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The MU Campus Writing Program is a 2004 Recipient of the CCCC Writing Program Certification of Excellence

Development and Structure of the Campus Writing Program

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The Campus Writing Program developed in response to a call from faculty for improved undergraduate composition skills. In October of 1983, Arts and Science Dean Milton Glick and Provost Ronald Bunn convened a Task Force on English Composition which recommended creation of a “writing-across-the-curriculum” program that would distribute resources among all departments. In the following year, a campus-wide faculty committee known as the Campus Writing Board was formed for the purpose of approving any courses to be designated as “Writing Intensive.” The Director of the Campus Writing Program was to be an arm of the Board, and the Program would offer faculty information about writing-across-the-curriculum principles. In the Fall of 1985, Director Doug Hunt was hired and faculty were appointed to the Board by the Dean and the Provost. In Fall 1986, all colleges on campus elected a new writing requirement (basic composition, followed by one Writing Intensive course) to become effective for students entering in Fall 1987.

In Fall 1989, the faculty approved a second WI course requirement, effective for students entering in Fall 1993. Director Martha Townsend was hired in 1991, with the primary charge of developing the new second tier of WI courses at the upper-division level in every department offering an undergraduate degree. As the chronological development below illustrates, WI courses have been an embedded, stable part of MU's undergraduate curriculum for many years. The Campus Writing Board has proved to be one of the campus's most proactive committees. The Board continues to ensure the integrity of the WI roster of courses while still allowing for necessary changes to WI policy over time, such as the recent addition of a summer WI offering in Journalism. After fifteen years as CWP Director, Townsend stepped down in 2006 and is replaced by Interim Director Aaron Krawitz, professor emeritus from Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering. A national search is being conducted in 2006-07 for a permanent director.

WINTER 1985–FALL 1987

After the initial stage, during which time faculty and students experimented with writing-across-the-curriculum principles, the first WI courses were offered for credit in the Winter 1988 semester.

WINTER 1988–WINTER 2006

The two-course requirement became effective for students entering MU in Fall 1993.

*Fall 2005: WI tutors moved to Learning Center; total tutor hours not available.

DEMOGRAPHICS
Ph.D.-granting public university
21,375 undergraduate, 6,610 graduate and professional students; 1,707 full-time ranked faculty and 12,143 full-time staff
1,482 faculty at Campus Writing Program workshops since 1984
Over 130 Writing Intensive courses offered each semester

MU's THREE-PART WRITING REQUIREMENT
Through the English Department: English 1000, a one-semester, first-year composition course.
Through the Campus Writing Program: Two WI courses.
One WI course may be taken in any discipline; the other must be an upper-division WI course in the major. The Campus Writing Board reviews and approves courses as writing-intensive. Departments, not the Campus Writing Board, determine which WI courses may count as "upper-division courses in the major."

A grade of C- or better is required in English 1000 or 1000H, as well as in both Writing Intensive courses, in order to meet MU's General Education Requirements.

See the Writing Intensive Requirements at: http://generaleducation.missouri.edu/requirements/writing.html

See the General Education Requirements at: http://generaleducation.missouri.edu/requirements/

Note: According to the Coordinating Board of Higher Education Articulation Agreement, students who transfer to MU with an AA degree have fulfilled the "first" WI course and need to take only the "second," upper-division in-the-major WI course.

PROGRAM COMPONENTS
25-member faculty cross-disciplinary, policy-making Campus Writing Board
WI course-approval process, conducted by the Campus Writing Board
graduate teaching assistants assigned to specific courses
biannual faculty development workshops
biannual teaching assistant/faculty workshops
informal, regular WI faculty discussion sessions
discipline-specific workshops
outside speakers
collaborative faculty research projects
program publication, The Writery

ONGOING, MULTIMODAL EVALUATION COMPONENTS
end-of-semester interviews with WI faculty
student course evaluations
course files, including assignments and syllabi
faculty and student attitude surveys
faculty case studies
workshop evaluations
alumni telephone survey
Writing Program Administrators external review

STAFF
Interim Director Aaron Krawitz, Professor Emeritus of Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering
Assistant Director, Faculty Fellow, one support staff

REPORTING
Provost
Dean of Arts and Science
25-member faculty cross-disciplinary, policy-making Campus Writing Board