April 1, 2003
A New Foundation for Expression
University Plans Comprehensive, Multi-year Writing
Program
By Greg
Licamele
The University will lay a new foundation of fundamental skills for undergraduates
beginning this fall as a new freshman writing seminar and subsequent
discipline-based writing courses are introduced. As part of GW’s
strategic plan, which also includes increased graduate assistant support,
identified areas of academic excellence, and an improved business and
service model, the redesigned writing instruction will focus on developing
the critical communication skill, as well as enhancing student engagement.
Donald R. Lehman, executive vice president for academic affairs, says
over the next three years, it is expected that $1 million will be invested
in the program beyond the reallocation of funds from the current English
9, 10, and 11 instruction, with $350,000 earmarked for this fall.
“Good writing and good thinking are closely linked,” says
Sally Koblinsky, an American Council on Education Fellow who is part
of GW’s writing task force. “Writing is a process that develops
over time. What’s exciting about this writing program is that in
addition to a redesigned freshman course, there will be writing in the
disciplines.”
Almost one-third of the incoming freshman class will be randomly assigned
to “University 20” this fall, while the majority will continue
to enroll in “English 10” and “English 11.” In fall
2004, approximately two-thirds of that freshman class will take the
new seminar. Lehman says full implementation of the writing seminar,
which all students must take, is scheduled for fall 2005. Students who
meet the minimum grade requirement for the seminar then will be eligible
for content-specific classes designated as writing intensive during
their sophomore and junior years.
“‘University 20’ is a writing course thematically linked
to the academic platform and courses after that,” notes William
Frawley, dean of the Columbian College of Arts and Sciences. “The
disciplinary areas are then linked to writing, under the assumption
that students are engaged in the project and hard thinking about their
discipline, presenting the framework to enhance their writing.”
A four-credit course, “University 20” will aim for consistency
in all sections, focusing on the writing process centered around a theme,
says Craig Linebaugh, associate vice president for academic planning
and special projects.
“There will be a minimum of three writing assignments that will
go through predraft, draft, and revision stages, with a total of 25–30
finished pages,” says Linebaugh, adding that faculty members will
be recruited to teach these seminars.
Lehman says the biggest concerns current students have with “English
10” and “English 11” are the varied expectations and
writing requirements.
“Whatever the writing requirements are, the students would like
a measure of uniformity,” Lehman says.
Cheryl Beil, director of academic planning and assessment, says research
exploring undergraduate study patterns shows students are spending less
time on their classwork than is expected. She says the strategic planning
committee is using the multi-year writing program as one way to address
student engagement.
Beil says faculty members recently completed a survey in which they
were asked to report the amount and types of writing assigned in their
undergraduate courses and the expectations of skills they want students
to have mastered before taking a writing-intensive course.
“Uniformly, the survey says we need to improve writing, and writing
is one way to engage students,” Beil says. “The issue is how
do we do it in all of the disciplines.”
Beginning in fall 2004, discipline-based writing courses will be offered
for the approximately 700 students who will have completed the introductory
course during the 2003–04 academic year. The writing-across-the-curriculum
classes will focus on such materials as laboratory reports, business-related
writing, and case reports, as well as traditional research papers.
Beil says a recent survey of School of Engineering and Applied Science
alumni shows they rated their technical instruction first rate, but
the graduates noted that two of the most essential skills in the workplace
— writing effectively and communicating well orally — were
not emphasized in their undergraduate training.
“Each department will identify the kinds of professional writing
for their discipline, be it research reports, program evaluations, or
business memos,” Koblinsky says. “They can then integrate
those kinds of assignments in their courses so students can have experience.”
Linebaugh says the importance of writing is being reflected throughout
higher education as many universities have been implementing revised
writing programs, especially focused on articulating arguments clearly.
“Once you work your thoughts out and have something you want to
communicate, the clarity of the writing that comes out is crucial,”
Linebaugh says. “You may have the best ideas in the world, but
if you’re not communicating effectively, they may be misinterpreted.”
“Writing is connected to speaking,” Frawley says. “A
writing program like this provides a way for faculty and students to
engage in conversation over a document, which will then promote mentoring
and partnering.”
Lehman says two key partners in this program are the Writing Center
and Gelman Library. Each organization will expand its role and instill
strong writing and research skills. Lehman says an acting director will
be named to oversee the new writing seminar. A national search will
be conducted for a director who will lead the entire writing program
and report to the Columbian College dean.
The writing program, Lehman says, also is an important element of the
larger strategic plan for academic excellence by creating a more robust
learning environment.
“We want to evolve the academic culture at the undergraduate level,
along with the increasing quality of students coming in,” Lehman
says, “so when students depart, they are prepared to contribute
to society.”
Send feedback to: bygeorge@gwu.edu
