3/2/2017

Restoring the
English Department
Design Brief

Patrick Ortez
Executive Summary
Background
English departments around the nation seem to be suffering declining
enrollment due to a number of factors. The University of Oklahoma Department
of English ought to consider various recruitment tactics to combat this trend.

Objective
To increase the enrollment of English majors among incoming freshmen over
future years by asserting the value of an English degree, particularly going into
writing based careers, and demonstrating that its perceived non-diversity and
non-marketability is a misconception.

Target Audience
Incoming freshmen over the next several years and the stakeholders who may
affect their decisions in majors, including parents, high school teachers, and
future employers.

Proposals
1. Fiction Club: The OU Department of English should sponsor a Fiction Club
for aspiring writers and editors to hone their craft, finish larger works, and
learn the publication process.
2. Writing Seminar: The OU Department of English should host a writing
seminar for aspiring writers and editors to learn about their crafts from
established figures and learn the publication process.
3. Course Cross-listing: The OU Department of English should cooperate with
other departments to cross-list more courses. This will allow students to
study literature within the contexts of other subjects, such as Womens and
Gender Studies and African and African American Studies, bringing to
light the inherent diversity of people and ideas present in the study of
literature. Especially if students of those subjects are also encouraged to
take English courses, cross-listing will allow incoming students to develop
interest in literature when they would otherwise constrain themselves to
other fields.
4. Social Media Campaign: The OU Department of English should conduct a
campaign on social media to highlight the diversity of people and ideas
already present within the department. This would assist incoming students
in seeing that there is a place for them amid literary studies.

1
Contents
Problem: Declining English Enrollment ............................................................................................................. 3
Branding Statement: University of Oklahoma Department of English ............................................ 3
Targeted Problem 1: English Writing Student Community ..................................................................... 4
User Personas............................................................................................................................................................. 5
Solution 1: OU Fiction Club ................................................................................................................................. 6
Fiction Club: Action Plan ................................................................................................................................ 8
Solution 2: Publishing Seminar .......................................................................................................................... 9
Publishing Seminar: Action Plan .............................................................................................................. 10
Targeted Problem 2: Perceived Lack of Diversity ................................................................................... 11
User Personas.......................................................................................................................................................... 12
Solution 1: Restructuring of Degree Requirements ............................................................................. 13
Restructuring of Degree Requirements: Action Plan .................................................................... 15
Solution 2: Social Media Campaign .......................................................................................................... 16
Social Media Campaign: Action Plan.................................................................................................. 18

2
Problem: Declining English Enrollment
English major enrollment is declining rapidly.
Between 2009 and 2015, enrollment of English majors
dropped over 17%,1 with some schools losing as
much as 40%.2 In the face of economic crises, many
potential English majors have opted for more
useful degrees3 while other potential English
majors have been drawn away by the diversity of
majors now offered.4 English departments around
the nation are losing enrollment and in turn funding
and public opinion. The Department of English at the
University of Oklahoma must reverse these trends
locally to maintain its prominence at the university.

Branding Statement: University of Oklahoma

Department of English
The Department of English believes in developing
informed, global citizens with the skills desired by
employers. This department trains students to think
critically and articulate their ideas clearly with
regards to a wide range of topics, all of which can
be understood through literature. The Department of
English prepares students for most graduate
programs and many professions by providing a
broad education founded in literary history across
the world, teaching a diverse array of ideas that
allow students to adapt to or address the endless
possibilities of the future.

1 Redden, Elizabeth. The Changing English Major. Inside Higher Ed, 11 Jan. 2017,
www.insidehighered.com/news/2017/01/11/amid-enrollment-declines-speakers-consider-shape-english-major.
Accessed 9 Mar. 2017.
2 Flaherty, Colleen. Major Exodus. Inside Higher Ed, 26 Jan. 2015,

www.insidehighered.com/news/2015/01/26/where-have-all-english-majors-gone. Accessed 10 Mar. 2017.

3 Pinsker, Joe. Rich Kids Study English. The Atlantic, 6 Jul. 2015,

www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2015/07/college-major-rich-families-liberal-arts/397439/. Accessed 10
Mar. 2017.
4 See note 2.

3
Targeted Problem 1: English Writing Student Community
The writing aspect of OUs English major has few available extracurricular
resources at OU, reducing the visibility and allure of the English major to
potential students and reducing productivity of current students, which further
reduces the visibility of the major. Students are pressed to find writing and
editing experience outside of the Department of English, at sources such as
World Literature Today and OU Forum. Some students feel hindered by the
inability to find resources for writing within the Department of English. According
to sophomore English student Brooke Busse, department events focus on other
way English degrees can be used, buttend to overlook [the publishing]
industry.5 Potential English students may view this trend and conclude that the
English major is not intended for student writers, pushing them toward majors
more oriented toward the experience they desire, such as Professional Writing in
the Gaylord College of Journalism.

5 Busse, Brooke. Personal interview. 1 Mar. 2017.

4
User Personas6

6 These are profiles for hypothetical individuals meant to represent larger groups of users. In this document, they
represent groups of students that might be more connected to the English department were these problems not in
place. They act as a guide for determining solutions to the problems mentioned in this document.

5
Solution 1: OU Fiction Club
The OU Department of English may improve its writing community by sponsoring
a fiction writing club. Sponsoring would entail a small amount of funding (less
than $100 per semester) and possible professor assistance during first year (to
help students learn the trade correctly before passing it on to future members of
the club). This club would meet regularly to workshop short stories or parts of
novels. It would both encourage student writers to finish longer works and bring
together writers of varying levels of experience. More experienced writers could
aid less experienced writers through the writing and publishing process while
workshopping would provide active experience for students wanting to learn
the editorial process. This process increases student community and satisfaction,
and it also appeases parents, who commonly desire mentors for their children. If
successful, this club would increase the number of student publications and
thereby increase the prestige of the OU Department of English. The
extracurricular nature of the club would reduce pressure for students to write to
the professor and develop as writers more than students. It would serve to
motivate students by pushing them to write for reasons beyond their university
careers and help them see themselves as the people they wish to become,
further increasing student success.7

7Whitaker, Charles. Best Practices in Teaching Writing. Accessed 20 Mar. 2017, pp. 3-4,
www.learner.org/workshops/middlewriting/images/pdf/HomeBestPrac.pdf

6
Competitor Analyses
While differently aimed, OU Write Club is a successful club with which OU Fiction
Club would share qualities, making them an ideal example for comparison.
OU Write Club is a poetry-based campus organization. OU Write Club meets
biweekly to read poetry and occasionally to host discussions/speeches on the
state of poetry. It has alternated between being member-run and being
maintained by OU faculty. It has recently surged in membership after moving its
meetings from Campus Corner to Couch Center.
Advantages of the OU Department How the Department of English
of English: Might Emulate OU Write Club:
1. Direct access to students 1. Large and active student
interested in writing and community
publication 2. Regularly scheduled
2. Students motivated by their weeknight events near or in
future careers (rather than as student residence areas
a hobby) 3. Good advertisement
3. Resources for fiction writing 4. Opportunities for writers to
and publication (such as read their work (an enormous
professors) motivator)

Research Method: Historical Analysis

The Department of English can determine Fiction Clubs path to success via
historical analyses of successful writing clubs. University of Michigan has a strong
Writers Community and University of Pennsylvania has several prominent writers
groups. By analyzing the techniques that made organizations such as these
successful and modifying their methods to fit OUs student population, the
Department of English can develop a method to create and market this club.
Key aspects to observe from other organizations include advertising/student
recruitment (especially freshman recruitment), student retention, structure of
leadership, and how leadership is passed from one student to the next.

7
 Fiction Club: Action Plan
Objective: To recruit student writers as members of the OU Fiction Club

Vision: The Fiction Club meets biweekly to read member work, workshop items,
and discuss trends and opportunities in the publishing community. Bimonthly, a
graduate student (or writing professor) comes in to present what they are
working on and discuss with students the state of fiction after graduation. Fiction
club members would follow a National Novel Writing Month8 format to
encourage writing as a habit, and the freedom of doing it outside class helps
students develop as professionals as well as students.

Required Action:
Phase 1: Department research
Professors reach out to students to fill officer positions prior to first meeting
New officers and English department officials discuss vision for the club
Historical analysis of successful writing clubs at other universities and other
successful clubs at OU
Decision on leadership structure
Phase 2: New officers plan first event
What will students do?
Will there be food?
Location and time
Schedule of events
Phase 3: Maintenance
Continued correspondence between English department and officers
Funding for small (primarily food) expenses

Key Performance Indicators

Number of students in attendance of meeting
Number of students at subsequent meeting
Survey of student satisfaction
Number of finished works among members
Increase in number of published works among English majors

8 A popular online writing-focused organization. See <nanowrimo.org> for more information.

8
Solution 2: Publishing Seminar
The OU Department of English may improve its writing community by hosting a
publishing seminar. This event (similar to a Tea Talk) would bring a figure(s) from
the writing or publishing industry to OU to provide information to students
regarding what they should do to enter these industries. Figures may include OU
professors or alumni, and topics can vary greatly between speakers (if there are
multiple speakers). Such a seminar may also become a regular (yearly, biyearly,
etc.) event if the first is successful and repetition is feasible.

Competitor Analyses
Based on the popularity of TED talks, they are a natural competitor to analyze.
The OU Department of Modern Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics (MLLL) is a
more local competitor that uses similar strategies to increase seminar success.
The MLLL department hosts frequent events, often in the form of luncheons but
occasionally as larger seminars. Professors inform students weeks in advance,
and students RSVP several days prior to the event. Professors from OU and from
other universities speak about a common topic. They are often in the middle of
the day, barring some students from going but are quite successful at that time
slot. The key to their success seems to be publicity and professorial support.
Advantages of the OU Department How the Department of English
of English: Might Emulate TED or MLLL:
1. Access to industry experts (e.g. 1. Medium size auditoriums
professors and alumni) 2. Multiple short presentations (as
2. Understanding of the opposed to a single long one)
relationship between speaker 3. Lengthy event with many
and audience opportunities to come and go,
3. Wide variety of topics to catering to busy schedules
choose from 4. Possible recording for later use

Research Method: Draw the Experience

The Department of English can determine this seminars path to success by
visualizing the experience. This research method entails asking students from the
target audience (current and incoming English majors and OU students
interested in writing and publishing) and stakeholders (e.g. professors,
employers, writers, editors, publishers, parents, etc.) to draw the experience.
By allowing students to describe what they would imagine in the seminar, the
Department of English can directly learn how the seminar might satisfy them;
and by allowing stakeholders to describe what they would hope for in the
seminar, the department can understand the skills professionals would like
students to develop. By balancing these two perspectives, the department can
determine the most engaging and educational way to host this seminar.

9
 Publishing Seminar: Action Plan
Objective: To make the Department of English more appealing to student
writers by hosting a writing and publishing seminar

Vision:
The Department of English hosts an annual publishing seminar featuring
speeches from alumni, professors, and industry figures to discuss what students
can do to get their works published or prepare for jobs editing and publishing. It
is well publicized, especially in writing classes, and stands out from other events
in its career-oriented approach to advertising. It takes place on an afternoon at
a time at which few English classes take place (~3:00 p.m.) and lasts about an
hour. It draws a medium audience (~50 people) of students interested in
publication, roughly filling a small auditorium.

Required Action:
Phase 1: Research
Draw the experience with stakeholders and target audience members
Independent research of content and other successful seminars
Search for available speakers
Phase 2: Planning of event
What topics will be discussed?
Will there be food?
Location and time
Schedule of speakers
Phase 3: Plan for repetition
Survey speakers and students

Key Performance Indicators

Number of students in attendance of seminar
Survey of student satisfaction
Number of finished works among students
Increase in number of published works among English majors
Increase in English major enrollment

10
Targeted Problem 2: Perceived Lack of Diversity
Incoming students view English as a narrow field honing few skills and catering
to only a few communities, which reduces the marketability of the English major
as a path to a successful future. Students view literature as the study of a select
group of writers and perspectives9 rather than an interdisciplinary quest to
understand the relationship between humanity and the writing that humans
produce. Students seeking to understand other groups and cultures may go to
majors such as African and African American Studies and Women and Gender
Studies.10 Students aiming to be technical writers and novelists are directed
toward other colleges to develop these skills. As sophomore Claire Miller states,
Professional Writingcaught my attention more than English Writing because it
offered a larger variety of writing styles.11

9 Reid, Calvin. PW Panel Warns Industry, Lack of Diversity Threatens Publishing. Publishers Weekly, 21 Oct. 2014,
www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/publisher-news/article/64435-pw-panel-warns-industry-
lack-of-diversity-threatens-publishing.html. Accessed 20 Mar. 2017.
10 Flaherty Colleen. Major Exodus. See note 2 on p. 3 for full citation.
11 Miller, Claire. Personal interview. 2 Mar. 2017.

11
User Personas

12
Solution 1: Restructuring of Degree Requirements
The OU Department of English may demonstrate and attract diversity of studies
and ideas by cross-listing courses with other departments, allowing extra-
departmental courses to satisfy certain degree requirements, or adding
requirements for courses outside the Department of English. Many programs at
OU, especially within the College of Arts and Sciences, feature literature and
literary theory yet cannot count toward graduation with an English major.
Additionally, some classes offered by the Department of English do not count
toward an English major, particularly technical writing. Allowing students to
count some of these classes toward the English degree may make the English
major seem less homogeneous and more attractive to students interested in
social justice, ancient or foreign cultures, etc.

Adding only a few courses from other departments to the English degree sheet
may allow incoming freshmen to more easily see the diversity of studies
available (at a glance, the current degree sheet looks features only English
classes and little that suggests studies beyond the traditional curriculum).

Negotiating a reciprocal agreement with other departments (their students take

English courses while English students take their courses) may also have an
impact, as it would simultaneously allow English students to take other courses
and provide a gateway for students in other departments to interact with and
possibly become students of English.

13
Competitor Analyses
Departments within OUs Price College of Business require many classes outside
of their respective departments. Some departments in Gaylord College of
Journalism require students to get a minor in another subject.
Advantages of the OU Department How the Department of English
of English: Might Emulate Price and Gaylord:
1. Wide range of relevant subject 1. Cooperation within college
matter should be straightforward
2. Analysis and discussion abilities 2. Requiring a minor diversifies
of English students make it students without changing the
desirable for other major
departments to cooperate 3. Wide variety of course codes
3. Broad categories on degree present on degree sheet
sheet ideal for adding extra- 4. Students take courses from
departmental courses other departments while
4. Few existing requirements students from other
leaves room to add department take their courses

Research Method: Affinity Diagrams

The Department of English can determine how best to restructure the degree
sheet by constructing affinity diagrams. This process consists of collecting words
and ideas central to the English major (as determined by English majors,
professors, employers and other stakeholders) and creating series of related
words and ideas until clear trends begin to form. These trends may reveal
disciplines which already overlap with the English major, topics that fall under
the broad umbrella of literary studies that the Department of English ought to
provide, or ways in which the Department of English may draw from the
resources of other departments.

14
 Restructuring of Degree Requirements: Action Plan
Objective: To increase enrollment of incoming English majors by allowing a
greater variety of course offerings

Vision: English majors are able to take a wider variety of classes, and English
classes count toward majors other than English (potentially acting as a gateway
for more students to become interested in English). English majors feel
connected to their chosen literary foundation, and English students who desire
to do so are better equipped to discuss issues of race, gender, and culture both
inside and outside literary context. English majors are encouraged to obtain
minors, connecting English to other studies.

Required Action:
Phase 1: Research
Construction of affinity diagrams
Analysis of current English major requirements
Phase 2: Cross-listing
Analysis of related departments (derived from affinity diagrams)
o African and African American Studies?
o Womens and Gender Studies?
o Professional Writing?
Analysis of courses in those departments
o Which courses already fit within the English departments mission
and standard of literary analysis?
o Technical writing is in the English department but does not count
toward the English major
Phase 3: Degree Reconstruction
What requirements will extra-departmental coursework satisfy?
Can we negotiate with other departments so that their students fill the
English departments courses while English students fill their courses?

Key Performance Indicators

Survey of student satisfaction
Increase in English major enrollment

15
Solution 2: Social Media Campaign
The OU Department of English may demonstrate diversity by conducting a social
media campaign highlighting its diversity. The Department of English already
has a great diversity of faculty and ideas. Many writing professors deal with
current social issues involving race, class, gender, and more, and OUs literary
theory encompasses veins of literature from across the world. Some are currently
on display on the departments website, while others are left for students to
discover. By posting or tweeting artifacts and events from these studies, the
Department of English may attract new students that would otherwise turn away
due to the perceived lack of diversity in the English curriculum.

Competitor Analyses
English departments at other universities such as University of Texas (@ut_english)
and Arizona State University (@asuEnglish) have developed social media from
which OU Department of English can draw ideas.
Advantages of the OU Department How the OU Department of English
of English: Might Emulate Other Universities:
1. Access to major events and 1. Regular postings of literary
releases via World Literature excerpts
Today and Chinese Literature 2. Co-promotion with other
Today departments for events
2. Access to diversity of ideas 3. Links to and from department
and forms via WLT and CLT home page
3. Original manuscripts at OU (for 4. Engagement with political
which other organizations also events and memes
seek publicity and use social
media)

16
Research Method: Surveys and Extreme User Interviews
The Department of English should survey extreme users to determine the
contents and direction of this social media campaign. Extreme users refers to
students either very familiar or very unfamiliar with the Department of English.
The former category might include English faculty and graduating English
students and would be surveyed regarding the values of English and what is
most important to have within the social media campaign. The latter category
would include primarily incoming students and would be surveyed to determine
what social media options are most attractive to incoming students, the target
audience.

17
 Social Media Campaign: Action Plan
Objective: To display the diversity of the Department of English through a
planned campaign on social media

Vision: The English department has a dedicated social media intern. This intern
publicizes and records class and outside-of-class events, particularly those
geared toward non-traditional applications of the English major. This intern uses
short poetics from various literary bodies (e.g. jueju, haiku, ghazal, limericks,
excerpts from major cultural works, etc.) to demonstrate the English majors
international possibilities. This intern may even ask for students to submit one or
two line compositions to demonstrate the variety among English majors.

Required Action:
Phase 1: Research
Delegation of responsibility and/or hiring of intern to manage this
Surveys of extreme users to develop plan for posts
Decision of best media to utilize
o Twitter? Instagram? Snapchat?
Decision on leadership structure (if no intern is hired)
o Who is responsible for writing and submitting posts? Professors?
o Who will collect and edit photos?
o Who keeps others accountable and ensures posts contain desired
content? Department heads?
Phase 2: Launching the campaign
What content is available?
o Hip Hop as Poetry, Literature, and Cultural Expression
o The Graphic Novel
o World literature classes
What is the best way to catch peoples attention and keep it?
How can the departments message be tailored to incoming students?
o Literature and international business
o Literature and law (esp. international and civil rights law)
Phase 3: Maintenance
Continued planning and posting
Occasional re-evaluation of success and revision of planning process

Key Performance Indicators

Number of views and likes on social media posts
Increase in traffic to the Department of Englishs website
Survey of how future students became interested in the Department of
English
Increase in enrollment of English majors

18