History of AWAC

Date Actions
March 2016 Conversations about an umbrella organization for WAC began at CCCC 2016, prompted by several changes in the field. Chris Thaiss, who had led the International Network of Writing Across the Curriculum Programs (INWAC) stepped down and four co-chairs, Michelle Cox, Anne Ellen Geller, Jeff Galin, and Dan Melzer stepped up as co-chairs. This change in leadership, as well as the impending retirements of many of the founders of WAC,  prompted the INWAC Board of Consultants to discuss the roles and limits of INWAC, the relationship between INWAC and other WAC organizations, and ideas for the future of the field. At the same time, the WAC Graduate Organization (WAC-GO) was becoming organized and looking for a professional organization with which to affiliate.
June 2016 The INWAC Board held a meeting at IWAC with WAC stakeholders to talk about the future of WAC. Access the invitation and list of invitees here.

Participants expressed a great deal of respect for those who started the different WAC organizations and built the different components of what is now the field of WAC. However, they also identified limitations and discussed how these WAC organizations would benefit from coordination and collaboration, which an umbrella organization could foster. For more details, see the notes from the IWAC meeting.

Following the meeting, INWAC Co-Chairs Cox, Galin, Geller, and Melzer decided to elicit comments from the wider community through a survey.
October 2016 The INWAC Board met to discuss INWAC’s relationship to a potential new umbrella organization, the relationship of INWAC to CCCC, the role of the INWAC Board, and potential other models of and venues for WAC mentorship. The board decided that INWAC would not become the WAC umbrella organization but would work with other WAC organizations to develop this new group. They also decided to apply for CCCC WAC Standing Group status to replace the annual INWAC Special Interest Group Meeting and to work with the new umbrella organization to formalize a consultation model and mentoring structures.
February 2017 INWAC Co-Chairs Cox, Galin, Geller, and Melzer distributed “On the Future of WAC” survey over WPA-L, WAC-L, and the INWAC Directory. The survey included questions about what the respondent saw as the benefits and drawbacks of the current organizational structures within WAC and ideas for what a new organization might look like. For details of the survey results, see the CCCC 2017 meeting slides.
March 2017 At a CCCC meeting, Cox, Galin, and Melzer reported on “On the Future of WAC” results and opened a discussion on next steps. Participants agreed that work should begin on drafting bylaws and a working group was formed (see list of working group members below).
April 2017 The CCCC WAC Standing Group application was approved, replacing the CCCC INWAC Special Interest Group. Leadership for this organization rotates; inaugural chairs were Melzer (Outgoing Chair), Cox (Chair), and Galin (Incoming Chair).
May 2017-March 2018 The working group drafted a name for the organization (the Association for Writing Across the Curriculum), a mission statement, a vision statement, bylaws and committee descriptions through a series of Skype meetings (see the AWAC website for the mission and vision statement).
March 2018 The drafted bylaws were shared over WPA-L and WAC-L and at CCCC 2018 Kansas City for feedback.
April 2018 The working group met to determine next steps. It was decided that: (1) this working group would serve as a de facto executive board for AWAC until a board is elected; (2) invitees from the June 2016 Stakeholders Meeting would be sent an update on the development of the organization and invited to provide feedback to the bylaws and express concerns; (3) once stakeholder concerns are addressed, a call for members would be sent over WPA-L and WAC-L; (4) an AWAC meeting will be held at IWAC 2018 to solidify the organization; (5) a call for nominations for officers and elections will take place in summer 2018.
May 2018 A call for members was sent out over the WPA-L and WAC-L.
June 2018 The first official AWAC meeting was held at IWAC 2018, during which committees met to start brainstorming action items.
July 2018 A call for nominations for officers was sent over WPA-L, WAC-L and to AWAC members
August 2018 The working group decided to hold off on ratifying the bylaws and electing officers until a lawyer with expertise in working with non-profit organizations reviewed the bylaws.
October 2018 AWAC became incorporated in the state of Florida and this AWAC website was created.
November 2018 The AWAC membership voted in the AWAC Executive Board, and the leadership of AWAC transferred from the AWAC Working Group to the Executive Board.