Faculty Committee Considers Revising Expos

A Faculty committee is now discussing possible revisions of the expository writing program, including one proposal that some undergraduates be exempt from the expos requirement.

Gwynne B. Evans, director of Expository Writing, said last week that in addition to exemption the Standing Committee on Expository writing is considering a requirement that expos instructors teach "a common core of material" and "refocus on some of the fundamental aspects of writing."

The committee, which was established by the Faculty last year to strengthen the expos program, may also recommend placing stricter limits on the size of expos sections, Evans said.

Evans, who is also professor of English, said the committee would probably end its discussions in January. Any recommendations it makes will then be reviewed by other faculty committees and be voted upon by the Faculty, if necessary.

The committee would recommend exemption in order to give greater attention to less qualified freshman, Evans said. He added that a variety of criteria granting the exemption are being considered.

Students with a 700 on the SAT verbal or a 4 or 5 on the English advanced placement exam currently qualify for middle-level expos couses. Evans said that if any students do receive exemption, they would be in this group, which this year numbers about 530 persons.

Evans said the refocus on writing is necessary to make expos "a writing course, not a discussion group and not a rap session." The central core of curriculum would give freshmen in different sections common ground for discussion, he said.

He said that he "attempted" to limit the size of both lower-and middle-level expos courses this year to 20 and 18, respectively, but added, however, that "15 would be a much better number."

Any decrease in class size would be contingent on the availability of good teachers and additional funding, Evans said. And, although the expos program received additional funding this year, he said that it may not receive another budget increase.

"The simple fact may be the money's not there," Evans said. "It's not may job to decide the priorities."