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Vice-President Academic and Provost

Academic writing requirement

The Academic Writing Requirement (AWR) Working Group was established by the Office of the Vice-President Academic and Provost to review and update the AWR, which is a university-wide requirement for all UVic undergraduate students. The Working Group has been meeting since spring 2024 and has engaged in ongoing campus-wide consultations to gather input from students, faculty, and other stakeholders.

This review is part of an ongoing commitment to ensure that all students receive foundational instruction in key university-level skills such as writing, citation, research, and information literacy. In alignment with the evolving educational landscape and the increasing importance of digital competencies, the Working Group is also exploring the integration of digital literacy into the AWR curriculum. 

Working group

The AWR Working Group was established to review the Academic Writing Requirement. This university-wide requirement that all undergraduate students must complete to receive a UVic degree, has not been reviewed or revised at the university level since 2014. 

Mandate

The mandate of the Working Group is to update the Academic Writing Requirement to ensure that all students are equipped with a strong foundation in reading, writing, research, and digital competencies, enabling them to thrive in their academic and professional endeavors.

The working group is reviewing all aspects of the AWR including:

  • The description of the requirement in the academic calendar
  • Learning outcomes
  • How students may satisfy the requirement
  • Registration in AWR courses
  • How information about the AWR is communicated to students
  • The role of AWR courses in student retention and success (including for specific groups)

Additionally, the working group is researching practices and experiences of comparator institutions with a similar requirement.

Members

  • Elizabeth Adjin-Tettey, AVP Academic Programs (sponsor)
  • Cindy Holder, Acting Associate Dean Academic, Humanities (co-chair)
  • Todd Milford, Department Chair, Curriculum and Instruction (co-chair)
  • Nancy Ami, Manager, Centre for Academic Communication
  • Shailoo Bedi, Executive Director, Division of Learning and Teaching Support and Innovation
  • Erin Kelly, Program Director, Academic and Technical Writing
  • Kim McLean-Fiander, AWR Advisor, English
  • Karen Munro, Director, Engagement and Learning, UVic Libraries
  • Carleigh Dean, Project and Communications Officer, VPAC (support)

Process

The AWR Working Group is undertaking a thorough review of the current Academic Writing Requirement and engaging with interested parties across the university to seek their input. The group will develop a comprehensive plan with actionable recommendations to update the AWR, ensuring it meets the evolving needs of UVic students.

Project milestones

Since its inception in February 2024, the AWR Working Group has made significant progress, including the completion of initial information gathering, subcommittee discussions, and ongoing focus groups and consultations. The Working Group is seeking feedback from the campus community on information gathered and discussions to date to help inform the Working Group's report and recommendations for a revised AWR. Groups being engaged in the second phase of the consultation process include Deans' Council, Associate Deans (Academic/Undergraduate) Council (ADAC), the Senate Committee on Academic Standards (SCAS), the Senate Committee on Learning and Teaching (SCLT), Senate, and the Office of the Vice President Indigenous (OVPI), and UVic students. 

Resources and FAQs

At this stage, the Working Group has not proposed any official changes, as we are still synthesizing and reviewing the information that has been gathered. However, several potential changes have emerged for consideration. These include making the AWR mandatory for all incoming undergraduate students (except those with appropriate transfer credits), requiring completion of the AWR within the first year of study at UVic, integrating digital literacy and generative AI tools into the learning goals, and establishing a university-level committee for ongoing oversight of the requirement.

The earliest possible date for implementing any recommended changes to the Academic Writing Requirement is September 2026. As such, this is the Working Group’s proposed timeline. This timeline assumes that the first early steps of what is a complex process of updating the AWR will begin in fall 2024. Key steps include consulting with the appropriate Senate Committees and Senate and initiating academic calendar revisions necessary to ensure a smooth transition.

The Working Group is currently formulating its recommendations with input from the campus community. Draft recommendations will be shared for feedback when they become available. 

Please direct any questions for the working group to projcom@uvic.ca.