Over my two years here at Sacramento State, I’ve heard people talk about how the administration doesn’t care about its students.

A recent change in our graduation requirements is a good first step toward addressing those concerns.

President Alexander Gonzalez and the Faculty Senate approved a change to the Graduation Writing Assessment Requirement Program. This will replace the Writing Proficiency Exam with a new writing test for students next semester.

The WPE has been in place since 1977, so I’d say it’s about time the program got shaken up a bit.

Replacing the test this fall is the Writing Placement for Juniors test, or WPJ for short, according to the latest Writing Across the Curriculum newsletter.

It may be one letter off, but there’s a world of difference between the two examinations.

To start: the WPJ can only be taken once, and there is no pass-fail grade.

Depending on how well students do on the test, they are put into one of four categories. Each category outlines a course plan that a student has to follow after taking the test.

And while the lowest category extends students’ required course load by seven units, students who score that low on the WPJ probably need a little more preparation before going into a Writing Intensive class.

Of course, that shouldn’t be an issue for the majority of our students.

As it stands now, 70 percent of students who take the WPE pass the test, said GWAR Program Coordinator Fiona Glade.

And if you’re nervous about how well you will do on the WPJ, there’s good news: the test isn’t mandatory.

By passing English 109W, students can avoid the WPJ and enroll in a Writing Intensive class.

But in an economy that has forced Sac State to lay off part-time professors and combine course loads to save money, can our college afford to add extra classes?

Glade believes the alternative option won’t cost Sac State much, since most students would sooner take the WPJ than enroll in the class.

“Many students have told me that they would rather attempt the WPJ because it costs less than a 3-unit course, and it takes less time,” Glade said.

Nearly 84 percent of students said they would prefer taking the WPJ to taking the class, in a survey that Glade gave to students after taking the WPE.

Glade said that in a school that already is feeling the effects of overcrowding in its classes, the maximum amount of students allowed into English 109W will stay at 25.

But if you’re one of the many who are going to be taking the WPJ next semester, you might as well make sure you’re prepared.

Calaveras Hall room 128 houses one of the best resources for writing aid assistance students can find on campus: The University Writing Center.

The Writing Center offers free one-on-one tutoring for students who need extra help with their essays.

Next semester, I plan on being there the entire week before I take the WPJ.

It’s hard for me to have a problem with this new test. Its category placement system should ensure that every graduate of the Sac State system is prepared for life after graduation.

I just hope it’s a sign that Sac State is taking a more student-friendly look at their graduation requirements.

David Loret de Mola can be reached at [email protected]