This essay discusses our failed attempts at the College of Charleston to sustain a Writing Studio course. Specifically, we explain how the failure of our Studio course revealed underlying problems in the department concerning the formation of writing program policy, the role of adjunct faculty, the oversight of our first-year writing curriculum, and the program's coordination with other stakeholders on campus. We contend that our experience can inform programs elsewhere because it shows, on a larger level, how Studio courses reveal potentially damaging tensions within a department or program. We conclude the article by identifying areas of our broader writing program in need of repair and explaining our vision for a new and improved Studio program that incorporates elements of supplemental instruction. (Contains 2 notes.)