Webster London 2002

Coordination of Writing Programs across the College of Arts and Sciences

Program Coordination. Over the past few years we have put in place means to making better and more effective use of the writing instruction we already offer in the College by creating better coordination among those of us on campus engaged in the teaching of writing.

WrAAC. This acronym stands for the “Writing Administrators Advisory Committee.” Created in 2004, WrAAC includes representatives from all major writing programs in the College as well as a few others from outside the College as well. That means a total of between 8 and 12 people from writing centers, CIDR, IWP, EWP, and from Tacoma and Bothell as well. It is in the committee that writing programs inform each other of initiatives and problems, and seek from others new perspectives and support.

Writing Council. The College Writing Council is a group of faculty representing the both different disciplines throughout the College and key writing program administrators. The Council advises the Director and the Deans Office on writing issues, and works with the Director to develop or refine College writing policy. The College Writing Council meets quarterly.

Writing Center Coordinating Committee. This committee was created two years ago to promote better coordination of writing center activity across the College. We have something like 8 different writing centers within the College, and three or four others outside the College whose clients are A&S students. But those centers have been running under very different understandings of what a writing center should do—everything from top-of-the-line whole-learning mentoring (good!) right on down to drop-off fix-it centers (not so good). This group has met once or twice a quarter for about two years now, and has been working to create coherence with respect to tutoring goals and practice. Beginning this fall we hope to create a minimal training program for new tutors in all campus centers