From: Charlie Moran [cmoran@english.umass.edu] Sent: Tuesday, April 24, 2001 6:44 AM To: cwonline@nwe.ufl.edu Subject: Re: Martin's Larger Vision for WAC
Mike, Dickie, and all--- This interchange, and its allusion to the dark side of WAC, reminds me that when we brought our WAC program in here at UMass in 1982, it was seen by us as a chance for transformation; it was seen by some administrators as a way of getting a first-class writing program without having to stop reducing the English department! We were great PR for the University---received grants from the President's office, gave talks at official functions, travelled to other state colleges to spread the word. It was a heady time, and I was steadily aware that yes, we were doing important work, and that yes, we were fulfulling some administrative goals of the University that we really didn't want to look at too hard. Has anyone looked today at who actually delivers WAC courses in post-secondary institutions? Ours began as a faculty program, but is now something like half TA's or adjuncts. I'd be surprised if we were unique. And if what we want in WAC is to create an institution that values writing, and if what we've done is to shift that writing to low-paid, low-status teachers, then I'm not sure we've done what we set out to do. Not sure how technology connects here---I'd guess that in this particular area it is simply along for the ride--- Charlie