- Newsworthy: Mary Waters Retiring after 30 Years in the English Department
- End-of-Term Party - Thursday - December 9 - 6 to 9 pm - St. Dunstan's
- New Alumni News Published
- Congratulations to Peter Huggins - Necessary Acts Publication
- Technical Communication Minor Approved
- Scheduled Events for Spring 2005
Newsworthy: Mary Waters Retiring after 30 Years in the English Department
Mary began her career at Auburn as a graduate student studying with Ward Allen, Bernard Breyer, Eugene Current-Garcia, Sara Hudson, Taylor Littleton, Charles Rose, Thomas Wright, and others. Her dissertation is entitled "W. S. Gilbert and the Discovery of a Satiric Method for the Victorian Stage."
She has taught freshman composition, world literature, and business writing classes--can you imagine how many students she has met! She says: "If I have succeeded as a teacher, much of the credit should be given to those who have taught me."
Mary also serves as editorial associate for the Southern Humanities Review. She will continue to do this part-time. Mary looks forward to many more trips to New York to indulge her passion for ballet, and to some redecorating and organizing at home.
She will be missed!
End-of-Term Party - Thursday - December 9 - 6 to 9 pm - St. Dunstan's
All members of the department, alum, and friends are invited to the end-of-term pot luck dinner on Thursday, December 9, from 6 to 9 pm at St. Dunstan's on Magnolia Street.
New Alumni News Published
The new Alumni News is now online. Be sure to read the notes we have received from alumni since June.
We will send letters announcing the new publication to our alumni and friends early in 2005. We also have an email distribution list for alumni. Please send Betsy Smith or Jessica Lueders email addresses for alumni and others that you would like to receive the newsletter.
Congratulations to Peter Huggins - Necessary Acts Publication
Peter Huggins' new book of poems, Necessary Acts, has been published by River City Publishing. His picture book, Trosclair and the Alligator, is scheduled to appear from Star Bright Books/New York in Summer 2004.
Technical Communication Minor Approved
The English Department now offers a minor in technical communication. Please encourage interested students to contact Tom Nunnally or Don Cunningham.
Spring 2005 Events
Please mark your calendar with the following events planned for Spring 2005. And send us events to add to the calendar.
January 6 – ENGL 1120 Teaching Workshops - 9:30 am and 1 pm in 3104 Haley Center
A lead teacher/co-teacher workshop will begin at 9:30 am. Workshop leaders and participants will review the co-teaching responsibilities and the co-teaching agreement during this meeting.
A workshop for new faculty and GTAs teaching ENGL 1120 in Spring 2005 will be held at 1 pm.
Those attending either workshop are asked to please bring the textbook you plan to use for your class and to review the Student Guidelines for ENGL 1120.
Lunch will be provided at noon in 9030 Haley Center for both workshop groups.
January 11 – World Literature Faculty Meeting - 3:30 pm in 2312 Haley Center
Discussion will be held to solicit ideas, recommendations, and concerns about the program.
January 12 – Faculty Meeting - 3 pm in 3104 Haley Center
Professorial faculty will discuss hiring for the department.
January 18 - World Literature Faculty Seminar - 3:30 pm
Paula Backscheider will lead discussion regarding problems and concerns of teaching Eighteenth-century works in world literature.
January 19 – Creative/Research Forum - 12 pm
Julie Anne Zorn and Jessica Lueders will present "Meeting Resistance in the Classroom: Undergraduate Technical Communication Courses and Cognitive Development"
January 22 – MTPC Chili Dinner
Joyce Rothschild will host a chili dinner at her home for MTPC faculty, students, and friends.
January 27 - English Symposium Series - Poetry Reading - 3 pm at Jule Collins Smith Museum of Art
Michael Hofmann - Distinguished Lecturer, University of Florida, British poet, and German Translator - will give the first English Symposium Series lecture of 2005. He will also meet with faculty and students throughout the day. For more information about Hofmann, please follow this link.
February 3 – MTPC Oral Exam - 3:30 pm in 3130 Haley Center
Julie Anne Zorn will present her portfolio.
February 7 - English Hour - 3:30 pm
Keith Gibson will give a presentation on computer grading.
February 17 – MTPC Oral Exam – 3:30 pm in 3166 Haley Center
Jessica M. Lueders will present her portfolio.
February 24 - Benson Lecture and English Symposium Series - 3 pm at Jule Collins Smith Museum of Art
Jahan Ramazani - William R. Kenan Professor, University of Virginia, and editor of The Norton Anthology of Modern and Contemporary Poetry - will present the Benson Lecture, which is also the second English Symposium Series lecture of the semester. He will also meet with faculty and students throughout the day. For more information about Ramazani, please see his website.
March 3 – MTPC Oral Exam – 3:30 pm in 3166 Haley Center
Rachel Kennedy will present her portfolio.
March 10 – MTPC Oral Exam – 3:30 pm in 3166 Haley Center
Prashant Natarajan will present his portfolio.
March 14 - English Hour - 3:30 pm
Bert Hitchcock will give a presentation entitled "Well, Maybe Just This Once: Erskine Caldwell, Old Southwest Humor, and Funny Ha-Ha."
April 9 - STC Birmingham/AU April in Auburn
The Birmingham Chapter of the Society for Technical Communication and the faculty and students in the MTPC program at Auburn University hold the fifth annual meeting. The topic will be "Grant and Proposal Writing." The speakers will be from UAB, Georgia Tech, AU, and the Atlanta area.
April 13 - English Hour - 12 pm
In anticipation of the release of Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith on May 19, James Truman and others (to be determined) will lead a panel discussion entitled "Star Wars - Mythology of Our Time or Bad Art?"
April 20 - Faculty Meeting - 3 pm in 3104 Haley Center
Faculty will discuss assessment.
April 21 - Awards Celebration
We are planning an event to celebrate the achievements for all members of the Department. The tradition of recognizing undergraduate and graduate students will continue. We will also recognize faculty and staff achievements at this event. And, we plan to include alumni. Read The English Channel for updates on the plans for this event.
May 3 - The Tweed Jacket Open
Annual English Department golf tournament
Other University Events
January 10 - CLA-Sponsored IT Workshop and Open House - 3223b Haley Center
A workshop - Introduction to the CLA Video Conference Equipment - will introduce participants to the video conference equipment available in the college, presenting some of its technical functions with an example of a video conference. This workshop will be held from 8:30 to 10 am.
The College of Liberal Arts will sponsor an IT Open House from 10 am to 4 pm. Anyone teaching can stop by in Haley Center 3223b (inside HC3223) for quick help with WebCT, PowerPoint, other software and classroom equipment.
March 3 – Susan Lanser Lecture - 12:30 pm
Sponsored by the Center for Diversity and Race Relations and Women's Studies
March 15 - Teaching with Technology Expo - Haley Center Lobby
Sponsored by the Instructional Multimedia Group and the AU libraries
To include an item in The English Channel, submit text items by Tuesday at 11:40 am for publication Wednesday. Submit items by email to Jessica Lueders or Betsy Smith or put the information in their mailbox. Please check your submission for accuracy and completion—all calendar items and meeting announcements must include the date, time, and location of the event.
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Last updated December 8, 2004