Marist College2013 Institution Survey
Sites of writing--General Description
What is the institutional home of the writing program or department? (n=248)
English Department
If not part of the writing program or department, what is the institutional home for WAC? (n=227)
Independent program
Is the undergraduate writing major part of the writing program or department? (n=263)
No
If not part of the writing program or department, what is the institutional home for the undergraduate writing major? (n=196)
English department
Is the undergraduate writing minor part of the writing program or department? (n=352)
No
Does your institution have a writing center or learning center with writing tutors? (n=679)
Yes
If not part of the writing program or department, what is the institutional home for the basic writing program? (n=249)
Other
Sites of writing--Writing Requirement
What does the writing requirement at your institution consist of? (n=638)
First-year seminars taught by faculty across the curriculum (FYWS)
First-year composition predominately taught by English and/or Writing department (FYC)
Writing-intensive courses that are located throughout the curriculum (W courses)
Portfolio
Senior thesis or capstone experience
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)
The first-year seminar has writing as an explicit goal.
Sites of writing--College Writing Goals
Sites of writing--National Survey of Student Engagement
Does your institution administer the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE)? (n=667)
I don't know
Is your school part of the WPA/NSSE Consortium for the Study of Writing in College? (n=494)
I don't know
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
Which changes have taken place in regards to the writing requirement? (n=382)
The writing requirement was expanded.
First-year composition was converted to a first-year writing seminar taught by faculty across the curriculum.
Writing-intensive courses were added to the writing requirement.
Students are required to take more writing-intensive courses than before.
An exemption for first-year writing was dropped.
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 added.
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)
No
Was the writing program changed in the past 10 years to expand or eliminate areas? (n=609)
No
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)
Yes
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 the curricular structures or writing requirement
Changes to assessment
Changes to expand the writing program or sites of writing on campus
If you foresee changes to the administrative, curricular, or support structures of the sites of writing at your institution over the next five years feel free to explain.
New Core LS Program wil incorporate writing for all four years of undergradaute program. Portfolios will be included, but working on details.
First-year writing/English composition--General Description
Does your institution have a first-year writing requirement whether explicit or embedded? (n=672)
Yes
By when must the second semester course be completed? (n=316)
Second semester, first year
First-year writing/English composition--Placement and Transfer
First-year writing/English composition--Goals and Assessment
How are the goals for FYW courses assessed?
| FYWS (n=66) | FYC (n=381) | FYS (n=47) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paper portfolio | |||
| E-portfolio | Yes | ||
| Random sample | Yes | ||
| Exam | |||
| Professor evaluation | |||
| 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) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| WPA | Yes | ||
| Writing faculty | Yes | ||
| Institutional faculty | Yes | ||
| Outside evaluators | |||
| English faculty | Yes | ||
| Department chair | |||
| Other |
First-year writing/English composition--Curriculum
What is the content of the FYS requirement? See Note 5. (n=60)
Literature
Genre/Modes
Themes
First-year writing/English composition--Enrollment Caps
First-year writing/English composition--Staffing
In the 2011-12 academic year, what percentage of FYS courses were taught by: See Note 2a. (n=54)
| Full-Time, Tenure Track English Faculty | Full-Time, Tenure Track Writing Faculty | Full-Time, Tenure Track Other Faculty | Full-Time, Non-Tenure Track English Faculty | Full-Time, Non-Tenure Track Writing Faculty | Full-Time, Non-Tenure Track Other Faculty | Part-time English Faculty | Part-time Writing Faculty | English Graduate TAs | Writing Graduate TAs | Other Graduate TAs | WPA | Other | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0% | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | |||
| 1-5% | |||||||||||||
| 6-15% | Yes | ||||||||||||
| 16-25% | Yes | ||||||||||||
| 26-35% | |||||||||||||
| 36-50% | |||||||||||||
| 51-60% | |||||||||||||
| 61-75% | Yes | ||||||||||||
| 76-85% | |||||||||||||
| 86-99% | |||||||||||||
| 100% |
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 WPA | |||
| Required faculty development workshops | |||
| Optional graduate pedagogy course | |||
| Optional faculty development workshops | Yes | ||
| Individual meetings with the WPA/WCD | Yes | ||
| Other |
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)
Admissions office/ student affairs referral
Advisor referral
Student self-referral
What types of supports are available to those students? (n=489)
Required basic writing course
Special sections of FYW
Peer tutoring
Professional tutoring, not the WPA or WCD
Identifying and supporting diversely-prepared students--Basic Writing
What percentage of the student body is placed into basic writing? See Note 4. (n=164)
5
What is the structure of the basic writing program? See Glossary for terms used. (n=205)
Prerequisite model
What is the curriculum of the basic writing courses? (n=203)
Grammar
Sentence writing
Paragraph writing
Identifying and supporting diversely-prepared students--Support for English Language Learners
What type of supports are available for ELLs? (n=412)
Special sections of FYW
Peer tutoring
Professional tutoring, not the WPA or WCD
What percentage of the student body is placed into ELL writing courses? See Note 4. (n=160)
1
How are students identified and/or placed into ELL writing courses? (n=239)
Admissions office/ atudent affairs referral
Directed self-placement
Faculty referral
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)
No
The undergraduate and graduate writing major and minor--Description of Undergraduate Major
What areas of writing can students specialize in as part of the major? (n=230)
Professional writing
Technical writing
Creative writing
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? (n=312)
Professional writing
Creative writing
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)
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. (n=612)
Academic building
What services does the writing center offer? (n=610)
Face-to-face consultations
Online tutoring via Skype or instant messaging (synchronous)
Online feedback via e-mail (asynchronous)
Assistance with Powerpoint or other presentation software
Tutoring in other subject areas
Writing centers--Consultations
How many face-to-face consultations were offered in the Fall of 2011? See Notes 2b & 4. (n=225)
1,200
How many face-to-face consultations were offered in the Spring of 2012? See Notes 2b & 4. (n=224)
850
How many face-to-face consultations were offered in the Summer of 2012? See Notes 2b & 4. (n=223)
0
How many face-to-face consultations were conducted in the Fall of 2011? See Notes 2b & 4. (n=440)
1,100
How many face-to-face consultations were conducted in the Spring of 2012? See Notes 2b & 4. (n=440)
700
How many face-to-face consultations were conducted in the Summer of 2012? See Notes 2b & 4. (n=428)
0
How many online consultations were offered in the Fall of 2011? See Notes 2b & 4. (n=221)
0
How many online consultations were offered in the Spring of 2012? See Notes 2b & 4. (n=222)
0
How many online consultations were offered in the Summer of 2012? See Notes 2b & 4. (n=220)
0
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)
15
How many writing center consultations did your center conduct with graduate students during the 2011-12 academic year? See Notes 2a & 4. (n=184)
20
What percentage of the graduate student body had a writing center consultation during the 2011-12 academic year? See Notes 2a & 4. (n=122)
1
What is the average length of a consultation or tutorial session offered? (n=574)
45 minutes
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 faculty who teach in the writing program? (n=548)
Yes
Are some or all of your writing center consultants faculty who teach in other academic departments? (n=539)
No
During the fall of 2011, what percentage of the writing center consultants were undergraduate students? See Notes 2b & 4. (n=449)
11
During the fall of 2011, what percentage of the writing center consultants were faculty who teach in the writing program? See Notes 2b & 4. (n=124)
89
During the spring of 2012, what percentage of the writing center consultants were undergraduate students? See Notes 2b & 4. (n=450)
24
During the spring of 2012, what percentage of the writing center consultants were faculty who teach in the writing program? See Notes 2b & 4. (n=123)
76
How many consultants who worked in the writing center during the fall of 2011 were undergraduate students? See Notes 2b & 4. (n=448)
2
How many consultants who worked in the writing center during the fall of 2011 were faculty who teach in the writing program? See Notes 2b & 4. (n=123)
17
How many consultants who worked in the writing center during the spring of 2012 were undergraduate students? See Notes 2b & 4. (n=449)
5
How many consultants who worked in the writing center during the spring of 2012 were faculty who teach in the writing program? See Notes 2b & 4. (n=121)
16
How are consultants working in the writing center initally trained?
| Undergraduate students (n=505) | Graduate students (n=251) | Faculty who teach in the writing program (n=124) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full-credit course | |||
| Half-credit course | |||
| Weekly meetings | Yes | Yes | |
| Monthly meetings | |||
| 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) | |
|---|---|
| Attendance at national conferences | |
| Attendance at regional conferences | |
| Presenting at national conferences | |
| Presenting at regional conferences | |
| Reading professional journals | Yes |
| Outside speakers | |
| Weekly meetings | |
| Semester inservice or workshop | |
| Written reflections on daily and/or semester work | Yes |
| Meet with director | Yes |
| No opportunities available | |
| Other |
How are consultants working in the writing center compensated?
| Undergraduate students (n=509) | Graduate students (n=263) | Faculty who teach in the writing program (n=132) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hourly wage | Yes | ||
| Stipend | |||
| Tuition waver | |||
| Course credit | Yes | ||
| 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)
Solo writing administrator
Who has primary responsibility for administering the WAC program? (n=263)
Solo writing administrator
Who has primary responsibility for administering the writing center? (n=546)
Solo writing administrator
Are there others who help the solo writing administrator to administer the various sites of writing? (n=33)
No
What is the teaching load for writing administrators?
| Average faculty member (n=501) | FYWD (n=265) | WAC director (n=62) | WCD (n=387) | Solo writing administrator (n=40) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0-0 | |||||
| 0-1 | |||||
| 1-1 | |||||
| 1-2 or 2-1 | |||||
| 2-2 | Yes | ||||
| 2-1-2 | |||||
| 2-2-2 | |||||
| 2-3 or 3-2 | |||||
| 3-3 | |||||
| 3-1-2 | |||||
| 3-1-3 | |||||
| 3-4 or 4-3 | Yes | ||||
| 4-4 | |||||
| Other | |||||
| Varies |
What are the job responsibilities for writing administrators?
| FYWD (n=267) | WAC director (n=63) | WCD (n=392) | Solo writing administrator (n=38) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Teach courses in the first-year writing program | Yes | |||
| Teach courses in the writing program/department (Not FYW) | Yes | |||
| Teach courses outside the writing program/department | Yes | |||
| Assess all or some aspects of the writing program | Yes | |||
| Assess the development of student writing on campus | Yes | |||
| Conduct faculty development with faculty across the disciplines | Yes | |||
| Conduct TA training | ||||
| Consult with individual faculty across the disciplines | Yes | |||
| Consult with departments across the disciplines | Yes | |||
| Supervise professional staff (writing center director, asst.director, admin asst.) | Yes | |||
| Supervise tutors (professional and/or peer) | Yes | |||
| Hire professional staff | Yes | |||
| Hire tutors | Yes | |||
| Schedule writing courses | Yes | |||
| Schedule writing center | Yes | |||
| Place students into writing courses | Yes | |||
| Facilitate placement exam | ||||
| Oversee curriculum development | ||||
| Train professional staff | Yes | |||
| Train peer tutors | Yes | |||
| Advertise program | Yes | |||
| Oversee program budget | Yes | |||
| Tutor students | ||||
| Plan events | Yes | |||
| Serve on university committees | Yes | |||
| Maintain program website | Yes | |||
| Serve as an academic advisor | ||||
| Offer student workshops | Yes | |||
| Oversee exemption and/or transfer credit | Yes | |||
| Other |