As a University-wide Initiative, WAC / WID at CUNY began with the 1999 Board Resolution endorsing the centrality of writing to a university education. The Resolution asked each college to accept the responsibility of integrating writing instruction into the curriculum in every department and academic program across the University. The Board Resolution also called for the creation of a new program, the CUNY Writing Fellows. The Fellows are advanced graduate students assigned to support the WAC / WID initiative at every campus.

WAC / WID is now established at all 17 undergraduate campuses and the Law School. The WAC / WID team at each campus is led by a faculty coordinator, who supervises 6 CUNY Writing Fellows and serves on the University WAC / WID Committee.