Summer Writing Institute in Paris

Application for Summer Faculty Writing Institute
Paris, France
July 30-August 7, 2011

In 2007 and 2008 the University held summer writing institutes for faculty at our campus in Rome, Italy. The purpose of these institutes was to promote writing across the curriculum (WAC) and writing in the disciplines (WID), as well as to create a forum where faculty from different departments can discuss their own writing. As learners studying together in Rome, faculty worked closely and intensively for a week, discussing and exploring strategies for teaching high and low stakes writing to enhance student (and faculty) learning and engagement, trying new approaches to designing writing projects, reflecting on how to overcome obstacles to teaching with writing, practicing new methods for reading, responding to and evaluating student writing, investigating the varied technologies and literacies of students and faculty within the academy, and developing strategies for further curricular and pedagogical development within departments and across the university. Faculty had time to write and occasions to respond to each other's writing. During the second week of the Institute faculty members were invited to have family members join them in Rome, with several days devoted to pre-planned guided tours of the city.
 
We are pleased to announce that, pending final budgetary approval, in 2011 the Writing Across the Curriculum program will host the Summer Faculty Writing Institute in Paris, France. Faculty who wish to take part are invited to apply.
 
Criteria for application:
 
To apply, faculty must be tenure-track / tenured. Faculty from the College of Professional Studies, St. John’s College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, The School of Education, The Peter J. Tobin College of Business, and the College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences are invited to apply. Junior and senior faculty, as well as chairs, are all encouraged to apply. 
 
Former WAC Faculty Fellows are eligible. Faculty on leave Fall ’11 - Spring ’12 and those who attended the Summer Institute in 2007 and 2008 are not eligible.
 
Faculty must commit to either creating a new writing intensive or writing enhanced course within their department in 2011/2012 or redesigning a current course to make it writing intensive or writing enhanced.  Faculty must also commit to assessment of the newly created or redesigned course.
 
Applicants need to be working on a writing project they are willing to share with faculty colleagues in the spring of 2011 and during the summer institute. This project should be in the early to middle stages of development (not already completed).
 
Compensation:
 
The University will pay for faculty travel and room expenses. Summer Faculty Writing Institute participants will stay in single rooms in the Paris dormitory from 7/30 to 8/7.  Bathrooms will be shared (designated male/female). During the first week faculty will have a $50 per day food allowance.  There will also be a welcome dinner.
 
Family members are invited to join faculty on 8/7, at their own expense.  From 8/7 to 8/12, faculty members will receive up to $1500 to cover five additional nights of accommodations.
 
Deadline:
 
Applications should be sent to Dorothy Bukay, Institute for Writing Studies, by Friday, November 19th
 
Application:

  • a letter indicating your current thinking about the teaching of writing (for example the relationship between teaching writing and your discipline and/or your own writing in the discipline, or a description of your successes and struggles teaching writing)
  • a one page description of a course (or courses) you'd like to design or modify that will prioritize student writing for learning and the challenges you anticipate
  • a one page description of the writing project you'll be working on
  • email this material to Dorothy at bukayd@stjohns.edu

Projected Timeline:
 
Early December 2011: 20 Faculty will be selected for participation, chosen by a committee comprised of faculty who participated in previous summer institutes 
January 7, 2011: Faculty will accept their invitations and confirm their participation 
January 2011: Flight reservations arranged 
April/May/June: One meeting of faculty writing groups
May/June: Two pre-departure meetings
July 29/30: Depart for Paris
July 31: Welcome Dinner in Paris
August 1 to August 5: Writing Institute, full-day workshops
August 6: Closing workshop session and reflections
August 7: Families arrive and faculty move out of the dorms
August 8,9: possible guided tours of Paris (TBD)
Fall/Spring 2011/2012: On campus presentations of projects from 2011 Summer Faculty Writing Institute.  Also, some faculty will take part in a panel presentation at the 2012 International Writing Across the Curriculum Conference, Georgia Southern University.
 
For More Information: 
 
Faculty interested in finding out more about the Summer Institute should contact any of the faculty who attended the 2007 and 2008 institutes: Craig Baron, Chris Bazinet, Andrea Bergman, Mauricio Borrero, Elizabeth Brondolo, Lee Ann Brown, Frank Cantelmo, Eileen Carey, Harry Denny, Ray DiGiuseppe, Robert Fanuzzi, Maura Flannery, Granville Ganter, Paul Gyllenhammer, Alison Hyslop, Neil Jespersen, Tom Kitts, Chris Leary, Brian Lockey, Jeffrey Nevid, Lisa Outar, Derek Owens, Tom Philipose, Kelly Rocca, Steve Sicari, Robert Tillman, Robert Tomes, Joan Tropnas, Joseph Trumino, Lara Vapnek, Carolyn Vigorito, May Webber, and Jay Zimmerman. 
 
Also, please feel free to contact Anne Ellen Geller, Director, Writing Across the Curriculum with any questions about the application or the 2011 Summer Faculty Writing Institute (gellera@stjohns.edu/ x6993).