Events and News

6/15/25

Summer Workshop Series

WPA-GO's Mentoring Committee invites you to our 2nd Annual Summer Workshop Series dedicated to professionals and students who are interested in and/or participating in writing program leadership.

Today, WPAs (e.g., FYW, WC, WAC/WID directors) are inundated with wicked problems that have historically harmed our most under-resourced and underserved stakeholders. Even so, in order to temper burnout and cynicism, WPAs must also leverage their ability to recognize and cultivate joy in and with their work.

Navigating these problems and cultivating joy require deep (co)reflection and engaged social action.

Participants will be asked to attend three 3 virtual workshop sessions once-per-month.

All sessions will be (CST) 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM.

Session #1 (Tues. June 17th):

Mapping WPA Experience (120 mins)

Session #2 (Tues. July 22nd):

Collective Problem Solving (120 mins)

Session #3 (Mon. August 11th):

Transformations & Takeaways (120 mins)

A Zoom link will be provided upon registration. Participation is entirely free.

What will you gain from participating in this experience?

BUILD COMMUNITY

The work of WPA does not need to be done in isolation. These workshops are designed to help support your ability to network and build communities of thinking partners that you can leverage long after these workshops end.

PRACTICE PROBLEM SOLVING

These workshops will provide inroads to both specific contexts and generalizable scenarios that are typical to the work of WPA. You will engage with professionals in the field while you practice problem solving, compromise, and political savvy.

DEFINE VALUES & PRINCIPLES

Defining principles with precision -- principles that are both practical and flexible to your specific contexts -- is necessary, and it can be challenging work. Doing so in community can make this process more navigable and transformative.

For more information, visit this link or register here!

12/16/2024 

CWPA and WPA-GO Reestablish Organization Connection

The leadership of CWPA and WPA-GO are happy to announce that the two organizations have formally agreed to reestablish connections, supported by affirmative votes by both leadership teams. The three-year separation was spurred by WPA-GO’s withdrawal from CWPA following the public boycott of the organization in 2021. In the intervening years, the two organizations have been in regular contact and have been drafting a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that articulates the formal relationship between the organizations. As of December 6, 2024, the MOU has been approved by both leadership teams.

We are first and foremost glad to acknowledge the necessary collaboration and mentoring that needs to happen between the two organizations, as well as the maintenance of a pipeline from newer and rising scholars into the field of writing program work. Highlights of what we have established include:

• Mutual recognition that the CWPA is WPA-GO’s “sponsor organization”;

• Establishment of voting rights on the CWPA Executive Board for one WPA-GO representative on behalf of graduate student interests;

• CWPA financial support for the WPA-GO in the form of an annual budget.

The MOU is a 5-year agreement, which may be renewed or revised through a mutual process in 2029. We believe this connection is vital for the health of both organizations and are happy to create a pathway for WPA-related professionalization, leadership opportunities, and support for incoming members of the field.

Signed,

Kelly Blewett, CWPA President

Taylor Dickson, WPA-GO Vice Chair

Roland Dumavor, WPA-GO Chair

Al Harahap, CWPA/WPA-GO Liaison

Erin Lehman, CWPA Vice President

Jagadish Paudel, WPA-GO Past Chair