In February, 2009, the Writing Program was awarded the Conference on College Composition and Communication's (CCCC's) 2008-09 Certificate of Excellence, the highest award given to writing programs in the United States. CCCC is the nation's oldest and largest association of postsecondary writing scholars, teachers, and program administrators. According to CCCC:

The UMass Amherst Writing Program was cited for its excellent work, successfully demonstrating that their program meets the following criteria: it imaginatively addresses the needs and opportunities of its students, instructors, and locale; offers exemplary ongoing professional development for faculty of all ranks, including adjunct/contingent faculty; treats contingent faculty respectfully, humanely, and professionally; uses current best practices in the field; uses effective, ongoing assessment and placement procedures; models diversity and/or serves diverse communities; has appropriate class size; and has an administrator (chair, director, coordinator, etc.) with academic credentials in writing.  In particular, the UMass Amherst program was noted for being impressively well grounded theoretically and pedagogically as well as historically.

For more about the award, see the articles that appeared in the UMass Amherst student newspaper Daily Collegian and the faculty/staff newsletter In the Loop!