Lawrence Cleary
Chair
Director Regional Writing Centre,
University of Limerick,
Limerick, Ireland
Franziska Liebetanz
Vice-Chair, Publication board and Peer Tutor Day 2024
Director Writing Center of the European University Viadrina
Frankfurt Oder, Germany
https://www.europa-uni.de/de/struktur/zll
Elif Tokdemir Demirel
Web Secretary and Activities Secretary
Associate Professor and Academic Writing Researcher,
Department of English Translation and Interpretation
Kırıkkale University,
Yahşihan, Kinkkale, Turkey
elif6171@gmail.com
Sona Khachatryan
Web Secretary and Activities Secretary
Writing Consultant, Office of Student Affairs,
American University of Armenia (AUA),
Yerevan, Armenia
https://studentaffairs.aua.am/math-writing-center/
Andrea Scott
IWCA Representative and Publication board
Associate Professor of Academic Writing & Writing Center Director,
Claremont, CA, USA
Gerd Bräuer
Board Member Emeritus of the EWCA, Pädagogische Hochschule Freiburg/University of Education Freiburg, Austria
Katrin Girgensohn
Board Member Emeritus of the EWCA, Aktuell Professorin für Schreibwissenschaft, Berlin School of Popular Arts,
SRH Berlin University of Applied Sciences, Germany
Dilek Tokay
Board Member Emeritus of the EWCA, Emeritus, Director and Founder, Sabanci University Writing Center [SUWC ]
Center for Individual and Academic Development, İstanbul, Turkey
Ann Mott
Board Member Emeritus of the EWCA, Assistant Professor, Writing Lab Director, American University of Paris (AUP), France
The European Writing Centers Association (EWCA) was founded in 1998 in an effort by Anna Challenger (The American College of Thessaloniki, Greece) and Tracy Santa (The American University in Bulgaria) to integrate universities in Europe into a framework for exchanging ideas and establishing an infrastructure for Writing Center goals and objectives.
EWCA is a regional affiliate of the International Writing Centers Association (IWCA). As EWCA was the first regional affiliate to be added outside of US borders, its formation and recognition contributed to the US-based National Writing Centers Association (NWCA) changing its name to IWCA (International Writing Centers Association) and expanding its focus to foster writing center work across the globe. Hence EWCA’s mission is to solicit engagement with institutions and individuals interested in the interactive and collaborative work of Writing Centers everywhere.
EWCA strives to connect all those interested and involved in Writing Center pedagogy, theory and practice: teachers, researchers, administrators, tutors and peer tutors. Our goals and mission include:
Linking Writing Center practitioners through biennial retreats and conferences, publications, the EWCA listserv and website and other means
Advancing the significance of Writing Centers in our ever growing Europe and beyond, encouraging institutions and administrators of the value of Writing Centers
Promoting European scholarship in the field of Writing Center theory by collaborating on shared research projects
Offering exchange experiences among peer tutors throughout Europe andinternationally
Supporting the development, expansion and sustainability of peer tutoring.
To realize these aims, EWCA holds a biennial conference at one of the Board members’ European universities to which all EWCA members and those interested and involved in Writing Centers are welcome to attend.
Membership to the EWCA is open to all whose chief purpose is as teachers, tutors, administrators, directors, and researchers of writing centers at universities, four-and-two-year colleges, and secondary schools in Europe and beyond, as well as those persons interested in learning about, discussing and sharing in the development of writing center theory, pedagogy and practice. EWCA charges no membership dues and has a policy of non-discrimination. Membership into the IWCA is not mandatory.
To become a member, colleagues must register either through the EWCA website or by email to the Membership Secretary. The Executive Board will maintain an active membership list and communicate with members regularly through our listserv and biennially through our EWCA retreats and conferences.
The EWCA Executive Board regularly communicates with its membership maintains an active membership list on the EWCA listserv and communicates with members through this list. Members of the EWCA may communicate with the Board through the EWCA listserv for whole-group, selected smaller group or individual mail. The Board may ask for opinions from its members on particular issues or update or make new announcements on various issues via this same network.
Executive Board Members are elected by a majority vote by those in attendance at each biennial conference. The Chair’s position is elected by the Executive Board at the Board meeting following each conference. Each executive board member serves a two-year term, renewable.
Candidates wishing to run for a position on the EWCA Executive Board must submit their nomination in advance of the biennial conference stating their interest and experience in Writing Center work, their association with the EWCA (at least one year), and their reasons for wanting to become a board member (maximum 200 words).
EWCA Executive Board Members will have demonstrated an interest and experience in writing centers as well as in the teaching of writing. The board has a minimum of seven members (including one peer tutor) comprising but not limited to a chair, a deputy chair, membership secretary, web secretary, and publications editor. One of these Board members will be appointed as the EWCA representative to the IWCA (International Writing Centers Association) Board and participate in IWCA board meetings online. The EWCA Executive Board elects the Chair, by secret ballot, from among current or past (if nominated) Executive Board Members by majority vote following the biennial conference. The Chair assumes office immediately after election.
• Establish a plan of mentoring and networking for Writing Center directors and professionals in the region.
• Hold a biennial conference at an approved conference site and issue calls for EWCA conference proposals
• Offer support to the conference institution both before and during the conference
• Meet at least four times throughout the year through a conference call platform
• Participate actively in the internal board members’ listserv (participating in e-mail discussions and indicating times of absence to the board)• Deliberate on any matters related to Writing Centers that an EWCA member may bring to the Board’s attention
• Review and put forward amendments to the constitution should the need arise
• Collaborate and cooperate with other organizations concerned with Writing Center issues
• Assign a replacement for a Board member who resigns or is unable to continue in their position until an election can be held at the next biennial conference
• Review and propose revisions to the Constitution, as needed, passing by a two-thirds majority of the Executive Board and presenting revisions to the EWCA membership
• Assist the work of the IWCA and follow the Guidelines for Regional Organizations as stated in the IWCA By-Laws
• Provide the IWCA with regional reports when asked.
The Chair of the EWCA Board will
• Have previously served on the EWCA Executive Board in any capacity
• Chair 4 virtual meetings per year, calling for agenda items
• Call for and receive nominations for Executive Board positions and coordinate biennial elections
• Insure that all Board members are completing duties of their offices and communicate with them in a timely manner
• Host the following biennial conference, if this is possible, or work closely with the hosts.
• Keep an updated notebook that will be passed on to the incoming Chair that includes a copy of the EWCA Constitution, minutes of meetings, copies of reports to IWCA, conference planning details, and any other materials relevant to carrying out duties of the office. Term: Two years as Chair; a one-year extension for due cause may be granted by unanimous Executive Board Decision.
The Deputy Chair will
• Work closely with the Chair, assuming the Chair’s duties during his/her absence
• Co-host the biennial conference: Assist the biennial conference chair as needed with conference mailings, communications and the conference planning process
• Set up an account of EWCA funds to be used for the Anna Challenger Peer Tutor Exchange Fund. The account is established as a non-profit account and follows the criteria based on the IWCA’s constitutional amendments (Article XI: Finances and Financial Relationships, IWCA Constitution)
• Keep an updated notebook that will be passed on to the incoming Deputy Chair that includes materials relevant to carrying out duties of the office.Term: two years, renewable
The Membership Secretary will
• Keep an active membership list of all EWCA members
• Handle requests for membership received through the EWCA website, listserv or email
• Coordinate the biennial updating of the membership list and revise the list in a timely manner
• Add new members to the EWCA listserv
• Encourage members to renew their membership every 2 years and send reminders to those who have let their membership slip
• Inform the Board on EWCA membership data and point to regions in Europe which should be tapped for membership and involvement with EWCA
• Keep a notebook that will be passed on to the incoming Membership secretary that includes materials relevant to carrying out duties of the office.Term: two years, renewable
The Web Secretary will
• Maintain a functional website: update all features of the EWCA website, including all EWCA event posters and pictures; ensure the creation of new pages as agreed by the Board
• Work alongside fellow Board members to keep the website up to date
• Maintain the EWCA listserv and add new members in consultation with the Membership Secretary
• Keep a notebook that will be passed on to the incoming webmaster that includes step-by-step instructions relevant to website maintenance and other resources, information and materials necessary to carry out the duties of this office. Term: two years, renewable
The Publications Board will
• Solicit and collate information about the activities of EWCA members, especially those on the board.
• With this information, coordinate the regular publication and distribution of the EWCA Newsletter
• Call for articles and participate monthly in the CWCAB blog: Connecting Writing Centers Across Borders
• Publish on the EWCA Website all EWC Board Member’s publications; EWCA conference proceedings, keynote or presenters’ submitted material
• Keep a notebook that will be passed on to the incoming Publications Editor that includes materials relevant to carrying out duties of the office.Term: two years, renewable
The IWCA representative will
• Represent the EWCA on the IWCA Executive Board
• Participate in IWCA board meetings
• Collect and put together EWCA reports for IWCA reports
• Keep a notebook that will be passed on to the incoming IWCA Representative that includes materials relevant to carrying out duties of the office: reports, records and correspondence between the EWCA and the IWCA.Term: two years, renewable Peer tutor Board Member will
• Integrate peer tutors’ voices into the ongoing EWCA conversation by encouraging peer tutors to present at the biennial conferences (peer tutor track) and to publish in the EWCA Newsletter
• Foster international peer tutor collaborations and cooperation by organizing pre-conference educational meetings (Peer Tutor Day)
• Organize virtual peer tutor exchange via online tools (e.g. google+)
• Communicate peer tutors’ (research) interests to the EWCA Board
• Recommend a peer tutor keynote speaker for the biennial conference
• Recommend a peer tutor speaker to represent EWCA at other international conferences.
Advisory Board membership
An Advisory Board, former board members and honorable members of the global writing center community, will support the EWCA Executive Board. Advisory Board members are invited by the EWCA Board. Advisory Board members maintain EWCA membership as their names are on the EWCA Listserv. They can be included in the internal board listserv if they like and will be listed on the EWCA website of Board members. Assistance, suggestions and their wise counsel are welcome anytime. An Advisory Board member may be removed from office for sufficient cause upon unanimous recommendation of the Board members and a two-thirds vote of the Board; or upon his/ her own resignation.
Article 1
EWCA funds will be placed in a non-profit account set up by the Deputy Chair of the Executive Board who will communicate the status of the account on a regular basis to members of the Executive Board. The account will follow the criteria based on the IWCA’s constitutional amendments (Article XI:Finances and Financial Relationships, IWCA Constitution).
This constitution was developed by the EWCA board 2012-2014, consisting of
Ann MottThe American University of Paris, AUP Writing Lab, Paris, France
Anja Poloubotko Peer Writing Tutor Representative Writing Center European University Viadrina, Frankfurt (Oder), Germany
Dilek Tokay Sabanci University, Center for Academic and Individual Development, Writing Center, Istanbul, Turkey
Dimitar Angelov Centre for Academic Writing (CAW), Coventry University, UK
Filitsa Sofianou Mullen American University in Bulgaria
Katrin Girgensohn European University Viadrina, Writing Center, Frankfurt (Oder), Germany
Łukasz SalskiUniversity of Łódź, The University of Łódź's English Writing Improvement Centre, Poland
Mary Deane Oxford Centre for Staff and Learning Development Oxford Brookes Univsersity, UK
Roman Banzer Hochschule Liechtenstein, Liechtenstein
Vassiliki Kourbani Hellenic American University, Athens, Greece
EWCA Advisory Board Members
Anna Challenger Thessaloniki, Greece
Gerd Bräuer University of Education, Writing Center, Freiburg, Germany
Tracy Santa Colorado College, Writing Center/Tutt Library, CO, USA
Anja Poloubotko
EWCA Membership Secretary
Leibniz Language Center
Writing Support Coordinator
Leibniz University, Hannover, Germany
Where Writing Center People Come Together
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