‘Warp 12, Scotty,’ : Administrative Overdrive and Online Technical Communication Program Development

Usually, university administrations are content to leave program development to academic departments, and usually, a budget crisis means programs may come under scrutiny as a way to cut costs. The most recent economic crisis, however, has manifested itself differently in our technical communication program. At our institution, program development is being driven to some extent by the university’s administration. In an effort to attract students who have left the university without finishing the degree, an online version of the Bachelor of General Studies is being vetted, with technical and professional writing being one of the areas offered. In addition, the university administration is encouraging the development of an online graduate certificate in professional and technical writing, with a particular emphasis on offering the certificate program to partner universities in Germany and Indonesia. Although such maneuvering generates a myriad of questions, some primary ones concern the location of each program, as to whether or not these programs will reside with the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences (the location of the Technical and Professional Writing program in the Department of Writing and Linguistics), or with Continuing Education, and the resulting implications and expectations of each administrative unit. There is also some concern as to how the university administration’s positioning can affect pedagogy. More locally, there is a concern as to the extent to which the graduate certificate program could become an exercise in teaching English as a Second Language. This presentation will explore these and other questions.