Jackson Weaver 1234 East St, Vancouver, BC, V5W 1B4. April

Transcription

1 Jackson Weaver 1234 East St, Vancouver, BC, V5W 1B4 April Acting Co-Chair Linda Svendson University of British Columbia Creative Writing Program Vancouver, British Columbia Re: Letter of Transmittal Dear Ms. Svendson, Enclosed is my report, Proposal for Improvement of Undergraduate Work-Study in UBC s Creative Writing Program. During my studies in UBC s Undergraduate Creative Writing program, I have come to notice a possible lack of opportunities afforded to students wishing to step into a career in writing. I believe there are ways to improve the undergraduate program to better serve students, and, in crafting this report, have engaged with fellow students who share this viewpoint. It is of great importance to train writers on not only their ability, but give them the skills to thrive in a career. Without this, it becomes incredibly difficult for students to view writing as a viable choice for their education, and students in the program experience profound stress when nearing the end of their studies. It would serve UBC s Creative Writing program greatly to address students desires to be trained for real careers which can sustain them, and to graduate from the program with experience and a resume which will aid them in finding work immediately. My work on this report has been informative and eye-opening; speaking with fellow students on their opinions regarding the program has informed my own opinion and outlook greatly, and I am extremely grateful for their input. I sincerely hope this report s findings are an aid to you and the program; please don t hesitate to contact if there are any questions over its content. Best regards, <Signature> Jackson Weaver

2 Proposal for Improvement of Undergraduate Work-Study in UBC s Creative Writing Program ATTN: Acting Co-Chair Linda Svendson University of British Columbia Creative Writing Program Vancouver, British Columbia Jackson Weaver 1234 Street Name Vancouver, British Columbia

3 TABLE OF CONTENTS Abstract 1. INTRODUCTION ii Background of UBC s Creative Writing Program 1.2 Generalized Description: Creative Writing Programs Generalized Goals of Creative Writing Programs 1.3 Outlining of Issues: Purpose of Report Scope of Report 1.4 Methodology of Report 1.5 Hypothesis and Expected Findings 2. COLLECTED DATA AND FINDINGS Work Experience Opportunities Current Programs in Place at UBC Student Awareness of Resources Comparison to Like Programs 2.2 Student Satisfaction Student Suggestions on Possible Improvements 3. CONCLUSION Summary 3.2 Recommendations WORKS CITED 15 Figures and Tables Student Awareness of Available Programs Student Satisfaction with Available Programs 8 11 i

4 Abstract This report highlights the current state of UBC s Undergraduate Creative Writing program, and the lack of work experience programs currently available in it. The program at UBC is compared to like program Iowa Writer s Workshop to discover what may be added, and finally student awareness of programs already in place is tested for. The value of a creative writing program lies not only in education given in craft, but also in real-life experience, which allows young writers to more easily break into the literary world. Though these opportunities exist to a degree in UBC s Masters program, they are underrepresented in the UBC s Undergraduate Creative Writing Program. To create a better environment for undergraduate students to thrive, this report makes the following recommendations: Allocate funding for student-run literary journals The creation of more programs such as Brave New Play Rites to be intrinsically linked with course-work Expand curriculum to focus on job skills in tandem with ii

5 1. INTRODUCTION 1.1 Background of UBC s Creative Writing Program The University of British Columbia s Creative Writing program began in 1946, and was founded by noted and celebrated Canadian writer Earle Birney (Low 2000). This program was the first of its kind in Canada, launching with the seminal course Naked in Academe, taught by Birney, then expanding into two distinct programs: the BFA and MFA streams. It was established to open and elucidate the route to becoming a professional writer. There are now eleven genres of study within the Creative Writing program, ranging from general fiction, to graphic forms, to stage and screenplay. Both the Masters of Fine Arts and Bachelors of Fine Arts are two year programs, using workshop style classes to critique and improve the content and style of a student s writing. There is currently one course available for undergraduate students to prepare their careers: Preparation for a Career in Writing. 1.2 Generalized Description: Creative Writing Programs Creative Writing degrees are fairly new in general, with the first American program begun in 1936 and the first Canadian program (UBC s) ten years later. It is an evolving and relatively nascent field of study in academia, though programs have shared goals Generalized Goals of Creative Writing Programs Programs generally seek to offer students relevant career skills and employability following graduation. Iowa Writer s Workshop, one of the highest regarded such 1

6 programs in the world, states in their philosophy subheading Though we agree in part with the popular insistence that writing cannot be taught, we exist and proceed on the assumption that talent can be developed, and we see our possibilities and limitations as a school in that light ( Writers Workshop ). Though writing skill and improvement is a large part of these programs, they have been established and been successful largely for their ability to offer support and guidance in students job seeking and job experience endeavours. 1.3 Outlining of Issues: Purpose of Report The purpose of this report is to analyze the current situation at the University of British Columbia s Creative Writing undergraduate program, to gauge and measure the current satisfaction with available opportunities for professional experience and career building in the undergraduate program, and to explore potential areas for improvement. As outlined, creative writing programs have a historical inclination to not only foster a writer s craft, but their ability to employ that craft in a career, and, while this is present in varying forms in the Master s program, this report seeks to examine whether the Bachelor s program would benefit from increased resources allocated to developing and aiding undergraduate students work-related endeavours. In order to maintain the Creative Writing program at UBC s prestigious reputation and continue to attract students from around the world, it is imperative that these issues be addressed. 2

7 1.3.1 Scope of Report With the aforementioned in mind, this report will explore opportunities to institute and the impetus for creating resources to aid students of UBC s Creative Writing undergraduate program. This will be accomplished through analysis of the current state of said program, an analysis and comparison of like programs and their opportunities given to students, assessments given directly by students of UBC s current program, and analysis of opportunities present in the surrounding workplace market. In short, this will allow the UBC s undergraduate program to: Become aware of students perception of the current state of the program Become aware of possible improvements to put in place Begin developing a plan to put these improvements into practice 1.4 Methodology of Study Data was collected through the following methods for this report: General discussion oriented survey of students: In depth, conversational discussions conducted with various members of the creative writing program to gauge what they would like to see, prior to pointed or clearly oriented questions were formulated. These occurred over the course of three months, and served to clearly highlight which issues were most pressing on students minds. These discussions were gently guided, but allowed to cover whichever ground the student themselves were most interested in. Roughly fifteen students were included in these discussions in various sessions spanning January 2017 to March These discussions directly informed the questions later included in Directed Surveys. 3

8 Directed Surveys: Two forms were distributed to students; Survey A a pointed and concise survey form crafted from the findings of the above general survey. A series of yes or no questions followed by directed short answer questions were responded to anonymously by members of the undergraduate program, seeking to gauge current satisfaction with the program s career resources. Survey B requested respondents to list the resources in place they were aware of at this time, in order to gauge the undergraduate program s success in popularizing and advertising these opportunities to students. These surveys were completed by students online and in person, by students ranging in percent of degree completion, self-reported gender, and genrestudy within the program. The Directed Surveys can be found at the end of this report in Appendix A. Research-based analysis: Further research was conducted into the efficacy of workstudy programs found in other creative writing programs, their prevalence, and the techniques employed in them. Such programs as Iowa Writer s Workshop were used as models. 1.5 Hypothesis and Expected Findings It is expected that this study will uncover a lacuna of work-related opportunities for students, and a lack of adequate resources for students to pursue their careers while studying in UBC s Creative Writing undergraduate program and after they have graduated. It is expected that, through listening to students concerns and examining their responses to the Directed Survey, this lack will be shown to be on the forefront of students minds, and shown to be a pressing issue needing of attention. It is expected 4

9 that, when compared to opportunities in other similar programs, UBC s Creative Writing undergraduate program will be shown to have many opportunities for improvement in offering its students avenues to bolster their professional portfolio and writing CV. 2. COLLECTED DATA AND FINDINGS 2.1 Work Experience Opportunities In place currently as outlets and opportunities for undergraduate students through UBC to gain work experience are student led and run publishing houses, literary magazines, and blogs. These establishments offer students a limited ability to improve and add to their professional resumes, but are inadequate in that they have an equally limited number of positions available, are not promoted within the program in a comprehensive or direct way, and operate independently of each other and of the program in general Current Programs in Place at UBC The current resources which students of the undergraduate program at UBC can utilize are as follows: 1. Brave New Play Rites: Brave New Play Rites, the annual festival founded by writer and UBC Creative Writing professor Bryan Wade as an express attempt to give students an outlet for their work, is an example of what is needed more of in the program. Over its two decade existence, over 500 plays have been produced (Wade 2016), adding significantly to many students professional experience. Though it is undeniably helpful, each student is only permitted one production credit, meaning it 5

10 only contributes one experience to solely stageplay students in the undergraduate program. This program is intrinsically linked to the undergraduate program, and gives opportunities in class and, therefore, within the program itself to gain work experience and resume worthy accomplishments. 2. Ubyssey: The Ubyssey, as UBC s official student newspaper, offers some opportunity for undergraduate students to find a place for their work. This falls short as an undergraduate opportunity as the writing sought is reportage and journalistic above creative-nonfiction and essay. In addition, there is no connection between the undergraduate program and this outlet, and it is in no way promoted to students nor are there facilitated placement programs through UBC Creative Writing. 3. PRISM International: As UBC s sole literary journal, PRISM International is the only potential UBC Creative Writing program for the showcasing of work and garnering of publishing credits. In practice, UBC Creative Writing students are not permitted to submit work for PRISM International contests, and editorial positions are limited to MFA students. As an outlet of support for emerging undergraduate writers, PRISM International does not afford said writers with viable or useful opportunities. There is no connection between the undergraduate program and this outlet, and it is in no way promoted to students nor are there facilitated placement programs through UBC Creative Writing. 4. Nineteen Questions: As a blog that assigns students of both the graduate and undergraduate program at UBC to interview established writers on their journey in the field, Nineteen Questions is exemplary in how students are both given instruction and opportunity. Like Brave New Play Rites, Nineteen questions affords 6

11 students not solely advice in honing their craft, but experience in furthering their careers. This course is only available to students enrolled in the class Preparation for a Career as a Writer, and only one opportunity for publication is available to each student for the duration of their studies. In addition with the opportunity given in Brave New Play Rites, this affords students with just two opportunities to participate in programs such as these, and only for those enrolled in these specific classes or genres. 5. Discorder: Discorder Magazine is a subsidiary of UBC s broadcasting station CiTR 101.9fm, publishing online content focused on music reviews. Most published content is freelance, and few staff positions are filled by UBC Creative Writing students. There is no connection between the undergraduate program and this outlet, and it is in no way promoted to students nor are there facilitated placement programs through UBC Creative Writing Student Awareness of Resources As demonstrated above, there are resources currently available through the undergraduate program. Of these five programs and/or career opportunities, catering directly to students in the undergraduate and graduate program, only two are directly advertised to those students, and connected to classes within these programs. The ability of these resources to aid students career building relies entirely upon students ability to know of their existence, and of the support and guidance given by the program in which they are enrolled. 7

12 In conducting Survey B, 15 total students of UBC s Creative Writing undergraduate program were polled on their knowledge of existing resources available to students to gain work experience.figure 1 displays the results of this poll, indicating a significant lack of awareness of these few resources by the students they are supposed to serve. Percentage of Responses Including Non-Promoted Resources Percentage of Respondents , ,5 0 Five Listed Three Listed Two Listed One Listed 0 fig. 1 displays the percentage of respondents who were able to give five, three, two, or one resources no respondents knew only four when asked to list all work opportunities and resources available to creative writing students. This is displayed by the green bars. Of these, the percentage of responses which were neither Brave New Play Rites or Nineteen Questions is also listed for each group. This is displayed by the blue line. These two programs 8

13 Knowledge of these programs was shown to be lacking; only two of fifteen students polled were able to list all five work resources present in the creative writing program, seven knew only three, five knew only two, and one respondent was only able to list one available resource. Of these responses, the overwhelming majority were aware more of the two promoted resources within the undergraduate program: Brave New Play Rites and Nineteen Questions. Excluding the two student respondents able to list all five resources, the percentage of students of the undergraduate program able to list even a single non-promoted resource shrinks to zero; all respondents answers included at least one of the two promoted resources. As these two promoted resources are limited to specific genres and able to offer participation to students only a single time, they are less useful when compared to the other available resources. Despite that, they are the only ones promoted by and intrinsically associated with the program, and thus are the two with a higher prevalence than the others. Due to this, a contributing factor to the overall lack of resources for work experience offered to students, is a dearth in the promotion of the few resources that do exist. This has resulted in reduced awareness by students of what is open to them Comparison to Like Programs Iowa Writer s Workshop is an undergraduate and graduate creative writing program with goals and practices similar to UBC s program. This program, in contrast to the UBC program, offers a significant number of publishing opportunities intricately and directly linked to the program itself. The list of opportunities is as follows: 9

14 1. Exchanges Literary Journal: A bi-annual literary journal based on works of translation. This journal is directly affiliated with the program, and run by current students of the Iowa Translation Workshop. 2. Earthwords Undergraduate Literary Review: A literary journal showcasing prose and art crafted by students of the University of Iowa. In its stated mission, Earthwords is committed to foster[ing] an undergraduate literary community within Iowa City, and provid[ing] its staff members with the experience of producing a literary magazine in real time (Brown 2016). This journal is directly affiliated with the program, and is run by current students of the undergraduate program, while showcasing work from the same student body. 3. The Iowa Review: A literary journal established and edited by faculty, students, and staff from the Creative Writing program of the University of Iowa, The Iowa review is tri-annually published and was established to aid writers. This journal is directly affiliated with the program, and gives undergraduate students a space to both publish and work on their craft. 4. Iowa Journal of Literary Studies: This academic journal is edited and produced by members of the University of Iowa Creative Writing program. This journal is directly affiliated with the program, and gives students the opportunity to experience editorship firsthand, as well as offers publishing credits. 5. Ink Lit Mag: An undergraduate literary review by students of the University of Iowa Creative Writing program, Ink Lit Mag showcases the works of first year students and alumni. This journal is directly affiliated with the program. The magazine is 10

15 dedicated to, according to the magazine s description, supporting the growth of undergraduate writers (Byrd). The Iowa Writer s Workshop offers students many opportunities for work experience in these examples. As well, all five of Iowa s listed opportunities for work experience are intrinsically linked to the program itself, with established positions reserved for undergraduate creative writing students. This is a practice that would be well-adopted at UBC s undergraduate level. 2.2 Student Satisfaction To gauge program satisfaction in UBC s Creative Writing undergraduate program, students were given a survey outlined in section 1.4 Method of Study. The results of this survey are shown in Figure 2. Yes No Moderately Yes No Moderately Yes No Moderately 5 % 35 % 5 % 15 % 20 % 10 % 60 % 65 % 85 % Do you feel supported by the Creative Writing Program? Do you feel there are sufficient opportunities for work experience in the program? Do you feel prepared to enter the professional field after graduating? 11

16 fig 2 demonstrates the results of the survey given to students of UBC s Creative Writing undergraduate program. This survey demonstrates the current satisfaction with the program s offered resources for work-experience. Responding to the above questions, students displayed an overwhelming mindset of being worried about their lack of experience in the professional field. Sixty percent of respondents felt they were not supported adequately by the Creative Writing program, sixty-five felt there were not sufficient work-experience opportunities currently in place, and eighty-five percent of respondents did not feel prepared to enter the professional field after graduating from upper-level education. These results suggest that UBC s Creative Writing program could improve in its offering of students services and resources which prepare them to locate careers following graduation Student Suggestions on Possible Improvements Possibilities for improvement were also asked for in Survey A. Some of the responses by Students were as follows: 1. Set aside funding for an undergraduate literary journal, to be run by students of the undergraduate program 2. Institute job-searches as an intrinsic part of the program 3. Have a focus on pitching work in class alongside improvement of craft 4. Organize an alumni-support system and group 5. Expand course Preparing for a Career as a Writer to encompass two terms, and work concurrently alongside craft focused workshops 12

17 3. CONCLUSION 3.1 Summary In analyzing UBC s current resources for job experience available to undergraduate students, gauging current students opinions on how they are served by those resources and how they think they may be better served, and comparing UBC s resources with like programs, it may be concluded that UBC s Creative Writing undergraduate program has a need of improvement in work-experience resources offered to students. Creative writing as a field is highly competitive, and as outlined in 1.2 Generalized Description: Creative Writing Programs, undergraduate and graduate creative writing programs are wont to prepare their students to thrive in that field by honing both their craft and improving their knowledge and ability to seek and secure work following graduation. It is important that the program improves its services to these students. 3.2 Recommendations Fostering the independent student creation of literary journals would serve to both help current students and incoming students to the undergraduate program. Setting aside funding for literary journals creation and printing would provide students an outlet with work, the experience of editing and producing a magazine, and allow the program itself to improve as a whole. The presence and existence of work-experience resources is of great importance, but, as demonstrated in Student Awareness of Resources and Comparison to Like Programs, these resources being an intrinsic part of the program themselves, 13

18 promoted by, linked in with, and a part of the curriculum of, the overarching program is integral to their success and to the benefit they provide students. Setting up an oversight group to facilitate their creation and their roles as part of classes such as with extant resources Brave New Play Rites and Nineteen Questions is also an important next step. Finally, this report concludes that it is a necessity of the UBC Creative Writing program to intricately link career success into the coursework of classes within the program, in order to better prepare students for job seeking after graduation. 14

19 Works Cited "Mission." Earthwords Undergraduate Literary Review. Ed. Marcus Brown. The University of Iowa, Web. 21 Mar "About." Ink Lit Mag. Ed. Matthew Byrd. The University of Iowa, n.d. Web. 21 Mar "Graduate Program." Creative Writing Program. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Mar Low, Wailan. "EARLE BIRNEY : BIOGRAPHY." Canadian Poetry Online. University of Toronto, Web. 21 Mar Wade, Bryan. "History." Brave New Play Rites. N.p., 10 Sept Web. 21 Mar "Writers' Workshop." History Iowa Writers' Workshop College of Liberal Arts & Sciences The University of Iowa. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Mar