URI/COLLEGE
OF ARTS AND SCIENCES
PROPOSED
INSTRUCTIONAL PROGRAM CHANGE
A.
Program Information A.1. Name of institution:
University of Rhode Island
A.2. Name of college:
College Writing Program
College
of Arts and Sciences
A.3. Title of proposed program: Bachelor of Arts in Writing and Rhetoric
A.4. Intended initiation date: Academic year following approval
Intended starting date:
Fall 2006
Anticipated date of first degrees granted:
Spring 2008
A.5. Intended location of program: University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI
A.6. Description of institutional
review and approval process:
The proposal was
reviewed under the process established by the Faculty Senate and
approved by the department, the college, the Faculty Senate, and the
president.
DATE
APPROVED
College Writing Program ___April 20, 2005________College of Arts and Sciences Curriculum Comm. ___May 16, 2005Faculty of the College of Arts and SciencesFaculty Senate Curricular Affairs CommitteeFaculty SenatePresident of the University _________________A.7. Summary description (not to
exceed 2 pages) of the proposed program:
The proposed
Bachelor of Arts in Writing and Rhetoric is a 120-credit program for
undergraduate students who seek a career in professional writing,
teaching, or publishing and will be the only writing major offered by a
New England land-grant institution.
Delivered with minimal new costs, this B.A. program is designed
for students who want a liberal arts degree that also emphasizes the
applied arts and technical skills that employers value.
The B.A. in Writing and Rhetoric will provide graduates with a
strong foundation in rhetorical theory and composing strategies as well
as familiarity with various writing technologies.
Graduates of the program will be qualified for positions in
business, industry, education, public agencies, or community
organizations—positions that demand good writing and the ability to
draft, design, and deliver informative or persuasive documents for a
variety of audiences and in a variety of collaborative situations.
In particular, graduates will be well suited for jobs in the
publishing industries (marketing, sales, and editorial work) and will be
well prepared through the study of rhetoric for graduate education in a
number of different fields. Graduates
will leave URI with an electronic portfolio suitable for sharing with
prospective employers that will demonstrate their ability to design and
write a number of different documents, targeted to different audiences
and purposes.
The proposed new
Department of Writing and Rhetoric will continue to provide General
Education courses that fulfill English Communication-Writing (ECw) and
support already-established outreach services, including the Writing
Center and the Undergraduate Peer Consultants program. The department
will also continue to support the writing minor for those students who
seek to enhance their major program of study with courses in argument
and persuasion, electronic writing, technical writing, or rhetorical
theory. The change from
College Writing Program to Department of Writing and Rhetoric marks an
important change from a program often associated with service courses to
a degree-granting department of a distinct academic discipline, rhetoric
and composition studies. Departments
of Writing or Professional Writing have been established at
approximately 15 colleges and universities nationwide.
A.8. Signature of President
______________________________________________
Robert L. Carothers, President
A.10. Name of Person(s) to contact
during the review:
Professor Nedra Reynolds, Director, College Writing Program 319 Roosevelt Hall 874-4665 or 874-5932
A.11.Signed agreements for any cooperative arrangements made with other institutions/agencies or private companies in support of this program: None B.
Rationale B.1.
Program objectives: Program
objectives have been informed by current research in rhetoric and
composition studies, by faculty research interests and areas of
expertise, and by statements on standards and learning outcomes
disseminated from the Conference on College Composition and
Communication as well as the Council of Writing Program Administrators.
Faculty members have developed learning outcomes goals for
students completing the B.A. in Writing and Rhetoric.
Please see section E1.a
for these outcomes statements and supporting appendices (E.1.1,
E.1.2,
E.1.3). B.2.
Explain and quantify the needs addressed by this program, and present
evidence that the program fulfills these needs: The needs addressed by this new degree program are well documented. A recent survey of leading American businesses reveals that employees are required to write more than ever before (see the report Writing: A Ticket to Work...Or a Ticket Out from the National Commission on Writing for America's Families, Schools, and Colleges). Especially in those business sectors with the most projected growth, writing is critical for success, yet businesses say that many college graduates don't have the writing skills they need. Writers today need to produce such documents as proposals, print or online instructions, reports, and newsletters—as well as research reports, many including graphs, charts, maps, illustrations, and other elements of visual communication. A
Department of Writing and Rhetoric can respond to these recognized needs
for writing instruction in the following ways: ·
by offering
existing courses in specialized kinds of professional writing
(scientific and technical writing, business communications, writing in
electronic environments, etc.); ·
by making the
study of rhetoric a serious academic pursuit within a Liberal Arts
education; ·
by offering new
courses in the coming years to respond to new technologies for writing;
and ·
by preparing
students for writing in the workplace and for careers in professional
writing, teaching, or publishing. B.3.
External advisory committee to develop the program: No external
advisory or steering committee was used to develop this proposal. C. Institutional Role C.1.
Explain how the program is consistent with the role of the institution
and how it is related to the institution’s academic planning: The
proposed program is consistent with the role of the institution in its
emphasis on students’ ethical development, on students’ capabilities
as critical and independent thinkers, and on students’ need to be
active participants in their own learning.
Very few intellectual activities demand as much critical thinking
or as much active participation as writing does.
As part of the Liberal Arts and General Education Core, the study
of rhetoric and composition guides students in achieving clarity of
expression with diverse audiences in a wide variety of contexts.
Rhetoric's crucial role in public life has been recognized for
centuries, and study in this discipline helps students recognize, value,
and understand different cultural values as they learn to write clearly
and effectively about their own critical stances.
The new B.A. in Writing and Rhetoric will meet rapidly changing
needs of the State and the country.
In our role in training future teachers and our commitments to
community service learning, the Department of Writing and Rhetoric
contributes to the University's and College's various outreach efforts
as well as to the institutional mission. C.2. Explain the relationship of the program to other programs offered by the institution. General
Education: The new
department will continue its service mission to the University and
support its general education responsibilities, as follows: 1) by continuing to offer
courses to satisfy the 3-credit writing requirement in the “ECw”
category (English written communication) in the General Education
Program; 2) by continuing to offer students the option of taking a second writing course from the same list of courses to satisfy the 3-credit requirement in the “C” category (communication); 3) by continuing to offer
enough seats in some writing courses for programs
of study (e.g., Business, Computer Sciences, and Marine Affairs) that
require students to take a specific writing course beyond the Cw General
Education Requirement; and 4) by supporting faculty who have named “writing effectively” as one of eight integrated skills required in over 200 newly certified courses. As General Education faculty in all disciplines take on the responsibilities of teaching writing, the new Department of Writing and Rhetoric will provide those faculty support for creating effective writing assignments and practices. The
Writing Minor:
The new department will continue to offer the 18-credit writing
minor for a number of students in a variety of majors.
The minor has been in place since 2000; its popularity has
contributed to the development of this proposal for a major. The
English Department Graduate Program:
The new department will continue to offer, for the foreseeable
future, a specialization in rhetoric and composition for both M.A. and
Ph.D. students in English, and faculty in the new department will
continue to serve as major professors for a significant number of
students in the English graduate degree programs.
Learning
Communities:
Approximately 38 first-year writing courses are offered in
learning communities every fall semester, and that will continue to be
the case. College
of Business Administration:
the new department will continue to offer several sections of WRT
227, Business Communications, every semester, required for all Business
majors. Honors
Program:
the new department will continue to offer HPR 112, a honors
section of first-year writing, whenever the opportunity arises. In addition, the new department will maintain close working relationships with undergraduate programs that require specialized writing courses and with related departments (English, Communication Studies, and Journalism). D. Interinstitutional Considerations D.1. List similar programs offered in the state and the region and compare the objectives of similar programs: All institutions of higher education in the state and region offer writing instruction as an important element in undergraduate education. Within the state and region, all colleges and universities offer composition instruction at the basic level (first-year composition); some offer developmental or remedial composition classes; and many offer advanced undergraduate courses in areas such as technical writing, business communication, writing in academic disciplines, and advanced composition. However, URI’s writing major will be the first for a New England land-grant institution and the only one of its kind in the state. Rhode Island College’s Department of English offers developmental and first-year composition, a second-year course elective in expository writing, and a business-writing course. In addition, RIC offers several undergraduate courses in creative writing. The Community College of Rhode Island offers developmental, first-year, technical, and business writing courses. Roger Williams College has an independent writing program with its own faculty offering a core writing requirement in either expository or critical writing as well as a developmental course first-year writing course. None of these Rhode Island institutions, however, has a major in writing. Regionally, Rutgers University offers certificate programs in professional and technical writing while several other colleges and universities offer concentrations in professional or creative writing. Emerson College has a Department of Writing, Literature, and Publishing, but it focuses on creative writing and offers no courses in professional writing (i.e., business, technical, scientific, or workplace writing). New York University has a Center for Speech and Writing and offers three certificate programs in communication skills, journalism, and screenwriting with creative, professional and publishing courses. In the region, only Rowan University (N.J.) and the University of Maryland offer a writing major. The new Department of Writing and Rhetoric at URI will offer a wide range of courses—all but four already in the catalog—with substantial opportunities for in-depth study of rhetoric and professional communication. D.2. Estimate the projected impact of the program on the other public higher education institutions in Rhode Island, a rationale for the assumptions made in these projections, and ways the other public institutions were consulted in developing the projections: Because URI already offers undergraduate writing courses, the writing minor, and the specialization in rhetoric and composition studies for the graduate degrees in English, the formation of the proposed department will have little to no effect on other higher education institutions in Rhode Island. With the exception of four new courses, two of them required for the degree, the B.A. is based upon courses already in the catalog. In addition, the Joint Admissions Agreement Transition Plan will accommodate transfer students. Thus, the new program should have very little or no impact on other higher education institutions in Rhode Island. D.3.
Describe provisions for transfer students (into or out of the program)
at other Rhode Island public institutions of higher education. Transfer
agreements / JAA Transition Plan: Transfer of courses offered by the new department will be covered by the Articulation Transfer Agreement, as are current writing courses offered by URI. This list is revised and edited yearly to accommodate changes in courses offered by the three Rhode Island public institutions of higher education. Note: the JAA Transition Plan shared in Appendix D.3 is subject to change after the Transfer Articulation meeting on May 11, 2005. D.4. Describe any cooperative arrangements with institutions offering similar programs. There
are no cooperative arrangements with other institutions at the present
time. D.5.
External affiliations.
No external
affiliations required. D.6.
Indicate whether the program will be available under the New England
Board of Higher Education Regional Students Program. The
Provost and Vice-President for Academic Affairs will consider the
program’s availability in the New England Board of Higher Education
Regional Student Program. E.
Program E.1.
Prepare a typical curriculum display for one program cycle. A
total of 120 credits is required for graduation.
At least 42 of these must be in courses numbered 300 or above.
Students choosing this major must fulfill the requirements of the
Basic Liberal Studies program and complete 30 credits (maximum 51),
including WRT 201, WRT 235, WRT 360, WRT 490 and WRT 495.
At least 15 credits for the major must be completed from writing
courses numbered 300 or above. A
maximum of 6 credits for the major may be taken in online courses or
through distance learning. Writing
majors will be strongly encouraged to complete a practicum experience,
either the internship or fieldwork course. Writing majors will also be
encouraged to consider a double major or to select a minor in another
field of study. Undergraduates
wishing to take courses on the 500 level must secure the permission of
the faculty member. Course
Requirements for the B.A. in Writing and Rhetoric
*
indicates new course Additional
15 credit hours of departmental offerings in writing at the 300-level or
above. Total
Major Credit Hours:
30
General
Education Core and Distribution Requirements Credit Hours:
39 Free
Elective Credit Hours:
51
Total
Credit Hours:
120
Here
is a sample program of study:
First Semester (15
credits)
Second Semester (15 credits) First year WRT at the 100 level for Gen. Ed. (3) Basic Liberal Studies requirements (9) Free elective (3)
Free elective (3) Language (3)
Language (3) Basic Liberal Studies
requirements (6) Second year WRT 201 (3)
WRT 235 (3) Electives in major (3)
Electives in major (3) Free electives (3)
Basic Liberal Studies requirements (6) Basic Liberal Studies
requirements (6)
Free electives (3) Third year WRT 360 (3)
Electives in major (9)
Electives in major (6)
Free electives (6) Free electives (3)
Basic Liberal Studies
requirements (3) Fourth year WRT 490 (3)
WRT 495 (3) Electives in major (3)
Electives in major (3) Free electives (9)
Free electives (9)
a. Names of courses,
departments, and catalog numbers, and brief course descriptions for new
courses, preferably as these will appear in catalog. WRT 201 Writing Argumentative and Persuasive Texts WRT 227 Business Communications WRT 235 Writing in Electronic Environments WRT 302 Writing Culture WRT 303 Public Writing WRT 304 Writing for Community Service WRT 305 Travel Writing WRT 333 Scientific and Technical Writing WRT 353: Issues and Methods in Writing Consultancy WRT 383: Field Experience in Writing Consultancy WRT 435 (or EDC 435) The Teaching of Composition WRT 490 Writing and Rhetoric WRT 512 Studies in Rhetorical Theory WRT 524 Histories and Theories of Teaching Composition WRT 270*: Writing in the
Expressivist Tradition.
Includes selected readings from expressivist rhetoricians to
provide a theoretical underpinning for students’ written work in this
tradition. Genres practiced
may include personal narrative, nature meditation, medical narrative,
informal essay, and others. WRT 360*: Composing
Processes and the Canons of Rhetoric
Historical and contemporary theories of composing, including
approaches to writing processes, style and arrangement, and
relationships among writing, learning, social contexts, technology, and
publication. Applied field
research on professional writers. WRT 483, 484*: Internship in Writing and Rhetoric Practice and direct
supervision in workplace writing. Placement options include
community-based, governmental, technological, health services, military,
educational, and non-profit organizations. Requires weekly writing logs
and a final report. (Practicum) Pre: 60 credit hours with a minimum of
12 in WRT, 2.5 GPA, and permission of faculty advisor. WRT
495*: Capstone in
Electronic Portfolios Capstone for WRT Majors.
Readings in electronic writing technologies and portfolios. Preparation
of a substantive collection of representative writings.
Culminates in an electronic portfolio and a public writing
showcase. *
indicates new courses Assessment
of the Student Learning Outcomes Faculty
members have developed the following learning outcomes for students
completing the B.A. in Writing and Rhetoric: 1.
Rhetorical Knowledge: a. Students will be
able to identify varied rhetorical situations calling for a wide range
of appropriate responses. b. Students will demonstrate a command of different rhetorical theories and approaches. c. Students will
apply various rhetorical theories, putting them into practice in a range
of situations. d. Students will
evaluate the appropriateness of rhetorical choices in light of
anticipated social consequences. 2.
Process and Collaborative Textual Evaluation: a. Student will
produce documents with other writers. b. Students will
evaluate and respond to each other's work using varied roles (peer,
tutor, coach, editor). c. Students will
demonstrate respectful negotiating behaviors during collaborative
textual production (listening attentively, airing all viewpoints,
valuing difference, coming to consensus or dissensus, dividing labor
fairly, balancing competing agendas, expectations, and values). 3.
Craft, Genre, & Editing: a. Students will
arrange the organization of their texts appropriate to the rhetorical
situation. b. Students
will be able to recognize and self-edit errors in written discourse. c. Student will
produce complex texts with correctness in syntax, grammar, usage,
punctuation, mechanics, and spelling. d. Students will
demonstrate coherence and cohesion in written discourse. e. Student writers
will consider, apply, and control stylistic options (prose style,
figurative language, voice, register, tone, word choice, etc.). 4.
Textual Production & Delivery: a. Students will
choose effective strategies for processes, forum, genre, and
technological tools for a range of situations. b. Students will
design visually effective texts for a range of situations using
appropriate technology. c. Students will identify and evaluate options for text production, circulation, and delivery. d. Students will use current information technologies to produce and deliver their texts. 5.
Reflective Learning: a. Students will synthesize and integrate insights consciously from one project into another. b. Students will
articulate a statement of their own identity as a writer. See
the following Appendices for more information pertaining to student
learning outcomes: 1)
Appendix E.1.1:
Summary of program-level outcomes for the major in Writing and
Rhetoric, explanation of methods to be used for assessment, and
timeline; 2)
Appendix E.1.2:
Curricular map illustrating course coverage and reinforcement of
all intended outcomes across all WRT courses; and 3)
Appendix E.1.3:
Summary of program-level outcomes for General Education,
explanation of methods to be used for assessment, and timeline. b. Required courses in area of specialization and options, if any. At
this time there are no specializations or areas of concentration within
the major. c. Course distribution
requirements, if any, within the program and general education
requirements. Students
must fulfill the 39 credits required by the BLS program for the BA
degree and 30 credits in the major. d. Total number of free
electives available after specialization and general education
requirements are satisfied. Elective
credit available: 51 credits e. Total number of credits
required for the completion of the program or for graduation. Credits
required for graduation: 120 credits f. Identify any courses that will be delivered or received by way of distance learning Approximately
10 writing courses per semester are offered through URI’s College of
Continuing Education via WebCT. Students
may fulfill two of their
required courses or electives (maximum of 6 credits) through online
courses. F.
Faculty and Staff F.1Faculty who will be assigned to the program.
F.2.
Anticipated support staff. a.
Mrs. Jean Long-Clark, senior word processing typist. Time
to be spent in program: 100% Reassignment b.
Total FTE
100 F.3. Annual costs for faculty and support staff. Seven
faculty will be assigned to the new department at 100% FTE.
A .50 faculty member will teach one course each semester in the
new department. One senior
word processing typist will be assigned to the department at 100% FTE.
All reassignments are based on existing
resources. Course
requirements for the major will demand that, by Year 3 of the new
program, FTE faculty teach an additional five sections per year; thus,
five sections of General Education courses will need to be covered by
per-course hires. In the
Expenditure Estimates worksheet, we have calculated a 3% increase for
Years 2, 3, and 4 for faculty salaries and fringe benefits. We have also allowed for a 10% increase in the stipend for
per-course instructors (from $3,000 to $3,300) beginning in Year 3. F.
4. Provide assurance that
the institution’s chief financial officer has worked with the director
of human resources in the development of the faculty and staff
projections and estimates and that they agree on the adequacy of the
estimates. The Assistant Provost will review these projections and estimates before this proposal’s submission to the RIBGHE. G.
Students G.1.
Describe the potential students for the program and the primary sources
of these students, the extent to which the program will attract new
students or will draw students from existing programs, and a specific
rationale for these assumptions: Potential students for this new major will be interested in careers in professional and technical writing, tutoring and teaching writing, editing and publishing, rhetorical and composing theory, personal writing, nonfiction prose, document and information design and writing for public audiences and public service. Since this will be the only writing major in the state, some in-state students will now have another option for a major field of study. Of students enrolled in WRT courses at URI during the spring of 2005, 19.8% of those surveyed (n=597) were either “Interested” or “Very Interested” in a writing major. A small percentage of those students who have declared a writing minor may be interested in declaring a major since they will have some of the requirements completed already. The proposed major in Writing and Rhetoric will attract some students whose undergraduate majors currently include English, Communication Studies, or Journalism. Students in these majors tend to be interested in writing and may find that this degree program meets their needs; however, students interested in creative writing will be better served by the writing minor. A number of students may find that a B.A. in writing will serve them well as a double major. G.2.
Estimate the proposed program size and projected annual full-time,
part-time, and FTE enrollments for one complete cycle of the program,
including rationale for the assumptions made in these projections: Estimates include only full-time students. Once a full cycle has taken place, student enrollment is expected to be 70 students. Estimates for in-state/out-of-state students are based upon the institutional average of 65% in-state and 35% out-of-state students for the years 2006, 2007, 2008, and 2009. Revenue estimates were based on tuition estimates provided by the Director of Budget and Financial Planning on April 1, 2005. In calculating the number of majors by 2009-2010, we figured a 15-20% attrition rate. Our projections for numbers of writing majors are based, first, on responses to a survey of interest from a sample of 597 current URI undergraduates. (See Appendix G, Table 1.) Second, we considered the numbers of majors at URI in related programs (See Appendix G, Table 2). The estimate is also based on comparisons to the numbers of students in a sampling of writing programs (or writing focus areas) at institutions where there is either a program similar to the proposed URI writing program or a writing focus area available at a “competitive” school. (See Appendix G, Table 3.) No additional sections or new FTE faculty will be needed for initiation of the program; however, some new seats in existing courses and eventually, some additional sections will be required. To give declared writing majors an opportunity to enroll in WRT 227, Business Communications (currently restricted only to business majors), three seats per section will be opened up to writing majors as elective credit. In the first two years of the new program (2006-07 and 2007-08), there will be enough available seats among sections of courses offered currently by the Writing Program. However, by 2008-09 and beyond, as the number of majors increases, additional sections of required courses will be needed. And once the program reaches the estimated 70 students, then additional part-time faculty will be needed to cover five sections of WRT above the 100 level. (See Appendix G, Table 4 for calculations.) Estimated numbers of
enrolled students: September 2006 Year
1:
New Students:
5
Students transferring from another URI program: 10 Expected
numbers enrolled: 15 September
2007 Year
2:
New Students:
10
Students transferring from another program: 5
Attrition -5 Expected
numbers enrolled: 25 September
2008 Year
3:
New Students:
25
Students transferring from another program: 5
Attrition -5 Expected
numbers enrolled: 50 September
2009 Year
4:
New Students:
25
Students transferring from another program: 0
Attrition -5 Expected
numbers enrolled: 70 G.3.
List the program admission and retention requirement for students.
. . . Describe how satisfactory academic progress will be
determined. Admission: There are no additional admission requirements for the B.A. in Writing and Rhetoric beyond acceptance to the university. · Students who fulfill the College of Arts and Sciences admissions requirements may declare their intention to major in Writing and Rhetoric. · Students seeking the writing minor must declare their interest through their major program’s advising system. · Students seeking the General Education Program and specialized writing courses enter through regular registration after meeting with an advisor. Retention: For students to be retained in the program, they must fulfill the following criteria: · Maintain a 2.0 GPA throughout the program. · Maintain continuous registration during the fall and spring semesters. · Complete the degree within 60 months. The department will engage in two successful retention strategies, good advising and extensive interaction between FTE faculty and students. The department will provide advising for its majors and minors and will review students’ academic records each semester to make sure that a 2.0 GPA is being maintained. The department will hold organized gatherings for and programs about rhetoric and professional writing for faculty and students. In addition, the relatively small class size and the design of WRT courses will continue to provide a high level of interaction between FTE faculty and students. Assessment of satisfactory academic progress: Once enrolled in a writing class, all undergraduates are expected to meet general performance standards: to demonstrate engagement in the writing process from invention to peer review and revision and to produce a variety of high quality written documents which are often assembled in a writing portfolio for public display. Assessment will culminate with a graduation portfolio that is indicative of the student’s writing and learning during the semesters in the program. In addition, the following assessment tools will be used to evaluate students’ progress: Holistic assessment, primary trait scoring, portfolio grading (currently used in the College Writing Program) and uniform grading standards. (See more about our assessment plans in Appendix E.1.1.) G.4.
Indicate available funds for assistantships, scholarships, and
fellowships. Once this
new program is well established, donors may be interested in
establishing scholarships for writing majors. H.
Administration H.1.
How the program will be administered, and the effect on the
administrative structure in which it is located. The new department will be administered using the same administrative
structure as in the current College Writing Program; consequently no
additional administrative costs will be incurred. There will be no
effect on the administrative structure in the College of Arts and
Sciences. These administrative positions are ·
Chair (called the “Director” in the College Writing Program) ·
Director of the Writing Center H.2.
Names and titles of the persons who will have administrative
responsibility for the program, and the percent of time each will spend
on the program. Total FTE
positions required for the program. ·
Chair: Professor Reynolds, 100% in the new department; 25%
of time spent on administrative responsibilities. ·
Director of the Writing Center: Associate Professor Miles,
100% in the new department; 25% of time spent on administrative
responsibilities. H.3.
Additional annual administrative salaries: There will
be no additional annual administrative costs associated with the new
department. The College
Writing Program has been an independent academic unit since 2002, and
this proposed change does not increase administrative responsibilities. I.
Instructional Resources I.1.
Estimate the number and cost of relevant print, electronic and other
non-print library materials needed, and those available, for the
program. Existing library materials currently used to
support teachers and researchers in the College Writing Program are
adequate to support the faculty's teaching and research needs in the
proposed department. These library resources are currently supplemented
by URI's Writing Center's library and by the faculty's own private
subscriptions to the major professional journals. I.2.
Identify and evaluate other instructional resources and instructional
support equipment (such as computers, laboratory equipment and supplies,
etc.). The
proposed department will make the same use of the instructional
resources currently available to the College Writing Program to support
WRT courses. Approximately six sections each semester are offered in a
computer classroom; for example, Independence Hall room 308 (which
during the renovation will become a laptop classroom in MCC 005). Designed
and equipped through a grant from the Champlin Foundation, this
classroom provides 21 computers connected to the University’s server,
a printer, an LCD projector, a video and DVD player and other electronic
equipment as resources for instruction. The Writing Center also has
computer technology to support its services. The Writing Center and the
CWP work with IITS to locate cost-effective ways to maintain and upgrade
this technology. In
addition, the new department will need an electronic portfolio platform
and technical support for its electronic portfolio capstone requirement.
The university’s site license for TrueOutcomes should be
sufficient for storing students’ portfolios (with password
protection). I.3.
Estimate annual expenditures for instructional resources. Library
resources: $1,387 annually
for journal subscriptions. With
a 5% increase in subscription rates, calculated on the Expenditures form
(Operating Expenses/Instructional Resources/Other),
the total becomes $1,604 by 2009.
Total Instructional Resources are also estimated on the
Expenditure Estimates to increase by 5% each year. J.
Facilities and Capital Equipment J.
Facilities and capital
equipment (e.g., classrooms, office space, laboratories,
telecommunications equipment, etc.) and
the adequacy of these resources relative to the program and to the
requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act and state disability
statutes. Classrooms
and office space will be adequate to launch the proposed department if
we are assigned at least one more office on the 3rd floor of
Roosevelt Hall to accommodate a new tenure-track assistant professor
(hired for 05-06). The following facilities are currently available to
the existing program: Seven
faculty offices, each
equipped with phone, direct connection to university internet server,
desk, chairs, bookshelves, file cabinet, and similar office equipment. One
secretary/reception office,
equipped with a phone, computer, direct connection to university
internet server, file cabinets, book shelves, bulletin boards, fax
machine, copy machine, office desk, chairs, storage cabinet, etc. Two very
small office spaces
for part-time instructors to meet with students (with only a table and
two chairs). One
large basement room,
to be shared by 20-25 per-course faculty, equipped with desks, chairs,
bookshelves, and filing cabinet, with room dividers to add privacy; this
room has a conference table that seats 8 and doubles as a meeting room. Several
storage closets. Writing
Center in two large
classrooms on the 4th floor of Roosevelt as part of the
Academic Enhancement Center, equipped with several tables, chairs,
bookcases. Technology
classroom (shared
with Languages and Communication Studies in 308 Independence Hall and
funded by the Champlin Foundation), equipped with 21 computers connected
to the University’s internet server, an LCD projector, a video and DVD
player, audio speakers, a large screen, white marker boards, file
cabinet, phone, 21 computer desks and chairs, a large conference table. J.2.
Detailed explanation of renovated facilities. n/a J.3.
Estimate of annual additional expenditures for new program
facilities and capital equipment. n/a J.4.
Indicate whether the needed facilities are included in the master
plan. n/a J.5.
Provide assurance that the chief financial officer has worked with the
facilities director in the development of assessments and estimates. The Assistant Provost will review these projections and estimates before this proposal’s submission to the RIBGHE. K.
Financial Considerations K.1.
Expenditures for program initiation and annual operation. Because the
College Writing Program has been an independent academic unit since
2002, with its own budget, there are no initiation costs.
Expenses will be required for new library resources (beginning at
$1,387 per year). Beginning
in Year 3 of the new program, an additional five sections per year will
need to be covered by per-course instructors. Salaries for faculty and staff members have been estimated to increase 3% per year after the current contract expires in June 2007. K.2. Revenue estimates. Tuition rates and mandatory fee rates have been provided for this proposal by Linda Barrett, Director, Budget and Financial Planning. They reflect an estimated 8-10% increase over the next four years. No additional student fees will be instituted for this program. K.3. Redeployment of current institutional resources. n/a K.4. Provide assurance that the chief academic officer has worked with the budget director and controller in the development of these financial projections. The Budget Director and Assistant Provost will review these projections and estimates before this proposal’s submission to the RIBGHE. L. Evaluation L.1. Performance measures by which to evaluate the program during the first program cycle, including frequency of measurement and personnel responsible. Provisions made for external evaluation. The Department of Writing & Rhetoric will use four performance measures to continually review current practices and implement appropriate revisions. First is the assessment of student learning outcomes, both for our General Education commitment and for our Major in Writing & Rhetoric. Evaluation will take place annually on a different set of outcomes (see timeline in Appendix E.1.1), and will be conducted internally by a representative committee of fulltime continuing faculty, lecturers, graduate teaching assistants, and per course instructors. These direct measures of student learning will supplement the university-sponsored Student Evaluation of Teaching instrument already implemented at the end of each course. Second, at intervals established for all departments, we will use the model for program assessment approved by the university. The Office of the Provost and the President will receive and assess the results of this instrument. Third, we will request that an outside evaluation be performed by the Consultation-Evaluator Program of the Council of Writing Program Administrators, the nationally recognized evaluation service for writing programs. The Consultation-Evaluator Program provides a complete evaluation of all aspects of a writing program, including a review of program structure, organization, goals, administrative functions, services, teaching, staffing and outcomes. It provides comparisons to other programs at similar institutions, and it makes recommendations for beneficial change and improvements. Its reports go to the program and to the University administrations. Initially, we will ask for this within three years of the start of the major; we will then seek follow-up on a six-year cycle. Fourth, we will implement a community-feedback survey to examine two constituencies: students engaged in service-learning, internships, and other experiential opportunities; and those employed in the workplace after graduation. In both cases, the department will administer a questionnaire to organizations working with our students to evaluate the appropriateness of our students’ training for the work they are being expected to perform. L.2 Describe and quantify the program’s criteria for success: The performance measures listed above will allow the department to quantify whether we are approaching or attaining programmatic success, as follows. Satisfactory progress toward student learning outcomes. Each year, we will evaluate our effectiveness on a rotating set of student learning outcomes, and will expect improvement each cycle. Thus, every three years we will expect higher percentages of students performing at the top level of each outcome. For the B.A. in Writing & Rhetoric, faculty members developed the following learning outcomes (for anticipated Gen Ed outcomes, please see Appendix E.1.3): 1. Rhetorical Knowledge: Students will be able to: a) identify varied rhetorical situations calling for a wide range of appropriate responses; b) demonstrate a command of different rhetorical theories and approaches; c) apply various rhetorical theories, putting them into practice in a range of situations; and d) evaluate the appropriateness of rhetorical choices in light of anticipated social consequences. 2. Process and Collaborative Textual Evaluation: Students will be able to: a) produce documents with other writers; b) evaluate and respond to each other’s work using varied roles (peer, tutor, coach, editor); and c) demonstrate respectful negotiating behaviors during collaborative textual production (listening attentively, airing all viewpoints, valuing difference, coming to consensus or dissensus, dividing labor fairly, balancing competing agendas, expectations, and values). 3. Craft, Genre, & Editing: Students will be able to: a) arrange the organization of their texts appropriate to the rhetorical situation; b) recognize and self-edit errors in written discourse; c) produce complex texts with correctness in syntax, grammar, usage, punctuation, mechanics, and spelling; d) demonstrate coherence and cohesion in written discourse; and e) consider, apply, and control stylistic options (prose style, figurative language, voice, register, tone, word choice, etc.). 4. Textual Production & Delivery: Students will be able to: a) choose effective strategies for processes, forum, genre, and technological tools for a range of situations; b) design visually effective texts for a range of situations using appropriate technology; c) identify and evaluate options for text production, circulation, and delivery; and d) use current information technologies to produce and deliver their texts. 5. Reflective Learning: Students will be able to: a) consciously synthesize and integrate insights from one project into another; and b) articulate a statement of their own identity as a writer. Other Measures of Student Success and Retention. In addition to the specific learning outcomes above, we will also consider the following measures: a) The department will track the percentage of its graduates who are hired by fulltime employers, are accepted to graduate schools, or who remain active writers in their communities in the spirit of community service and good citizenship. We will conduct this tracking upon graduation, and then again at 5 years out. b) The department will compare its retention rate of students with the University average to ensure that it is sufficient. (Retention rate refers to the percentage of students who (a) transferred into this department from URI University College, another department, or another institution and who (b) complete their undergraduate degree requirements within five years of entrance into this department.) c) Student satisfaction will be evaluated for each course using the Student Evaluation of Teaching (SET) form. Our departmental goal is an average of 4 (satisfied) or higher on a 5-point Likert scale. Demand for Delivery. Each year, we will track demand for our courses in the following areas: a) Student enrollment in our Writing Major will be either level or growing. b) The number of new course sections and new courses offered by this department will be either stable or growing. c) Student enrollment levels in courses offered by this department will be either at or near capacity. Faculty, Space, Labs, and Administrative Support. In order to ensure that we have sufficient resources relative to numbers of students, we will track: a) percentage of courses taught by faculty, and those taught by non-tenure track faculty within a structure of faculty-guided professional development and support (e.g., WRT 999 for all new teaching assistants). b) amount of personnel and resource support in the department to ensure that is sufficient for student registration, general fiscal management, and lab personnel, working with the Space Enhancement, Design, and Allocation Committee and the Instructional Space Advisory Group to ensure that we have enough classrooms and adequate lecture/seminar spaces for the department to deliver its curriculum. c) our supply of resources and body of expertise to support the technology needs for curriculum delivery, scholarship, and research. Departmental Commitment to Teaching. With the understanding that the University norm is a 3/3 teaching load, we will track: a) percentage of faculty teaching at the maximum load, with allowances for approved release-time, with a goal of 95%. b) non-tenure track faculty hiring with an eye toward engaging external expertise from those in the profession, and appropriate professional development and support for those seeking to enter our profession. Technological Innovation and Teaching. Every two years, we will survey all WRT instructors to ascertain their level of pedagogical innovation using appropriate technology with an eye to the following goals: a) Technology use outside the class will increase as student habits and expertise change. b) Technology use within the classroom will increase as facilities and tools become available for classroom use. Departmental Commitment to Research and Outreach. With the understanding that the University norm is a 1-1 research and outreach load, we will track: a) percentage of faculty actively involved in a scholarly research program, including scholarship of teaching (quantified by conference presentations, publications, and other evidence of scholarly activity). b) percentage of faculty involved in outreach and service to the local, state, and national community with work related to research in our field. Our goal is 100% of faculty involved in research, outreach, or both. L.3.
Accrediting agency name and address:
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