University of Massachusetts Amherst2017 Institution Survey

Institutional requirements and goals--Writing Requirement

Does your institution have a writing requirement?

Yes

What does the writing requirement at your institution consist of?

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

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?

Yes

What curricular requirements have writing as an explicit goal?

other requirements

What other curricular requirements have writing as an explicit goal?

General Education courses with Social World designations are expected to include some writing

Is oral communication a component of an institutional writing requirement?

Other

What are other approaches to oral communication?

Oral communication is mentioned as part of a capstone general education requirement

Institutional requirements and goals--College Writing Goals

Are there institution-wide student writing goals?

Yes

Have the goals been influenced by the WPA Outcomes Statement?

No

Are the goals assessed at the institutional level?

Yes

What are other approaches to assessment of institutional goals?

A faculty senate committee (University Writing Committee) conducts five-year reviews of different aspects of the Writing Program

Institutional requirements and goals--Writing Committee

Does your institution have a writing committee?

Yes

Who serves on the committee?

Writing Across the Curriculum Administrator

Writing Program Director/Chair of Writing

Faculty across the disciplines

Students

Other

Who else serves on the writing committee?

Provost or designee; Secretary of Faculty Senate (non-voting)

Institutional requirements and goals--National Survey of Student Engagement

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

Yes

How does your writing program use the NSSE data?

Data used to argue for additional resources.

Data used to promote the writing program.

Institutional requirements and goals--Changes to Writing Program

Were there changes to the writing requirement since the academic year 2012-13?

No

Were there changes to the assessment of writing at your institution since the 2012-13 academic year?

No

Do you foresee changes at the institutional level to the sites of writing on your campus over the next four years?

No

First-Year Writing--General Description

Does your institution have a first-year writing requirement, whether explicit or embedded?

Yes

What is the institutional home for first-year writing?

Independent writing program

How would you describe your first-year writing requirement? Check all that apply. See Glossary for definitions.

First-Year Composition (FYC)

First-Year Writing--First-Year Composition: Placement & Transfer

In the academic year 2016-17, how many students took FYC?

4500

Does your institution accept alternative credit for first-year composition?

Yes

If your institution accepts alternative credit for FYC, which mechanism is used? Check all that apply.

Transfer credit from another institution

AP/IB results

Other

What percentage of students in AY 2016/17 received alternative credit for a FYC course?

8

Is there a placement mechanism for FYC?

Yes

If there is a placement mechanism for FYC, what is it? Check all that apply.

In-house exam

Portfolio

What percentage of students in AY 2016/17 placed out of a FYC course?

8

First-Year Writing--First-Year Composition: Goals

Are there explicit goals for FYC?

Yes

If there are explicit goals for FYC, are the goals informed by the WPA Outcomes Statement?

Yes

How are the FYC goals assessed? Check all that apply.

Other

First-Year Writing--First-Year Composition: Delivery Methods

In AY 2016/17, did your institution offer face-to-face sections of FYC?

Yes

In AY 2016/17, did your institution offer online sections of FYC?

Yes

In AY 2016/17, did your institution offer hybrid sections of FYC?

No

During the academic year 2016-17, what percentage of sections of FYC were face-to-face?

99

During the academic year 2016-17, what percentage of sections of FYC were online?

1

During the academic year 2016-17, what percentage of sections of FYC were hybrid?

0

First-Year Writing--First-Year Composition: Staffing

Who has primary responsibility for administering the FYC requirement? See the Glossary for an explanation of these terms.

WPD

Beside the person who has primary responsibility for administering FYC, how many graduate students, staff members, or faculty members have administrative responsibilities for FYC?

5+

In the 2016-17 academic year, what percentage of sections of face-to-face FYC were taught by FT, tenure-line faculty in the English Department?

0

In the 2016-17 academic year, what percentage of sections of face-to-face FYC were taught by FT, tenure-line faculty in the rhetoric/composition department or program?

0

In the 2016-17 academic year, what percentage of sections of face-to-face FYC were taught by FT, tenure-line faculty from departments besides English and rhetoric/composition?

0

In the 2016-17 academic year, what percentage of sections of face-to-face FYC were taught by FT, non-tenure line faculty in the English Department?

0

In the 2016-17 academic year, what percentage of sections of face-to-face FYC were taught by FT, non-tenure line faculty in the rhetoric/composition department or program?

0

In the 2016-17 academic year, what percentage of sections of face-to-face FYC were taught by FT, non-tenure line faculty from departments besides English and rhetoric/composition?

0

In the 2016-17 academic year, what percentage of sections of face-to-face FYC were taught by PT faculty (hired by the English Department)?

0

In the 2016-17 academic year, what percentage of sections of face-to-face FYC were taught by PT faculty (hired by the rhetoric/composition department or program)?

0

In the 2016-17 academic year, what percentage of sections of face-to-face FYC were taught by PT faculty (hired by another department/program)?

0

In the 2016-17 academic year, what percentage of sections of face-to-face FYC were taught by graduate students in English?

100

In the 2016-17 academic year, what percentage of sections of face-to-face FYC were taught by graduate students in rhetoric/composition?

0

In the 2016-17 academic year, what percentage of sections of face-to-face FYC were taught by graduate students from departments outside English and rhetoric/composition?

0

In the 2016-17 academic year, what percentage of sections of face-to-face FYC were taught by the first-year writing director?

0

In the 2016-17 academic year, what percentage of sections of face-to-face FYC were taught by Other?

0

In the 2016-17 academic year

0

In the 2016-17 academic year, what percentage of sections of online FYC were taught by FT, tenure-line faculty in the rhetoric/composition department or program?

0

In the 2016-17 academic year, what percentage of sections of online FYC were taught by FT, tenure-line faculty from departments besides English and rhetoric/composition?

0

In the 2016-17 academic year, what percentage of sections of online FYC were taught by FT, non-tenure line faculty in the English Department?

0

In the 2016-17 academic year, what percentage of sections of online FYC were taught by FT, non-tenure line faculty in the rhetoric/composition department or program?

0

In the 2016-17 academic year, what percentage of sections of online FYC were taught by FT, non-tenure line faculty from departments besides English and rhetoric/composition?

0

In the 2016-17 academic year, what percentage of sections of online FYC were taught by PT faculty (hired by the English Department)?

0

In the 2016-17 academic year, what percentage of sections of online FYC were taught by PT faculty (hired by the rhetoric/composition department or program)?

0

In the 2016-17 academic year, what percentage of sections of online FYC were taught by PT faculty (hired by another department/program)?

0

In the 2016-17 academic year, what percentage of sections of online FYC were taught by graduate students in English?

100

In the 2016-17 academic year, what percentage of sections of online FYC were taught by graduate students in rhetoric/composition?

0

In the 2016-17 academic year, what percentage of sections of online FYC were taught by graduate students from departments outside English and rhetoric/composition?

0

In the 2016-17 academic year, what percentage of sections of online FYC were taught by the first-year writing director?

0

In the 2016-17 academic year, what percentage of sections of online FYC were taught by Other?

0

First-Year Writing--First-Year Composition: Training

For FYC, what types of initial training is provided? Check all that apply.

FT-TT English/ Writing FacultyFT-TT Faculty from other disciplinesFT-NTT English/ Writing FacultyFT-NTT Faculty from other disciplinesPart-Time FacultyGraduate Students
Required CourseYes
Required WorkshopsYes
Optional CourseYes
Optional WorkshopsYesYesYes
Individual Meetings with DirectorYesYes
Weekly Staff Meetings
Monthly Staff MeetingsYes
No training is provided
OtherYesYesYes

Do those attending initial training receive additional compensation or course credit?

Yes for anyone teaching a first-year writing course

For FYC, what types of on-going professional development is provided? Check all that apply.

FT-TT English/ Writing FacultyFT-TT Faculty from other disciplinesFT-NTT English/ Writing FacultyFT-NTT Faculty from other disciplinesPart-Time FacultyGraduate Students
Attend ConferencesYesYes
Present at ConferencesYesYesYes
Access to Professional JournalsYesYesYes
Outside SpeakersYesYesYes
Required Weekly Meetings
Optional Weekly MeetingsYes
Required Monthly MeetingsYes
Optional Monthly Meetings
Workshops or In-ServiceYesYesYes
Meetings with DirectorYesYes
OtherYesYesYes

First-Year Writing--First-Year Composition: Curriculum

Which type of scheduling does your institution follow?

Semester

Is there a common syllabus for the first or only semester of FYC?

Yes

What is the content for the first or only semester of FYC? Check all that apply.

Writing about Writing

Research

Other

First-Year Writing--First-Year Composition: Course Caps

In the academic year 2016/17, what was the enrollment cap for Honors sections of the first or only semester of face-to-face FYC?

15

In the academic year 2016/17, what was the enrollment cap for Regular sections of the first or only semester of face-to-face FYC?

15

In the academic year 2016/17, what was the enrollment cap for Basic Writing sections of the first or only semester of face-to-face FYC?

15

First-Year Writing--First-Year Seminar: Course Caps

In the academic year 2016/17, what was the enrollment cap for Regular sections of the first or only semester of online FYS?

15

First-Year Writing--Changes to First-Year Writing

Since AY 2012/13, have there been changes to the first-year writing requirement at your institution?

No

Since AY 2012/13, have there been changes to the first-year writing placement mechanism or how alternate credit is granted at your institution?

Yes

Since AY 2012/13, what have been the changes to the first-year writing placement mechanism or how alternate credit is granted at your institution? Check all that apply.

An exemption for first-year writing was added.

An exemption for first-year writing was dropped.

The placement mechanism changed.

Since AY 2012/13, have there been changes to the first-year writing assessment at your institution?

No

Since AY 2012/13, have there been changes to the first-year curriculum or enrollment caps at your institution?

No

Since AY 2012/13, have there been changes to the administration or staffing of first year writing at your institution?

No

Do you foresee changes to the administrative, curricular, or support structures of first-year writing at your institution over the next four years?

No

Upper Level Writing Courses--Upper Level Writing Courses: General

How many specific writing course(s) beyond the first year does your institution require all students to take? For example, such a course could be a sophomore or junior-level course taught by English or writing faculty. We are NOT asking about writing-intensive courses. The WAC section of the Census will ask about those courses.

1

By which semester must a student complete the first required course beyond FYW?

By graduation

By which semester must a student the second required course beyond FYW?

By graduation

Upper Level Writing Courses--Upper Level Writing Courses: Goals

Does the 1st course beyond FYW have explicit goals?

Yes

If the 1st course has explicit goals, have they been influenced by the WPA Outcomes Statement?

Yes

How are the goals of the 1st course beyond FYW assessed? Check all that apply.

Other

Does the 2nd course beyond FYW have explicit goals?

Yes

If the 2nd course has explicit goals, have they been influenced by the WPA Outcomes Statement?

Yes

How are the goals of the 2nd course beyond FYW assessed? Check all that apply.

Other

Upper Level Writing Courses--Upper Level Writing Courses: Content

What is the content of the 1st course beyond FYW? Check all that apply.

Research writing

Argumentative writing

What is the content of the 2nd course beyond FYW? Check all that apply.

Research writing

Argumentative writing

Writing in the disciplines

Upper Level Writing Courses--Senior Culminating Experience

Does your institution require ALL students complete a senior thesis or other writing-intensive capstone experience?

No

Does your institution require SOME students complete a senior thesis or other writing-intensive capstone experience?

Yes

What are the criteria for some students to complete a senior thesis?

The requirements vary by department.

Upper Level Writing Courses--Changes to Upper Level Writing

Since AY 2012/13, have there been changes to the requirement for writing courses beyond the first year (not writing-intensive)?

No

Writing across the curriculum (WAC)--General Description

Does your institution have a formal WAC Program?

Yes

What does the WAC Program consist of?

WI Courses

Other

What else is part of the WAC Program?

A university-wide Writing Committee made up of faculty elected by faculty senate

Has any aspect of the WAC Program been influenced by the Statement of WAC Principles and Practices?

Yes

Is there professional development available for those teaching in the WAC Program or teaching WI courses?

Yes

If faculty attend a seminar or workshop, how are they compensated?

They receive food at the event.

Writing across the curriculum (WAC)--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? See Glossary for definitions.

Yes

How long has the WI requirement been in existence?

15+ years

How many WI courses are required beyond the first-year requirement?

2

How many WI courses are part of a first-year requirement?

1

When do WI courses need to be completed?

By graduation

Are there explicit goals for the WI courses?

Yes

Have the goals been influenced by the WPA Outcomes Statement?

Yes

What form of assessment takes place of the WI goals?

Paper portfolio

Electronic portfolio

Random sample of student writing

Professor evaluation

No assessment takes place

What are the criteria for a WI course?

Number of pages or words written

Revision

Time discussing writing In class

Written or verbal feedback from instructor

Percentage of course grade in writing

Who certifies that a course fulfills WI designation?

Gen Education Committee

Are there incentives offered for faculty to teach a WI course?

No

In academic year 2016/17, what was the course cap for WI courses?

24

Writing across the curriculum (WAC)--Administration

Who has primary responsibility for administering the WAC Program?

Committee

In addition to the person who has primary responsibility for WAC, how many graduate students, staff members, or faculty members have administrative responsibilities for WAC?

3

Writing across the curriculum (WAC)--Changes to WAC

Since the academic year 2012/13 have there been changes to the WI or WAC program?

No

Do you foresee any major changes to WAC on your campus in the next four years?

No

The undergraduate and graduate writing major and minor--Description of Undergraduate Major

Does your institution have a creative writing major?

No

Does your institution have a writing major (other than creative writing)?

No

The undergraduate and graduate writing major and minor--Description of Undergraduate Minor

Does your institution have a creative writing minor?

No

Does your institution have a writing minor (other than creative writing)?

No

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)?

Yes

In which department is the Ph.D. program housed?

English

Does the graduate coursework include a course on writing program administration?

No, not offered

Does the graduate coursework include a course on writing center studies?

No, not offered

Roughly how many graduate students in your program complete their Ph.D.s each year?

1-3

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 graduate writing program?

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?

Unsure

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.

Student self-referral

What type of supports are available for basic writers? Check all that apply.

Required basic writing course

Peer tutoring

Does your institution have a formal basic writing program?

Yes

What is the institutional home of the basic writing program?

Writing department/program

What percentage of the student body is placed into basic writing?

3

How many levels of basic writing do you have?

1

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

This response is to the previous question: none of the models applied to our program. We have a credit-bearing prerequisite course for Basic Writing.

How do students exit basic writing? Check all that apply.

Passing grade in basic writing course

Is there a Director of Basic Writing?

Yes

Basic or Developmental Writing--Changes to Basic or Developmental Writing

Since AY 2012/13, have there been changes to the support for basic writers?

Yes

What changes have there been to the support for basic writers? Check all that apply.

The placement mechanism for basic writing was changed.

Other.

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.

Changes to the General Education program have meant that the Basic Writing course no longer fulfills a General Education requirement; we will need to change the curriculum to regain General Education status.

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?

Part of another institutional unit

If the writing center is not free-standing, what larger institutional unit is it a part of?

Learning commons

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

Is there a mission statement for the writing center?

Yes

Are there explicit goals for the writing center?

Yes

How are the goals assessed?

Student feedback forms

Center usage statistics

Other

What other methods of assessment does the writing center utilize?

Internal faculty senate committee review

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 multimodal assignments

Assistance with job materials

Assistance with graduate school materials

Assistance for English Language Learners

Asssistance for faculty on syllabus or curriculum development

What events does the writing center offer?

Student workshops

Student writing groups

Dissertation or thesis boot camp

Writing centers--Consultations

What type of appointments does the writing center offer?

scheduled face-to-face appts

drop-in face-to-face appts

scheduled online 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?

14

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-45, GS-8, Fac-1

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-90, GS-10

How are undergraduate consultants initially trained?

Full-credit course

Staff meetings

Workshops before semester begins

How are graduate consultants initially trained?

Staff meetings

Workshops before semester begins

What on-going professional development opportunities are provided undergraduate consultants?

Attend national conferences

Attend regional conferences

Present at national conferences

Present at regional conferences

Read professional journals

Outside speakers

Staff meetings

Semester inservice or workshop

Reflections

Meeting with Director

What on-going professional development opportunities are provided graduate consultants?

Attend national conferences

Attend regional conferences

Present at national conferences

Present at regional conferences

Read professional journals

Outside speakers

Staff meetings

Semester inservice or workshop

Reflections

Meeting with Director

How are the undergradaute consultants compensated?

Hourly wage

How are the graduate consultants compensated?

Hourly wage

Stipend

Writing centers--Administration

Who has primary responsibility for directing the writing center or overseeing the writing tutors if the tutors are part of a different institutional unit?

Writing Center Administrator (WCA)

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?

4

Does the writing center have a faculty advisory committee?

No

Writing centers--Changes

Since the academic year 2012/13 have there been changes to the writing center at your institution (not including staffing)?

No

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?

Graduate positions increased

Do you foresee changes to the writing center over the next four years?

Yes

Feel free to explain these upcoming changes.

We are in the process of hiring a full-time NNT director

Writing Fellows (Embedded Writing Tutors)--General information

Does your institution have a writing fellows program? (See glossary for definitions)

No

Multilingual Writing Support--Multilingual Writing Support: General

Is there support for domestic and international English Language Learners (ELLs)?

Yes, for both domestic and international

Is support for English Language Learners (ELLs) separate from basic writing?

Yes

What percentage of the student body is placed into ELL writing courses, both required and optional?

1

What is the institutional home of the ELL writing courses?

Other

Who has primary responsibility for administering support for English Language Learners?

Full-time non-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.

Admissions office/Student Affairs referral

Advisor referral

Faculty referral

Student self-referral

What type of supports are available for domestic English Language Learners (ELLs)? Check all that apply.

Targeted optional writing courses

Peer tutoring

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.

Advisor referral

Faculty referral

Student self-referral

What type of supports are available for International English Language Learners (ELLs)? Check all that apply.

Targeted optional writing courses

Peer tutoring

Multilingual Writing Support--Changes to Multilingual Writing Support

Since AY 2012/13, have there been changes to the support for English Language Learners (ELLs)?

Yes

What changes have there been to the support for English Language Learners (ELLs)? Check all that apply.

Courses for ELLs were added.

Courses for ELLs were dropped.

A new full-time non-tenure-line director/coordinator/specialist position was created and filled.

Other.

Administrative positions--Writing Program Director or Chair of a Writing Department (WPD)

How is the Writing Program Director or Chair of the Writing Department position (WPD) classified?

TT

Where does the WPD's tenure line reside?

English

To whom does the WPD report?

Chair of the department

CAO

Associate Dean or Provost

Dean of students

Was the WPD hired for this position?

No

If the WPD was not hired for this position, how did they assume these responsibilities?

The position rotates among faculty in the department.

Which of the following teaching responsibilities does the WPD have? Check all that apply.

Teach courses

Train tutors, TAs, or professional staff

faculty workshops

On average, how many courses per year does the WPD teach?

1

On average, how many courses per year are reassigned for WPD administrative responsibilities?

3

Which of the following are the administrative responsibilities of the WPD?

Develop curriculum

Create Program Documents

Conduct assessment

Consult with individual faculty or departments across the disciplines

Hire (tutors, professional staff, or teaching faculty)

Supervise (tutors, professional staff, or teaching faculty)

Mentor (tutors, professional staff, or teaching faculty)

Oversee program budget

Plan events

Serve on university committees

Administrative positions--Writing Center Administrator (WCA)

How is the Writing Center Administrator position (WCA) classified?

TT

Where does the WCA's tenure line reside?

English

To whom does the WCA report?

WPD

Was the WCA hired for this position?

No

If the WCA was not hired for this position, how did they assume these responsibilities?

The position rotates among faculty in the department.

Which of the following teaching responsibilities does the WCA have? Check all that apply.

Teach courses

Tutor students

Train tutors, TAs, or professional staff

faculty workshops

On average, how many courses per year does the WCA teach?

4

On average, how many courses per year are reassigned for WCA administrative responsibilities?

2

Which of the following are the administrative responsibilities of the WCA?

Develop curriculum

Create Program Documents

Conduct assessment

Hire (tutors, professional staff, or teaching faculty)

Supervise (tutors, professional staff, or teaching faculty)

Mentor (tutors, professional staff, or teaching faculty)

Schedule writing courses

Serve on university committees

Administrative positions--Basic Writing Administrator (BWA)

How is the Basic Writing Administrator position (BWA) classified?

Staff-FT

To whom does the BWA report?

WPD

Which of the following teaching responsibilities does the BWA have? Check all that apply.

Teach courses

Train tutors, TAs, or professional staff

On average, how many courses per year does the BWA teach?

4