Writing Across the Curriculum Committee
Minutes for 25 January 2001

Present: Myra Brown; Patricia Clark; Christine Hutchins; 
Marsha Ironsmith; Laura McArthur; Chris Ulffers; Scott 
Williams; Patrick Bizzaro, Writing Across the Curriculum 
Program Director; Rick Taylor, Director of English 
Composition

Committee approved minutes for 26 October

Committee discussed proposed changes to the committee 
charge and its consolidation into an Academic Standards 
and Honors Committee, as recommended by the Committee 
on Committees

First order of business:
* Committee reaffirmed its vote to designate THEA 2035, 
THEA 3035, and THEA 3036 as Writing Intensive courses, a 
decision made via email at the end of the Fall semester

Second order of business:
* Committee considered proposal to designate THEA 4080, 
Musical Theatre Practicum, as a writing intensive course 
using the Model Four Combination of Approaches to writing
* Ulffers so moved
* Hutchins seconded
* Committee unanimously voted to designate THEA 4080 a 
Writing Intensive course

Third order of business:
* Committee considered proposal to designate EXSS 4502, 
Independent Study in EXSS, as a writing intensive course
* McArthur asked what the Committee has done in the past 
in designating independent study sections as writing 
intensive
* McArthur, Bizarro, and Ulffers noted that information on the 
kinds of writing and writing assignments that might be 
included in EXSS 4502 are not included with the proposal
* Taylor pointed out that the purpose of the EXSS 4502 
independent study seems to be to allow transfer students 
who have fulfilled the course material requirements for EXSS 
3906, Physical Education for Special Populations, but not its 
writing intensive component to take an independent study 
that will cover this aspect of the course
* The committee agreed that this is an important goal
* Clark suggested that EXSS might develop a model 
syllabus that suggests the kinds of writing components and 
writing assignments that might be included in EXSS 4502
* Clark moved to table the EXSS 4502 writing intensive 
proposal so as to ask EXSS for more information, and 
perhaps a syllabus reflecting the writing components and 
assignments that might be used in the course
* Hutchins seconded
* The committee unanimously voted to table the proposal to 
designate EXSS 4502 as a writing intensive course

Fourth order of business:
* Bizzaro reported in his capacity as Interim Director of the 
Writing Across the Curriculum Program on a two day 
workshop on writing across the curriculum and strategies for 
conducting writing intensive courses, generously supported 
by Vice-Chancellor Ringeisen.  The workshop was run by Dr. 
Robert Jones, currently at the University of Arizona and 
instrumental in setting up the ground-breaking MIT WAC 
program
* The Committee agreed that more such workshops are an 
important goal in helping to support students and faculty 
efforts to integrate writing into courses
* Bizzaro reported that he is planning to run more such 
sessions this semester and will contact all instructors 
teaching writing intensive courses with information on these 
workshops
* Bizzaro reported on efforts to further integrate technology 
into the running of the Writing Center, blending the benefits 
of face-to-face writing consulting with online consulting
* Bizzaro reported on the progress of changes to the Writing 
Center, which has moved from the Department of English to 
university-wide sites.  Satellite locations have been 
established in many buildings on campus; 19 trained writing 
consultants from all disciplines are available at satellite 
locations and are currently meeting with students
* Bizzaro reported that the central Writing Center is open this 
semester in GCB 2026 M-Th 10-4 PM, W 5-8, F 10-1

Fifth order of business:
* Bob Morrison, Chair of the Faculty, reported on the 
proposal by the Committee on Committees to integrate 
Writing Across the Curriculum duties into a consolidated 
Academic Standards Committee
* Morrison reported that the Committee has revised the 
charge for the proposed Academic Standards Committee to 
include Advisory Committees for the Writing Across the 
Curriculum and Honors Programs.  These Advisory 
Committees will work in concert with the Directors of the 
programs