Northeastern Illinois University (NEIU) is one of only 30 colleges and universities in the nation receiving Title V funding, and the only one in Illinois with that honor. As a result NEIU will garner $2.8 million from 2007-2012 for the “Improving Retention through Academic Literacy” project.
The Higher Education Act of 1965 was legislated by the United States Congress as part of Lyndon Johnson’s Great Society domestic agenda to bolster resources for colleges and universities. Title V of that act provides funding for Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSI), those colleges and universities with at least 25% Hispanic full-time equivalent enrollment.
As the only public four-year HSI in the Midwest, NEIU serves a highly diverse student population where 80% of all incoming freshman are first-generation students, 56% of undergraduates attend NEIU full-time and 26 is the average age of NEIU undergraduate students.
The grant will facilitate the coordination of writing requirements and writing services at NEIU. Student retention and graduation rates will be addressed through the project by keying on academic literacy skills. To that end, a Center for Academic Literacy will be created that will provide tutoring services and writing support. There will also be revisions in the first-year writing program, implementing student writing evaluation resources to accurately assess performance.
“Writing skills are important for both academic success and professional development after graduation,” said NEIU Provost Lawrence Frank. “Because the NEIU writing program will be based in every major, it is designed to improve the overall graduation rate and to help graduates build successful careers after they complete their studies.
Professor Vicki Byard of the English Department will begin leading the work in Spring 2008 to revise the freshman writing program (ENG 101).
Kate Hahn is slated to become the Director of the Center for Academic Literacy. She is currently the Coordinator of Writing Intensive Programs located in the Center for Teaching and Learning of the Ronald Williams Library.
“We are currently working to begin creating Writing Intensive (WI) courses within each major,” states Hahn. “WI courses will meet a set of guidelines approved by the Faculty Council on Academic Affairs. Faculty from across the university will participate in workshops that will provide them with information and support on how to design and teach these courses.”
The Center for Academic Literacy will contain lab and meeting space. Students will be able to receive help with the writing they are doing in their WI courses and departments, and faculty will be able to receive support in developing and teaching their WI courses.
Guidelines will include ensuring that multiple types of writing assignments are given and a suggested minimum number of total writing assignment pages will be in place. Guidelines will further suggest that writing assignments make up a minimum of fifty percent of final grades. A focus on the process of writing will be part of the overall plan.