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Show page 6 , Spring/Summer 2003 The ABCs of the UWP BY SOMYR MCLEAN The University Writing Program (UWP) was established in 1984 as a professional operation designed for students to fulfill their writing requirement course. University writing courses, originally taught under the English department, have become much more specialized in content and curriculum. These specialized courses are designed to ensure that students acquire and develop the necessary rhetorical skills needed to succeed in their college writing assignments, and to prepare students for the writing demands they will find in the workforce. Professor Thomas Huckin, director of the program, said that the UWP is an essential asset for students who plan on having successful academic and professional careers. "Unfortunately, there are a lot of students who have not had the benefit of high school teachers paying close attention to their writing skills," Huckin said. If U students leave with mediocre writing skills, he said, they will find it difficult to write simple e-mails or memos in the workforce. Two lower-division courses give students the opportunity to develop their writing skills. Students are placed in one of two courses according to their admissions index. Those with a lower index are placed in Writing 1010 and those with a higher index are placed in Writing 2010. Rory Brunner, a senior in mass communication, agrees with Huckin. "There have been many times in my life, other than school, where I was glad that I had excellent writing instruction. My writing courses have especially helped me communicate more efficiently in my job," he said. This past year, the University has raised admission standards for incoming students and perhaps, Huckin said, that will relieve some of the stress the Writing Program feels, with over 2,000 students taking lower division courses per year. "We can't offer as many class sections that are needed for students to complete their writing classes. We turn students away every year," Huckin said. Writing course enrollment is capped at 23 students. Huckin said that adding more students per class isn't an option. "Research clearly shows that ballooning class enrollment has a negative effect on how students learn and how professors teach," Huckin said. Quality and excellence are not something the UWP is willing to compromise. Whether students study English or engineering, they must have proficient writing skills in order to excel in their academic careers. "The general goal for having writing requirements is that students understand how rhetoric fits into a particular purpose, and to sensitize students to rhetorical demands," Huckin said. Sometimes students need assistance refining their writing skills outside of the classroom. Sylvia Newman has been the coordinator of the Writing Center at Weber State University for over five years. She said that the Writing Center offers students specialized tutoring to help them become better writers. "Sometimes students come to us thinking that we are going to help them get through just one paper, but that's not what we do. Our goal is to help students become better writers by focusing on specific skills that will help them through all their papers," she said. WSU's Writing Center was established 20 years ago and every year has several thousand students seek help. "We feel that our program has been very successful in terms of the numbers of students who come to us for help. In the 2001-2002 school year, 2,800 students participated in tutoring sessions," Newman said. The University of Utah has never had a writing center, and Huckin said that gathering funding to create one is a top priority. The University Tutoring Center or the Center for Ethnic Student Affairs (CESA) both offer general tutoring, including writing, for students who need it. "Writing skills are extremely important for a student's success at the University. They are a necessary complement to other technical or verbal skills students may develop," Huckin said. |
