WID WAC Committee - Senate Resolution of 4/4/2002

An Academic Senate Subcommittee of the Curriculum Committee

Draft of a Senate Resolution concerning the degree requirement for Two Writing Intensive Courses April 4, 2002

Whereas; there is a CUNY BOT mandate “to strengthen the teaching of writing in courses across the curriculum and that such efforts ensure that quality writing skill are fostered in all disciplinary areas” (Attachment A)

Whereas; there is a QCC Academic Senate degree requirement for 2 WI classes of every student who enters the college from September 2001 onward (Attachment B)

Whereas; the current situation indicates that not all students in all degree programs will have access to a sufficient number of WI classes in their time at the college to satisfy the requirement.

Whereas: the university mandate is more properly borne as a “common responsibility” by the institution through institutional commitment and actions and not only by the student.

Therefore, be it resolved that the Academic Senate pass the following resolutions.

Revision of Senate Action of May 8, 2001
1. From: Students who enroll in degree programs at QCC as of Fall of 2001 as first time freshmen and all transfer students beginning in the Fall of 2001 will need to successfully complete two (2) Writing Intensive (WI) classes.
2. To: Students who matriculate into an associate degree program at QCC after August of 2005 will be required to successfully complete two (2) Writing Intensive (WI) classes in order to receive the associate degree.
Designation of Writing Intensive Courses in Associate Degree Programs
1. By 2005 all degree programs will have two classes that are required in the degree program being offered as Writing Intensive.
2. Academic Departments that have associate degree programs will designate which of the courses (all sections) that it offers will be offered as Writing Intensive.
3. For degree programs where there is no one department with primary responsibility the Office of Academic Affairs and the Senate WID WAC Subcommittee will meet with all departments involved and arrange for at least two courses (all sections) to be designated as WI.

Note:

The Vice President of Academic Affairs has proposed making WI classes part of every Learning Community and requiring at least one Learning Community (LC) experience of all students. Thus, one Learning Community class and one “upper level” required WI course (RWIC) would enable a student to satisfy the WI requirement rather easily. Note that rather than placing the burden on the each student for choosing two WI classes that fit into the student’s schedule and satisfy the student’s degree requirements, the requirement for two WI classes will become transparent to the students. In meeting the degree requirements of any associate degree program, students will automatically enroll in a WI/Learning Community and a second WI course required in their curricula and thus satisfy the WI requirement.

The Office of Academic Affairs will work with the academic departments in support of their efforts to select and develop WI courses (all sections). The Office of Academic Affairs will give particular assistance and support to courses designated as WI that would also become part of a Learning Community. In this manner Learning Communities will be introduced into one degree program after another. The goal is for every degree program to have at least one Learning Community within it that all students are required to take in virtue of the classes involved being required in the degree program. Such Learning Communities should be taken as soon as possible in a student’s time at the college in order to engage the positive consequences of Learning Communities on retention rates. In this manner the college would satisfy the CUNY mandate for a writing intensive program and enjoy the benefits of learning communities as well. Further, students would enjoy the benefits of both the writing intensive experience and learning communities without being required to search for them and schedule them into their programs.

Attachment A

CUNY BOARD of TRUSTEES ACTION JANUARY 25, 1999

THE ENHANCEMENT OF WRITING SKILLS

WHEREAS, The attainment of advanced writing ability represents the hallmark of a comprehensive college education and a skill that can only be developed through extensive writing practice that is promoted across all degree program requirements; therefore be it

RESOLVED, That henceforth each college intensify and expand its programmatic efforts to strengthen the teaching of writing in courses across the curriculum and that such efforts ensure that quality writing skill are fostered in all disciplinary areas; be it further

RESOLVED, That the college’s commitment to Writing-Across-the Curriculum requirements be supported by faculty development initiatives and by University initiatives such as CUNY Writing Fellows Program that will sponsor specially trained CUNY doctoral students who will assist in the delivery of intensive writing instruction; be it further

RESOLVED, That a report on implementation plans be [provided to the Committee on Academic Policy, Program, and Research at its May 1999 meeting, and that by September 1999, and periodically thereafter, each college provide the Chancellor’s Office with a report detailing their implementation of these initiatives.

EXPLANATION: A wide range of assessments and student performance indicators has established the need to enhance the opportunities for students to strengthen their writing skills. Such opportunities are especially important for students whose native language is not English and whose writing skills require further development.

This resolution serves to ensure that writing instruction is regarded as a common responsibility and that the development of writing proficiency becomes a focus of the entire undergraduate curriculum.

Attachment B

QCC WID WAC Program

Adopted by the Academic Senate on May 8, 2001

Partial Text

Goals

To comply with the resolution of the CUNY Board of Trustees
To develop the writing skills of CUNY Graduates
To develop more effective pedagogic techniques
To enhance student learning
To enhance student performance on the CUNY Writing Proficiency Examination

Method

Degree Requirement:
Students who enroll in degree programs at QCC as of Fall of 2001 as first time freshmen and all transfer students beginning in the Fall of 2001 will need to successfully complete two (2) Writing Intensive (WI) classes.
WI classes shall consist of classes some of which are sections of a course where the faculty member will follow the WI criteria and some of which are WI courses. By WI “course” what is meant is that all sections of a course will meet the criteria for a WI class and all faculty who teach that course will meet the WI criteria. Such a designation of a WI course will be the result of a decision made by the academic department and the WID WAC Committee with cooperation and facilitation by the Office of Academic Affairs and reported to the Academic Senate for informational purposes.
WI classes shall not include EN-101,102,103 or their equivalents.
The number of and distribution of such classes should be sufficient to insure that students in all associate degree programs shall have access to them in sufficient number at all times and locations that classes are offered. The WID WAC Committee and the Office of Academic Affairs will monitor this feature of the program. Insurance of access shall be the result of actual surveys and audits.
Each academic department shall be given support through the Office of Academic Affairs for faculty development to insure that all instructors designated for teaching WI classes will receive training in order to meet the criteria for such WI instruction within three years of a class or an entire course being designated as WI.
All new faculty and adjuncts will be made aware of the criteria for WI instruction and with support through the Office of Academic Affairs they will be trained to insure that their instruction meets the College's writing intensive criteria for any WI classes that they may teach.