Dear Cohort:

        I've been in discussion with Mary Jean about grad courses for next year.

        It would seem to be the Poets' year for Issues.  Jim taught it the last
time a poet did.  So who among Keith, David and Annie is interested for
next year?

        Here is a copy of some correspondence between myself and MJ, regarding a
graduate course on the novel.

        "Another course idea that has been floated, which I support, is a course
>dedicated to the novel.  This would be a reading course in narrative
>structure with an eye towards learning how to move from the analysis of
>novel structure to learning how to write such a novel oneself.  Coursework,
>however, would not be directed towards novel-writing."

        To which she replied: "Who might teach the course on narrative?  Would it
count for literature
credit--and/or be focused in a particular historical period (20c Am)?"

        We have discussed this notion amongst ourselves--a reading course
primarily for writers taught by one of us.  I'd like to know, by Wednesday,
if anyone might be interested in teaching it next year?  Except for having
an ARA, I would volunteer, but as I'm only going to be teaching one
semester, and teaching the workshop that semester, I'm out of the running.

        I think this might be a good precedent......

        Please let me know what you think.

        Also, I've been working with Rodrigo to bring Helena Maria Viramontes here
next semester.  (She writes novels and short stories and teaches at Cornell
in Latino/a Studies.)  Once again, we're presented with a Friday option
only, February 4th.  If we agree she'd read, I suppose, in the late
afternoon, and be available to meet with grad students at some other time
during the day.  What do you think of this as a possibility?  I've read her
work, and would be happy to have her here.  It's the timing I'm concerned
about.

        Eric

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