Communication Within the CurriculumAbout
The Communication Within the Curriculum (CWiC) program was first started in 1998 under the recommendation of the SCUE, a branch of Penn’s student government dedicated to improving undergraduate education. Originally coined SATU (Speaking Across the University) the pilot program’s intent was to have students exposed to rhetoric and speaking in the classroom. It envisioned a mandatory one-credit course for all students, and recitations for certain courses focused on speaking and rhetoric. It wasn’t until 2002 that the program adopted its current name, and a year later hired the first associate director, Dr. Bruce Lenthal.
Today, CWiC serves to promote and support student speaking as a means of communicating as well as learning. CWiC is available to students in and out of the classroom. Every CWiC advisor is an undergraduate student trained in a semester long course that teaches speaking skills with an emphasis on effective ways of teaching it. With a myriad of affiliate courses (courses that have a speaking requirement and mandatory time developing presentation skills with trained CWiC advisors) the program serves to help students across all four undergraduate colleges succeed in speaking intensive courses. Additionally, CWiC holds regular workshops to help students hone specific aspects of speech and delivery, as well as weekly office hours open to anyone interested in building or refining presentations.
CWiC is committed to creating a culture of learning through speaking and communication. Our goals are to improve undergraduate teaching, create an intellectual community through speaking, and ensure that Penn student’s graduate as capable and strong communicators.
View/Download the CWiC brochure (PDF).
History
"Speaking good since 1998"
CWiC was originally launched as a pilot project called Speaking Across the University (SATU). CWiC’s first director was hired in 1998. The following articles highlight key moments of CWiC's evolution.
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In 1995, the Student Committee on Undergraduate Education (SCUE) first discussed the Speaking Across the University (SATU) program in their White Paper. SCUE proposed a university-wide rhetoric program, suggesting that students take speaking seminars and half-credit speaking recitation sections for larger courses. "The 1995 SCUE White Paper on Undergraduate Education"
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In 1998, the Student Committee on Undergraduate Education (SCUE) spoke about the Speaking Across the University (SATU) program that they proposed in their previous (1995) White Paper. This time, SCUE proposed a 1-credit speaking requirement. "The 1998 SCUE White Paper on Undergraduate Education"
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In 1999, Dr. Farrell, Professor of Classical Studies and Chair of the Provost's ad hoc committee to evaluate the SATU pilot project, authored this piece that compared the new Speaking Across the University (SATU) program with the writing program. Dr. Deborah Rossen-Knill was the Director of SATU at the time." Speaking Across the University" -Joe Farrel, Almanac, Vol. 45, No. 17, January 19, 1999
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In 2001, the Student Committee on Undergraduate Education (SCUE) provided advice for faculty about the role of student presentations. "The 2001 SCUE White Paper on Undergraduate Education"
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In 2002, the program changed its name from Speaking Across the University (SATU) to Communication Within the Curriculum (CWiC)."SATU: new name, same program" The Daily Pennsylvanian, February 25, 2002
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In 2003, CWiC hired its first Associate Director, Dr. Bruce Lenthall. "Communication Within the Curriculum" Ralph Rosen, Almanac, Vol. 50, No. 12, November 11, 2003
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In 2006, CWiC hired Dr. Sue Weber to act as the Associate Director.
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In 2010, The Student Committee on Undergraduate Education (SCUE) discussed the promotion of CWiC courses as part of a solution to increasing the encouragement of exploration in undergraduate education. "The 2010 SCUE White Paper on Undergraduate Education"