BAWCD Meeting Notes: Feb. 11, 2014

[Boston-Area Writing Center Directors]

Hi All:

We had a great meeting on Tuesday, with 14 participants from a variety of Boston institutions. For those of you that couldn't make it, here are some notes from the meeting, as well as two Powerpoint presentations from our guest speakers: Suzanne Hegland (NEC) and Devon Sprague (Stonehill College).

Throughout our meeting, we discussed  collaborating with other services on campus--successes and challenges. Suzanne presented a case study about how she fostered collaboration by targeting a "hot topic" at her school: entrepreneurial musicianship. She created a presentation for students that overviews why musicians should write. It is a good example of how we can reach out students that may not concern themselves "writers."

Next, Devon gave a presentation that reviews how she works with other services on campus. Some of the most impressive collaborations she's established are working with the library to create InfoCafes (informal chats about writing, citations, and research), working with the library to create a "spotlight on writing" section, and a faculty writing bootcamp. When working with disgruntled professors, Devon invites them to staff meetings. There, the consultants talk to the prof. about the work they do in the center, even going so far as to offer assignment advice. 

Last, we considered the question: Who are our allies? Where might we find unexpected allies?

Our next meeting is tentatively scheduled for early June at Tufts University. We will discuss writing conference proposals. We'll discuss tips and look at examples.

In the meantime, let's keep the listserv alive! Have a question or want to collaborate on a project? Just contact the group.

Best,
Kat 

Director, Writing Center
Northeastern University
k.g...@neu.edu