Oberlin College2013 Institution Survey

Sites of writing--General Description

Does your institution have an official writing program or department? (n=671)

Yes

What is the institutional home of the writing program or department? (n=248)

Other academic department

Does your institution have first-year writing? (n=673)

Yes

Is first-year writing part of the writing program or department? (n=646)

No

If not part of the writing program or department, what is the institutional home for first-year writing? (n=377)

Other

Does your institution have writing across the curriculum (WAC)? (n=671)

Yes

Is WAC part of the writing program or department? (n=306)

No

If not part of the writing program or department, what is the institutional home for WAC? (n=227)

Other

Does your institution have writing in the disciplines (WID)? (n=674)

Yes

Is writing in the disciplines part of the writing program or department? (n=265)

Yes

Does your institution have an undergraduate writing major? (n=673)

No

Does your institution have an undergraduate writing minor? (n=676)

Yes

Is the undergraduate writing minor part of the writing program or department? (n=352)

Yes

Does your institution have a graduate program in writing/rhetoric? (n=677)

No

Does your institution have a writing center or learning center with writing tutors? (n=679)

Yes

Is the writing center part of the writing program or department? (n=654)

Yes

Does your institution have a basic writing program? (n=675)

No

Sites of writing--Writing Requirement

Does your institution have a writing requirement? (n=668)

Yes

What does the writing requirement at your institution consist of? (n=638)

First-year seminars taught by faculty across the curriculum (FYWS)

Writing-intensive courses that are located throughout the curriculum (W courses)

Are there curricular requirements that are not part of the writing requirement but that have writing as an explicit goal? (n=657)

No

Sites of writing--College Writing Goals

Are there college-wide student writing goals? (n=660)

Yes

Have the goals been influenced by the WPA Outcomes Statement? (n=377)

No

How are the college-wide student writing goals assessed? (n=379)

A longitudinal study is conducted.

Who administers the college-wide assessment?

Students take an essay exam.Students submit a portfolio.Professors certify for writing proficiency when students take writing-intensive courses.Departments assess majors through a senior-culminating experience.A longitudinal study is conducted.
Writing program director (n=108)Yes
Writing center director (n=37)
Associate dean (n=18)
Faculty committee (n=119)
Registrar (n=10)
Chair of the department (n=75)
Other (n=121)

Who participates in the college-wide assessment?

Students take an essay exam.Students submit a portfolio.Professors certify for writing proficiency when students take writing-intensive courses.Departments assess majors through a senior-culminating experience.A longitudinal study is conducted.
Writing program director (n=106)Yes
Writing center director (n=65)Yes
Writing program faculty (n=105)
English department faculty (n=150)
Faculty from other disciplines than writing and English (n=163)Yes
Readers outside the institution (n=15)
Associate dean (n=22)
Registrar (n=13)
Other (n=63)

Sites of writing--National Survey of Student Engagement

Does your institution administer the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE)? (n=667)

Yes

How does your writing program use the NSSE data? (n=425)

Data used for assessment.

Is your school part of the WPA/NSSE Consortium for the Study of Writing in College? (n=494)

I don't know

Sites of writing--Changes to Writing Program

Have there been changes to the writing program or sites of writing at your institution in the past 10 years? (n=666)

Yes

Were there changes to the writing requirement in the past 10 years? (n=585)

Yes

Which changes have taken place in regards to the writing requirement? (n=382)

The writing requirement was changed.

The writing requirement was expanded.

Writing-intensive courses were added to the writing requirement.

Students are required to take more writing-intensive courses than before.

Were there changes to the assessment of writing at your institution over the past 10 years? (n=589)

Yes

Which changes have taken place in regards to assessment? (n=437)

A college-wide assessment was added.

Were there any changes to the administrative structures of the writing program or the sites of writing over the past 10 years? (n=597)

Yes

Which administrative structures of the writing program or the sites of writing changed? (n=396)

Other

Was the writing program changed in the past 10 years to expand or eliminate areas? (n=609)

No

Were there changes to the staffing of the writing program or center over the past 10 years? (n=595)

Yes

Which changes to the staffing of the writing program or center have taken place over the past 10 years? (n=412)

Part-time teaching positions were added.

Were there any additional changes to the writing program or the sites of writing at your institution not already mentioned? (n=588)

No

Do you foresee changes to the administrative, curricular, or support structures of the sites of writing at your institution over the next five years? (n=661)

Yes

What type of changes to the administrative, curricular, or support structures of the sites of writing at your institution do you foresee in the next five years? (n=484)

Changes to the curricular structures or writing requirement

Changes to assessment

Changes to expand the writing program or sites of writing on campus

Changes to the types of staffing

If you foresee changes to the administrative, curricular, or support structures of the sites of writing at your institution over the next five years feel free to explain.

we will add speaking to our dept on a temp/pilot basis. We hope to add on WA teams on a pilot basis.

First-year writing/English composition--General Description

Does your institution have a first-year writing requirement whether explicit or embedded? (n=672)

Yes

How would you describe your first-year writing requirement? (n=577)

Other

First-year writing/English composition--Placement and Transfer

Does your institution allow students to place out of other first-year requirements? (n=35)

No

Does your institution accept transfer credit for other first-year writing requirements? (n=41)

No

First-year writing/English composition--Goals and Assessment

Are there explicit goals for other first-year writing requirements? (n=42)

No

First-year writing/English composition--Curriculum

What is the content of the other first-year requirement? See Note 5. (n=41)

WAC/Topic Based

Is there a common syllabus other first-year writing courses? (n=42)

No

First-year writing/English composition--Enrollment Caps

What is the enrollment cap for honors sections of other types of FYW? (n=22)

15

What is the enrollment cap for regular sections of other types of FYW? (n=40)

25

First-year writing/English composition--Staffing

In the 2011-12 academic year, what percentage of other types of FYW courses were taught by: See Note 2a. (n=37)

Full-Time, Tenure Track English FacultyFull-Time, Tenure Track Writing FacultyFull-Time, Tenure Track Other FacultyFull-Time, Non-Tenure Track English FacultyFull-Time, Non-Tenure Track Writing FacultyFull-Time, Non-Tenure Track Other FacultyPart-time English FacultyPart-time Writing FacultyEnglish Graduate TAsWriting Graduate TAsOther Graduate TAsWPAOther
0%YesYesYesYesYesYesYesYes
1-5%YesYes
6-15%YesYes
16-25%
26-35%
36-50%
51-60%
61-75%Yes
76-85%
86-99%
100%

Is there faculty or professional development available for those teaching other first-year writing courses? (n=41)

Yes

What form does the faculty development take for FYW faculty?

FYWS (n=70)FYC (n=373)FYS (n=55)Other (n=35)
Requried pedagogy course taught by the WPA
Required faculty development workshops
Optional graduate pedagogy course
Optional faculty development workshopsYes
Individual meetings with the WPA/WCDYes
Other

Do those attending faculty development for other types of FYW receive additional compensation? (n=32)

No

Identifying and supporting diversely-prepared students--General Description

Does your institution identify students who may need additional writing support, including students whose primary language is not English? (n=626)

No

Writing across the curriculum (WAC) and writing beyond the first year--General Description

Does your institution have a WAC program and/or writing requirement beyond the first year? (n=642)

Yes

Does your institution require all students to take lower-division writing courses taught by the English or Writing department for students in other departments? Does not include the first-year writing requirement. (n=302)

No

Does your institution require all students to take upper-division writing courses taught by the English or Writing department for students in other departments? (n=303)

No

Does your institution require all students to take a mid-level writing course(s)? (n=304)

Yes

How would you describe the mid-level course? (n=124)

The course is similar to a writing-intensive course.

Each department determines which course fits this requirement.

Does your institution require ALL students to complete a senior thesis or other writing-intensive capstone experience? (n=306)

No

Does the institution require some students to complete a senior thesis or other writing-intensive capstone experience? If so, what are the requirements? (n=216)

It varies by department.

Honors students are required to complete a thesis or other writing-intensive capstone experience.

Individual students can choose to complete a senior thesis or other writing-intensive capstone experience.

Writing across the curriculum (WAC) and writing beyond the first year--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? (n=303)

Yes

How long has the WI requirement been in existence? (n=186)

Less than a year

How many WI courses are required beyond the first-year requirement? (n=185)

1

When do WI courses need to be completed? (n=187)

By graduation

Are there explicit goals for the WI courses? (n=189)

Yes

Have the goals been influenced by the WPA Outcomes Statement? (n=151)

No

What form of assessment takes place of the WI goals? (n=149)

Random sample of student writing

Who administers WAC assessment?

Paper PortfolioElectronic PortfolioRandom Sample of Student Writing
WPA (n=27)Yes
Writing program faculty (n=13)Yes
Faculty from across the institution, via committee or ad hoc group (n=49)Yes
Other (n=30)

Who participates in WAC assessment?

Paper PortfolioElectronic PortfolioRandom Sample of Student Writing
WPA (n=25)Yes
Writing program faculty (n=23)Yes
Faculty from across the institution, via committee or ad hoc group (n=77)Yes
Outside evaluators (n=6)
Other (n=24)

What are the criteria for a WI course? (n=184)

Number of pages or words written

Revision

Time discussing writing In class

Who certifies that a course fulfills WI designation? (n=183)

Curriculum committee

WPA/WAC director

Is there professional development available for those teaching in the WAC Program? (n=298)

Yes

What form does that faculty development take? (n=216)

Optional faculty workshops

Individual meetings with faculty members

The undergraduate and graduate writing major and minor--Description of Undergraduate Major

Does your institution have a writing major? See Note 3. (n=656)

No

The undergraduate and graduate writing major and minor--Description of Undergraduate Minor

Does your institution have a writing minor? (n=656)

Yes

What areas of writing can students specialize in as part of the minor? (n=312)

Rhetoric/ composition

In which department is the minor housed? (n=347)

Writing

The undergraduate and graduate writing major and minor--Description of Graduate Programs

Does your institution offer a masters degree (M.A.) in writing, other than creative writing? (n=656)

No

Does your institution have a Ph.D. program in writing, other than creative writing? (n=654)

No

Writing centers--General description

Does your institution have a writing center or learning center with writing tutors? (n=676)

Yes

Is the writing center free-standing or part of another institutional unit? (n=612)

Part of another institutional unit

If the writing center is not free-standing, what larger institutional unit is it a part of? (n=379)

Rhetoric/writing department or program

Where is the writing center located? Note: From this point on writing center refers to both free-standing and those located within another unit. (n=612)

Library

Is there a mission statement for the writing center? (n=610)

Yes

Are there explicit goals for the writing center? (n=610)

No

What services does the writing center offer? (n=610)

Face-to-face consultations

Writing centers--Consultations

Does your writing center work with graduate students? (n=580)

No

What is the average length of a consultation or tutorial session offered? (n=574)

45 minutes

Writing centers--Consultants

Are some or all of your writing center consultants undergraduate students? (n=561)

Yes

Are some or all of your writing center consultants graduate students? (n=546)

No

Are some or all of your writing center consultants faculty who teach in the writing program? (n=548)

No

Are some or all of your writing center consultants faculty who teach in other academic departments? (n=539)

No

Are some or all of your writing center consultants professional tutors? (n=548)

No

Are some or all of your writing center consultants volunteers? (n=543)

No

Do you have others working as writing consultants? (n=531)

No

During the fall of 2011, what percentage of the writing center consultants were undergraduate students? See Notes 2b & 4. (n=449)

100

During the spring of 2012, what percentage of the writing center consultants were undergraduate students? See Notes 2b & 4. (n=450)

100

How many consultants who worked in the writing center during the fall of 2011 were undergraduate students? See Notes 2b & 4. (n=448)

15

How many consultants who worked in the writing center during the spring of 2012 were undergraduate students? See Notes 2b & 4. (n=449)

15

How are consultants working in the writing center initally trained?

Undergraduate students (n=505)
Full-credit courseYes
Half-credit course
Weekly meetings
Monthly meetings
Workshops before the semester
No training required
Other

What on-going professional development opportunities are offered for consultants working in the writing center?

Undergraduate students (n=461)
Attendance at national conferences
Attendance at regional conferences
Presenting at national conferences
Presenting at regional conferences
Reading professional journals
Outside speakers
Weekly meetings
Semester inservice or workshopYes
Written reflections on daily and/or semester work
Meet with director
No opportunities available
Other

How are consultants working in the writing center compensated?

Undergraduate students (n=509)
Hourly wageYes
Stipend
Tuition waver
Course creditYes
Faculty salary
Release time
Other

Writing centers--Course-based Peer Tutoring

Does your institution have a writing fellows (course-based peer tutoring) program? (n=577)

Yes

How old is the writing fellows program? (n=144)

20+ years

How is the writing fellows program funded? (n=144)

Writing program budget

Do the writing fellows work both as fellows and in the writing center? (n=145)

Students work both as writing fellows and writing center tutors.

Do the writing fellows regularly attend the class they are assigned to work with? (n=142)

Yes

On average, how many students does each writing fellow work with for a course? (n=131)

12

How are the writing fellows compensated? (n=144)

Stipend

Course credit

Administrative structures

Who has primary responsibility for administering first-year writing requirement? (n=565)

Director of writing program/chair of writing department

Are there others who help to administer the FYW program? (n=586)

No

Who has primary responsibility for administering the WAC program? (n=263)

WACD

How is the WAC director position classified? (n=63)

TT

Where does the WAC director's tenure line reside? (n=42)

Rhetoric/ composition/writing

To whom does the WAC director report? (n=65)

CAO

Was the WAC director hired for this position? (n=64)

No

If the WAC director was not hired for this position, how did he/she assume these responsibilities? (n=26)

Other

Are there others who help to administer the WAC program? (n=209)

Yes

If others help to administer the WAC program, how many? (n=58)

2

Who has primary responsibility for administering the writing center? (n=546)

Separate writing center director or coordinator (WCD)

How is the WCD or LCD position classified? (n=410)

TT

Where does the WCD or LCD's tenure line reside? (n=118)

Rhetoric/ composition/writing

To whom does the WCD or LCD report? (n=402)

Chair of the department

Was the WCD or LCD director hired for this position? (n=401)

No

If the WCD or LCD director was not hired for this position, how did he/she assume these responsibilities? (n=104)

The position rotates among faculty in the department.

Are there others who help to administer the writing center? (n=403)

Yes

If others help to administer the writing center, how many? (n=326)

3

What is the teaching load for writing administrators?

Average faculty member (n=501)FYWD (n=265)WAC director (n=62)WCD (n=387)
0-0
0-1
1-1
1-2 or 2-1Yes
2-2Yes
2-1-2
2-2-2
2-3 or 3-2
3-3
3-1-2
3-1-3
3-4 or 4-3
4-4
Other
VariesYes

What are the job responsibilities for writing administrators?

FYWD (n=267)WAC director (n=63)WCD (n=392)
Teach courses in the first-year writing program
Teach courses in the writing program/department (Not FYW)
Teach courses outside the writing program/department
Assess all or some aspects of the writing programYes
Assess the development of student writing on campusYes
Conduct faculty development with faculty across the disciplinesYes
Conduct TA training
Consult with individual faculty across the disciplinesYes
Consult with departments across the disciplinesYes
Supervise professional staff (writing center director, asst.director, admin asst.)Yes
Supervise tutors (professional and/or peer)Yes
Hire professional staff
Hire tutorsYes
Schedule writing courses
Schedule writing centerYes
Place students into writing courses
Facilitate placement exam
Oversee curriculum development
Train professional staff
Train peer tutors
Advertise program
Oversee program budgetYes
Tutor students
Plan events
Serve on university committeesYes
Maintain program websiteYes
Serve as an academic advisorYesYes
Offer student workshops
Oversee exemption and/or transfer creditYes
Other