ABSTRACT
A graduation requirement that would affect nearly fifteen thousand undergraduates, the portfolio project was without question a risky undertaking. The small campus writing lab was to administer the program, maintain student records, train faculty readers, and develop tutorial support for students whose portfolio results required additional writing instruction. The decision to house the program in the writing lab was made for several reasons: the lab had a history of service to the entire university community; it could emphasize the instructional rather than the evaluative features of the portfolio better than the more bureaucratic Testing Office could; it had a record of substantive accomplishments on a lean budget; and the new responsibilities would make it eligible for permanent funding status, which was long overdue. The director was appreciated for his leadership skills and his willingness to run a program with virtually no external support.
