Dear Eric,

I concur about our response to PW lines. They could also easily take the Lectureships and we'll be left with nothing. Then Lit would have 1st ranking for 18th C. and our choice would be limited to CNF! I highly doubt that 2 lines would be founded under the current austerity program. Reminds me of Ireland's.

As for ranking preferences within our CNF request, I've heard much more desire for screenwriting than anything else from myriad students over time. Perhaps Eco/Science Writing would garner interest, but that's theoretical, because it requires a science interest and background that most English majors don't particularly have.. It mightn gather students from around the university, however. I'd have thought that Latino/latina lit could be taught by some present staff (Julia Minich)? Native American is not much represented here, but then again, I've never heard a request for it, either. If we build diversity they will come seems to be the rationale. Until Miami is more truly diverse, I think more diverse literatures will not be a major desire for our majors--but I could be very wrong about all this.

David

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From: Miami University Creative Writing Faculty [[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Goodman, Eric [[log in to unmask]]
Sent: Tuesday, November 15, 2011 9:49 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Our Tenure Track Hire. Thursday's Meeting and a Pleasant Notion

Dear Writers,

    Thanks for your input on the lecturer hire.   I'll make the tweaks people suggested, and we'll be done with that one.

     The results of the Lit Committee meeting are as follows.  They've agreed to support totally our request for a lecturer.   They are going to propose a long 18th Century hire with a Digital Humanities component as a tenure track line as the #1 priority.     They are prepared to support as the second departmental priority a Creative Nonfiction line with desirable secondary areas of emphasis in   Native American or Latino/Latina literature,  Ecological/Science Writing and Screenwriting.    I would welcome input on these secondary areas of expertise.

The word on the street is that Professional Writing/C & R cohort are going to ask for 4 lecturer lines and two tenure-track lines.   I do not know the areas of speciality or the rationales.  If anyone knows, please share this information with the group.    After chatting briefly with cris today, we thought that the most prudent way to respond to this, is to refuse to rank any of these hires, certainly the tenure-track hires, based on a) their stipulation last year that they weren't going to require any other hires (they currently have approximately 25 majors, b) any pending retirements haven't happened yet, and c) to place these requests on a departmental ranking gives the dean the opportunity to change the rankings.    I welcome discussion of this in advance of the meeting, and think it's imperative that we have our voting ducks in a complete and unified row. It is also imperative that everyone show up to vote on Thursday.

The pleasant notion is that I spoke to Patrick Murphy yesterday about the idea of teaching a workshop in Graphic Novels, and he leapt at the idea.   Turns out he'd been thinking the same thing himself, he reads graphic novels, and certainly spends a good deal of time and psychic energy cartoon-ing. He would want to do it next year if possible (depending on demands of the undergrad office) or certainly the year after when he is out of the office.

    e