Daniel Archer
2/18/03
WRT 205
Structure of Syracuse University
Introduction:
 
 To answer the question why is writing 205 required at Syracuse University my group started by finding how the university structure is set up. To find what the university structure is my group used interviews with the faculty of Syracuse University. Key interviews
Where taken with Debrah Freund, vice chancellor of the University, Charles Watson professor of English dept, and Louise Felps, professor of Arts and Sciences. These interviews where used to establish where the university structure with regards to WRT 205 comes from. 
 
Summary:

One of my first Questions of Debrah Freund was, who sets the required curriculum for the schools in the University. Her answer was, for a major, the Faculty, and Professors. For the whole school, the whole faculty must decide. The interview with Stewart Thau backed this up. “The faculty of the College set the rule; the faculty not the administrators”. (Shannon House) In Tim Carigan’s interview with Charles Watson, Watson replies “The faculty of each individual college has the authority to require writing or not. The dean has the final say but will not act without the input of the faculty”. (Tim Carigan) My next question in my interview with Vice Chancellor Freund was, “what are your feelings on WRT 205”? (Daniel Archer) Her response was “Students can’t write well, when they come to school. So students must learn how to write well, succinctly. Students also can’t write well using correct grammar. Writing is the most important skill to require. For example in business the ability to write and communicate will be more important the higher up in the organization you get. The ability to communicate is very important. “ (Daniel Archer) Tim Carigan posed a similar question to Charles Watson, “What is the reason for taking writing?” His response was. ” -Reshaped the ways to teach writing composition.” “-Research showed that the best way to teach writing was to do other things in order for students to look at their writing more closely and become more conscious of themselves as writers.” “-Writing is how we acquire literacy.” (Tim Carigan) I then asked Freund, “Do you think what WRT 205 covers now is sufficient?” She said that she didn’t know what the curriculum of WRT 205 was exactly, but “they should just teach how to clearly write an argument, have no grammatical errors, and construct sentences well.” (Daniel Archer)  When Stewart Thau was asked about the curriculum in WRT 205 he had this to say. “-There really is no general requirement- WRT courses have no set format; the faculty adopt the course description- The faculty go to a seminar to be taught how to teach this course; this is the only continuity that there is” (Shannon House) Charles Watson said that, “The Curricular guidelines where basic early on with some leeway for individual instruction. Now it is a more instructor based course.” (Tim Carigan) I asked the Vice Chancellor to tell me if she thought that all students should be required to take WRT 205.  “It is important for students to be competent. Maybe not 205 but then other writing courses. Maybe 205 courses linked to colleges.” (Daniel Archer) Stuwart Thau feels, “He feels that Newhouse made a big mistake in not making their BJ majors take 205. However Newhouse felt that 105 was enough, again they are an accredited institution and they want to make their core for all intents and purposes look like a liberal arts core” According to his interview with Shannon House. (Shannon House) The next question I asked was “Do you think it (WRT 205) adds anything to the university that other schools like Cornell might lack?” Debrah Freund answered; “No, as long as students get taught writing whatever/ wherever. The Writing program brings scholars and luster to SU.” (Daniel Archer) Stewart Thau has a very different view on the differences between SU and Cornell, “ Cornell has the writing seminar in which students can pick the class that is writing intensive that interests them, - SU has the better program.” (Shannon House) I asked Debrah Freund, “What would you think if SOM or school of engineering started their own writing curriculum to replace 205?” She answered, “The students might think they where more important. But this would limit the types of writing. Also they would lose the value of working with a mix of students from other colleges.” (Daniel Archer)  After a check on the internet I found what the course outline for WRT 205 was “Introduces basic concepts of rhetoric and communication and applies them to writing and collaboratively revising and editing longer formal texts. Contrastive study of rhetoric across disciplinary and professional communities. Prerequisite: WRT 105 or 109 or equivalent.” (College of Arts and Sciences)

Discussion:

This is useful information on formulating ideas of how the structure of this university is. The WRT program is viewed as important to all the schools that require it. This is evident because they could easily make it not required. Each individual school has the ability to change its requirements based around what it feels is important to teach. The interviewees all thought that students needed added writing teaching beyond what they received in high school. The use of correct grammar and correct sentence structure where stressed as important for all students to learn. This being a university of liberal arts most would think that one of the oldest disciplines, writing, would be a cornerstone of the curriculum. The administrators interviewed did not know much of the curriculum of the WRT205 program. I would not expect them to know much of this because there is no set curriculum and the teachers have no real set guidelines of how to teach. There was a bit of dissent when asked what is better, a strict requirement of writing classes, as with Syracuse University or a more choice oriented, more flexible structure of the writing required at Cornell University. It is not surprising that everyone strongly agreed that writing taught at a college level is however very important. The Interview question that was most interesting was, “What would you think if SOM or school of engineering started their own writing curriculum to replace 205?” (Daniel Archer) This was not an easy question to answer. There was no “Yes” or “No” each option was weighed. On the one hand there was the added value of each student taking the class more seriously because it would be given through there own school an could be tied into their majors more easily. This could be one practical reason for each school to start and require its own writing requirement. On the other hand the argument could be made that writing taught by “writing scholars” was the way to go. Adding to the value of the WRT 205 program is the mix of students from all schools at Syracuse University. This diverse mix of students is something most students including me don’t get to experience in classes.

Conclusion:

The choice to require classes is chosen by school faculty and professors. Students need writing help after high school and are in general bad writers, and cant write sentences correctly. The administration of Syracuse University does not know what is taught in the Writing Program at Syracuse. Students should be required to take some form of writing even if that means taking something other than 205. There are advantages and disadvantages that could be gained by having WRT 205 be replaced by a required writing class put on by the students home college.

Works Sited:

Freund, Debrah. Personal interview. 11 Feb. 2003.

Watson, Charles. Interview. 7 Feb. 2003.

Thau, Stewart. Interview. 10 Feb. 2003

Syracuse University, College of Arts Science. 16 Feb. 2001. PC. 17 Feb. 2003 (http://www.suce.syr.edu/PROGRAMS/Courses/courselists/currentsemester/fall/A_Sdesc.htm)

Appendix:

Vice Chancellor interview

Q: Who has the authority to set requirements for each school?

A: For a major: Faculty, Professors. For the college: the whole faculty.

Q: what are your feelings on WRT 205?

A: Students can’t write well, when they come to school. So students must learn how to write well, succinctly. Students also can’t write well using correct grammar.

Writing is the most important skill to require. For example in business the ability to write and communicate will be more important the higher up in the organization you get. The ability to communicate is very important.

Q: Do you think what WRT 205 covers now is sufficient?

A: couldn’t say, they should just teach how to clearly write an argument, have no grammatical errors, and construct sentences well.

Q: Do you think all students should be required to take WRT 205?

A: It is important for students to be competent. Maybe not 205 but then other writing courses. Maybe 205 courses linked to colleges.

Q: Do you think it adds anything to the university that other schools like Cornell might lack?

A: No, as long as students get taught writing whatever/ wherever. The Writing program brings scholars and luster to SU.

Q: What would you think if SOM or school of engineering started their own writing curriculum to replace 205?

A: The students might think they where more important. But this would limit the types of writing. Also they would lose the value of working with a mix of students from other colleges.