Purdue University2013 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)

English Department

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

Yes

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

Yes

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

No

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

No

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

Yes

Is the undergraduate writing major part of the writing program or department? (n=263)

Yes

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

No

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

Yes

Is the graduate program part of the writing program or department? (n=157)

Yes

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)

No

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

First-year composition predominately taught by English and/or Writing department (FYC)

Other

What other writing requirements does your institution have?

business or technical writing and other professional writing courses; also each department may have other requirements

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)

I don't know.

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

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

Yes

How did the writing program change? (n=346)

A writing center was merged with a learning commons.

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 the administrative structures

Changes to eliminate or consolidate aspects of 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 are in a period of major transition. I do not know what to expect.

First-year writing/English composition--General Description

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

Yes

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)

Yes

How does the institution identify these students? (n=483)

Placement test

Admissions office/ student affairs referral

Faculty referral

Student self-referral

What types of supports are available to those students? (n=489)

Special sections of FYW

Peer tutoring

Workshops

Other

Identifying and supporting diversely-prepared students--Basic Writing

Does your institution have a formal basic writing program? (n=493)

No

Identifying and supporting diversely-prepared students--Support for English Language Learners

Is there support for English Language Learners (ELLs)? (n=484)

Yes

Is support for ELLs separate from basic writing? (n=417)

Yes

What type of supports are available for ELLs? (n=412)

Targeted optional writing courses

Summer bridge program

Peer tutoring

Other

Does your institution offer ELL writing classes? (n=408)

Yes

How are students identified and/or placed into ELL writing courses? (n=239)

SAT/ACT/TOFEL

Placement test

What is the institutional home of the ELL writing courses? (n=241)

Other

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)

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)

English department

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)

Academic building

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

Yes

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

Yes

How are the goals assessed? (n=423)

Student feedback forms

Center usage statistics

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

Face-to-face consultations

Assistance with Powerpoint or other presentation software

Assistance with new media

Assistance with how to lead a class discussion

Tutoring in other subject areas

Other

What other services does the writing center offer?

Workshops on request for classes in disciplines across the curriculum. Also, some WAC projects.

Writing centers--Consultations

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

Yes

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

30 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)

Yes

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)

47

During the fall of 2011, what percentage of the writing center consultants were graduate students? See Notes 2b & 4. (n=228)

53

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

47

During the spring of 2012, what percentage of the writing center consultants were graduate students? See Notes 2b & 4. (n=228)

53

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 fall of 2011 were graduate students? See Notes 2b & 4. (n=227)

17

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 many consultants who worked in the writing center during the spring of 2012 were graduate students? See Notes 2b & 4. (n=227)

17

How are consultants working in the writing center initally trained?

Undergraduate students (n=505)Graduate students (n=251)
Full-credit courseYes
Half-credit courseYes
Weekly meetings
Monthly meetingsYesYes
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)Graduate students (n=237)
Attendance at national conferencesYes
Attendance at regional conferencesYes
Presenting at national conferences
Presenting at regional conferences
Reading professional journalsYes
Outside speakersYes
Weekly meetings
Semester inservice or workshop
Written reflections on daily and/or semester work
Meet with directorYes
No opportunities available
Other

How are consultants working in the writing center compensated?

Undergraduate students (n=509)Graduate students (n=263)
Hourly wageYes
Stipend
Tuition waver
Course credit
Faculty salary
Release time
OtherYes

Writing centers--Course-based Peer Tutoring

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

No

Administrative structures

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)

English

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

Chair of the department

Other

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

Yes

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)

1

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
1-1Yes
1-2 or 2-1
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
Varies

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)Yes
Teach courses outside the writing program/department
Assess all or some aspects of the writing program
Assess the development of student writing on campus
Conduct faculty development with faculty across the disciplinesYes
Conduct TA trainingYes
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 staffYes
Hire tutorsYes
Schedule writing courses
Schedule writing center
Place students into writing courses
Facilitate placement exam
Oversee curriculum development
Train professional staffYes
Train peer tutors
Advertise programYes
Oversee program budgetYes
Tutor studentsYes
Plan eventsYes
Serve on university committeesYes
Maintain program website
Serve as an academic advisorYes
Offer student workshops
Oversee exemption and/or transfer credit
OtherYes