Ellen Weyhaupt did not have to turn in an Electronic Writing Portiflio her freshman year.

She is a special case because she took a dual credit class in high school, which she said took the place of the EWP.

She will, however, have to turn one in for her sophomore year.

Weyhaupt, a sophomore, dietetics major, is unlike some Eastern students, who according to the EWP Annual Report, have not been turning in their EWPs.

In Spring 2006, 4,294 EWPs were submitted.

This was 342 more than the previous semester as stated in the EWP Annual Report.

The report is put together by Center for Academic Support & Achievement office and is available on Eastern’s homepage.

Every semester the data gets collected to see how many students submitted their EWP said Karla Sanders, Director of the Center for Academic Support & Achievement.

“We do not have that data yet for this semester; a report is being written for us to use with the new Banner system,” Sanders said

Students are required to turn in an EWP each year, if they don’t holds will be placed on their academic records.

“Since the EWP is a graduation requirement, eventually students do not graduate if it is not complete,” said Sanders. “As with most requirements, the majority of

students complete their obligations, but some do not.”

The EWP began in 2000. Before the EWP Eastern made students complete a writing competency exam. Students who did not complete the exam also had a hold placed on their records.

“The EWP started because of dissatisfaction with the writing competency exam,” said Mary Herrington-Perry, Assistant Vice President for Academic Affairs.

Writing Across the Curriculum, a group of Eastern professors, wanted to make students writing more sound. The EWP was the end result of their work, said Herrington-Perry.

Students can check to see if they are behind on their EWPs by logging on to PAWS and running a degree audit said Sanders.

An online system of the EWP is being worked on.

“Currently, the online system is in development; we hope to have it up and running for Fall 2008,” Sanders said.

Ashley Mefford can be reached at 581-7942 or almefford@eiu.edu.