Dear Chairs and Faculty Colleagues:

The Writing Initiatives Network Committee has become aware that several departments intend to offer Writing Emphasis courses during the 2014 “Winterim.” W-courses are required to emphasize writing as a multi-stage process, incorporating multiple drafts with time to adequately evaluate and revise material. Due to the required time to process and revise material, any course meant to be conducted over less than a 6-week duration will not include sufficient time to warrant a “W” designation. Please adjust the descriptions of course offerings for the “Winterim” to reflect this and bear this 6-week requirement in mind when offering courses for shorter summer terms as well.

If you have any questions about the criteria for qualification for the W-course designator, please consult the “Writing Emphasis Faculty Guidelines Form” (a.k.a. “Checklist for Review”) found at the following URL:

http://www.sunybroome.edu/c/document_library/get_file?uuid=2648cb7a-21a1-4de9-b4a2-48a68a13c45c&groupId=39972

Alternatively, feel free to contact a WINC representative if you have further questions about this matter.

• LIBERAL ARTS:
  • Ellen Brand (brander@sunybroome.edu)
  • Bill Altman (altmanws@sunybroome.edu)
  • Fred Loveland (lovelandfg@sunybroome.edu)
• BUSINESS & PUBLIC SERVICES:
  • Darin Schmidt (schmidtdm@sunybroome.edu)
  • Mike Grubb (grubbmr@sunybroome.edu)
• STEM:
  • William Hollister (hollisterwr@sunybroome.edu)
• HEALTH SCIENCES:
  • Catherine Schuldt (schuldtce@sunybroome.edu)
  • Colleen Donahue (donahuecm@sunybroome.edu)

(Note: Some committee members are not listed here.)

Respectfully,

The Writing Initiatives Network Committee

Present: Mike Grubb (Chair—LA/ENG&WC), Ellen Brand (LA/ENG), Colleen Donahue (HLTHSCI/RAD), Cathy Schuldt (HLTHSCI/MA), & Leeland Whitted (LA/HIS)

Not Present: Bill Altman (LA/PSY), Bill Hollister (STEM/BIO), Fred Loveland (LA/HIS)

• Mike distributed “unofficial” minutes from previous meeting; errors were addressed.
• Mike will contact chairs of BUS, CRJ, & MAT depts. to inquire about likely WINC recruits to round out our representation.
• Mike will confirm whether Bill Altman is still interested in keeping the Committee Web Master position. The position of Student Outreach Chair is currently vacant. Mike will update the list of current WINC officers
• There was some discussion about using the G-drive/Google Docs environment as a collaboration space. Since the two strongest advocates were not present, discussion was essentially tabled, although it was agreed that the committee should try to make use of available school-related servers for public documents. Mike will discuss with MarCom the redesign of the WINC web space so that it is easier to find, as well as the creation of a committee members-only space for a collaboration space unavailable to the public.
• Mike will request an ARGOS report from the registrar to find out faculty people who are teaching W courses during the Spring, Summer, and Fall semesters of the 2013 calendar year.
• The current versions of the outreach letters for chairs & W instructors must be revised. Mike will work on initial drafts and will distribute & post them for comments and revision notes.
  Things to mention: necessary for maintaining accreditation; update since the last round of review that occurred ____________(ca Spring 2009?—confirmation needed); current list of WINC contact people; include a copy of the W-course guidelines as an attachment.
• Reminder: If any faculty contact WINC Members with questions about W-modules (i.e., converting a non-W course to fulfill the W requirement for individual students), those instructors should be directed to Ellen, the W-Module Chair.
• There appear to be BANNER-system issues with the Degree Evaluation process and the W designation. Contact should be made with the registrar’s office regarding this issue.

Our next meeting is tentatively scheduled for March 28 at 12:00.

If anything has been inadvertently omitted from these minutes, please alert Mike (x5363 or grubbmr@sunybroome) so he can amend the minutes accordingly.