Winthrop 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)

Yes

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

No

If not part of the writing program or department, what is the institutional home for writing in the disciplines? (n=184)

Other

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)

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)

English department

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)

English department

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)

Mid-level writing course

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)

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)

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.

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.
Writing program director (n=108)
Writing center director (n=37)
Associate dean (n=18)
Faculty committee (n=119)Yes
Registrar (n=10)
Chair of the department (n=75)
Other (n=121)YesYesYesYes

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.
Writing program director (n=106)Yes
Writing center director (n=65)
Writing program faculty (n=105)Yes
English department faculty (n=150)YesYes
Faculty from other disciplines than writing and English (n=163)YesYes
Readers outside the institution (n=15)
Associate dean (n=22)
Registrar (n=13)
Other (n=63)Yes

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)

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)

Yes

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

The writing requirement was changed.

The writing requirement was expanded.

A mid-level required course was added.

Departments are required to articulate their goals and writing requirements.

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 expanded.

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)

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)

Other

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

No

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 expand the writing program or sites of writing on campus

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

By when must the second semester course be completed? (n=316)

Second semester, first year

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

FYC

FYS

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

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

Yes

Does your institution allow students to place out of FYS? (n=58)

No

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

Does your institution accept transfer credit for FYS? (n=53)

No

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

Registrar

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

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

Yes

Are there explicit goals for FYS? (n=61)

Yes

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

Yes

How are the goals for FYW courses assessed?

FYWS (n=66)FYC (n=381)FYS (n=47)
Paper portfolio
E-portfolio
Random sampleYes
ExamYes
Professor evaluationYesYes
None
Course evaluation
Student survey
Other

Who participates in the assessment of the goals for FYW courses?

FYWS (n=53)FYC (n=326)FYS (n=41)
WPAYes
Writing facultyYesYes
Institutional facultyYes
Outside evaluators
English faculty
Department chair
OtherYes

First-year writing/English composition--Curriculum

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

WAC/Topic Based

Other

What is the other content of the FYC requirement?

Writing assignments that promote the development of academic discourse, that is, argumentative and persuasive writing.

What is the content of the FYS requirement? See Note 5. (n=60)

Themes

WAC/Topic Based

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

Yes

Is there a common syllabus for FYS courses? (n=61)

Yes

First-year writing/English composition--Enrollment Caps

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

15

What is the enrollment cap for honors sections of FYS? (n=29)

15

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

20

What is the enrollment cap for regular sections of FYS? (n=60)

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

In the 2011-12 academic year, what percentage of FYS courses were taught by: See Note 2a. (n=54)

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

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

Yes

Is there faculty or professional development available for those teaching FYS? (n=61)

Yes

What form does the faculty development take for FYW faculty?

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

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

No

Do those attending faculty development for FYS receive additional compensation? (n=57)

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)

Directed self-placement

Placement test

Admissions office/ student affairs referral

Advisor referral

Faculty referral

Student self-referral

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

Peer tutoring

Professional tutoring, not the WPA or WCD

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)

Peer tutoring

Professional tutoring, not the WPA or WCD

Workshops

Other

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

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)

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)

Yes

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.

Writing goals are embedded into a mid-level foundations course.

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.

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)

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)

Yes

What areas of writing can students specialize in as part of the major? (n=230)

Professional writing

Technical writing

Rhetoric/ composition

Creative writing

In which department is the major housed? (n=245)

English

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

Creative writing

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

English

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)

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

Faculty feedback

Center usage statistics

Other

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

Face-to-face consultations

Assistance with oral presentations

Assistance with how to lead a class discussion

Writing centers--Consultations

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

2,204

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

1,759

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

144

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

What percentage of the undergraduate student body had a writing center consultation during the 2011-12 academic year? See Notes 2a & 4. (n=316)

33

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)

367

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

Other

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)

69

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

31

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

78

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

22

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

9

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

4

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

14

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

4

How are consultants working in the writing center initally trained?

Undergraduate students (n=505)Graduate students (n=251)
Full-credit courseYesYes
Half-credit course
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 conferencesYesYes
Attendance at regional conferencesYesYes
Presenting at national conferences
Presenting at regional conferencesYesYes
Reading professional journalsYesYes
Outside speakersYesYes
Weekly meetings
Semester inservice or workshop
Written reflections on daily and/or semester work
Meet with directorYesYes
No opportunities available
Other

How are consultants working in the writing center compensated?

Undergraduate students (n=509)Graduate students (n=263)
Hourly wageYes
StipendYes
Tuition waverYes
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)

No

Administrative structures

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

FYWD

How is the FYWD position classified? (n=274)

TT

Where does the FYWD's tenure line reside? (n=228)

English

To whom does the FYWD report? (n=272)

Chair of the department

Was the FYWD director hired for this position? (n=261)

No

If the FYWD director was not hired for this position, how did he/she assume these responsibilities? (n=128)

Previous director retired or left the position.

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)

1

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

Faculty committee

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

No

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

FYWD

Associate dean or provost

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)

2

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 2-1
2-2Yes
2-1-2
2-2-2
2-3 or 3-2Yes
3-3
3-1-2
3-1-3
3-4 or 4-3
4-4Yes
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 programYesYes
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 staff
Hire tutorsYes
Schedule writing coursesYes
Schedule writing centerYes
Place students into writing courses
Facilitate placement exam
Oversee curriculum developmentYes
Train professional staff
Train peer tutorsYes
Advertise programYes
Oversee program budgetYes
Tutor students
Plan eventsYes
Serve on university committeesYesYes
Maintain program websiteYes
Serve as an academic advisorYesYes
Offer student workshops
Oversee exemption and/or transfer credit
Other