Report on the CAC Program at
        Clemson University

Clemson University has a nationally recognized, award-winning Communication Across the Curriculum program. This university was chosen as the Public Institution of the Year 2001 by The Princeton Review. It was selected on the basis of its Communication Across the Curriculum, and Art Young specifically was singled out for his contributions to the program's success.

The CAC program at Clemson began in 1987 when Art Young arrived on the campus. He now holds the only endowed chair in CAC that I'm aware of. Art Young directs the CAC program.

Clemson also has the Pearce Center for Professional Communication headed by Kathleen Yancey. One of only three endowed centers in the nation dedicated to inspiring students' communication skills, the Pearce Center, founded in 1989, emphasizes the development of written, oral, visual, and digital communication skills. Clemson is now developing its Class of 1941 Studio for Student Communication. Funded by the Clemson class of 1941, the Class of 1941 Studio will be the first design studio in the country that includes both teaching and research. According to Clemson's brochure on the studio, the goal of the studio is "to bring together the study and practice of the communicative arts in new and exciting ways." The studio will contain the following: space for intensive speech and writing work; written, oral, and electronic presentation areas; rehearsal space; presentation areas; a gallery for showcasing communicative performances; classroom space; conference space; and administrative space.

The Clemson CAC program and Pearce Center sponsored the following in 2001-2002.

	Poetry-across-the-curriculum Project. Faculty assigns poetry across the disciplines to foster creativity. Led by Art Young.
	Power Point Project. Faculty work together to create new ways to use power point to enhance learning.
	Speaker's Series. Professionals visit technical writing classes to explain how writing is used in the workplace.
	Electronic Portfolio Project. Over 1000 students create electronic portfolios.
	Digital Portfolio Institute. Clemson faculty and faculty from around the country gather to learn about faculty and student digital portfolios. Faculty other than Clemson faculty pay to attend.
	CAC workshops. Faculty gathers to discuss various subjects relating to communication skills. (Responding to and Grading Student Writing, Dealing with Speech Anxiety, Leading Discussions in Small and Large Classes, etc.)
	Alumni Events. Former CAC workshop participants report back to the faculty on their CAC projects.
	Upstate Writing Project. A grant sponsored by the National Writing Project brought teachers in grads K-12 together to discuss writing.
	Pearce Campbell Writing Prize. Sponsored by CAC and administered by the Pearce Center, this annual prize is awarded to an outstanding essay. The winner in 2001 was a trio of students from Utah University.
	Advisory Boards. CAC and the Pearce Center have 3 advisory boards: (1) Corporate, (2) K-12, and (3) Campus Communication Concerns.

Note: At one time Clemson did schedule C courses (computer or technology intensive courses), O
courses (oral or speaking intensive courses), and W courses (writing intensive courses).   The
students immediately termed these classes COW courses. The COW courses are no longer offered.

S. H. G.