EWP forum to address confusion
Eastern requires three submissions
Collin Whitchurch / Assistant Sports Editor
Issue date: 2/17/09 Section: News
Chris Kromphardt does not understand the Electronic Writing Portfolio.
He does not think anybody truly understands what the EWP is for.
It is for this reason that Kromphardt, a Student Senate member and the current chair for the Academic Affairs Committee, helped arrange the Electronic Writing Portfolio Forum held at 7 p.m. today in Room 1205 of the Physical Science Building.
Kromphardt said he is hoping the forum, which will feature Blair Lord, provost and vice president for academic affairs, will address concerns and questions about the EWP.
"What we're hoping to accomplish is to get actual information out about the EWP," Kromphardt said. "A lot of what students seem to know is speculation or what they've heard has been just basically hearsay. The idea is to get (Lord), who obviously knows what he's talking about to answer questions and give a presentation just briefly of why the EWP started."
Kromphardt and Nahder Houshmand, a Student Senate member, both said they have turned in papers to the EWP but are still unsure as to what it is actually for.
"I've done it once, but have heard of seniors who haven't done it once and have had no repercussions for not doing it," Houshmand said. "There are no specifics with it and that is something I think needs to be cleared up."
Kromphardt said that, as a senior, he has submitted to the EWP three times but still does not quite understand why he is doing it.
Eastern's Web site states, "Three submissions are required for the portfolio. Submissions may come from any writing-centered or writing-intensive course, or from any other course for which students complete an appropriate writing assignment." Fulfilling the EWP is a graduation requirement.
Jackie Alexander, student vice president for academic affairs, said she hopes the forum will help answer students' questions about the EWP and Lord will help clear up any confusion about the process.
"Our main goal is to get students' input on the EWP," Alexander said. "We want to know how they feel - if it's effective or if it's just a waste of time."
English professor Fern Kory said the EWP was originally intended to be used with the Writing Across the Curriculum program and was supposed to be used to assess how well professors are teaching writing. She said the EWP has changed and is now used as a way to catch students who need help instead.
"There are a lot of people who want the EWP to do different things," she said. "I think what we have now is an unworkable compromise between all of those different interests."
According to Kromphardt, numerous rumors have been swirling around about different requirements or changes to the EWP. With the forum, he hopes all of those issues will be resolved.
"If anyone has ever had a question about the EWP or they want to hear what other people have to ask about it, this is an opportunity to hear first hand," he said.
Kromphardt said Student Senate is working on ways to get information from the forum out to students and faculty who are unable to attend.
He said he is looking into the possibility of filming it, but is not sure if that will be able to happen.
Collin Whitchurch can be reached at 581-7944 or cfwhitchurch@eiu.edu.
He does not think anybody truly understands what the EWP is for.
It is for this reason that Kromphardt, a Student Senate member and the current chair for the Academic Affairs Committee, helped arrange the Electronic Writing Portfolio Forum held at 7 p.m. today in Room 1205 of the Physical Science Building.
Kromphardt said he is hoping the forum, which will feature Blair Lord, provost and vice president for academic affairs, will address concerns and questions about the EWP.
"What we're hoping to accomplish is to get actual information out about the EWP," Kromphardt said. "A lot of what students seem to know is speculation or what they've heard has been just basically hearsay. The idea is to get (Lord), who obviously knows what he's talking about to answer questions and give a presentation just briefly of why the EWP started."
Kromphardt and Nahder Houshmand, a Student Senate member, both said they have turned in papers to the EWP but are still unsure as to what it is actually for.
"I've done it once, but have heard of seniors who haven't done it once and have had no repercussions for not doing it," Houshmand said. "There are no specifics with it and that is something I think needs to be cleared up."
Kromphardt said that, as a senior, he has submitted to the EWP three times but still does not quite understand why he is doing it.
Eastern's Web site states, "Three submissions are required for the portfolio. Submissions may come from any writing-centered or writing-intensive course, or from any other course for which students complete an appropriate writing assignment." Fulfilling the EWP is a graduation requirement.
Jackie Alexander, student vice president for academic affairs, said she hopes the forum will help answer students' questions about the EWP and Lord will help clear up any confusion about the process.
"Our main goal is to get students' input on the EWP," Alexander said. "We want to know how they feel - if it's effective or if it's just a waste of time."
English professor Fern Kory said the EWP was originally intended to be used with the Writing Across the Curriculum program and was supposed to be used to assess how well professors are teaching writing. She said the EWP has changed and is now used as a way to catch students who need help instead.
"There are a lot of people who want the EWP to do different things," she said. "I think what we have now is an unworkable compromise between all of those different interests."
According to Kromphardt, numerous rumors have been swirling around about different requirements or changes to the EWP. With the forum, he hopes all of those issues will be resolved.
"If anyone has ever had a question about the EWP or they want to hear what other people have to ask about it, this is an opportunity to hear first hand," he said.
Kromphardt said Student Senate is working on ways to get information from the forum out to students and faculty who are unable to attend.
He said he is looking into the possibility of filming it, but is not sure if that will be able to happen.
Collin Whitchurch can be reached at 581-7944 or cfwhitchurch@eiu.edu.
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