Newsworthy: World Literature Series Presents Sheldon Pollock

The English Department's World Literature Series will feature well-known author and scholar Sheldon Pollock, the William B. Ransford Professor of Sanskrit and South Asian Studies at Columbia University, at several upcoming events.

Pollock will participate in two seminars and give one lecture during a two-day visit to Auburn November 7-8.

The events will be on various topics and include:

• "Teaching Classical Indian Works in World Literature Classes" on November 7 at 2 pm in Haley Center 3046.
• "Comparative Literature as Comparative Politics: Indian Literary Histories and Some Utopian Possibilities" on November 7 at 7:30 pm in the RBD Library Auditorium.
• "Teaching Medieval Indian Works in World Literature Classes" November 8 at 12:30 pm in Haley Center 3228.

In addition to teaching at Columbia, Pollock currently directs the international collaborative research project "Sanskrit Knowledge Systems on the Eve of Colonialism." He is also translating a number of volumes for the Clay Sanskrit Library, including the Rasamanjari and Rasatarangini of Bhanudatta, and the Uttararamacarita of Bhavabhuti.

Pollock was educated at Harvard University (AB Classics 1971; AM Sanskrit and Indian Studies 1973; PhD Sanskrit and Indian Studies 1975). His areas of specialization are Sanskrit philology and Indian intellectual history, and, increasingly, comparative intellectual history. For more information, visit his Columbia University bio page.

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November 2 - Faculty Meeting - 3 pm - HC 3195

A faculty meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, November 2 at 3 pm in HC 3195.

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November 3 - Poetry Reading - 7 pm - Biggin Art Gallery

Chinese poet Bei Dao will read from two books of poetry—At the Sky's Edge and Unlock—and his recently published book of essays, Midnight's Gate, on November 3 at 7 pm in the Biggin Art Gallery. A reception will follow.

Bei Dao's books Midnight's Gate, Unlock, and At the Sky's Edge are available in the AU Bookstore in Haley Center and will be available at the reading.

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November 3 - EGO "Chat Session" - 7:30 pm - Kat Privett's House

In place of the special meeting, the English Graduate Organization will have an unofficial "chat session" at Kat Privett's house Thursday, November 3 at 7:30 pm.

Attendance is entirely optional. EGO members will be chatting about issues brought to our attention at the last EGO meeting. Contact Kat for directions.

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November 4 - Student Response System Demonstration - 1 pm - HC 3223B

November 8 - Student Response System Demonstration - 10 am - HC 3223B

Darrell Crutchley, an Information Technology Specialist with the College of Liberal Arts, will be demonstrating some of the ways that student response systems can be used in classes to stimulate discussions, evaluate students, assess instructor effectiveness, and keep students engaged.

Student response systems, or "clickers" as they are commonly known, give students the power to submit answers to questions in class by using radio frequency or infrared technology. Each student's "clicker" transmits information to a small receiving station in the classroom that collects and records the responses. (Much like the "Ask the Audience" feature on the popular gameshow "Who Wants to be a Millionaire?".)

To learn more about the student response system Crutchley will use, visit the TurningPoint website or Crutchley's home page.

The first training session will be Friday, November 4 at 1 pm in HC 3223B (a second session will be Tuesday, November 8 at 10 am in HC 3223B). Each demonstration should last about an hour.

If you are interested in attending a demonstration, contact Crutchley by phone (844-7070) or email. Other sessions may be added if there is enough interest.

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November 7 - Women's Studies Presents Newsday Photojournalist Jim Peppler - 4 pm - 125A Lowder Business Building

Newsday photojournalist Jim Peppler will present "Overcoming," a lecture and slideshow about his news coverage of the Alabama Civil Rights Movement on Monday, November 7 at 4 pm in Room 125A of the Lowder Business Building.

From 1965-68, Peppler worked for The Southern Courier, a Montgomery newspaper dedicated to covering the Alabama Civil Rights Movement.

The event is sponsored by Women's Studies and the Quilts of Gee's Bend in Context Group.

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November 7, 8 - Human Subjects Research Workshop - 4 pm - 112 Thach Hall

Auburn University's Office of Human Subjects Research (OHSR) and the Institutional Review Board (IRB) are presenting a two-part workshop on human subject research.

Part I will be presented on Monday, November 7; Part II will be presented on Tuesday, November 8. Session times are 4 to 7 pm in Thach Hall room 112.

Presenters include Dr. Peter Grandjean, HHP, IRB Chair; Dr. Kathy Jo Ellison, Nursing, IRB Liaison; and Niki L. Johnson, Director, Compliance for the Office of the Vice President for Research. All faculty, staff, and students who conduct human subject research are encouraged to attend.   

Topics include:

• Ethical Principles of Research
• The Code of Federal Regulations
• Auburn University Protocol Review Process
• Research Protocol Review Categories
• Elements of Informed Consent
• Completing a Protocol Packet

Please contact the OHSR by phone (844-5966) or email for reservations.

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November 9 - Faculty Meeting - 3 pm - HC 3195

A faculty meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, November 9 at 3 pm in HC 3195.

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November 9 - Deadline for Teaching Excellence Award Nominations

The Auburn Alumni Association is seeking nominations for its Undergraduate Teaching Excellence Awards. Students, alumni, and others are invited to submit nominations for professors who have made an impact on their lives. Recipients of the award will receive $1,000 and a plaque at the recognition reception in early 2006.

Please submit your nominations to George Crandell by Wednesday, November 9 at 4:40 pm.

To nominate a teacher or support a nomination made by someone else, each nominator should send a letter explaining how the teacher is exceptional. In the letter, consider the following:

• the quality of the teaching performance (i.e. good lecturer)
• knowledge of subject
• interest in students and availability to them
• impact on the nominator's personal educational experience
• influence within Auburn University (i.e. number of courses taught, committee assignments, etc.)

A letter of support from the nominee's dean and/or department head must accompany the letters of nomination. Other letters of support from colleagues are welcome, but greatest emphasis will be placed on letters from students and alumni. The nominator's name, address, phone number and email address should be included with the nomination.

If you have any questions about the awards or the nomination process, call 844-2586 or visit the Alumni website.

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November 10 - EGO Meeting - 5 pm

The English Graduate Organization will meet Thursday, November 10 at 5 pm in HC 8009. All graduate students are encouraged to attend.

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Books for Africa Drive

MA student Saiward Pharr is chairing the Graduate School Council's effort to collect books of all sorts for the Books for Africa Drive.

Shortly there will be bins on campus to collect books with a copyright of 2000 or newer. Please donate unwanted/unused books to this program. Every book that is collected is either donated directly to educational programs in Africa or sold by the organization to donate proceeds to educational programs in Africa.  

Anyone who has books they wish to donate or who would be willing to volunteer to periodically check collection bins should contact Saiward for details.

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Conference Presentation Announcement - Constance Relihan and Amanda Wood

On October 20, Amanda Wood and Constance Relihan presented "Nosing Around in Early Modern English Fiction" at the 2005 Sixteenth Century Studies Conference in Atlanta.

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MTPC Alumni News - Cindy Staudt

Cindy Staudt, MTPC 2004, is happy to report that she has recently been promoted from editor to editorial design specialist at the Bureau of Economic Analysis, Department of Commerce, Washington, DC.  Even more importantly, she and her husband, Grant Pheloung, PhD 1999, have a new son, Gus Henry, born October 3. Cindy reports that "Grant is going to be a stay-at-home dad while I return to toiling away for the federal government."

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Alumni News - Jake Adam York

English Department alum Jake Adam York, BA 1994, recently published Murder Ballads, a book of poems. York, an Assistant Professor at the University of Colorado-Denver, will read from Murder Ballads at Cameron Church in Denver on November 4 to celebrate the book's publication.

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Last updated November 2, 2005

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Department of English
9030 Haley Center
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Phone (334) 844-4620
FAX (334) 844-9027
© 2005 Department of English at Auburn University. All rights reserved.

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