WCU University Writing Council & Advisory Board

The mission of the University Writing Council is coordination and enhancement of teaching across the curriculum. We seek to foster a culture of writing at WCU in which faculty are mentor writers and students are active, conscious, critical participants in their own growth as writers. Outcomes for the work of the UWC will be the following:

Objectives

  1. Alleviate student confusion regarding requirements, and enhance the process of student learning transfer by creating consistency and shared vocabulary among first-year writing courses, writing emphasis courses, and writing center tutoring.
  2. Strengthen pedagogy in writing emphasis courses by providing faculty development in areas of writing instruction, writing to learn, interdisciplinary writing, and writing instruction for international students.
  3. Advocate for the reputation of writing in the university, improve faculty satisfaction with writing emphasis courses, and support CAPC and faculty in the course approval process for writing-emphasis courses.
  4. Improve student learning as indicated by student assessment and learning outcomes at all levels of the curriculum.
  5. Expand the role of instructional technology for writing and the use of multi-media projects across the curriculum.
  6. Steward university writing by determining, anticipating, and responding to the evolving needs of writing instruction while building partnerships across the curriculum and in the broader community.

University Writing Council & Advisory Board Members

The University Writing Council is comprised of four members who hold four positions of responsibility for programs that design and assess writing instruction at WCU and/or provide academic support and tutoring services for writers.

Ilknur Sancak-Marusa

Prof. Ilknur Sancak-Marusa
Writing Center Director 

Ashley Patriarca

Dr. Ashley Patriarca 
First-Year Writing Director

Justin Rademaekers

Dr. Justin K. Rademaekers
Writing Across the Curriculum Director

K. Jamie Woodlief

Prof. K. Jamie Woodlief
ASP Writing Coordinator

University Writing Council Advisory Board

The University Writing Council (UWC) works in collaboration with an advisory board comprised of two faculty members from each academic college, as well as two non-classroom representatives. The UWC Advisors are selected by nomination of the UWC members and their deans and are appointed to serve by the Office of the Deputy Provost for two-year terms.

College of Arts and Humanities

  • Dr. Jason Bartles, Associate Professor, Languages and Cultures
  • Dr. Janneken Smucker, Professor, History

College of Health Science

  • Dr. Patricia Davidson, D.C.N., Professor of Nutrition
  • Dr. Alison Gardiner Shires, Associate Professor, Sports Medicine

College of Business and Public Management

  • Dr. Jaeyong Choi, Assistant Professor, Criminal Justice
  • Dr. Kelly Fisher, Associate Professor, Management

College of Science and Mathematics

  • Dr. Brandon Mitchell, Associate Professor, Physics
  • Dr. John Pisciotta, Associate Professor, Biology

College of Education and Social Work

  • Dr. Jenn Raskauskas, Assistant Professor, Literacy
  • Dr. Margaret Panichelli, Assistant Professor, Undergraduate Social Work

Non-Classroom Faculty Representatives

  • Asst. Professor Amy Pajewski, Student Success Librarian
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