AA/45/AS/24/UWC/UEPC - Undergraduate Graduation Writing Assessment Requirement (GWAR) Implementation Policy

Effective Fall 2024

WP Courses

Each course must be reviewed and approved by the University Writing Committee (UWC) when they are proposed as WP (Writing Proficiency) courses, before being granted WP status.
The initial certification and re-certifications of WP Courses are based on four criteria, A WP course:

Incorporates instruction about writing in that is specific to academic disciplines or professional fields.
Integrates writing into the course, both in content and pedagogy.
Has meaningful assessment of and developmental feedback on writing. This feedback assists students to become better writers.
They offer instruction about ethical communication and citation within the discipline.

The University Writing Committee recognizes and respects the academic freedom of faculty. It also recognizes that instructors (and departments) will meet the goals of Writing Proficiency courses in a variety of ways and encourages creativity and imagination in meeting those goals. However, since the GWAR is a CSU requirement mandated by EO 665, a minimum of 2,500 words of formal, final professional or academic writing per individual student is expected. This word count does not include rough drafts of writing but rather final, edited pages of discipline-specific or academic text.
WP courses will be capped at 25 students (20 optimal). This optimal number of students is supported by the National Council of Teachers of English and the Conference on College Composition and Communication’s joint position statement Principles for the Postsecondary Teaching of Writing. Writing intensive courses require additional faculty work as they respond to drafts and provide meaningful developmental feedback.
The UWC monitors WP courses to assure compliance with the Undergraduate Graduation Writing Assessment Requirement (GWAR) Implementation Policy. The UWC will report to UEPC the list of courses that exceed the course enrollment maximum. And UWC is charged with making the initial assessment for the recertification of WP courses.
Recertification will occur when the department prepares its Academic Program review or its reaccreditation documents. Review materials for WP courses will be sent to UWC as a part of this review process.

After reviewing the WP courses, UWC will send its recommendations to UEPC

Pass: the course meets all WP expectations, the course is recertified
Conditional pass: the department has one year to work with UWC to achieve a full pass and be recertified.
Does not pass: recommended for decertification

UEPC will be the final authority to decertify a WP class.

Courses not previously approved for WP credit cannot be used to satisfy GWAR, even on an independent or individual study basis. In the event of scheduling difficulties, and on a case-by-case basis, the UWC may approve petitions to award credit for WP courses taken as independent study. Such courses must be supervised by an experienced instructor of the course and adhere to the original approved WP course proposal.
If there are changes to GWAR on our campus either by local policy changes and/or policy changes at the level of the Chancellor’s office, the UEPC will inform Outreach and Academic Advising, and faculty and other relevant parties to ensure that requirements are communicated correctly to students.

Related Policies and Procedures: EO 0665 Graduation Writing Assessment Requirement Determination of Competence in English; Supersedes AA/7/AS/07/UWC/UEPC - GWAR Implementation Policies ; Replaces AA/22/AS/18/UWC/UEPC - Undergraduate Graduation Writing Assessment Requirement (GWAR) Implementation Policy

Review Period: Periodic

Review History: Approved by the Academic Senate on May 14, 2024
Approved by Interim President Susan E. Borrego on June 5, 2024

Academic Affairs Division has the primary responsibility for this policy.

Attachment(s): AA/45/AS/24/UWC/UEPC GWAR Implementation Policy

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