ASCRC Writing Subcommittee Minutes 2/25/08
Members Present: H. Bruce J. Carter, N. Hinman, M. Medvetz, C. Potter
Members Excused/Absent: A. McKeown, D. Micus, P. Silverman, A. Walker-Andrews,
R. Wanderscheid
Ex-Officio Present: G. McCaffrey,
Chair Carter called the meeting to order at 2:15 p.m.
Communications:
The English Composition Placement Committee would like the Writing Committee’s
input on its recommendations for implementation of the new Board of Regents policy on
Writing Proficiency. Documents submitted included a report, including placement grid
and English Composition catalog language.
Business Items:
English Composition Catalog Copy
The Committee reviewed the placement grid and agreed with the numbers and concepts.
Members did not have issue with students placing into ENEX 200 being able to count the
course as also meeting the writing course requirement. Most of the students placing into
ENEX 200 are honors students who are required to take a number of courses with a
heavy writing component.
The catalog language was reviewed and revised as follows:
To ensure that all graduates have acquired the writing skills outlined above, students
should satisfy the following requirements in this order:
1. ENEX 101 or ENEX 200 (unless exempted as defined below)
2. One approved writing course
3. The Upper-Division Writing Proficiency Assessment (WPA), to be taken
between 45-70 credits.
4. The upper-division writing course(s) required by the major.
ENEX 101 or ENEX 200. All students must complete ENEX 101 or 200 with a
grade of C or better unless exempted.
Students may be exempted from ENEX 101 or 200 by transferring credit verified as
an equivalent of ENEX 101 or 200 with a grade of C (2.00 quality points) or better,
by receiving a score of 3 or better on the AP exam, or by score on a standardized test,
such as ACT or SAT. Except for those who transfer an equivalent course, students
must take the placement exam. On the basis of this exam, students will be placed in
either WTS 100D, ENEX 101, or ENEX 200; or will be exempted from ENEX 101.
There was discussion about the AP score. Other groups on campus are beginning to
reassess the AP scores accepted so there may be movement from 3 to 4 as the lowest
acceptable score. Since the review of this matter is pending, the committee did not
recommend a change. There was concern that the specific AP exam accepted should be
identified because there are several that involve writing.
The language will be sent to ASCRC for consideration.
Frequently Asked Questions Document
Chair Carter and Professor Hinman started the frequently asked questions document.
There are other questions that need to be added to the document. Members were asked to
review this for discussion at the next meeting. Is the conversational tone and format
appropriate? The following clarifications are needed on the Writing Course Guidelines
document. These will be discussed at the next meeting.




Name/title for the first writing course
Criteria should include instructions to justify exceptions – deviations should be
stated clearly and adequately supported
Consider written rather than writing
Appendix A seemed to cause confusion – consider removing it.
Meeting Schedule
The next meeting was scheduled for Monday, March 10th at 10:10.
The meeting was adjourned at 3:00 pm.
English Placement Committee Report
1. Field test the following placement grid for 2008-2009 and make adjustments as
warranted for the following year.
Decision
Rule
MUS
Writing
Assessment
Score
SAT or
ACT
Writing
Sub-score
SAT
Writing
Section
Combined
Eng/Writing
ACT
Course
Placement
Score in
any of these
ranges
5.5-6
11-12
700-800
32-36
Direct Placement into
ENEX 200
3.5-5
7-10
440-690
18-31
2.5-3
5-6
390-430
16-17
Below 2.5
Below 5
Below
390
Below 16
Direct Placement into
ENEX 101
Take WTS 100D or
take exam to challenge
placement
Direct placement into
WTS 100D
Score below
any of these
cut-offs
2. Allow students placed into ENEX 200 to opt for ENEX 101 instead.
3. Retain the “W” designation on ENEX 200 as an incentive for students to opt for it
rather than 101, thereby satisfying their composition and lower division writing
course requirements simultaneously.
4. Alter General Education requirements so that either ENEX 101 or ENEX 200 will
satisfy the English composition requirement.
5. Place “blocks” on cyberbear so that students cannot enroll directly into ENEX
200 without having the requisite test scores.
6. Limit summer placement testing to those wishing to challenge their placement
into WTS 100D; investigate use of web-based exams for this purpose.
7. As in the past, exempt students with an AP score of 3-5 from the English
composition requirement.