By Kristal-Kinloch-Taylor

The University Writing Council at ¹ÏÉñÍø plays a pivotal role in fostering a community dedicated to supporting writing. Composed of diverse campus stakeholders, the Council works together to raise awareness of the wealth of resources available to student and faculty writers. The Council was created to bridge the gap and provide a space for collaborative discussions about improving writing across disciplines. On January 23, the University Writing Council, in partnership with the Center for Faculty Development, will host a Campus Roundtable: Supporting Student Writers.

The CFD recently interviewed Dr. Kristi Costello and Remica Bingham-Risher to learn more about the council and the January 23 discussion.
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  1. What is the University Writing Council

The University Writing Council brings together campus stakeholders to prioritize and celebrate writing at ¹ÏÉñÍø. Council members will work together to inform the ¹ÏÉñÍø community about resources available to student and faculty writers; educate the ¹ÏÉñÍø community about ethical and effective writing placement, instruction, tools, and assessment; and encourage creative, collaborative, and innovative approaches to writing across the university.
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  1. Why was the Council formed?

Much of the work we do at ¹ÏÉñÍø is siloed, as is often the case at a large (and growing) university. Many of the folks who are now on the council were eager to find out who else on campus was focused on improving writing and thinking about how it impacts student learning and success. We found that there were many within various programs thinking about the impact of writing, but very few, if any, spaces for those colleagues to come together to discuss how each program was addressing writing.
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  1. What is your role on the council?

We’re co-chairs, so we are tasked with convening the group, brainstorming ideas for how to disseminate information about writing throughout the university and finding innovative ways to engage students and faculty in writing and support writers.Ìý
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  1. Why is there a need for a campus roundtable discussion?

Last year, the council developed and distributed a survey aimed at mapping existing writing support on campus, assessing gaps, and identifying opportunities for additional writing support. In response to the data and to more formally introduce the council to the campus, we thought it would be helpful to offer writing roundtables during the spring semester to think broadly about the resources currently available on campus to support student writers. We want to use this one-hour roundtable as an introduction to these resources, so that other members of the campus can become aware of what folks at ¹ÏÉñÍø are currently doing, and so that they can share information with their students, incorporate these tools or tips into their own classes, or perhaps even suggest potential initiatives in their own departments. A future roundtable will focus on faculty writing.
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  1. Who is participating in the panel discussion?

Panelists will include:Ìý

  • Meg Boeshart, Lecturer, English
  • Travis Jones, Undergraduate Teaching & Learning Librarian, University Libraries
  • Megan Mize, Director, ePortfolios & Digital Initiatives, Office of Academic Success Initiatives & Support (ASIS)Ìý
  • Susan Nixon, Coordinator of Learning and Programming, Office of Educational Accessibility
  • Jay O’Toole, Assistant Professor, Department of ManagementÌý
  • Elle Tyson,Ìý Assistant Director, ePortfolios & Digital Initiatives, Office of Academic Success Initiatives & Support (ASIS)Ìý
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  1. In what ways can faculty support student writers?

We all know that the work of providing feedback to writers, while important, is labor-intensive and time-consuming, but there are many ways for faculty members-not just those who teach English courses-to support our student writers. First, we suggest becoming familiar with the resources available on our campus and promoting their services to our students. There are also some simple pedagogical ways to support students through classroom practice, such as incorporating low-stakes writing opportunities to help students engage with course content and become comfortable expressing ideas without the pressure of a large graded assignment, creating opportunities for peer review so that students can learn from one another, and talking with students about the conventions of writing in their disciplines. We also suggest taking advantage of professional development opportunities on campus, such as programs offered by the Center for Faculty Development and Improving Disciplinary Writing
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  1. Can you provide details about the March Campus Roundtable: Supporting Faculty Writers event?

While planning is still underway, we are aiming for the roundtable to be partly informative (what support for faculty writers already exists at ¹ÏÉñÍø) and partly generative (what could exist to better support faculty writers).
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Register for the Campus Roundtable: Supporting Student Writers and all CFD events here: