Several years ago, when his college first financed a writing program administrator (WPA) position--reassigned time and a budget to pay adjunct faculty stipends for program development--the author met with all the most senior adjunct faculty. "Without you," he told them, "this effort to build a better writing program won't work. Participation and…

In this essay, the authors chronicle the overhauling of their English department's rubric design, curriculum, and portfolio in order to emphasize a wider range of "real-world" writing. The authors share that in the process of their overhaul, they redefined their identity--how they thought of themselves and how they wanted to approach…

Questions whether literary study complements or enriches the teaching of writing. (HOD)

Notes that it is not easy to help students enter into ongoing dialogues on ethics in both school-based and more immediate environments, ask students to consider ethics on both personal and social planes, and require students to write and reflect to stave off the disembodiment of culture. Describe a course that helps students to see rhetoric and…

Argues that the pragmatism of community college programs is having a favorable effect on the English programs at four-year and graduate institutions. (RB)

Although writing instructors have a clear picture of how well our students can write by the end of a composition course, very rarely do we learn how well the students carry over the skills and strategies we teach them to the essays they write for other courses. I collected essays from other courses to determine how effectively students transfer…

Presents an exploration of research that benefits a community college English department as it reconsiders the theoretical foundations of its curriculum. Notes how the department crafted a curriculum that was not only inclusive but responsive to the students taught. Concludes that writing is only lasting when it is intertwined with the lives and…

Provides a retrospective update of a 1974 profile of the English Department at St. Louis's Forest Park Community College. Describes the campus, English department, internal governance, courses taught, professional activities, and departmental spirit in relationship to its 1974 profile. (SC)

Reviews Tallahassee Community College's transition from a traditional hierarchical administrative structure to consensus governing, whereby decisions are made through meetings with all faculty members. Reviews specific aspects of this transition, including the role of faculty and the faculty chair, the handling of day-to-day departmental policies…

Provides a retrospective update of a 1974 profile of the English department at Hinds Community College, Raymond, Mississippi. Discusses the major changes for the school: (1) it is no longer a "junior college"; and (2) it has expanded its campus. Describes the faculty, activities, curriculum, extracurricular activities, school changes,…

Examines reasons for university English departments' ignorance and apathy towards two-year college English departments, and ways two-year college teachers can attack them through faculty exchanges and graduate coursework. (RAE)

Examines the problems inherent in hiring part-time faculty at low wages to cover significant numbers of courses at community colleges. Suggests the system is wrought with unfairness and problems for all involved. (TB)

Explores issues, problems, and procedures involved in large English departments which use portfolio assessment and where part-timers and full-timers need to collaborate in this process. Offers recommendations involving the relationship of part-time and full-time teachers in such programs. (SR)