Writing Across the Curriculum at CSU

Join Us for Our First Spring Semester Event

WAC@CSU LogoPlease join us for a panel discussion on "Using Writing and Critical Thinking to Prepare Students for Democratic Engagement." Ben Withers, Dean of the College of Liberal Arts and a prime mover behind this year's university-wide discussion of democracy, will open the panel. Sue Doe, Executive Director of TILT and past WAC program leader, Meena Balgopal, Professor of Biology and University Distinguished Teaching Scholar, and Naitnaphit Limlamai, Assistant Professor of English Education, will then engage in a discussion with Ben Withers and the audience.

Please join us at the Alumni Center (Seminar Room 1) on Wednesday, February 7th, at 3 pm.

WAC Week 2023 Is In the Books -- But You Can Still Join In

WAC Week was a resounding success, with more than 250 attendees at six workshops. Launched on Monday, November 6th, the workshops focused on helping faculty enhance student learning, engagement, and success. A celebration of writing across the curriculum—one of the original high impact practices—the workshops explored how faculty can use writing assignments to deepen students understanding and ability to apply course content. Topics ranged from WAC basics, such as strategies for designing assignments and responding to student writing, to the use of multimodal assignments and generative AI to the role WAC can play in promoting inclusion and social justice. An article in CSU Source provided an overview of WAC Week and the CSU WAC Program.

All workshops were presented on Zoom and are available for viewing.

WAC Course Development Grants

The application deadline has passed for our first WAC Course Development Grant competition, but we look forward to opening the process for new applications later this spring. The current round of grants support the development of materials in courses offered beginning in summer 2024 or fall 2024. Support includes a stipend of $1500 for the course instructor, materials development (such as instructional materials and web-based resources), and up to 30 hours of consultation with a writing specialist. The deadline for applications was November 17, 2023. The application process is perhaps the simplest you'll ever see in a grant competition—and we will continue that practice in the spring. Learn more.

Learn About WAC at CSU

Colorado State is internationally recognized for its efforts in writing across the curriculum (WAC). Following its establishment in 1984, the WAC Program developed and launched an innovative approach to supporting the use of writing in courses at research-intensive universities. Widely adopted, this approach focuses on enhancing learning, critical thinking, and preparation for communication in the disciplines in a way that reduces the time and effort associated with integrating writing activities and assignments into a course with a combination of faculty resources and direct support for student writers. Characterized as an "integrated approach" to WAC, the approach employs consultation with faculty members and programs, assistance in the integration of writing into course curricula in ways that enhance learning rather than displacing content coverage, and support for the development of instructional materials.

Since the early 1990s, the WAC Program has worked closely with the Writing Center to provide direct support for student writing and to make available web-based resources that support students as they use writing activities and assignments to learn course content, engaging in critical thinking about disciplinary processes and frameworks, and prepare to contribute to ongoing conversations in their chosen disciplines.

The WAC Program offers the following services:

  • Consulting (Individual and Small Group)
  • Seminars and Workshops
  • Curriculum Development Support
  • Writing Center Fellow Support
  • Instructional Materials Development Support

We are currently working with a limited number of faculty and programs. Please contact Mike Palmquist if you would like to explore options for supporting your course or program.

WAC Advisory Board

  • Bob Affeldt, Instructor, English
  • Meena Balgopal, University Distinguished Teaching Scholar, Biology
  • Devon Bower, Undergraduate Student, English
  • Kelly Bradbury, gtPathways Writing Integration Project Director, English
  • Brendan Davidson, Graduate Student, Political Science
  • Sue Doe, Executive Director, The Institute for Learning and Teaching (TILT)
  • Annie Halseth, Instructor, English
  • John Moore, University Distinguished Teaching Scholar, NREL
  • Kristina Quynn, CSU Writes Director, Assistant Dean of the Graduate School
  • Stephanie Foster, Director of Assessment, Institutional Research, Planning and Effectiveness

The WAC Clearinghouse

WAC Clearinghouse LogoHosted by Colorado State, the WAC Clearinghouse is internationally recognized as the leading publisher supporting WAC. Key resources include:

The gtPathways Writing Integration Project

gtPathways Project LogoThe gtPathways Writing Integration Project is among the most ambitious WAC initiatives in the United States. It supports learning and critical thinking in select AUCC courses in the arts, humanities, and social sciences. To learn more, contact project director Kelly Bradbury.

Our Sponsors

The WAC Program is Supported by the University Writing Center, the Department of English, and The Institute for Learning and Teaching (TILT).