The document discusses the components and leadership of writing programs at universities. It argues that Emory's writing program lacks track faculty and funding compared to disciplinary norms and peer institutions. A 5-year plan is proposed to address these issues through hiring associate directors and coordinators for first-year composition, writing in the disciplines, and the Emory Writing Center. The plan would better align Emory's writing program with national standards and peer universities.

1. What does a writing program do?
What are its components? Are
there disciplinary norms for these
things? Who is creating visionary,
leading programs, and why?
WHAT IS A WRITING PROGRAM?

2. WRITING PROGRAMS OFFER DEGREES, HAVE IMPACT
During the present revolution in scholarly & professional
communication, writing programs provide leadership across
the campus and beyond.

3. WHAT WILL EMORY’S WRITING PROGRAM DO?
There is a significant gap between Emory’s historical support
for writing and disciplinary norms. For more than two
decades, 25% or more of MLA job listings have been in
writing. Hundreds of departments offer minors, tracks, or
certificates in writing studies.

4. Curriculum Remediation
It is common for Emory’s
aspirational peers to use
their unusual prestige and
influence to flout
disciplinary norms
regarding writing
programs.
.
WHICH WRITING PROGRAMS SHOULD EMORY EMULATE?
As the 2010 Burmester report & others conclude: Emory’s aspirational
peers invest far more heavily in their writing programs. However, the
focus on aspirational peers fails to yield a true picture of either
Emory’s peers or of disciplinary norms.

5. 14
12 Track Faculty
10 in Writing
Using the metric of US 8 Full
News rankings, Emory’s 6 Associate
true peer bracket includes
4 Asst
roughly the top 40 national
universities and the top 50 2
English PhD programs. 0
MIT, #5 GWU SYR #62 EMORY
#50
EMORY’S NATIONAL PEERS EMPLOY RESEARCH FACULTY
MIT offers a writing minor in every department; Syracuse
had 80 majors the day it opened; GWU’s international
enrollment is 7.5% vs Emory 11%.

6. 25
Track Faculty
20 in Writing
With the exception of 15
Emory, all major research Writing
institutions in Georgia 10 Related
adhere at least minimally
to disciplinary norms in 5
writing faculty.
0
Uga GSoU GaT GSU
RESEARCH INSTITUTIONS EMPLOY RESEARCH FACULTY
Georgia Southern’s department of Writing & Linguistics
offers 2 majors, 4 minors & a graduate certificate.

7. Writing
Track Faculty
English literature lines are 12 in Writing
dropping in absolute 10
terms, while writing & 8
digital media hires are
6
soaring.
4
Writing
2
Most programs outside the
top 10 are adapting to the 0
UNC
CUNY
UWM
UIUC
Pitt
CMU
PSU
UC Davis
U Mich
UT Austin
changing landscape of
English studies.
ENGLISH PHD PROGRAMS EMPLOY RESEARCH FACULTY
UM –UIUC ranked 13-22; Emory & UC Davis ranked 26;
PSU-CMU ranked 29-38. UVa, Georgetown, UC
Irvine, numerous others all hiring in writing studies & related
fields.

8. WHAT DOES EMORY GAIN BY HIRING TRACK FACULTY?
Leadership across the curriculum, disciplinary currency, renovation of
English grad/ug curriculum, possible improved enrollment &
placement, community impact, interdisciplinary attention to changes in
professional & scholarly communication, dynamic relation to other
initiatives—digital, international, STEM, pedagogy, PFF, etc etc.

9. WID/E, QEP FYC EWC
DOMAIN Curriculum PFF
ELEMENTS OF A 5-YEAR PLAN
Any 5-year plan will involve hiring, organization, and budgeting. There
are currently no permanent faculty, staff or budget associated with
the Emory College Writing Program.

10. Position #1
Associate Director of EWP/Coordinator of First
FYC Year Composition. Asst. professor, 10 months, 2
releases 1 year, 1 release thereafter.
Leadership responsibilities include addressing major policy questions (eg 2
FYC courses, FYS, exemptions, alignment w/ nat’l outcomes); assessment of
student learning, formative assessment of teaching by lecturers, track
faculty, and grad students; program development, graduate pedagogy, etc.
HIRING: TRACK FACULTY
 Supported by 9 mo lecturer with two releases.
 Would reduce DUS workload & increase compliance
 Significant improvement in FYW & PFF

11. Position #2
Associate Director of EWP/Coordinator of
WID Writing In the Disciplines. Assoc prof, 10
months, 2 releases for 2 years, 1 release after.
Will coordinate broadly to lead WID meets WIDE, or D-WID, a nationally
prominent, innovative writing in the disciplines initiative in support of an
undergraduate culture of evidence:
acquiring, visualizing, presenting, curating and organizing multiple kinds of
data in multiple formats—from powerpoint and performance to oral history
and activist video.
HIRING: TRACK FACULTY
 Supported by 9 mo lecturer with two releases.
 Will serve as lead WP contributor to QEP
 Major overhaul in advanced writing across disciplines

12. Position #2 Leadership of the EWC is under review.
Currently staffed by an interim Assistant
EWC Director (12-mo staff), several 1-year graduate
fellows, and undergraduate tutors. We are
doing assessment of its space & mission.
At present, the EWC does not report to the EWP. Anticipating that it might
do so, we are considering several changes—eg, integrating a large staff of ESL
tutors with the EWC tutoring operation & substantially expanding the ESL
preparation of EWC tutors. Selected EWC tutors will also participate in a pilot
effort in support of digital literacies.
OPEN QUESTIONS
 The best future of the EWC is a multiliteracy approach.
 There are some efficiencies to be gained by combining with
EWP and considering other partnerships.
 It is highly desirable to reorganize the fellowships—eg 5-
year top-off superfellowships.

13. Position #2 The EWC needs to be led into a true
multiliteracies center, implying significant
EWC investment in personnel and physical
plant, quite possibly at the university level.
The best solution is a provost –funded senior
hire.
Currently over a dozen campus units offer “writing support” services at
highly varying levels of sophistication, frequently by nonspecialist staff and
students with limited training. There is substantial unmet need. None of
these units address digital literacy & the changing nature of scholarly and
professional communication.
“WRITING SUPPORT” VS WRITING IN THE CURRICULUM
 Over 14 units provide “writing support”
 Resources are wasted, need is unmet, quality varies
 Strategic planning of writing support at university level
requires at minimum the tasking of a provost-level admin.

14. Proposed Org Chart, 2014-15
Over 12 units currently
provide “writing support” of
variable quality.
Should we think about
ESL writing in the curriculum
at the univ level also?
Oxford
QEP
English
Dept.
CFDE
DSC
other
WP
U/G
Rsch
IT, ECIT
Civic
Engmt

15. Proposed Org Chart, 2013-14
ESL
Oxford
QEP Temporary f/t hires
in 2013-14 could be
English considered for asst-
coordinator slots in
Dept. 2014-15.
CFDE It would be ideal to
settle the program
assistant & asst.
DSC director
positions, and hire
other an academic
WP technologist.
U/G
Rsch
IT, ECIT
Civic
Engmt