University of California-Merced2017 Institution Survey
The undergraduate and graduate writing major and minor--Description of Undergraduate Major
The undergraduate and graduate writing major and minor--Description of Undergraduate Minor
What areas of writing can students specialize in as part of the minor? Check all that apply.
Professional writing
Rhetoric/ composition
The undergraduate and graduate writing major and minor--Description of Graduate Programs
Does your institution offer a masters degree (MA) in writing (not creative writing)?
No
Does your institution have a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) program in writing (not creative writing)?
No
The undergraduate and graduate writing major and minor--Changes to the Major, Minor, or Graduate Programs
Since the academic year 2012/13, have there been changes to the undergraduate writing major or minor?
No
Do you foresee changes to the administrative, curricular, or support structures of the writing major, minor, or graduate programs at your institution over the next four years?
Yes
Feel free to explain any forthcoming changes.
We are proposing a writing major. Our home personnel department is no longer going to be generalized Humanities and World Cultures; instead, we are going to form a Global Arts, Media, and Writing Studies department, though global Arts and Writing will have separate ownership over their respective curricula.
Basic or Developmental Writing--Basic or Developmental Writing
Does your institution identify basic writing students who may need additional writing support?
Yes
How does the institution identify basic writers? Check all that apply.
SAT/ACT scores
International ELL Placement Test
What type of supports are available for basic writers? Check all that apply.
Required basic writing course
Peer tutoring
Tutoring from WPA or WCD
Workshops
What is the institutional home of the basic writing program?
Writing department/program
What is the structure of your basic writing program? Check all that apply. (See Glossary for an explanation of terms)
Stretch model
What is the curriculum of the basic writing courses? Check all that apply.
Reading and writing
Other
What is the curriculum of the basic writing courses? Check all that apply. - Other - Text
catalog: "Development of critical reading, thinking, and academic writing ability. Intensive practice in analysis of college-level texts and in expository writing and revision."
How do students exit basic writing? Check all that apply.
Passing grade in basic writing course
Porfolio submission
Basic or Developmental Writing--Changes to Basic or Developmental Writing
Do you foresee changes to the administrative, curricular, or support structures for helping diversely prepared students at your institution over the next four years?
Yes
Feel free to explain your answer.
Our campus writing center, which is linked to the writing program in oversight and curriculum, has its first permanent director beginning July 2018. The establishment of the writing center will enhance the support of all writers, particularly English Language Learners.
Writing centers--General description
Does your institution have a writing center or learning center with writing tutors?
Yes
Is the writing center free-standing or part of another institutional unit?
Free-standing
Where is the writing center located? Note: From this point on writing center refers to both free-standing and those located within another unit.
Library
How are the goals assessed?
Student feedback forms
Faculty feedback
Center usage statistics
In addition to providing support for students writing for their courses, what services does the writing center offer? Check all that apply.
Assistance with writing in a language other than English
Assistance with online research
Assistance with oral presentations
Assistance with how to prepare a poster presentation
Assistance with job materials
Assistance with graduate school materials
Assistance for English Language Learners
What events does the writing center offer?
Student workshops
Space for student to come together to write
Student writing groups
Writing centers--Consultations
What type of appointments does the writing center offer?
scheduled face-to-face appts
drop-in face-to-face appts
What is the average length of a consultation or tutorial session offered?
45 minutes
What percentage of the undergraduate student body had a writing center consultation during the 2016-17 academic year?
8
Writing centers--Consultants
How many consultants worked in the writing center during the 2016-17 academic year? UG=undergraduates, GS=graduate students, Fac=faculty, PT=professional tutors, Vol=volunteers
UG-8
On average, what percentage of a week's consultations are staffed by each group? For example, if your center offers 100 hours of consultations a week and 50 hours are filled by undergraduates and 25 hours by both graduate students and professional tutors, then the percentage would be 50% undergraduate, 25% graduate students, and 25% professional tutors.
UG-100
How are undergraduate consultants initially trained?
Full-credit course
Staff meetings
Workshops before semester begins
What on-going professional development opportunities are provided undergraduate consultants?
Attend national conferences
Attend regional conferences
Present at regional conferences
Read professional journals
Staff meetings
Semester inservice or workshop
Reflections
Meeting with Director
Writing centers--Administration
In addition to the person who has primary responsibility, how many undergraduates, graduate students, staff members, or faculty members have administrative responsibilities for the writing center?
0
Writing centers--Changes
Since the academic year 2012/13 have there been changes to the writing center at your institution (not including staffing)?
Yes
Since the academic year 2012/13 have there been changes to the staffing or administration of the writing center at your institution?
Yes
What changes were made to the staffing or administration of the writing center?
Full-time Writing Center Admininstrator Position Created
Peer tutor positions increased
Feel free to explain these upcoming changes.
In July 1, 2018, the first permanent writing program director will begin in this position. That will continue to strengthen and possibly expand our writing center.
Writing Fellows (Embedded Writing Tutors)--General information
Does your institution have a writing fellows program? (See glossary for definitions)
Yes
Writing Fellows (Embedded Writing Tutors)--Staffing
Do the writing fellows work both as fellows and in the writing center?
Students work both as writing fellows and writing center tutors.
Do the writing fellows regularly attend the class they are assigned to work with?
Yes
Multilingual Writing Support--Multilingual Writing Support: General
Is there support for domestic and international English Language Learners (ELLs)?
Yes, for both domestic and international
What percentage of the student body is placed into ELL writing courses, both required and optional?
65
What is the institutional home of the ELL writing courses?
Writing deparment or program
Who has primary responsibility for administering support for English Language Learners?
Full-time tenure line director/coordinator
Multilingual Writing Support--Multilingual Writing Support: Domestic Students
Does your institution identify domestic English Language Learners (ELLs) who may need additional writing support?
Yes
How does the institution identify domestic English Language Learners? Check all that apply.
SAT/ACT scores
International ELL Placement Test
Admissions office/Student Affairs referral
Student self-referral
What type of supports are available for domestic English Language Learners (ELLs)? Check all that apply.
Required basic writing course
Peer tutoring
Tutoring from WPA or WCD
Workshops
Multilingual Writing Support--Multilingual Writing Support: International Students
Does your institution identify international English Language Learners (ELLs) who may need additional writing support?
Yes
How does the institution identify International English Language Learners? Check all that apply.
SAT/ACT scores
TOEFL scores
International ELL Placement Test
Admissions office/Student Affairs referral
Student self-referral
What type of supports are available for International English Language Learners (ELLs)? Check all that apply.
Required basic writing course
Peer tutoring
Tutoring from WPA or WCD
Workshops
Multilingual Writing Support--Changes to Multilingual Writing Support
Since AY 2012/13, have there been changes to the support for English Language Learners (ELLs)?
No
Do you foresee changes to the administrative, curricular, or support structures for helping diversely prepared students at your institution over the next four years?
Yes
Feel free to explain your answer.
Our campus writing center, which is linked to the writing program in oversight and curriculum, has its first permanent director beginning July 2018. The establishment of the writing center will enhance the support of all writers, particularly English Language Learners.