Change is in the air at Sac State, and it is not just the freshly painted bike lanes.

A major curriculum change may be underway with the removal of the Writing Proficiency for Juniors timed test requirement.

But students should not rejoice so fast.

The Writing and Reading Sub-Committee of the Sacramento State Faculty Senate made the proposal to replace the WPJ. Instead of taking a two-hour essay exam, students would submit a writing portfolio, which would then be used to assess their writing and comprehension proficiency.

Daniel Melzer, an English professor at Sac State, serves as the coordinator of the Writing and Reading Sub-Committee. Melzer said students would only have to “submit work from a variety of classes and also include a reflective portfolio cover letter.”

Anthony Sheppard, a professor of recreation, park and tourism administration at Sac State, suggests the WPJ may not be as accurate as other methods.

“I’m not a composition expert, but my understanding is that portfolios of writing are considered to be a better indication of writing proficiency than timed tests,” Sheppard stated in an email.

Writing portfolios are just one part of the proposal. Another component is for some major programs, there will be several major courses “designated as collectively meeting the writing intensive graduation requirement, rather than just a single course,” according to Sheppard.

“These are the two components of the proposal that, if they become policy, would directly affect students,” Sheppard wrote.

The new proposal is still in its early stages and has not been voted on or debated and must go through a long process before becoming policy.

First, it needs to be considered by at least two of the Senate’s standing policy committees. Then it will be debated by the full Faculty Senate. Any recommendations they make will then be considered by the university president.

Sheppard said the Faculty Senate will conduct open meetings to test campus reaction to the proposal.

“Realize that it is possible that none of the proposal, or only some fraction of it, might ever become policy,” Sheppard wrote. “This is a relatively early stage of a long process and nothing has been decided yet.”