In spring 2021, the WAC Committee approved new learning outcomes for WI courses. The Committee developed these outcomes to provide additional clarity on the purpose of the Writing-intensive course and to give additional direction on the kinds of writing instruction that should take place in them.
In order to help faculty and units integrate these new outcomes into their course designs, the Committee developed an enhancements process in spring 2022. This process includes opportunities for units to conduct self-review and to engage with Committee members and WAC Program staff on the design of their WI courses. The formative Outcomes Implementation Process will begin in fall 2023 and will span two years, concluding in fall 2025.
Following this initial process, WI courses will undergo regular Recertification Reviews. Recertification reviews will begin no sooner than two years following the conclusion of the Implementation Process and serve to provide feedback to units and ensure that WI courses are maintaining alignment with the Writing-intensive course criteria and outcomes.
The WAC Committee is committed to helping units develop WI courses that fit their degree programs and support their students’ ongoing growth. For that reason, it developed these two separate processes. This webpage focuses on the Formative Implementation Process, but it includes some additional information about the Recertification Review in order to clarify both processes.
Summary of Review Types
- Outcomes Implementation Process: supports units with the integration of the new WI learning outcomes; starting fall 2023
- Recertification Review: ensures alignment with Writing-intensive course criteria and outcomes; starting no sooner than fall 2027
Outcomes Implementation Process
PurposeThe main purpose of the Outcomes Implementation Process is to provide feedback to academic units and faculty on their WI course designs. The ultimate goal of providing this feedback is to help units successfully integrate the new outcomes into their WI courses and prepare for future Recertification Reviews (described below).
In fall 2023, the WAC Committee will begin reviewing WI courses. In order to provide meaningful feedback to units administering WI courses, the Committee has adopted a two-year schedule for this process. The table below outlines this schedule:
| College | Fall 2022 | Spring 2023 | Fall 2023 | Spring 2024 | Fall 2024 | Spring 2025 | Fall 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1: CEHD; CHSS (1/2) | Notification | Support for Academic Units | Review | Feedback | |||
| 2: CHSS (2/2); CPH; Carter; Schar | Notification | Support for Academic Units | Review | Feedback | |||
| 3: CVPA; CEC | Notification | Support for Academic Units | Review | Feedback | |||
| 4: COS; SBUS | Notification | Support for Academic Units | Review | Feedback |
The Committee will notify academic units of their upcoming review by the beginning of the semester prior to the review semester. This notification will include a request for specific course materials that the Committee will review and information about development opportunities provided by the WAC Program. All requested materials should be submitted to the Committee by the first day of the review semester.
Following its review, the Committee will share the results with academic units no later than the start of the semester following the review semester. At this time, the Committee will provide feedback on the course and inform academic units about any changes to the course they should make in order to ensure that the course retains its WI status in future Recertification Reviews.
In order provide meaningful feedback on the integration of these outcomes, the Committee will request units submit several materials. Currently, the WI course review planner and evaluation sheet are in draft form, but we offer them now as a way to help units prepare.
- A WI course application and review planner
- Planner template (submit this version)
- Planner template with instructions (offered to help complete the planner)
- A syllabus with WI syllabus statement and WI learning outcomes articulated explicitly on it
- Descriptions/instructions of all major writing assignments (could be included with the syllabus; instructions for low stakes writing tasks are also appreciated)
- A course schedule with writing instruction and writing assignments highlighted (could be included with the syllabus)
The Committee will use this evaluation rubric to review these materials.
Because this review is intended to be a formative process, the WAC Committee encourages academic units to work with the WAC Program and their Committee representative on their course designs.
Prior to the review semester, Committee representatives can help academic units learn about the review process and develop their review materials. Following a review, representatives can provide insight on the feedback from the Committee and consult with academic units on incorporating that feedback into course revisions.
The WAC Program is also available for consultations and has also developed a set of resources to assist academic units with integrating the new outcomes. These resources include: a guide to integrating the new outcomes; a faculty learning community (FLC) focused on integrating the outcomes into course designs; and stand-alone workshops on teaching with writing.
The opportunities are summarized in the table below. Please visit the Workshops and Learning Communities page to learn more about these opportunities.
| Unit | WAC Committee | WAC Program |
| Support Available | Consultations with Committee Representative Q&A Sessions on WI Outcomes | WAC Academy WAC Primer Stand-alone Workshops Video and Print Guides on WI Outcomes Consultations with Program Staff |
Recertification Review
Purpose and ScheduleFollowing the Implementation Review, WI courses will undergo regular Recertification Reviews. These reviews serve to provide feedback to units and to ensure that all WI courses are maintaining alignment with the Writing-intensive course criteria and outcomes. This review will begin no sooner than two years following the close of the Implementation Review and will follow the 4-year cycle below:
| Semester | Year 1 Semester 1 | Year 1 Semester 2 | Year 2 Semester 1 | Year 2 Semester 2 | Year 3 & Year 4 |
| Colleges | CEHD; CHSS (½) | CHSS (2/2); CPH; Carter; Schar | CVPA; CEC | COS; SBUS | No review |
The Committee will notify academic units of their upcoming review at the beginning of the semester prior to the review semester. All requested materials must be submitted to the Committee by the first day of the review semester.
The Committee will share the results of the review with academic units no later than the start of the semester following the review semester. At this time, the Committee will also inform academic units about any changes or revisions requested. Academic units will have until the start of the semester following their notification to address any requested revisions and submit them to the Committee for a final review. In the event that revisions submitted by an academic unit are not recertified by the Committee, the WI designation will be removed from the course; this loss of designation will be applied to the semester immediately following notification of re-review.