Executive Officer's Letter, Fall 2004September 1, 2004 Dear Colleagues and Friends, I write, as has become the tradition in the English Program, to welcome you back from the summer to a new academic year here at the Graduate Center. Many of you have visited me already in what has been, for as long as we can remember, Joan Richardson's office; I invite all of you to come by to give me decorating tips. Joan was, of course, an inspiring leader for the Program, and I hope to be able to follow her example. I've already had much help from Joan, Anne Humpherys, and Scott Westrem in beginning the work of EO. Anne was particularly generous in continuing to work actively on the internship program during the summer and in helping organize the orientation for new teachers that happened August 19. And Scott has agreed to remain part of the administrative "team," taking on the work of Student Progress Officer. Robert Reid-Pharr and Mario DiGangi have agreed to serve as Deputy EOs. Mario has a much deserved sabbatical this semester, and, in the interim, David Richter will help out with Program administration. Upon Mario's return, he will chair the Admissions Committee and head up financial aid. Robert has already begun actively working on job placement. He's also the person who will be in touch with you (soon!) about scheduling classes for the Spring 2005 semester. Of course, holding the administration together is Marilyn Weber, who during the summer generously produced "A Practical Guide to the Ph.D. Program in English for Students." This isn't as extensive and detailed as Scott Westrem's earlier handbook, but it does contain up-to-date information on procedures and requirements. Be sure to pick up a copy. Julie Pranikoff is also back to help Marilyn in the office. We welcome this semester thirty-eight new students. The hard-working Admissions Committee last semester reviewed nearly 300 applications, and the group of entering students is an academically and intellectually accomplished one. CUNY and the Graduate Center have made available two new kinds of fellowship for entering students-Chancellor's and Provosts' Fellowships; these pay in-state tuition for five years and guarantee teaching in years two, three, and four. So, for the first time, a significant proportion of our entering class has some kind of financial support. We know that this is not yet really competitive with the support offered by many other English Ph.D. programs, and the Graduate Center is working to make financial aid for all students more adequate. We continue to move, as well, toward the goal of having in-state tuition paid for all students who teach in the CUNY system. In the current year, students with GTFs will have in-state tuition paid for them. The Program has been able in addition to offer modest financial aid to a fair number of students for the Fall semester. Unfortunately, it currently looks as though significantly less money is available for Spring awards. Students in the Program continue to teach widely in- and outside the CUNY system; to be awarded GTFs, Writing, and Technology Fellowships; and to win dissertation-year awards and post-doctoral fellowships. In addition, many of our students have traveled to national and international conferences to present their work. Last year was also a particularly heartening one on the job front. Many job-seekers had MLA and post-MLA interviews, and many were offered full-time and tenure-track positions. A fair number of these jobs were in New York City, in large part because of the recent increase in full-time hiring in CUNY, but the jobs range far and wide, and include positions at Baruch College, Borough of Manhattan Community College, Brooklyn College, Central Connecticut State University, The Citadel, John Jay College, Lehman College, National Central University (Taiwan), Queens College, Queensborough Community College, University of Massachusetts, University of Missouri/Columbia. Some of these are one- or two-year replacement positions, but all are full-time. The current semester promises a full schedule of Friday Forums. Don't forget that we will be welcoming new students this Friday, September 3, at 4 p.m. There will be a brief program with a few speakers, but the main event will be a reception in our usual English Program space (4406). A full schedule of the semester's forums is being sent separately. But I wanted to call your attention directly to several special events, scheduled for later in the semester. October 1, the Placement Committee sponsors its annual forum on the job search. November 12, we will have an afternoon-long event called Area Group Day: on that day, I hope to arrange for all area groups, faculty and students alike, to meet with each other and discuss the current curriculum and possible future courses. And November 19, there will be a forum organized by students in the early modern interdisciplinary group intended to foster discussion across fields and "area groups." I'm hoping that both of the November events can be part of an ongoing discussion of curriculum intended to keep our course offerings as rich and innovative as they have always been. Again, welcome back, and please do stop by my office to say hi, or to make suggestions about anything related to the English Program. My very best wishes for a good semester and year, Steve Kruger |
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