UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN-EAU CLAIRE

UNIVERSITY SENATE MEETING

VOL. 40, NO. 3

September 30, 2003

Members Present:

Ken Akiba, Joey Bohl, Marcia Bollinger, Don Bredle, Jack Bushnell, Linda Carpenter, Michael Dorsher, Dan Drumm, Margaret Dwyer, Robert Erffmeyer, Leslie Foster, Mitchell Freymiller, Warren Gallagher, Alan Gallaher, Andrea Gapko, Susan Harrison, Jeremy Hein, Tim Ho, Ann Hoffman, Robert Hollon, Rose Jadack, Richard Kark, Barbara Lozar, Barbara Mac Briar, Steven Majstorovic, Donald Mash, Rebecca Matter, Susan Mc Intyre, John Melrose, Andrew Phillips, Bobby Pitts, Vicki Reed, Connie Russell, Richard Ryberg, Ronald Satz, Nick Smiar, Alex Smith, Linda Spaeth, Kent Syverson, Lois Taft, Dale Taylor, Roger Tlusty, Karen Welch, Sharon Westphal, Scott Whitfield, Michael Wick, Steve Zantow

Members Absent:

Paul Butrymowicz, Terry Classen, Jesse Dixon, Bruce Dybvik, Marc Goulet, Betty Hanson, Sean Hartnett, Larry Honl, Mary Iribarren, Debra King, Fred Kolb, Tim Lane, Kate Lang, Gene Leisz, Rick Mickelson, Jane Pederson, Peter Rejto, Kathie Schneider, Roger Selin, Lorraine Smith, Todd Stephens, Paula Stuettgen, Jean Wilcox, Rebecca Wurzer

Guests:

Kris Anderson, V. Thomas Dock, Gina Duwe, Bernard Duyfhuizen, Debbie Gough, Art Lyons, Sue Moore, Jan Morse, Andrew Soll, Marty Wood

The special meeting of University Senate was called to order by Chair Harrison at 3:03 p.m. on Tuesday, September 30, 2003 in the Tamarack Room of Davies Center

I. Unfinished Business

Academic Policies Committee – Second Reading – Removal of English Competency Exam from Graduation Requirements

Continued Debate

· Implementation procedures stated at bottom of motion

· Beginning in Fall 2003 – if a student was able to get a C or better in English 110, 112, or Honors 101, or transfer equivalent by the end of spring 2004, would meet university writing competency requirement

· Beginning in Fall 2004 – upper paragraph of motion kicks in

· No other four-year UW-System campuses or doctoral universities require English competency exams

· If do away with exam, critical that English Department make concerted effort so a C in English 110 means something and goals and outcomes for English 110 similarly interpreted by all instructors

· Meetings in place; have been working on that over the year

· C already means something in English 110; also competency exam has been graded by faculty members in English Department – all aware of criteria for level of writing required to pass course with C or better

· Some of more effective ways of assessing first year writing competency include portfolio grading over period of course, goals of English 110, which help assess students in more consistent ways, and baccalaureate portfolio project, which looks at writing in English 110 and courses beyond

· That 4-6% of students taking courses mentioned are getting C- or lower and 25% of students taking competency exam fail would suggest 20% of students who have taken the courses fail the exam

· 25% failing exam includes transfer students; don’t know how many of those students receive a C in courses they took

· Now will be tracking that

· Over last several years, students taking exam at end of English 110 have 2-3% failure rate; those who receive C- or lower is higher number than those that fail exam at end of course

Vote on Motion 40-AP-01: Motion PASSED by University Faculty Senators without dissention

TEXT OF MOTION:

That UW-Eau Claire no longer require an English competency examination for graduation. Instead, a grade of C or better will be required in English 110 or 112, Honors 101, or a transfer equivalent to fulfill the University graduation requirement for writing competency. Students who have earned credit in English 110 by means of the Advanced Placement or International Baccalaureate examinations or have tested out of English 110 at UW-Eau Claire will have met the University requirement for writing competency.

We recommend the following procedure for making these changes:

Beginning in fall 2003

• To eliminate the backlog, exempt from the exam all current students who, by the end of spring 2004, have earned a C or better in English 110 or 112, Honors 101, or a transfer equivalent. (Students who have not earned a C in one of those courses will need to pass the CLEP, a computer-based essay exam.)

Beginning in fall 2004

• Remove the English competency exam from University graduation requirements

and

Require a grade of C or better in English 110 or 112, Honors 101, or a transfer equivalent to fulfill the University graduation requirement for writing competency.

Meeting adjourned at 3:15 p.m. without objection

Wanda Schulner

Secretary to the University Senate