8 September 2020 email

Dear Everyone:  

My message this week opens with many thanks to the coordinators of the various interdisciplinary certificate programs who joined us for last week’s Friday Forum – John Brenkman (Critical Theory), Eric Lott (American Studies), Dána-Ain Davis (Women’s Studies), Zee Dempster (Africana Studies), Steve Kruger (Medieval Studies), Carlos Hernandez (Interactive Technology and Pedagogy), and Clare Carroll (Global Early Modern Studies).  In an already dense week, they created time to introduce us to the programs and, as important, to connect faces to names and units!  Immensely grateful to them, and to Nancy Silverman for providing a running chat commentary as to how earning the certificates complements and folds into progressing toward the PhD in English.  If you’re interested in any of the programs, take a look at this page for more information, including whom to contact.  

The hiccup relates to the social hour/reception following the Friday Forums.  With apologies to ESA and loads of thanks to Genevieve Bettendorf for having set up links to host a separate reception each week, I’m going to suggest we revert to simply staying in the Friday Forum link. I’ve heard from several of you about (and I also had) trouble finding the reception on Friday through the separate link – so sorry! The first tech hiccup in what I’ve no doubt will be a series to come (!).  Apologies, thanks, and with increasing appreciation for any means of simplification these days.  

Speaking of Friday Forums, the committee met last week (thanks also to them!) and we’re in the process of finalizing the schedule.  In the meantime, and for this Friday, I’d like to hold an open forum for us – an opportunity to check in, to talk about what’s working and not as we slide into the semester, to hear how you spent your summers, to learn what you’re reading or listening to or screen binging, an opportunity especially for us to hang with whomever of our new cohort can join us…I’ve been missing the opportunity simply to hear how things are going, so in the space available this Friday, thought to indulge that itch (hmmm, mixed metaphor – a word hiccup).  The zoom invitation is below!   

Next week’s message will include updates and information regarding the state of things in the GC and the program – the Executive Committee and Faculty Membership Committees are meeting this Friday – and please note that we won’t hold a Friday Forum on 18 September as it is a holiday weekend.  

I hope so much you were able to wring a little more summer out of this past long weekend.  

All well wishes as ever, Kandice