University of California-Santa Barbara2013 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)

independent 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)

Yes

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

No

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)

Yes

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

No

If not part of the writing program or department, what is the institutional home for the graduate writing program? (n=114)

Other

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)

No

If not part of the writing program or department, what is the institutional home for the writing center? (n=487)

Other

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

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

Other

What other writing requirements does your institution have?

We also have an upper division writing requirement.

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

Yes

What curricular requirements have writing as an explicit goal? (n=342)

There are other requirements where writing is an explicit goal.

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)

Yes

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

A longitudinal study is conducted.

The goals are not assessed.

Sites of writing--National Survey of Student Engagement

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

No

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)

No

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)

A WPA/WCD position was converted to a faculty position.

Additional full-time WPA/WCD positions were created.

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)

An undergraduate writing major was dropped.

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)

Full-time, non-tenure-line teaching positions were added.

Tenure-line teaching positions were added.

Adjunct faculty positions were converted into full-time, non-tenure-line teaching positions.

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 assessment

Changes to the types of staffing

First-year writing/English composition--General Description

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

Yes

How many semesters/courses of first-year writing are required? (n=575)

1

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

FYC

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

Does your institution allow students to place out of FYC? (n=443)

Yes

What is your program's placement mechanism?

FYWS (n=18)FYC (n=373)
SAT/ACT
AP/IBYes
CLEP
In-house exam
Directed self-placement
Portfolio
Dual enrollment/ transfer
Other

Does your institution accept transfer credit for FYC? (n=454)

Yes

Who approves transfer credit for FYW courses? (n=539)

Other

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

Are there explicit goals for FYC? (n=463)

Yes

Are FYC goals informed by the WPA Outcomes Statement? (n=416)

Yes

First-year writing/English composition--Curriculum

What is the content of the FYC requirement? See Note 5. (n=456)

Other

What is the other content of the FYC requirement?

study of expectations for writing in different sites - so sort of WAW, but not quite.

Is there a common syllabus for FYC courses? (n=457)

No

First-year writing/English composition--Enrollment Caps

What is the enrollment cap for honors sections of FYC? (n=261)

Varies by semester

What is the enrollment cap for regular sections of FYC? (n=451)

26-29

What is the enrollment cap for basic writing sections of FYC? (n=286)

20

First-year writing/English composition--Staffing

In the 2011-12 academic year, what percentage of FYC courses were taught by: See Note 2a. (n=422)

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%YesYesYesYesYesYesYes
1-5%YesYes
6-15%
16-25%Yes
26-35%Yes
36-50%Yes
51-60%
61-75%
76-85%
86-99%
100%

Is there faculty or professional development available for those teaching FYC? (n=457)

Yes

What form does the faculty development take for FYW faculty?

FYWS (n=70)FYC (n=373)
Requried pedagogy course taught by the WPAYes
Required faculty development workshopsYes
Optional graduate pedagogy courseYes
Optional faculty development workshopsYes
Individual meetings with the WPA/WCDYes
OtherYes

Do those attending faculty development for FYC receive additional compensation? (n=411)

Sometimes

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)

SAT/ ACT scores

Placement test

Faculty referral

Student self-referral

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

Special sections of FYW

Summer bridge program

Peer tutoring

Professional tutoring, not the WPA or WCD

Workshops

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)

Summer bridge program

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)

Intensive English program

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)

Yes

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)

No

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

The course is similar to a writing-intensive course.

Other

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.

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)

10-15 years

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

5

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)

Other

Who administers WAC assessment?

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

Who participates in WAC assessment?

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

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

Number of pages or words written

Written or verbal feedback from instructor

Other criteria

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

Other faculty committee

Other

Are there incentives offered for faculty to teach a WI course? (n=132)

No

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

No

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)

Professional writing

Technical writing

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)

Yes

In which department is the masters program housed? (n=100)

Other

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

Yes

In which department is the Ph.D. program housed? (n=47)

Other

Does the graduate coursework include a course on writing program administration? (n=47)

Yes, optional

Does the graduate coursework include a course on writing center studies? (n=47)

No, not offered

Roughly how many graduate students in your program complete their Ph.D.s each year? (n=40)

1-3

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)

Tutoring center

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)

Other

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

No

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

Yes

How are the goals assessed? (n=423)

Student feedback forms

Faculty feedback

Center usage statistics

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

Face-to-face consultations

Writing centers--Consultations

How many face-to-face consultations were conducted in the Fall of 2011? See Notes 2b & 4. (n=440)

2,534

How many face-to-face consultations were conducted in the Spring of 2012? See Notes 2b & 4. (n=440)

1,760

How many face-to-face consultations were conducted in the Summer of 2012? See Notes 2b & 4. (n=428)

253

How many online consultations were conducted in the Fall of 2011? See Notes 2b & 4. (n=427)

0

How many online consultations were conducted in the Spring of 2012? See Note 2b & 4. (n=427)

0

How many online consultations were conducted in the Summer of 2012? See Notes 2b & 4. (n=425)

0

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

Yes

How many writing center consultations did your center conduct with graduate students during the 2011-12 academic year? See Notes 2a & 4. (n=184)

112

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)

Yes

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

No

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

Yes

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

66

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

4

During the fall of 2011, what percentage of the writing center consultants were professional tutors? See Notes 2b & 4. (n=113)

4

During the fall of 2011, what percentage of the writing center consultants were other personnel? See Notes 2b & 4. (n=36)

26

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

66

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

4

During the spring of 2012, what percentage of the writing center consultants were professional tutors? See Notes 2b & 4. (n=112)

4

During the spring of 2012, what percentage of the writing center consultants were other writing personnel? See Notes 2b & 4. (n=36)

26

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

18

How many consultants who worked in the writing center during the fall of 2011 were graduate students? See Notes 2b & 4. (n=227)

1

How many consultants who worked in the writing center during the fall of 2011 were professional tutors? See Notes 2b & 4. (n=112)

1

How many consultants who worked in the writing center during the fall of 2011 were other personnel? See Notes 2b & 4. (n=37)

7

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

18

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

1

How many consultants who worked in the writing center during the spring of 2012 were professional tutors? See Notes 2b & 4. (n=111)

1

How many consultants who worked in the writing center during the spring of 2012 were other personnel? See Notes 2b & 4. (n=37)

7

How are consultants working in the writing center initally trained?

Undergraduate students (n=505)Graduate students (n=251)Faculty who teach in the writing program (n=124)Faculty who teach in other academic departments (n=45)Professional tutors (n=113)Other (n=14)
Full-credit course
Half-credit course
Weekly meetings
Monthly meetings
Workshops before the semesterYesYesYesYes
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)Faculty who teach in the writing program (n=54)Faculty who teach in other academic departments (n=42)Professional tutors (n=106)Other (n=14)
Attendance at national conferences
Attendance at regional conferences
Presenting at national conferences
Presenting at regional conferences
Reading professional journalsYesYesYesYes
Outside speakersYesYesYesYes
Weekly meetings
Semester inservice or workshopYesYesYesYes
Written reflections on daily and/or semester workYesYesYesYes
Meet with directorYesYesYesYes
No opportunities availableYesYesYesYes
Other

How are consultants working in the writing center compensated?

Undergraduate students (n=509)Graduate students (n=263)Faculty who teach in the writing program (n=132)Faculty who teach in other academic departments (n=45)Professional tutors (n=127)Other (n=22)
Hourly wageYesYesYesYes
Stipend
Tuition waver
Course credit
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 center 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)

No

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

15+

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

Hourly wage

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)

Yes

If others help to administer the FYW program, how many? (n=347)

5+

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

No one