In accordance with the university’s motto Docendo Discimus, through teaching we learn, the department is committed to improving our students’ and our own writing, reading, reasoning, and communication skills in an inclusive, enriching environment of teaching and learning. As teachers and students working together, we develop reasoning skills and literary awareness within the larger goal of fostering human, social, and cultural understanding.
The English department participates in all aspects of university achievement and fosters excellence through its reflective, research based, student centered and inclusive practice. We provide for an outstanding academic and student life on the Ellensburg campus (Strategic Goal 1) by monitoring, instructing, and mentoring over 1800 students per academic quarter, accounting for over 25% of the FTE generated by the College of Arts and Humanities. We provide for an outstanding academic and student life at the university centers (Strategic Goal 2) in that we work with center program faculty to assess and support student writing and reading competence. English faculty at the Lynnwood Center and the SeaTac Center provide discipline specific writing instruction as well as individualized tutoring. The English Department actively works to build mutually beneficial partnerships with industry, professional groups, institutions, and the communities surrounding our campus locations (Strategic Goal 4) both in the context of our disciplinary expertise and beyond. Department faculty serve on key organizations and boards related to environmental issues, arts advocacy, civic and community enterprises, and education, including the Larson Gallery Guild Board of Directors, the Educational Service District #105 Board of Directors, the Hospital Board, and APOYO, which provides services to the Hispanic community ranging from operating a food bank to providing court-related translation and client advocacy. We have helped to strengthen the university’s position as a leader in the field of education (Strategic Goal 5) in that our faculty participate in national education associations and scholarly and public dialogues related to the teaching of literacy, literature, linguistics, and pedagogy. We work directly and specifically to create and sustain productive, civil, and pleasant workplaces (Strategic Goal 6) and will present evidence of our effort through multiple assessment measures including the productivity data included in this report and the student program evaluations conducted through ENG 489: Senior Colloquium (I.). We maintain a current and regular presence as members and leaders of key university committees including the Faculty Senate committees on Curriculum, Assessment, Technology, Faculty Development, Academic Affairs, General Education, and Budget, as well as campus initiatives like the President’s Diversity Council.
The twelve goals below, which came from our Program Review, articulate our shared commitments across all programs. These help us prioritize the governance and planning work of the department as a whole. Each program, in addition, has specific curricular goals that delimit and inform course outcomes. 1. Our composition curriculum will provide high quality, successful learning opportunities in rhetorical strategies and critical literacy. We have revised outcomes for the composition courses for cohesiveness and are providing more training opportunities for new faculty in the composition program. 2. Our course contributions to the Literary Backgrounds requirement in the CWU general education program will introduce reading and interpretive strategies and encourage imaginative exploration honoring the commonality and diversity of human experience across time and culture. We have revised outcomes to ensure that students have similar experiences while giving faculty freedom in choosing texts and approaches. 3. Our major programs will provide learning opportunities in literary, linguistic, visual, and creative awareness requiring students to engage responsibly with and compose a wide range of texts while developing their repertoire of skills in interpreting, analyzing, writing, and evaluating texts and non-print media. We have developed an interdisciplinary Writing Specialization, revised our Grammar and Linguistics requirements, and have developed a broad range of courses for the interdisciplinary Film and Video Studies program. 4. Our creative writing program will guide and support student writers as they practice composing in different genres and as they produce the annual literary magazine, Manastash. As noted above, we have developed an interdisciplinary Writing Specialization that affords students the opportunity to compose in multiple creative and professional genres, including an internship program. We are currently working to expand the internship program. 5. Our teaching programs will provide training and practice for both pre-service and inservice teachers in research supported pedagogies. We will insure that all English Teaching majors meet the expectations for the preparation and endorsement of English/Language Arts teachers established by NCTE/NCATE and the competencies identified in the Washington State Administrative Codes. We continue to make changes to the program as certification requirements evolve. 6. Our graduate programs will provide opportunities for students to extend and enrich their exploration of the disciplines of literature and language, specifically to strengthen their preparation for doctoral study, for careers in teaching writing and literature, and for teaching English to speakers of other languages. We have made changes to both the M.A. Literature Program and the TESOL Program to allow students to finish in a timely manner while still maintaining rigorous standards. For the TESOL Program, we have created an intensive one-year course of study. 7. We will establish and maintain recruitment, advising and achievement recognition activities that will increase the quality, diversity and number of majors and the probability of their continuation and success in our programs. Along with very welcome achievement recognition and recruitment activities at the college level, we have substantially improved our department website for marketing and for recognition of student, alumni, and faculty achievements. We are also developing an alumni newsletter. 8. We are committed to diversity as an enriching fact of life. We promote it in our faculty and student body and in the programs of study which incorporate a broad range of perspectives. Our goal is to prepare students to live and work creatively and compassionately in a global society, and for us to do the same. English courses, including a new course in Black Performative Culture, are now part of the Africana and Black Studies program, the American Indian Studies program, the Latino and Latin American Studies program, and the Women Studies program. Our participation in these programs enriches the courses. 9. We will work to involve ourselves through research, performance, presentations, workshops, participation and leadership in professional organizations, and collaboration with colleagues and with our students to contribute to disciplinary knowledge and to enrich the learning environment. Since the last program review, we have created a travel fund for non-tenure-track faculty. We have also begun a mentoring program for NTT faculty. 10. We will seek opportunities to extend our expertise and resources to off campus organizations and communities. 11. We will increase our literary and global knowledge as we participate in the international community, seeking, creating, and sponsoring opportunities for academic interaction with teachers and learners both here and abroad. 12. We will work together, fully and functionally, as a department in which trust and openness are expected and maintained, through which can evolve the kinds of superior work of which we are capable, and out of which will emerge our best, our most generous and participatory selves.
Assessment data are reviewed by the chair and are presented to the department as a whole or to the relevant committee(s) as appropriate. Recommended program changes originate with the committees (Undergraduate, English Education, Writing Specialization, and Graduate) and are voted on by the department. For large scale changes, we have also used department retreats. An example of a recent program change based on assessment data is changing ENG 320 (English Grammar) and ENG 304 (English Linguistics) from options to core requirements. Data from senior surveys and group exit interviews indicated that many students lacked confidence in their knowledge of grammar. Subsequent surveys and interviews indicate a high level of satisfaction with the grammar course in particular.
The twelve goals below articulate our shared commitments across all programs. These help us prioritize the governance and planning work of the department as a whole. Each program, in addition, has specific curricular goals that delimit and inform course outcomes. 1. Our composition curriculum will provide high quality, successful learning opportunities in rhetorical strategies and critical literacy. Although general education assessment is not yet in place, previous assessments using a sampling of papers indicate that we are meeting our goals. 2. Our course contributions to the Literary Backgrounds requirement in the CWU general education program will introduce reading and interpretive strategies and encourage imaginative exploration honoring the commonality and diversity of human experience across time and culture. Again, we do not have general education assessment data for the course, but syllabus reviews by our General Education committee and Personnel reviews of course syllabi, SEOIs, teaching materials, and graded assignments strongly indicate that we are meeting our goals. 3. Our major programs will provide learning opportunities in literary, linguistic, visual, and creative awareness requiring students to engage responsibly with and compose a wide range of texts while developing their repertoire of skills in interpreting, analyzing, writing, and evaluating texts and non-print media. Our major programs are structured so that all students are required to take a set of core courses that develop skills in interpretation, analysis, writing, and evaluation. They are also required to take core courses in grammar and linguistics. Students are also required to select from courses in strands focusing on historical surveys, comparative and cultural approaches, major authors, genres, and creative writing. Senior surveys and reviews of student portfolios demonstrate that students have the opportunity to study all areas and that their achievement meets or exceeds departmental expectations in all but the grammar and linguistics strand, which we will be focusing on in the coming year. 4. Our creative writing program will guide and support student writers as they practice composing in different genres and as they produce the annual literary magazine, Manastash. Our interdisciplinary Writing Specialization affords students the opportunity to compose in a wide range of creative and professional genres. The specialization continues to grow and we have plans to turn it into a major. 5. Our teaching programs will provide training and practice for both pre-service and inservice teachers in research supported pedagogies. We will insure that all English Teaching majors meet the expectations for the preparation and endorsement of English/Language Arts teachers established by NCTE/NCATE and the competencies identified in the Washington State Administrative Codes. Our English/Language Arts Teaching Major is structured to address all required competencies in core courses and to give students a broad background in language and literature. For 2007-2008, a rubric-based assessment demonstrated that all students met or exceeded Department expectations for mastering the competencies. 6. Our graduate programs will provide opportunities for students to extend and enrich their exploration of the disciplines of literature and language, specifically to strengthen their preparation for doctoral study, for careers in teaching writing and literature, and for teaching English to speakers of other languages. In the past three years, several of our M.A. graduates have been admitted to Ph.D. programs, and we continue to have a good placement record for students going in to teaching, administrative, or editing fields. 7. We will establish and maintain recruitment, advising and achievement recognition activities that will increase the quality, diversity and number of majors and the probability of their continuation and success in our programs. Our major numbers are not where we would like them to be. In the past year, we have significantly improved our website to better present our program and to recognize student, alumni, and faculty achievements. Our Lion Rock Visiting Writers Series gives our program broader exposure to the university and to the wider community, and we are developing an alumni newsletter. 8. We are committed to diversity as an enriching fact of life. We promote it in our faculty and student body and in the programs of study which incorporate a broad range of perspectives. Our goal is to prepare students to live and work creatively and compassionately in a global society, and for us to do the same. Our curriculum ensures that students are broadly exposed to diverse texts and to a broad range of voices and perspectives in analyzing and interpreting those texts. 9. We will work to involve ourselves through research, performance, presentations, workshops, participation and leadership in professional organizations, and collaboration with colleagues and with our students to contribute to disciplinary knowledge and to enrich the learning environment. Faculty achievement is strong in all areas, and we have growing student participation in SOURCE and scholarly conferences as well as creative endeavors including readings and publication. 10. We will seek opportunities to extend our expertise and resources to off campus organizations and communities. The Department has a very strong record of service to professional organizations and to the wider community. 11. We will increase our literary and global knowledge as we participate in the international community, seeking, creating, and sponsoring opportunities for academic interaction with teachers and learners both here and abroad. We continue to host visiting scholars and faculty have taught in Greece, China, Hungary, and Britain. Faculty frequently present at international conferences, and one faculty member is organizing a conference in India this year. 12. We will work together, fully and functionally, as a department in which trust and openness are expected and maintained, through which can evolve the kinds of superior work of which we are capable, and out of which will emerge our best, our most generous and participatory selves. English faculty have an outstanding record of service at the department, college, and university levels. In the department, we strive for consensus in all decisions.
University-Wide Issues 1. Completely reform the treatment of adjuncts, not only in the department, but in the college and the university. The CBA has made some improvements, but the implementation of annual contracts for NTT faculty has been problematic because of teaching loads. NTT faculty in our department teach composition and writing-intensive courses that make more than three 4-credit classes per term unworkable. We have discussed moving to 5-credit classes, which would address the problem for NTTs, but which would also create problems for curriculum and pedagogy. At the general education level, it would mean adding two more hours of composition for all students. At the major level, it would require either adding hours to graduation requirements or restructuring courses in a way that would ultimately reduce the focus and diversity of our offerings. We have created a department travel budget for NTT faculty using summer money. 2. Put teachers’ and students’ needs first in room scheduling. Almost all of the classrooms in L & L have now been equipped with technology. Scheduling classrooms remains a challenge. 3. Develop adequate office space and staff for the department and its programs. We continue to make some progress with additional office space in Black and Hertz, though we still have as many as three NTT faculty assigned to a single office. 4. Revise policies and procedures supporting faculty development, research, and professional travel so that they are more transparent and the resources are easier to identify and access. The CBA has made the process simpler, and we have developed Individual Development accounts in the department. Departmental Issues: 5. Develop long-term hiring strategies to address problems that might occur when the department’s very senior faculty begins to retire. We hired one new faculty member last year and have no projected retirements in existing lines in the near future. A more immediate concern will be the retirements of FTNTT faculty. Our current pool of NTT faculty includes promising candidates. 6. Build “big picture” issues into the advising routine. A new two-year course scheduling plan addresses this in part by making it possible to plan farther in advance. We have dedicated advisors for each program. We have used the website and bulletin boards to provide more information on program requirements and graduate program opportunities. We still need to make progress in this, perhaps with advising meetings scheduled at the time of the advising holds. 7. Schedule classes with an eye toward maximizing students’ options and accommodating faculty research agendas. (p.12) Scheduling remains a challenge because of space limitations, but the two-year plan provides some help, and every effort is made to avoid conflicts for students. An increased use of block scheduling for film classes and other courses has created some new problems because of overlapping class times. We have also had some success with the kind of undergraduate/graduate coordination recommended in the program review, but faculty rarely teach graduate courses more than once every two years. Separating undergraduate and graduate sections of our major authors courses is preferable for pedagogical reasons and for creating research opportunities for faculty. At the same time, it has created enrollment problems and the major authors approach often does not fit faculty research agendas. Solving this may require curriculum changes. 8. Take advantage of de facto learning communities among majors. Dr. Condon’s specific suggestion was to create a space for students to gather and discuss common interests and to conduct a focus group to determine how to promote learning communities. We have created a student space the 4th floor lobby, and have had some discussion about using the first-floor lounge in some way. For 2007-2008 we have offered linked ENG 101 courses for the STEP program and ENG 110 (African-American Studies.) 9. Develop means of exploiting the major portfolios as an assessment tool for improving faculty practice, undergraduate curriculum, and departmental planning. We have developed a new portfolio review process for program assessment. A sampling of portfolios will be assessed independent of our capstone course using a rubric based on program-level outcomes. 10. Develop the composition program so that it is sustainable and so that it presents a reasonable workload for its director. We have not made much progress toward this goal because of budgets, but we are currently discussing ways of addressing the composition director’s workload and spreading mentoring of teaching assistants among faculty.
1. Continued to hire promising, accomplished and productive faculty members who understand the full definition of the professoriate inclusive of teaching, scholarship and service. 2. Increased the number and quality of our graduate students sufficient to enable us to uncouple several of our graduate offerings from co-listings with undergraduate courses. This will enable us to continue to clarify the separate missions and functions of our graduate programs, a recommendation cited in our recent NASC interim reports. 3. Increased and clarified our offerings at centers and improved communication with and assessment of CWU Center instructors. 4. Increased currency, effectiveness, and efficiency of developmental curriculum. 5. Developing a Writing Specialization with courses in creative and professional writing; new curriculum proposals were approved for 2005-2006, and we are currently working on developing the specialization into a major. 6. Created and supported extra-curricular events and activities through which students and faculty can interact as a part of their disciplinary orientation and scholarly involvement. 7. Participated positively and productively in Washington State education reform efforts. 8. Participated positively and productively in Statewide writing assessment efforts. 9. Encouraged faculty to pursue enrichment opportunities including professional leaves and exchanges, grants, and faculty development seminars, and travel to professional conferences and performances, within the departments capacity to accommodate the costs and scheduling changes such opportunities require. 10. Sponsored literary, artistic, and cultural events that featured our faculty and guest lecturers and artists, including the Lion Rock Visiting Writers Series.
1. Keeping up with education reform and accreditation requirements related to teacher education; we have reviewed and revised our assessments for Washington State English/Language Arts Competencies. 2. Integrating visual rhetoric into teacher preparation program; we have designed and approved a new course which focuses on reading and viewing strategies in the context of critical theory. 3. Teaching loads for non-tenure track faculty. We have been committed in the past to assigning no more than three courses per quarter to NTT faculty because the courses they teach are writing-intensive, and more than three courses would exceed standards established by disciplinary organizations. Because our courses are all four credits, this has made it difficult to implement full-time NTT contracts under the current interpretation of the CBA. Since research is no longer recognized as part of the assignment for our FTNTTs, we have only been able to implement full time contracts with heavy service loads. 4. Addressing negative pedagogical implications of room scheduling procedures; we are working with the Dean and Associate Dean of CAH to better understand and plan for the limitations and possibilities of facilities management, and to find ways to factor pedagogy and technology into the software’s room management capabilities. 5. Seeking more stable and predictable support for general education course instruction; we have discussed and will continue to work on better models for accurate annual predictions of general education course needs with the Associate Vice President for Undergraduate Studies.
We "provide for an outstanding academic and student life on the Ellensburg campus" (Goal 1) with high quality, informed, current programs of study in literature, language, pedagogy and professional writing. We organize and support extracurricular events that extend aesthetic and cultural understanding across the university, including readings by visiting writers and the Classic Film Series. Members of our department have been instrumental in creating innovative learning opportunities that cross disciplinary boundaries and continental borders. We "provide for an outstanding academic and student life at the university centers" (Goal 2) by working with center program faculty to assess and support student writing and reading competence. English faculty at the centers provide discipline-specific writing instruction and individualized tutoring. We teach distance education and online courses, including elective upper division courses for the centers. We help in "developing a diversified funding base to support our academic and student programs" (Goal 3) by participating in initiatives related to education, which enhances the visibility of the university and its programs,. Our faculty have received grants from several organizations, and we are also raising funds for a department scholarship. The English Department actively works to "build mutually beneficial partnerships with industry, professional groups, institutions, and the communities surrounding our campus locations" (Goal 4) by service to key organizations related to environmental issues, arts advocacy, civic and community enterprises, and education. Our new Writing Specialization offers practicum experiences and internships. We also work with area institutions on in sponsoring visiting writers and participating in literary events. We have helped to "strengthen the university’s position as a leader in the field of education" (Strategic Goal 5) by participating in national education associations and dialogues related to literacy, literature, linguistics, and pedagogy. Our colleagues present at national and regional conferences and consult with state and regional agencies on educational reform and best practices. Our Central Washington Writing Project has influenced the success of teachers and districts statewide and has earned a national reputation for excellence in the areas of multiculturalism and educational uses of technology. Faculty have edited the Washington English Journal, which features articles related to the teaching of English/Language Arts. We work to "create and sustain productive, civil, and pleasant workplaces" (Goal 6) by serving as members and leaders of key university committees, as well as campus initiatives like the President’s Diversity Council.
The department offers two undergraduate majors, one in English Language and Literature and one English/Language Arts Teaching. In addition, we offer a Writing Specialization. Requirements for all programs are outcomes-based. Program outcomes are organized into seven areas of competence or “strands,” and multiple courses satisfy the outcomes for each strand. The Major/Minor Handbook is distributed in an introductory course, English 303: Principles of English Studies, and students self-monitor their progress toward completion of the outcomes in that handbook. The culminating experience for all three major programs has been the Senior Colloquium, ENG 489, in which students participate in a peer revision process to compile a portfolio of writings which illustrate their competence in the program strands. Our recently revised program for English/Language Arts teaching culminates in ENG 488, a separate portfolio colloquium in which students complete an e-portfolio using LiveText software. The English Major is designed to promote intellectual and critical engagement, an aptitude for delight through aesthetic awareness, a facility with various forms of written expression, and an appreciation of the diversity and universality of human experience. Those ends are achieved by developing a knowledge of literary traditions and forms, by practicing ways of reading that engage us with literary experiences through various perspectives, and by practicing forms of expression that both reflect literary understanding and that build an appreciation of the art and craft of writing. Critical thinking skills are thus nurtured in the rich environment of the literary imagination as students identify and analyze interpretive problems, articulate and explore the basis of their responses, position themselves in critical dialogues on questions at issue, identify assumptions and evidence, consider historical, cultural, and social contexts, and draw implications and conclusions in an atmosphere of shared discourse. In pursuit of literary and aesthetic competence, students will practice these tools and techniques of literary study as they read closely the works of great writers, acquire knowledge of literary traditions, read and compose using the conventions of various genres, explore community and cultural connections and disconnections, and analyze linguistic elements and functions. Through these lenses, readers and writers develop sensitivity to the possibilities of language, an awareness of the ways meaning is shared imaginatively, emotionally and intellectually; and an aptitude for continuing their explorations of meaning beyond their college experience and throughout their lives.
English department faculty maintain currency by participating in a variety of disciplinary conversations through the publication and presentation of scholarship and research; creative productivity and public performance of creative works; participation in institutes, grant-funded projects, workshops and inservice opportunities; membership and leadership in professional associations; service as consultants to and judges of scholarly and creative events and contests; and subscribing to, editing, or reviewing professional publications. These forms of professional involvement enrich and inform our students’ classroom success and our own regular discussions of curricular effectiveness and innovation.
As part of the review and reappointment process, faculty submit course syllabi, graded papers showing a range of grades, and other course materials. In addition to standard SEOIs, peer evaluations and observations are regularly conducted. We encourage the formative use of evaluations, asking faculty to reflect on how they have responded to evaluations. Our senior surveys also ask students to evaluate specific pedagogical strategies used in their courses. Probationary faculty are mentored by senior faculty. In addition, we have organized departmental discussions and workshops on pedagogical theory and practice.
The department chair reviews SEOI data for all classes. In cases where the collected data indicates a pattern of concern with the practices of a particular faculty member, either the chair or the assigned mentor meets with the faculty member in question to contextualize the problem and when helpful, to develop an improvement plan. In cases where the collected data from SEOIs, senior surveys, or other assessment instruments indicates a pattern of concern for a program as a whole, the department chair meets with the appropriate coordinator to discuss a process for identifying remedies. At present, assessment data are presented to administrators in updates to Program Review or as requested. We are currently creating a formal process for reporting assessment data to the Dean and to the AVP for Undergraduate Studies.
Department program committees have access to and in some cases conduct the program assessment measures referenced by the department. Recommendations for change come from those committees, and minutes for committee meetings track changes. Recent examples of changes based on program exit data include the following: · Students reported in the Program Outcomes Surveys and in the Colloquium Interview Evaluations that they lacked confidence in their grammar knowledge; as a result, ENG 320: English Grammar, and ENG 304: English Linguistics were changed from options to core program requirements for both undergraduate major programs. · Students reported in the Senior Colloquium Interviews a desire for an English major option that shifts the reading/writing balance from literature to composing; the result of our discussions in response to student needs is the proposed Writing Specialization (Appendix E). · In a 2004 survey, graduate students reported dissatisfaction with the ‘backloading” of program requirements which delayed degree completion, as well as a disconnect between course coverage and comprehensive exam reading lists; the graduate committee recommended changes to program requirements that were recently approved by the department.
The English department is responsible for two core courses in writing required of all graduates, ENG 101 and ENG 102, as well as a developmental curriculum that offers a clear and appropriate transition for students who lack sufficient language experience to succeed in the college level courses. These courses are informed by a specific and research-based set of outcomes that incorporate critical literacy, rhetorical strategies, and writing process competence. (See Appendix A: Writing Program Outcomes) A first set of outcomes address knowledge, skills and processes that relate to writing and collaboration in general. A second set identifies the competencies assigned to ENG 100T, the transition course. The third and fourth sets specify the skills and abilities which will be monitored and assessed in the college composition courses. The English department also offers two courses that meet the Literary Backgrounds requirement in the General Education Program, ENG 105, Introduction to the Literary Imagination, and ENG 247, Multicultural Literature. We see these courses as very important to the university experience and to the students’ sense of their preparedness as informed citizens of and participants in a global society. In no other required course do students bring together their intellectual, imaginative, aesthetic, and emotional competence. Rarely will they have the opportunity to observe as directly their preconceived cultural, aesthetic, political and social perspectives in light of alternatives. As they embrace, and/or resist literary experiences and perspectives, they come to understand themselves and their world in complex, intellectually and imaginatively rich ways. Both courses provide opportunities for students to read and respond orally and in writing to works that vary in time, place, culture, and genre.
The English Department does not incorporate general education student learning goals into the assessment of majors at present.
M.A. Literature Goals: Our graduate program in Literature will provide opportunities for students to extend and enrich their exploration of American, British, and World Literatures in English, which addresses the College goals of developing students' intellectual and practical skills and improving students' knowledge of human cultures. Students will study and apply critical and theoretical approaches from multiple disciplines, which addresses the College goal of facilitating integrative learning, disciplinary and interdisciplinary. Students will strengthen their preparation for doctoral study, for careers in teaching writing and literature, and for careers in writing, all of which address the College goal that students will develop disciplinary-specific competencies for success in their field. All goals address the related University goal of maintaining and strengthening an outstanding academic and student life on the Ellensburg campus. M.A. TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) Goals: Our Graduate TESOL program will improve student knowledge of subsentential, sentential, and suprasentential levels of language, which addresses the College goals of developing students' intellectual and practical skills. Students will strengthen their knowledge of pedagogical strategies and methods appropriate for second-language speakers, which addresses the College goal that students will develop disciplinary-specific competencies for success in their field. Both goals address the related University goal of maintaining and strengthening an outstanding academic and student life on the Ellensburg campus.
1. Students are expected to engage with theoretical approaches at a much higher level. Two theory courses are required for Literature majors, and coursework is assigned with the expectation that students will be able to apply appropriate critical and theoretical approaches. 2. Students are expected to engage in independent research, either through writing a thesis or in preparing for an exam on a reading list comprising at least 45-55 primary and secondary texts. Expectations for the thesis are high, and students typically produce theses in the 100-page range. 3. Students are expected to write at a level approaching professional standards in the discipline and to be familiar with disciplinary conventions. 4. Students are expected to express ideas verbally with rigor and sophistication.
Information to come from Graduate Research and Studies
Distance education employing interactive video is used infrequently, primarily for course offerings at the centers. Increasingly, online courses are used for students at the centers, primarily for ENG 310 (Technical Writing) and for an upper-division general education course, ENG 347. Since Spring of 2008, we have offered online-only sections of two general education courses, ENG 105 and ENG 247. For Fall, 2008, we will be offering an online version of ENG 263, Introduction to Creative Writing. We are proceeding cautiously in order to ensure that the quality of student experience does not differ from their experience in a traditional classroom setting.
Information to come from Institutional Research
Information to come from Institutional Research
Blackboard Courses: ENG 100T Transitional English ENG 101 English Composition I ENG 102 English Composition II ENG 105 The Literary Imagination ENG 110 Black Performative Culture ENG 247 Multicultural Literature ENG 263 Introduction to Creative Writing ENG 302 Poetry & Poetics ENG 303 Principles of English Studies ENG 320 English Grammar ENG 328 World Literature I ENG 344 Film Theory and Criticism ENG 402 Writing Center Practicum ENG 463 Advanced Fiction Writing ENG 488 Teaching Portfolio ENG 510 Practical Application in Composition
Distance education has proven most effective in providing specific types of courses to place bound students or students at the centers. Our technical writing course, which has been the most frequently offered, has been effective because written feedback on student work is a central part of the pedagogy, and because upper division students can take better advantage of online interaction. It has not proven effective in every instance; thus at the Des Moines center, where a large percentage of the students are non-native English speakers, we continue to offer a traditional section because most students need additional interaction with the instructor. Almost all of our general education and major courses rely heavily on face-to-face procedures, including teacher-led and student-led discussion and individual conferences. There is a perception that online courses are "easier" for students and faculty, but the truth is quite the contrary. Students and instructors communicate much more frequently via email, online chat sessions, and bulletin boards. Since virtually all communication is textual, students must already possess good writing and reading skills and be mature enough to approach the course with discipline.
We are fortunate in having faculty at the Des Moines and Lynnwood centers who have considerable expertise and experience in teaching technical writing, the course most frequently taught. Individual instructors use classroom instruction, DE, and Blackboard. Until recently, some faculty teaching at the centers reported directly to the AVP for Undergraduate Studies. As they are now part of our NTT faculty, they go through a review process that includes submission of SEOIs, review of syllabi and teaching materials, and a review of sample graded student papers.
Students are advised by program coordinators. This system allows us to keep accurate records of student progress and to feed into the scheduling process information about student needs that will help us decrease time to graduation. Students are also informally advised, however, by all faculty.
Transfer credit is determined by program coordinators and approved by the chair. Students applying for transfer credit are required to provide syllabi, course descriptions, and other course materials as appropriate. These materials are reviewed to determine whether they represent work at a similar level and whether they substantially meet course outcomes for an equivalent course in our program. In the case of historical surveys, approval also involves determining that the period covered approximates that of the equivalent course.
Each of our major programs has a brochure, and a separate brochure covers the three minor programs. Our website promotes the department in several ways. Information is provided about faculty, including individual web pages for most full time faculty and a page devoted to recent faculty accomplishments. Multiple web pages describe each program, and an online information request form is included for the graduate program. Additional pages describe career opportunities for English majors and famous English majors. Finally, there are pages on special programs and activities such as the Lion Rock Visiting Writers Series, the Central Washington Writers Project, and the Manastash Student literary journal.
Students whose test scores do not meet eligibility requirements for English 101 (Composition) are directed to English 100T. Students in general education courses and in majors courses are familiarized with the Writing Center and are referred to the Writing Center when papers indicate more need for individual attention. All course syllabi include standard statements informing students about Disability Support Services and accommodations.
Enrichment services to students: a. The Manastash Student Literary Journal publishes poems, stories, critical essays, and creative nonfiction by students. It is edited and published annually by students. <http://www.cwu.edu/~english/manastashSM.html> b. The Lion Rock Visiting Writers Series sponsors readings by visiting writers each quarter. We also sponsor readings by faculty and students, including a reading for students who have their work published in Manastash. <http://www.cwu.edu/~english/readingdschedual.html> c. English Graduate Student Association: Organization of English graduate students which organizes activities and study sessions and which discusses and reports on issues of concern and requests to the Graduate Programs Coordinator. d. Creativity Awards: Sponsored by the Dean of the College of Arts and Humanities, one of these annual awards focuses on creative writing. The awards program is organized and conducted by English department faculty. e. Scholars and Scribes Luncheon/Conference: A spring gathering at which students share work from their graduate theses or projects or from undergraduate portfolios. (1998-02) f. Travel funds to sponsor student presentation of research and creative work or for attending conferences. g. Field trips for performances.
Six students presented at SOURCE in 2006 and fourteen in 2007. Two of our graduate students published in online journals and another published an essay in a book collection. An increasing number of graduate students have presented at regional conferences.
We are currently working on an Arts Career Fair with other departments. We have established an internship program for our Writing Specialization students.
Our internship program is off to a good start, but we would like to expand it for Literature majors as well. During the 2006-2007 academic year, we had twelve internships. We do need to do more in the area of career placement, and we are currently working with Career Services to create more options.
We currently have nineteen tenured and tenure-track professors. Fourteen are professors, one an associate professor, three assistant professors, and one a phased retiree. In addition, we have three full-time NTT lecturers. As several of our faculty teach in interdisciplinary programs, staffing needs can vary Further, because we teach a large number of general education classes, and that number varies by quarter, we have as many as eighteen part-time NTT lecturers on campus and three at the centers, giving us at times a fifty-fifty ratio. It is a department priority to increase the number of FTNTT and TT positions. Last year, we offered a total of 277 sections in all programs, and the breakdown was as follows: Number of English and Humanities sections taught 2007-2008: Percentage Tenured and Tenure-Track 117 42% Full-time Non-Tenure-Track 16 6% Part-time Non-Tenure-Track 115 41% Graduate Teaching Assistants 29 11% Total 277 Faculty by head count (Fall 2008): Tenured and Tenure-Track 19 FTNTT 3 Part-time NTT 20 We anticipate a similar number of course sections for the immediate future. Some of our T & TT faculty teach in or have appointments in other programs, and the need for NTT faculty will vary. We anticipate one retirement for 2008-2009 and one of our tenure-track faculty is on phased retirement. At least one more tenured faculty member is likely to retire in the next five years, and at least two FTNTT faculty members. As our FTNTT faculty have important teaching and service roles in the department, and we will need to develop new faculty to fill these roles. If we are able to change our Writing Specialization into a major, create a Professional Writing Minor and/or a certificate program, we may need additional faculty. In staffing our courses and in future searches, we will follow these general principles: We will strive for gender and ethnic diversity. We will consider new department and disciplinary directions when filling positions created by resignations and retirements. We will maintain small class sizes because English courses require intensive writing: 25 for general education and most majors courses and 15 for upper division creative writing courses. We will support service courses in Technical Writing with superior faculty. We will maintain faculty expertise in American, British, and World literatures; English Education; Cultural Studies, Composition and Rhetoric; Grammar and Linguistics, and Writing We will maintain good relations with reliable non-tenure track faculty in Ellensburg and at the University Centers. We will support faculty development for TT & T and NTT faculty with workshops and Department travel funds. We will maintain a balance of T & TT faculty, FTNTT faculty, and NTT faculty
In addition to travel funds provided by the CBA and those available from the college and graduate school, the department maintains individual development accounts that can be used for unreimbursed travel expenses, equipment, or other research expenses. Funds are available for NTT faculty as well. New faculty are assigned mentors, and annual peer reviews are conducted for each TT faculty member. We have a dedicated mentor for NTT faculty. We also organize discussion groups on pedagogy and workshops on instructional technology. Because we have considerable turnover among part-time NTT faculty, we have begun offering an annual orientation for new NTT Faculty that covers department policies, course outcomes, sample syllabi, and sample assignments. We will also be offering a grading workshop this year.
For promotion, retention, and tenure, faculty are evaluated on teaching, scholarship, and service. Each prepares a three-ring binder documenting their contributions. In addition to the materials required by the university and college, we require five graded papers showing a range of grades and teaching materials. Candidates for promotion and tenure are expected to have annual peer observations or evaluations. Non-tenure-track faculty are evaluated annually on teaching and, where appropriate, service. In addition to the materials required by the university and college, we require five graded papers showing a range of grades and teaching materials. Course syllabi and teaching materials are evaluated for alignment with department course descriptions and outcomes. NTT faculty who have been rehired fewer than five years are required to conduct annual peer observations or evaluations; faculty rehired more than five consecutive years are required to conduct peer observations or evaluations biannually. The Personnel Committee independently review each binder and prepare independent letters of recommendation. The Personnel Committee has three T & TT faculty members who are elected by the department biannually.
The English department’s productivity in relation to scholarship and creative work is remarkable in its consistency and diversity. Total department scholarly and creative accomplishments average over 100 per year. The English department faculty service record documents their prominent role in institutional governance, disciplinary participation and leadership, and state and institutional accountability efforts particularly in relation to writing and teacher education. Our current balance of teaching, scholarship, and service responsibilities is as follows: Teaching: 69% Scholarship: 16% Service: 15% Our service numbers are skewed somewhat higher than usual by faculty with administrative appointments in other programs. The scholarship figure includes a sabbatical leave and a research quarter. The balance is in line with department goals.
SEOIs are administered in all classes and are used for both formative and summative purposes. For formative purposes, faculty are expected to use SEOI information to inform their teaching and to reflect on changes made in narrative statements. Recognizing that the validity and reliability of SEOI data are problematic, we use them for summative purposes in the context of self-reflective statements, peer evaluations, and a review of teaching materials. SEOIs are reviewed quarterly by the chair and, where appropriate, may lead to consultation with the chair or assignment of a mentor.
Our faculty are well prepared to teach in their fields. Two have received Distinguished Professor for Teaching awards and one received a Distinguished Professor for Service award. In addition, two have received Phi Kappa Phi Distinguished Scholar awards, and another was named Washington State CASE Professor of the Year. Our NTT faculty have extensive experience teaching composition, introductory literature courses, technical writing, and creative writing. Seven of our NTT faculty have terminal degrees, and an eighth is ABD. Although scholarship is not a part of their assignments, many are active scholars and creative writers. By head count and number of sections taught, our T & TT faculty, FTNTT faculty, and part-time NTT faculty are roughly in line with national averages for departments with graduate teaching assistants. By head count, T & TT faculty comprise 36% of instructors, compared with a 40% national average. During the 2007-2008 academic year, T & TT faculty taught 42% of all sections offered, slightly more than the national average of 40%.
Data provided by Instructional Research and other appropriate offices.
The library is essential to the work of literature and language disciplines. It is to the humanities what the lab is to the sciences. Library resources must be kept current and materials must be accessible for our work to be of significance to the larger world. We have a department library liason and faculty review potential purchases on a regular basis. There is a good collection of online and print journals. The online MLA database is an essential resource for students and faculty, and the addition of the online Essay and General Literature Index has been helpful. Library staff have been a valuable resource in assisting students in our composition courses on research projects.
Over the last decade, budget cuts have diminished acquisition of new journals, books, reference materials, and microfilmed collections. The English Department’s faculty commends the efforts of the library staff to as they continue to facilitate research under these circumstances--particularly their responsiveness to specific requests, their acquisition of computerized databases that provide scholarly journal articles and primary sources, and the acquisition of supplementary materials by Friends of the Library. We endorse all efforts to support the library, in that it is essential to successful research by faculty and students in an institution that increasingly emphasizes research.
Professors and their students use both print and online resources for literature and language research. The MLA International Bibliography and the Essay and General Literature Index are among the most used databases, along with online journals through JSTOR and Project Muse. Both professors and graduate students use Inter-library Loan services. Many upper division English classes require a research paper of students. Modern Language Association research and documentation policies and procedures are introduced in ENG 303: Principles of English Studies. In the general education curriculum, research methods are introduced in ENG 101, and research and documentation practices are taught in ENG 102. Most sections schedule a library visit or a presentation by library personnel. Instructors assign Reserve Reading at the library for courses. Media services lends DVDs and videos appropriate to classroom instruction.
Dr. Steve Olson is the department library representative. Dr. Olson collects and forwards faculty endorsements of publications to the library acquisitions department. He also works with the library to evaluate appropriate journals for new subscriptions, renewals of current acquisitions, or cancellation.
We have copies of the Oxford English Dictionary and the Encyclopedia of Philosophy available for use by faculty and students. We have a library of over 400 videotapes and DVDs available for classroom use.
The department is governed by the Chair in collaboration with elected program coordinators and an elected personnel committee. Personnel committee members act on behalf of the department faculty on all personnel procedures related to annual performance reviews, reappointment, promotion, tenure, and merit. They also serve as or assign mentors for new faculty members. Program coordinators oversee the general education, undergraduate, teacher education, writing specialization, and graduate curricula. They consult with the chair on matters of schedule planning and program assessment. Issues emerge from the program committees and the personnel committee for placement on department meeting agendas by the department chair. We have found that this structure promotes effectiveness, accountability, and maximum involvement in decision-making.
Full-time faculty belong to at least one department committee. The standing committees are the Personnel, General Education, Undergraduate, English Education, Writing Specialization, and Graduate committees. Committees initiate curricular and policy changes which are voted on at monthly department meetings.
The department has two faculty senators and has been very active in faculty senate business. Members of the department serve on or chair many committees at the college and university level. There has been considerable frustration that decisions traditionally made at the department, committee, or faculty senate level have been preempted by administrators. We take recent efforts to communicate and cooperate through ADCO as a positive sign.
In the past five years, we have been able to hire two tenure-track faculty in Creative Writing to replace retiring faculty, which has been important because our Writing Specialization is growing. Increased freshman enrollments have necessitated additional general education sections, and we have been able to obtain funding for them. In the past two years we have had considerable growth in our ENG 310 service course and have been able to fund additional sections. We have been able to have at least one faculty member on sabbatical for several years, and have continued to receive grant funding for our Central Washington Writing Project. Faculty have been able to obtain additional research workload for special projects. One faculty member was awarded a research quarter this year. The CBA has made travel and research funding more predictable, and we have been able to supplement CBA travel funds with summer money. Our goods and services budget has increased, though expenses continue to rise because of price increases. With the WIN-WIN program and summer money, we have been able to keep full-time faculty computers up to date, but some NTT faculty are still using outdated equipment.
Last year, we began a department scholarship fund and we are working on bringing it up to a self-sustaining level. This year, we are developing an alumni newsletter which should be helpful for fundraising and marketing.
Finding space for classes and faculty offices is a growing problem. We have faculty offices in four different buildings, and faculty not only have to teach in many different buildings, but sometimes have back-to-back classes in widely separated parts of campus. Given the number of departments in the L&L building, we simply do not have enough room.
Our department-managed media room, used for screening film and video, is in constant use for film classes and films relevant to literature classes. Some of the equipment, however, needs to be updated.
All classrooms in the Language and Literature building are now equipped with instructional technology, and we are able to find classrooms with instructional technology whenever faculty request it.
Requests for technology are brought up and voted on at department meetings. Two members of our faculty have served on the University Information Technology Committee.
Our department commits itself to the ongoing pursuit of excellence in teaching and learning. We will continue to work within our department, college and university to create a campus climate attractive to and supportive of students, faculty, and staff regardless of gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, nationality, religion, learning ability, economic background, or institutional role. We will continue to seek student success through maintaining high standards, adhering to our professional responsibilities and ethics, supporting a range of learning styles, appropriately accommodating disabilities, respecting differences, and, most importantly, continuing to be learners ourselves.
Not applicable.