English Faculty Meeting, October 24, 2007

English Faculty Meeting, October 24, 2007

Present:

Kevin Brooks, Amy Taggart, Andrew Mara, Linda Fricker, Cindy Nichols, Betsy Birmingham, Miriam Mara, Gary Totten, Bob O’Connor, Muriel Brown, Dale Sullivan, Bruce Maylath, Eunice Johnston

Announcements:

·  Cosgrove Seminars: Nov 5, Monday 3:30, Room of Nations, Reza Sabare, Persian poetry. David Martinson on McGrath, later on in Cosgrove Seminar.

·  Watch for ValleyCon (science fiction/fantasy). Watch for fliers.

·  Literacy Summit at NDSU downtown Thursday 6-8 (tomorrow).

·  OED online. Fran is looking into it and has submitted it as a request.

Outreach reports (Around college and university, local and regional, national and international):

·  Cindy Nichols talked about paintings as concrete poems at Spirit Room last Saturday.

·  Kevin, Lost Boys, $7,000

·  Miriam, Midwest Irish Studies 2010 conference will come here (tri-college)

·  Andy Mara, Literacy Summit: invited several people interested in literacy

·  Amy R Taggart: literacy class doing three outreach projects: literacy summit work, life narratives, National Conversation on Writing

·  Dale gave keynote CPTSC

·  Bruce gave presentation at CPTSC

·  Linguistic Circle had 60 presentation, and now the papers are being reviewed for a collection

·  MidWest Midieval Association will be here next fall. Carlos Hawley is bringing that in.

·  Betsy is working on two grants on women faculty and is visiting NSF in Washington in two weeks. The groups are doing surveys and interviews.

·  Bob and Bob Jones are presenting on art songs in Salt Lake, Conference American Music Society in November.

·  Gary brought up Marianne Malm, teacher at North High, who wants to meet with our faculty.

·  Bruce and Dale met with Jaclynn Wallet to start working out detail to hire Dakota language teacher from Sisseton.

·  Gary went to Europe to attend the International Association of Travel Writing. While there he talked provost at University in Madrid about student exchange agreements. He also talked with Tim Young, from Nottingham Trent exploring the possibility of an exchange program.

·  Miriam and Bruce talked with International Programs Office about U. of Limerick exchange. Miriam trying to get money to go Limerick.

·  Bruce reported that Matt Hoffman, fromU. of Chemnitz in Germany approached us about setting up an agreement with his Professor at Chemitz. Bruce is beginning to build an E-exchange project with him.

·  Dale spend a day with people working on developing local food initiatives.

·  Cindy will follow up on Poetry on Wheels—a new set of poems is ready to be laminated.

·  Eunice reported that the English Club is starting book club at the West Fargo library for HS and Jr. High students.

·  Kristina Caton received funding to continue her work with writing partners with English Language Learner students.

·  Cindy is doing two North Dakota Reads sessions this semester one in Mayville and Cooperstown.

Reports on searches (Administrative Assistant, Renaissance, English Education):

·  Administrative Assistant: contingent offer is out, pending approval from administration.

·  Renaissance Early Modern: There are about 25 applications and more are coming in. Applications are being filed and will be on docutek. Pool looks good.

·  English Ed: There are about 25 applications. The committee will begin initial screening on Friday. Two full professors have applied. About half are not qualified. Kevin is happy with pool. Applicants are coming from good programs.

Graduate studies issues (Web site description, Independent Study policy):

·  Gary shared proposed web copy on grad program emphasizing Texts and Cultures. We discussed copy and made suggestions. He invites more feedback.

·  The graduate committee shared a proposed independent study policy. They will revise and resubmit.

Next meeting in two weeks.

Submitted by Dale Sullivan