"We haven't thought enough about how to developskills like writing," he says. "I think we're atthe very early stages of that."

Right now, one committee comprises the "link"Wilkinson seeks between Expos and the rest of thecurriculum. The Bok Center is also working toforge a partnership between some sophomoretutorials and the first-year writing class, butthe efforts only include two departments as ofyet.

"I'd like to see more interaction betweendepartments and Expos," says Buell. "Thedepartmental programs, particularly tutorialinstruction, could benefit from the systematicinstruction in writing that the Expos peoplehave."

A number of professors say they would beinterested in exploring closer links between theirdepartments and Expository Writing.

"I'd be very interested in seeing proposals tosee more formal and articulated links between whatgoes on in Expos and other courses," saysProfessor of Biology Andrew H. Knoll, who chairsOrganismic and Evolutionary Biology.

But the question of who is to make thoselinks--beyond the Bok Center's efforts withvolunteer concentrations--remains unanswered.

Associate Director of Expository WritingNancy Sommers says she has recently polled 30Faculty members about writing in theirdisciplines.

But Professor of Afro-American Studies andPhilosophy K. Anthony Appiah, a member of whatSommers called a "committee" to explore thequestion, says he has spoken to her "a couple oftimes" and never met with any committee or Exposteachers.

That is precisely the problem for ExpositoryWriting instructors, the teachers say. Even ifSommers and Marius do talk to professors, the restof the Expos staff has no official contact withthe Faculty.

"My feeling was that Expos administratorsisolated the instructors in general," says oneformer Expos teacher. "There were only a couple ofpeople who were plugged into the University."

Teachers say their feeling of isolation is notdiminished by the one official Faculty tie withExpos, the standing Faculty of Arts and Sciencescommittee on Expository Writing.

The committee meets for less than two hoursevery year. Members say they are generally briefedby Expository Writing Director Richard C. Mariusand Sommers and spend the time discussing Expos'procedures and self-evaluations.

"I think the objectives of committees likethese are not to be a second sort of evaluationprocess but to think about goals and objectives,"says Susan W. Lewis, director of the Core Programand a member of the Expos committee. "I think itwould be hard for a committee...to do anythingimplementational."

Buell defends the committee, saying individualcommittee members make their own contacts withExpos teachers, mitigating any isolationExpository Writing faculty might feel. Committeemembers, however, say they have little contactwith the program beyond the annual meeting.

"I wish I could know more about the system so Icould respond more effectively [to questions],"said Associate Professor of Music Graeme M. Boone,who is a member of the committee. "I feel like I'msort of on the edge of the knowledge."