invited to the next WAC Committee meeting to discuss the assessment process.

Michelle Bonn presented two transfer student requests for W.I. requirement waivers.

Matthew Yonkers’ request was deferred until he is closer to graduation to see if he is able to access the needed Writing Intensive courses.

Phillip Janik’s waiver request was approved because he is so close to graduation and because he has already completed his major requirements.

Michelle Bonn will speak with Gary Williams to see that Advising checklist forms have been updated to reflect W.I. requirements.

Respectfully Submitted by Jean Preston

WAC: 10/11/07
Anne Cassidy
Barbara Short
Maria Carrig
Alan Wallace
David Steege
Michelle Bonn
Jean Preston
Mark Snavely
Rick is absent

Proposal approval: Spring 08
Marian Rothstein ML 311: approved
Valerie Laken ENG 305: approved
Alan Wallace: ENG 375: approved
Bill Miller: SOC 499: approved
Ed Montanaro: SPAN 311: approved

Criteria:
Formal/informal
% of grade
number of pages
instructor feedback

Report from Alan
EDUC 201 Roger Bass approved

Transfer students:
Petitions for WI waivers:
Kevin Kaminski: requesting waiver requirement outside the major: transfer student: approved
Iris Paniagua: requesting waiver to substitute class for writing class. The committee will grant a waiver instead of substitute: waiver requirement outside the major: approved.
Matthew Yonkers: 1230 freshman composition substitution: waiver might be an option. Tabling until the next meeting
Joanna Huszla: composition 151 and 152 (high school) substitute for requirement outside the major. Sophomore status: waiver denied

We approve course instructor pairs.

Rick is writing a letter to Adult Education and one to Dean Piepenburg about Alan’s retirement.

Evaluations of WI workshops:
Result posted on another document from Alan. Highlights:
1. Really liked building an assignment, useful, getting feedback from other: practical and better.
2. Agreement with Bean book and need to have a copy.
3. Get help to set up a module more than just one assignment: phase 2.
4. Timing and duration: not in agreement: options: end of school year, adjunct WI instructor workshops, big numbers
5. Room was hot
6. May have been too elementary for experienced people: satellite workshops for another year
7. Odds and ends: Grading, research and theory, critical reading and critical writing, process, discipline specific writing.

Enrollment cap violations: See handout from Michelle for this term

From Barbara Short

Next Meeting Oct. 24, Wed. 11-12am.

The meeting was called to order at 11:00 a.m.

The committee will meet on a rotating basis – Wednesdays from 11-12, and Thursdays from 3-4 – so that all committee members will have the opportunity to attend meetings.

Ann Cassidy from Fine Arts will replace Leonard Schulze on the committee.

Alan Wallace introduced a discussion based on Mike West’s visit to the last WAC Committee meeting.  The committee addressed its responsibility in Adult Education’s compliance with the Writing Intensive requirement. 

The committee agreed that it is the responsibility of Departments and Programs to put the necessary courses and instructors in place to meet the Writing Intensive requirement, and the Committee’s responsibility to oversee this process. 

A plan for implementing the proper courses should be developed by Mike West in conjunction with Department Chairs and Program Directors.  This implementation is of immediate concern, due to the accelerated format of Adult Education.

The committee also needs to confirm that the wording regarding the Writing Intensive requirement in the Adult Education brochure match the wording in the college catalog.

Rick Matthews and Alan Wallace will draft a “friendly reminder” memo to Mike West regarding these issues, and present it to the committee for approval before it is sent out.

Alan Wallace raised the issue of his pending retirement and his desire for a smooth transition process to the new Director of Writing Development.  Mark Snavely will draft a letter to the Dean outlining the present responsibilities tied to this position, and recommending that for the first year at least, the Director of Writing Development should not be made the Chair of the WAC Committee as well.

The meeting was adjourned at 12:05. 

Respectfully submitted,

Jean Preston

Present: Snavely (Chair), Carrig, Wallace, Matthews, M. Bonn, Preston, West.
The meeting was called to order at 11:00 a.m.

 

Alan Wallace shared data from the WAC Workshop, and gave Jean Preston a list of faculty who are to receive certificates of completion.

The committee then met with Mike West from Adult Education to discuss proposed changes in the Adult Education program, and how those changes might impact the incorporation of the Writing Intensive requirement. 

The committee approved Music 116, a two-credit course taught by Dimitri Shapovalav, as writing intensive for the Fall 07 semester.  The committee will consider retroactive approval for this same course for Fall 06 on a case-by-case basis for students who petition for such approval.  No retroactive approval or waivers will be granted for students who take this course after Fall 06.  The Music Department will be responsible for insuring access to sufficient Writing Intensive credits for its majors.

The committee approved three courses taught by Rick Matthews as writing intensive: Criminal Justice 200 (spring 08), Sociology 141 (spring 08), and Sociology 142 (Fall 07, ACE).

The committee also approved German 311 (spring 08), to be taught by Richard Sperber, and Sociology 271, “I Shop, Therefore I Am” (spring 08), to be taught by Bradley Zopf, as writing intensive.

Tom Groleau’s course, BUSA 333, to be taught in spring 08, was approved as writing intensive provided the writing intensive cap is honored.

Alan Wallace will speak with Roger Bass regarding further clarification on the proposed writing intensive course, EDUC 150.

The meeting was adjourned at 12:05 p.m.  The date and time of the next meeting is TBD.