Grinnell College2017 Institution Survey
Institutional requirements and goals--Writing Requirement
Are there curricular requirements that are not part of the writing requirement but that have writing as an explicit goal?
Yes
Is oral communication a component of an institutional writing requirement?
Oral communication is not a component of any institution writing requirements.
Institutional requirements and goals--College Writing Goals
How are the college-wide student writing goals assessed?
A longitudinal study is conducted.
Institutional requirements and goals--Writing Committee
Who serves on the committee?
Writing center administrator
Faculty across the disciplines
Institutional requirements and goals--National Survey of Student Engagement
Does your institution administer the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE)?
Yes
Institutional requirements and goals--Changes to Writing Program
Were there changes to the assessment of writing at your institution since the 2012-13 academic year?
No
Do you foresee changes at the institutional level to the sites of writing on your campus over the next four years?
No
First-Year Writing--General Description
Does your institution have a first-year writing requirement, whether explicit or embedded?
Yes
How would you describe your first-year writing requirement? Check all that apply. See Glossary for definitions.
First-Year Seminar (FYS)
First-Year Writing--First-Year Composition: Staffing
Who has primary responsibility for administering the FYC requirement? See the Glossary for an explanation of these terms.
Responsibilites Shared
First-Year Writing--First-Year Composition: Training
For FYC, what types of initial training is provided? Check all that apply.
| FT-TT English/ Writing Faculty | FT-TT Faculty from other disciplines | |
|---|---|---|
| Required Course | ||
| Required Workshops | ||
| Optional Course | ||
| Optional Workshops | Yes | Yes |
| Individual Meetings with Director | ||
| Weekly Staff Meetings | ||
| Monthly Staff Meetings | ||
| No training is provided | ||
| Other | Yes | Yes |
For FYC, what types of on-going professional development is provided? Check all that apply.
| FT-TT English/ Writing Faculty | FT-TT Faculty from other disciplines | |
|---|---|---|
| Attend Conferences | ||
| Present at Conferences | ||
| Access to Professional Journals | ||
| Outside Speakers | ||
| Required Weekly Meetings | ||
| Optional Weekly Meetings | ||
| Required Monthly Meetings | ||
| Optional Monthly Meetings | Yes | Yes |
| Workshops or In-Service | Yes | Yes |
| Meetings with Director | ||
| Other |
First-Year Writing--First-Year Composition: Curriculum
What is the content for the first or only semester of FYC? Check all that apply.
Other
First-Year Writing--First-Year Writing Seminar: Goals
If there are explicit goals for FYWS, are the goals informed by the WPA Outcomes Statement?
No
How are the FYWS goals assessed? Check all that apply.
Course Evaluation or Grades
Student Survey
Other
First-Year Writing--First-Year Writing Seminar: Delivery Methods
First-Year Writing--First-Year Writing Seminar: Staffing
Who has primary responsibility for administering the FYWS requirement? See the Glossary for an explanation of these terms.
Responsibilites Shared
First-Year Writing--First-Year Seminar: Placement & Transfer
What percentage of students in AY 2016/17 received alternative credit for a FYS course?
0
First-Year Writing--First-Year Seminar: Staffing
Who has primary responsibility for administering the FYS requirement? See the Glossary for an explanation of these terms.
Responsibilites Shared
Beside the person who has primary responsibility for administering FYS, how many graduate students, staff members, or faculty members have administrative responsibilities for FYS?
3
First-Year Writing--First-Year Seminar: Training
Do those attending initial training receive additional compensation or course credit?
Yes for anyone teaching a first-year writing course
First-Year Writing--First-Year Seminar: Curriculum
What is the content for the first or only semester of FYS? Check all that apply - Other - Text
Tutorial (first year seminar) professors choose their own course topics and devise their own syllabi including number and type of writing assignments.
First-Year Writing--First-Year Seminar: Course Caps
In the academic year 2016/17, what was the enrollment cap for Honors sections of the first or only semester of face-to-face FYS?
13
In the academic year 2016/17, what was the enrollment cap for Regular sections of the first or only semester of face-to-face FYS?
12
First-Year Writing--Changes to First-Year Writing
Since AY 2012/13, have there been changes to the first-year writing requirement at your institution?
No
Since AY 2012/13, have there been changes to the first-year writing placement mechanism or how alternate credit is granted at your institution?
No
Since AY 2012/13, have there been changes to the first-year writing assessment at your institution?
No
Since AY 2012/13, have there been changes to the first-year curriculum or enrollment caps at your institution?
No
Since AY 2012/13, have there been changes to the administration or staffing of first year writing at your institution?
No
Do you foresee changes to the administrative, curricular, or support structures of first-year writing at your institution over the next four years?
No
Upper Level Writing Courses--Upper Level Writing Courses: General
How many specific writing course(s) beyond the first year does your institution require all students to take? For example, such a course could be a sophomore or junior-level course taught by English or writing faculty. We are NOT asking about writing-intensive courses. The WAC section of the Census will ask about those courses.
0
Upper Level Writing Courses--Senior Culminating Experience
Does your institution require ALL students complete a senior thesis or other writing-intensive capstone experience?
No
Does your institution require SOME students complete a senior thesis or other writing-intensive capstone experience?
No
Upper Level Writing Courses--Changes to Upper Level Writing
Since AY 2012/13, have there been changes to the requirement for writing courses beyond the first year (not writing-intensive)?
No
Writing across the curriculum (WAC)--General Description
Is there professional development available for those teaching in the WAC Program or teaching WI courses?
Yes
If faculty attend a seminar or workshop, how are they compensated?
They receive a stipend.
Writing across the curriculum (WAC)--Writing-Intensive Courses
Does your institution require all students to take writing-intensive (WI or W) courses taught by departments other than English or Writing? See Glossary for definitions.
No
Writing across the curriculum (WAC)--Changes to WAC
Since the academic year 2012/13 have there been changes to the WI or WAC program?
No
Do you foresee any major changes to WAC on your campus in the next four years?
Maybe
Feel free to explain any upcoming changes.
The current Director of the Writing Center will retire in June, 2018. A national search will occur. New Writing Center facilities will be open in 2020. Current Reading Lab director will probably retire within the next two years. The Writing Lab's first external review will occur this month; the reviewers' report will probably contain suggestions for improvement or reorganization of writing support across campus.
The undergraduate and graduate writing major and minor--Description of Undergraduate Major
The undergraduate and graduate writing major and minor--Description of Undergraduate Minor
The undergraduate and graduate writing major and minor--Description of Graduate Programs
Does your institution offer a masters degree (MA) in writing (not creative writing)?
No
Does your institution have a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) program in writing (not creative writing)?
No
The undergraduate and graduate writing major and minor--Changes to the Major, Minor, or Graduate Programs
Do you foresee changes to the administrative, curricular, or support structures of the writing major, minor, or graduate programs at your institution over the next four years?
No
Basic or Developmental Writing--Basic or Developmental Writing
Does your institution identify basic writing students who may need additional writing support?
Yes
How does the institution identify basic writers? Check all that apply.
SAT/ACT scores
TOEFL scores
Admissions office/Student Affairs referral
Faculty referral
Student self-referral
What type of supports are available for basic writers? Check all that apply.
Targeted optional writing courses
Peer tutoring
Professional tutoring--not including from WPA or WCD
Tutoring from WPA or WCD
Basic or Developmental Writing--Changes to Basic or Developmental Writing
Do you foresee changes to the administrative, curricular, or support structures for helping diversely prepared students at your institution over the next four years?
No
Writing centers--General description
Does your institution have a writing center or learning center with writing tutors?
Yes
Is the writing center free-standing or part of another institutional unit?
Free-standing
Where is the writing center located? Note: From this point on writing center refers to both free-standing and those located within another unit.
Academic building
In addition to providing support for students writing for their courses, what services does the writing center offer? Check all that apply.
Assistance with multimodal assignments
Assistance with online research
Assistance with oral presentations
Assistance with Powerpoint or other presentation software
Assistance with how to prepare a poster presentation
Assistance with graduate school materials
Assistance with other content areas
Assistance for English Language Learners
Asssistance for faculty on syllabus or curriculum development
What events does the writing center offer?
Faculty workshops
Space for student to come together to write
Writing centers--Consultations
What type of appointments does the writing center offer?
scheduled face-to-face appts
drop-in face-to-face appts
scheduled online appts
online feedback via e-mail
What is the average length of a consultation or tutorial session offered?
40 minutes
Writing centers--Consultants
How many consultants worked in the writing center during the 2016-17 academic year? UG=undergraduates, GS=graduate students, Fac=faculty, PT=professional tutors, Vol=volunteers
PT-5
On average, what percentage of a week's consultations are staffed by each group? For example, if your center offers 100 hours of consultations a week and 50 hours are filled by undergraduates and 25 hours by both graduate students and professional tutors, then the percentage would be 50% undergraduate, 25% graduate students, and 25% professional tutors.
PT-100
What on-going professional development opportunities are provided professional consultants?
Attend national conferences
Attend regional conferences
Present at national conferences
Present at regional conferences
Read professional journals
Outside speakers
Staff meetings
Meeting with Director
Writing centers--Administration
Who has primary responsibility for directing the writing center or overseeing the writing tutors if the tutors are part of a different institutional unit?
Writing Center Administrator (WCA)
In addition to the person who has primary responsibility, how many undergraduates, graduate students, staff members, or faculty members have administrative responsibilities for the writing center?
4
Feel free to explain the role of the advisory committee.
The committee advises the Writing Lab Director on issues related to operation of the Lab and those related to teaching writing generally across campus.
Writing centers--Changes
Since the academic year 2012/13 have there been changes to the writing center at your institution (not including staffing)?
No
Since the academic year 2012/13 have there been changes to the staffing or administration of the writing center at your institution?
Yes
What other changes have been made to the staffing or administration of the writing center?
Staff changes
Feel free to explain these upcoming changes.
Again, there will be some changes for sure: a new director, a new space for the writing lab, new recommendations from external reviewers to consider.
Writing Fellows (Embedded Writing Tutors)--General information
Does your institution have a writing fellows program? (See glossary for definitions)
Yes
Writing Fellows (Embedded Writing Tutors)--Staffing
Do the writing fellows work both as fellows and in the writing center?
Writing fellows and writing center tutors are two separate groups.
If two separate groups, how are they staffed?
Writing fellows are undergraduates, and writing center tutors are professional tutors.
Do the writing fellows regularly attend the class they are assigned to work with?
Yes
Multilingual Writing Support--Multilingual Writing Support: General
Is there support for domestic and international English Language Learners (ELLs)?
Yes, for both domestic and international
What percentage of the student body is placed into ELL writing courses, both required and optional?
0
What is the institutional home of the ELL writing courses?
Writing deparment or program
Who has primary responsibility for administering support for English Language Learners?
Other
Multilingual Writing Support--Multilingual Writing Support: Domestic Students
Does your institution identify domestic English Language Learners (ELLs) who may need additional writing support?
Yes
How does the institution identify domestic English Language Learners? Check all that apply.
SAT/ACT scores
TOEFL scores
Admissions office/Student Affairs referral
Faculty referral
Student self-referral
What type of supports are available for domestic English Language Learners (ELLs)? Check all that apply.
Targeted optional writing courses
Peer tutoring
Professional tutoring--not including from WPA or WCD
Tutoring from WPA or WCD
Multilingual Writing Support--Multilingual Writing Support: International Students
Does your institution identify international English Language Learners (ELLs) who may need additional writing support?
Yes
How does the institution identify International English Language Learners? Check all that apply.
SAT/ACT scores
TOEFL scores
Admissions office/Student Affairs referral
Faculty referral
Student self-referral
What type of supports are available for International English Language Learners (ELLs)? Check all that apply.
Targeted optional writing courses
Peer tutoring
Professional tutoring--not including from WPA or WCD
Tutoring from WPA or WCD
Multilingual Writing Support--Changes to Multilingual Writing Support
Since AY 2012/13, have there been changes to the support for English Language Learners (ELLs)?
No
Do you foresee changes to the administrative, curricular, or support structures for helping diversely prepared students at your institution over the next four years?
No
Administrative positions--Writing Center Administrator (WCA)
How is the Writing Center Administrator position (WCA) classified?
Hybrid Faculty/Staff-PT
Which of the following teaching responsibilities does the WCA have? Check all that apply.
Teach courses
Tutor students
Train tutors, TAs, or professional staff
faculty workshops
Which of the following are the administrative responsibilities of the WCA?
Develop curriculum
Create Program Documents
Conduct assessment
Consult with individual faculty or departments across the disciplines
Hire (tutors, professional staff, or teaching faculty)
Supervise (tutors, professional staff, or teaching faculty)
Mentor (tutors, professional staff, or teaching faculty)
Advertise program
Oversee program budget
Serve on university committees