Re: Goal of writing center

[David Stacey <des11@axe.humboldt.edu>]

My question is a bit complicated, but I really need some help.

I'm new to a university that has recently had to combine its remedial
instruction with a regular first term required writing course. This was the
result of a more or less unwelcome state mandate to shift the mission of
remediation from the state university system (California) to the community
colleges.

That at least is how it's been explained to me. I suspect this is a hugely
simplified explanation, but then I can be pretty hugely simple. So ... 

What my univ did was set aside about 10 classes for an "intensive"
designation. Students with low ACT scores or who did poorly on a writing
placement exam are grouped together in a regular English 100 class; then
they must attend three hours of one-on-one writing "lab" tutorials each week.

There is no second semester requirement here, or throughout the California
State System, I'm told.

My question--at last. It has been suggested that we stop putting all of the
English 100i (for "intensive") students into classes by themselves.
Instead, students would be mixed in with regular English 100 classes, AND
THEN be required, more or less individually now, to attend the extra "lab"
sessions.

The "writing lab" shuts down a few hours a week when it's not doing this
kind of indiviualized tutoring of 100i students and becomes a "writing
center" for drop in tutorials for the general student population. But most
of the time it's a lab for English 100i students.

Have I made this difficult enough to follow? The question you all might be
able to help me with: how do you feel about integrating the "i" students
into the regular courses? Should it be done? Or should they be kept in
classes onto themselves?

I'm grateful for any advice. Tempers appear to be in the balance here. As I
said: I'm the new guy....


Thanks,

Dave Stacey

David Stacey
Associate Professor, Department of English
Humboldt State University
Arcata, CA  95521
(707) 826-3176