2012-2013 Interviews With Program Directors

While the 2006-2008 Survey and the 2009 Survey both provided significant data on WAC program success, Tara Porter wanted to give depth to the survey responses by interviewing some of the program directors who had responded. Porter spoke with directors of 15 different WAC programs. In order to understand how elements that contribute to success and sustainability may vary depending upon institutional characteristics, Porter ensured that she had a wide representation of programs with the following characteristics:

  • those which rated their programs as more successful or less successful in the 2009 Survey
  • younger and older programs
  • programs at community colleges, BA-granting institutions, MA-granting institutions, and PhD-granting institutions
  • programs at smaller and larger institutions

 

Directors were asked questions regarding their programs' histories, day-to-day activities, struggles, and elements that they feel contribute to their program’s success.

These three phases of the U.S. research have allowed us to explore in great detail elements that may contribute to WAC program success and survival.

Tara Porter used results of these interviews as key elements of her 2014 UC Davis dissertation on "Success and Sustainability of U.S. WAC Programs."