Monday Missive

Cue the Music — The upcoming Center City Literary Festival will celebrate the literary arts, but it will also celebrate many other forms of artistic expression, including music. The festival will run for two days (October 17 and 18), and musical performances will be featured on both days. The musical dimension of this festival sets it apart from most literary festivals in the country.

The adult-focused part of the festival will take place on Friday, Oct. 17, from 6 to 9:30 p.m. UNC Charlotte professor and Music Department chair James A. Grymes will be reading from his new book, Violins of Hope: Instruments of Hope and Liberation in Mankind’s Darkest Hour. A stirring testament to the strength of the human spirit and the power of music, Violins of Hope tells the remarkable stories of violins played by Jewish musicians during the Holocaust, and of the Israeli violinmaker dedicated to bringing these inspirational instruments back to life. The New York Post calls Violins of Hope a “must-read book” and composer John Williams describes it as “a work of research and scholarship that forms one of the most moving chronicles in the history of Western music.” The presentation will include performances of Yiddish folksongs from the Holocaust by Idunn Lohne, a violin performance major at UNC Charlotte.

In addition to Grymes, other writers who will participate include poet Christopher Davis, mystery novelist Mark de Castrique, essayist Sandra Govan, and poet Grace Ocasio. Several of the participants are contributors to the just-released book, 27 Views of Charlotte: The Queen City in Prose and Poetry. They will read from their contributions to this collection, and all of the participants will be available for book signing.

The evening will conclude with a presentation about Charlotte’s history as a recording center for country music in the 1930s. After this presentation, the folk music group the Kollard Kings will perform examples of the old-time string band songs from Charlotte’s heyday as a recording center. Performing with the Kollard Kings are banjo picker Tom Estes, past president of Charlotte Folk Society and an authority on Southern music traditions, and fiddlin’ Tom Hanchett, staff historian at Levine Museum of the New South.

The children’s part of the the festival will take place on Saturday, Oct. 18, from 11:00 a.m to 3:00 p.m. The festival will feature literature, music, art, and theatre, and will provide children with hands-on activities. Featured artists include Caldecott Medal winning children’s author Gail Haley and her writing partner, Alice Phoebe Naylor; illustrator Matthew Myers and digital artist Heather Freeman. Many of the art-related activities also will tie into the opening of an art exhibit entitled “Icarus: A Study of the Urge to Fly” at UNC Charlotte Center City. In addition, Beth Murray from the UNC Charlotte Department of Theatre will coordinate performances based on picture books.

The children’s part of the festival will conclude with a family-friendly performance by UNC Charlotte’s Chamber Orchestra. Focused on the intersections of literature and music, it will include The Comedians by Dmitry Kabalevsky, originally intended as incidental music for a children’s play by Soviet Jewish writer Mark Daniel titled The Inventor and the Comedians about Johannes Gutenberg and a band of itinerant buffoons. The play has been lost, but the music survives. For the festival, the music will be set to a new narration of a Russian fairy tale, “The Fool of the World and the Flying Ship” by distinguished writer and conductor Jonathan Andrew Govias.

Staff Engagement — The English Department is fortunate to have such strong staff members. In addition to performing their official duties so well, all of the staff members are fully engaged in the department’s teaching and service activities. For example, Angie has taken on a major role in helping me organize the Center City Literary Festival. Her enthusiasm and organizational skills have been an immense help to me throughout the process of planning this event. Another person in our department who plans community events is Jeffrey Leak. In his role as the Director for the Center for the Study of the New South, Jeffrey has organized numerous events, including an event about “soul food” last week. I’ve noticed that Jennie has attended almost all of these events. Her willingness to participate in these events, even after having worked all day in the office, is a sign of her ongoing community engagement. As some of you know, Monica has been working closely with Lil Brannon with administering the grants that fund our Writing Project. In addition to performing these administrative functions, Monica has been attending Writing Project events and participating in their workshops. By being so engaged in the life of the English Department, Angie, Jennie and Monica help strengthen our department.

Kudos— As you know, I like to use my Monday Missives to share news about recent accomplishments by members of our department. Here is the latest news:

Lil Brannon recently learned that UNC Charlotte Writing Project has been awarded $30,000 of National Science Foundation funds as a result of a proposal she wrote and submitted.

Aaron Gwyn’s Wynne’s War received a positive write-up from The Los Angeles Review of Books. Here is the link: http://lareviewofbooks.org/essay/afghanistan-stage-without-play#

Daniel Shealy is featured in a promotional video recently produced by Louisa May Alcott’s Orchard House. Here is the link: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/632439913/orchard-house/posts/996173

Upcoming Events and Deadlines— Here are some dates to keep in mind:

October 6-7 — Fall break—no classes.

October 10 — The deadline to post mid-term unsatisfactory grades is noon on Friday, October 10th, and you must complete the process even if you have no unsatisfactory grades to report. Grades due by noon.

Quirky Quiz Question — Yiddish folksongs will be performed in conjunction with James Grymes’s reading from his Violins of Hope during the upcoming Center City Literary Festival. In the early decades of the 20th century, Yiddish language and culture played a major role in New York City. Does anybody know the name of the famous Yiddish newspaper that began publication in New York City in 1897?

Last week’s answer – Bob Dylan

National Coffee Day — I wish you all a happy National Coffee Day. As everyone who knows me can attest, I think every day should be national coffee day, but it is still great to have a special day set aside to celebrate coffee. The connections between the English Department and coffee run deep. There are endless associations with coffee shops and literature. During the late 19th century, Viennese coffee houses functioned as cultural meccas for European writers. During the 1950s, Greenwich Village coffee shops were where the Beat writers gathered to share poetry and play their bongo drums. Even today writers tend to congregate at Starbucks and other coffee shops. Of course , there are many other ways in which the English Department is tied to coffee. For me and many other members of the department, drinking coffee and writing are inextricably linked. For many of our students, drinking coffee helps them stay awake as they cram for midterms or try to finish their term papers. Coffee has also been the topic of some great quotations by some of our favorite writers. For example, one of Aaron Gwyn’s favorite writers is Albert Camus, and here is what Camus had to say about coffee: “Should I kill myself, or have a cup of coffee.” One of Daniel Shealy’s favorite writers is Louisa May Alcott, and here is what she has to say about coffee: “I’d rather take coffee than take compliments just now.” My favorite coffee quotation is by the famous composer Johann Sebastian Bach who said, “Without my morning coffee I’m just like a dried up piece of roast goat.”

Soul Food — How do our history, politics, and social traditions define the foods we eat today? How can we use our understanding of the historic and contemporary delivery of food to the table to ensure resources for future generations? Foodies, farmers, educators and advocates will explore these and more “farm to table” and sustainability questions during a community discussion of “Soul Food: A Contemporary and Historical Exploration of New South Food” on Thursday, October 2 at UNC Charlotte Center City, 320 E. Ninth St.

This is the fourth and final event in the yearlong “Soul Food” series presented by UNC Charlotte’s Center for the Study of the New South, which is part of the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences. The day opens with back-to-back panel discussions at 9:30 a.m. and 11 a.m. and culminates with a 6 p.m. talk by James Beard Award winner Adrian Miller, author of “SOUL FOOD: The Surprising Story of American Cuisine, One Plate at a Time.” A reception sponsored by Chartwells UNC Charlotte and a book signing follow Miller’s talk.

Kudos— As you know, I like to use my Monday Missives to share news about recent accomplishments by members of our department. Here is the latest news:

Sarah Minslow spoke on a panel about Banned Books Week on Wednesday in the Halton Reading Room as part of the EGSA and CGLO’s Banned Books Week celebration. She also lead a roundtable discussion about censorship at the South Country Regional Library on Saturday.

Upcoming Events and Deadlines— Here are some dates to keep in mind:

October 2 — Shakespeare in Action is co-sponsoring a lecture by Richard Preiss on early modern clowning and comic performance in Robinson 103 at 4:00 pm.

October 6-7 — Fall break—no classes.

October 10 — The deadline to post mid-term unsatisfactory grades is noon on Friday, October 10th, and you must complete the process even if you have no unsatisfactory grades to report. Grades due by noon.

Quirky Quiz Question — One of the most famous coffee shops where the Beat writers gathered was the Gaslight Café. In the early 1960s, a young folk singer performed at the Gaslight. Many years later a recording of this performance was released under the title of Live at the Gaslight 1962. A few years ago this singer also performed at UNCCharlotte. Can you guess the name of this singer?

Last week’s answer – Scotland

The Play of the Imagination — This past weekend, my wife and I celebrated our 27th anniversary by taking a trip to southern Georgia. We took a ferry to Cumberland Island, which is now largely owned by the National Park Service. As we explored the island, we paid particular attention to the remains of once grand mansion known today as the Dungeness Ruins. Built by the Carnegie family in the late nineteenth century, Dungeness functioned as a secluded retreat for one of America’s wealthiest and most prominent families. By the 1920s, the family stopped using the mansion on a regular basis, and in the 1950s the mansion burned, leaving an eerie-looking skeleton made of stone, bricks and metal. Although the interior of the ruined mansion is fenced off, visitors can walk right up to the walls and peer through the barred windows,

As Nancy and I explored the Dungeness Ruins, I was reminded of the many ruined castles we visited in England while I was researching and writing A Children’s Literature Tour of Great Britain. Of course, the Dungeness Ruins are far newer than the ruined castles in England, but Dungeness sparked my imagination in the same way that the castles did. I began wondering about the people who once lived in this ruined mansion. I wondered about their stories, their secrets, and their relationships to this special place. For me, at least, ruins arouse my curiosity in ways that well-preserved historic buildings do not. I have similar reactions to yellowed letters found in attics or personal inscriptions written on the title pages of old books. What I like about such reminders from the past is that they provide plenty of room for the play of the imagination. In our work as teachers, I believe that we should nurture our students’ imaginations, and perhaps one way to accomplish this goal is to bring our students to ruins.

Engagement Seminar — The English Learning Community is holding its first Engagement Seminar with Henry Doss this Thursday in our faculty/staff lounge from 3:00-4:00. This seminar is open to all students and faculty. Please invite your students to attend.

Quirky Quiz Question — The Dungeness mansion was built by the wealthy Carnegie family. The Carnegie fortune was initially made by Andrew Carnegie. Although Andrew Carnegie became one of the richest people in America, he was not born in America. Where was Andrew Carnegie born?

Last week’s Quirky Quiz answer – Daedalus

The Center City Literary Festival —The second annual Center City Literary Festival will take place on October 17 and 18 at the UNC Charlotte Center City. This festival showcases authors and performers associated with UNC Charlotte and is sponsored by UNC Charlotte Center City and the Department of English. This event is free, and everyone is welcome to attend.

The part of the festival that is intended for adults will take place on the 17th (Friday) from 6:00 to 9:00 pm. James A. Grymes will read from his recently published Violins of Hope. Violinists will also perform in conjunction with this reading. Other writers who will participate include poet Christopher Davis, mystery novelist Mark de Castrique, essayist Sandra Govan, and poet Grace Ocasio. Several of the participants are contributors to the recently released 27 Views of Charlotte: The Queen City in Prose and Poetry, and these participants will read from their contributions to this collection. The evening will close with a book signing during which the folk music group the Kollard Kings will perform bluegrass music.

The part of the festival that is intended for children will take place on the 18th (Saturday) from 11:00 to 3:00. The festival will feature literature, art, theatre, and music and will provide children with many hands-on activities. The featured authors and illustrators include Caldecott Medal winner Gail Haley, illustrator Mathew Myers, and digital artist Heather Freeman. Many of the art-related activities will relate to the opening of an art exhibit titled “Icarus: A Study of the Urge to Fly.” This exhibit will be in the gallery at Center City and participants will be able view the exhibit. Beth Murray from the Department of Theatre will coordinate performances based on picture books. Finally, the festival will conclude with a family-friendly musical performance by UNC Charlotte’s Chamber Orchestra.

Kudos— As you know, I like to use my Monday Missives to share news about recent accomplishments by members of our department. Here is the latest news:

Lil Brannon delivered the keynote address at UNC Charlotte’s inaugural First-Year Writing Conference, which took place at UNC Charlotte Center City on September 12, 2014.

Alan Rauch recently presented a paper titled “Women and the Matrix of Science in 19th-Century Britain” at the European History of Science Society Conference, which took place in Lisbon, Portugal.

Quirky Quiz Question — The myth of Icarus will figure in the children’s part of the upcoming Center City Literary Festival. The father of Icarus plays a major role in this myth. Does anybody remember the name of the father?Last week’s Quirky Quiz answer – Catalan

Study Abroad — I never had the opportunity to study abroad when I was an undergraduate student, but thanks to my son and one of my students, I am now getting a taste of the experience in a vicarious sort of way. Gavin, our son, is spending the fall semester in Barcelona studying architecture. He arrived there a few days ago, but his classes start today. Gavin speaks and reads Spanish, which is a good thing since most of his classes will be taught in Spanish. He will study, among other topics, the buildings of Antoni Gaudi, including Gaudi’s famous Sagrada Familia cathedral.

One of my former students, Taneka Robertson, has just returned from studying in China this summer. Taneka is blind, but she still wanted to experience studying abroad. I served as one of her references when she applied to study at Xiamen University in China, so she has kept me posted about her adventure. Now that she is back in Charlotte, she stopped by to visit with me last week and showed me a photo album of pictures from her time in China. Over the course of our conversation, I realized that Taneka’s blindness did not stop her from having a rich educational experience in China.

For our students who like to have a study-abroad experience in Great Britain, the English Department is offering students a wonderful opportunity next semester. The English Department, in conjunction with the Shakespeare in Action Initiative, has been sponsoring a Shakespeare in England course since 2009. The course runs during Spring semesters, and the class travels to London and Stratford over Spring Break. In previous years, both Kirk Melnikoff and Jen Munroe have taught the class. For a fun student-produced Youtube video documenting the course, go to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WUjNf6MVegk; for information about this year’s offering, go to https://edabroad.uncc.edu/programs/europe/shakespeare-england.

Kudos— As you know, I like to use my Monday Missives to share news about recent accomplishments by members of our department. Here is the latest news:

Pilar Blitvich recently presented a paper at the V Critical Approaches to Discourse Analysis Conference, which took place in Budapest. The paper’s title is “Discourses of inequality: Gender Violence in Spanish Newspapers.”

Lara Vetter recently published an essay titled “Religion: Orthodoxies and Alternatives” in Blackwell’s A Companion to Modernist Poetry.

Quirky Quiz Question — Gavin’s ability to speak Spanish will help him immensely during his semester in Barcelona. However, Spanish is only one of the two main languages spoken in Barcelona. What is the other?

Last week’s Quirky Quiz answer – May 1

Labor Day — Today is Labor Day, a day that most contemporary Americans associate with the end of summer, backyard barbecues, and family get-togethers. The origins of Labor Day, however, can be traced straight back to the labor movement of the late 19th century. Union organizers began calling for a national holiday to honor American workers in 1882. A few years later, in response to the unrest following the bloody end to the Pullman Strike in Chicago in 1886, President Grover Cleveland and the United States Congress quickly established Labor Day as a holiday. Labor Day became an official federal holiday in 1894. Thus, this year marks Labor Day’s 120th anniversary.

Olive Tilford Dargan

The American labor movement not only led to the creation of Labor Day, but it also gave rise to a sub-genre of American fiction—the proletariat novel. Often written in response to key events in the labor movement, these novels contributed to the protest over the long hours and unsafe working conditions that many Americans faced at the time. In many cases, the literary quality of these novels took a back seat to the political agenda being advocated, but some proletariat novels moved beyond propaganda and entered into the realm of high-quality literature. Olive Tilford Dargan’s Call Home the Heart is such a novel.

Published in 1932, Call Home the Heart is largely set in Gastonia, and it deals with the famous Loray Mill Strike of 1929. The central character in the novel is a southern working-class woman named Ishma Waycaster. She moves from the Great Smokey Mountains to Gastonia in order to find work in a textile mill. Partially inspired by the strike leader Ella May Wiggins, this character becomes involved in the efforts to improve working conditions at the Loray Mill. The strike figures prominently in the conclusion of the novel, but most of the story focuses on the central character’s personal conflicts and growing sense of desperation. Sometimes compared to Harriette Arnow’s The Dollmaker, Dargan’s Call Home the Heart is one of best novels to come out of the labor movement. It has been recently republished by the Feminist Press, and it is well worth reading.

As we celebrate Labor Day, we should take a moment to remember the history and literature associated with this holiday.

Kudos— As you know, I like to use my Monday Missives to share news about recent accomplishments by members of our department. Here is the latest news:

Allison Hutchcraft is featured in an interview posted on The Kenyon Review’s website. The interview can be found here: http://www.kenyonreview.org/conversation/allison-hutchcraft/

Janaka Lewis just had a poem titled “New Southern Blues” published in 27 Views of Charlotte: The Queen City in Prose and Poetry.

Quirky Quiz Question — The United States and Canada celebrate Labor Day, but most of the rest of the world celebrates a similar holiday called International Workers’ Day. On what day of the year does International Workers’ Day take place?

Last week’s Quirky Quiz answer –Bonnie Cone

False Dichotomy — I took a logic course in high school, and that’s when I first learned about false dichotomies. I remember developing an affection for the term. I saw false dichotomies wherever I looked, and I didn’t hesitate to say so. Well, I guess I haven’t changed much, for it seems to me that the much ballyhooed division between the humanities and the STEM disciplines is a false dichotomy, at least where our English Department is concerned. As researchers and teachers, our English faculty have many connections to the STEM disciplines.

Here are a few examples of English professors who deal with the STEM disciplines in their research. Boyd Davis is conducting cutting-edge medical research related to the impact of Alzheimer’s and dementia on language skills. This research has resulted in many publications, including Boyd’s most recent book, Pragmatics in Dementia Discourse. Tony Jackson has immersed himself in the field of neuroscience, and he is currently writing a book in which he is exploring how the human brain processes narratives. Jen Munroe has developed an expertise in the history of horticulture and botany, and she draws on this expertise in her publications related to eco-criticism. Alan Rauch has studied biology at the graduate level, and he has a deep-seated passion for zoology. This passion is reflected in his most recent book, Dolphin. Aaron Toscano has a strong interest in the rhetorical strategies used in the development of new technologies, and this interest is at the core of his book titled Marconi’s Wireless and the Rhetoric of a New Technology. Heather Vorhies is conducting research on the history of rhetoric and its impact on how the STEM disciplines currently construct arguments and present evidence. Greg Wickliff has developed an expertise on the role of photography in the history of science and technology. He has written on this topic in his book tentatively titled Enlightened Arguments: Photography and Rhetoric in Nineteenth-Century American Science and Technology. Greg has completed this book, and it is currently under review at the Smithsonian Press.

Here are a few examples of ways in which the English faculty deal with the STEM disciplines in their teaching. Through her work with the Writing Project, Lil Brannon has forged an ongoing relationship with Discovery Place, Charlotte’s science museum. This collaborative effort focuses on encouraging young people to write about the sciences. Alan Rauch often teaches courses that deal with the sciences, and this semester he is teaching a graduate seminar titled “Science and Literature.” Our program in technical communication plays a key role in the education of many students in the College of Engineering. Similarly, our faculty in linguistics provides both undergraduate and graduate course support for the Cognitive Science Program.

As I see it, the humanities and the STEM disciplines do not inhabit separate worlds. In a sense, the classic Venn diagram better describes the relationship between the humanities and the STEM disciplines. Many members of our English Department inhabit the space where the two circles overlap.But What About the M in STEM? — The M in STEM stands for mathematics, and the English Department does not have much in the way of connections with mathematics. However, we are fortunate to have a long-time friend from the Math Department, and that friend is Joel Avrin. Joel’s office is in our part of Fretwell, so he can often be seen in the English Department. In fact, when I come in the office on weekends, the person I see most often is Joel. Joel contributes to our coffee fund, and he often visits Angie and other members of our department. In addition to being a mathematician, Joel is a great supporter of poetry. He has studied poetry with Chris Davis, and for a long time he organized a series of poetry readings in the Charlotte area. In recognition of Joel’s passion for poetry and his interest in our department, I hereby proclaim Joel Avrin to be an honorary member of the English Department. Now, thanks to Joel, we have our M covered.

Kudos— As you know, I like to use my Monday Missives to share news about recent accomplishments by members of our department. Here is the latest news:

Chris Davis just had a poem titled “Anonymous” accepted for publication in the annual Bloom.

Jeffrey Leak just had an article titled “Memories of Brooklyn” published in Charlotte Magazine.

Upcoming Events and Deadlines— Here are some dates to keep in mind:

August 27 — Last day to add or drop a course with no record.

September 1 — Labor Day (University closed).

Quirky Quiz Question — Joel Avrin is the not the only mathematician from UNC Charlotte to take an active interest in other departments in the university. Can you name the mathematician who played a pivotal role in the creation of UNC Charlotte?

Last week’s Quirky Quiz answer –Mark Twain

Three, Two, One, Blast Off — The fall 2014 semester has cleared the launch pad, and we are heading into orbit. The preliminary enrollment numbers are looking very good for the English Department. As of last Friday, 2,066 seats were filled in our undergraduate courses. Last fall there were 1,919 seats filled. This fall 40 freshmen declared English as their major whereas last fall 22 freshmen declared English as their major. This fall 22 students signed up for our English Learning Community whereas last fall there were 12 ELC students. Pilar Blitvich reports that this year we have 22 incoming graduate students for a total of 82 students in our MA program. Last fall we had a total of 73 students in our MA program. These are all preliminary numbers, but these enrollment figures indicate that we are growing at every level.

Welcome Aboard — This semester we have several new part-time faculty members. Robert Arnold will be teaching ENGL 2116 (Introduction to Technical Communication) as will Connie Douglas and Laura Erturk. Saxby Chaplin and Bonnie Shishko will both be teaching ENGL 2100 (Writing about Literature). Finally, Abby Marie Mueller Dobs will be teaching ENGL 2161 (Grammar for Writing). I welcome all of these new part-time faculty members to the English Department. Also, my appreciation goes to Kirk Melnikoff for managing the process of hiring these part-time faculty members.

Kudos— As you know, I like to use my Monday Missives to share news about recent accomplishments by members of our department. Here is the latest news:

Aaron Gwyn just published an essay on NPR’s website about his interest in Albert Camus. Here is the link: http://www.npr.org/2014/08/10/336823512/albert-camus-poker-faced-stranger-became-a-much-needed-friend?utm_source=npr_email_a_friend&utm_medium=email&utm_content=20

Sandy Govan has a chapter in the recently published anthology titled 27 Views of Charlotte: The Queen in Prose and Poetry.

Upcoming Events and Deadlines— Here are some dates to keep in mind:

August 19 — Convocation will take place at 9:30 in McKnight Hall.

August 22 — The All-College Faculty meeting will take place at 9:00 in CHHS 155.

August 22 — The first English Department meeting will take place from 11:00-12:30 in 290B Fretwell.

August 27 — Last day to add or drop a course with no record.

Quirky Quiz Question — With the increase in our enrollment figures, it seems to me that our English Department is far from the current stereotype of moribund humanities departments. I am reminded of the following quotation: “The reports of my death are greatly exaggerated.” Can you name the person who made this statement?

Last week’s Quirky Quiz answer – The Dog Star is Sirius

Our Graduate Students — Not only does the English Department have one of the largest MA programs in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, but we also have two very active graduate student organizations: The English Graduate Student Association (EGSA) and the Children’s Literature Graduate Organization (CLGO). This fall EGSA and CLGO are collaborating on a series of events related to Banned Books Week. Starting on Monday, September 22, and running through Friday, September 26, this week-long extravaganza will include panel discussions, film screenings, and public readings of banned or challenged texts. EGSA and CLGO are in the process of finalizing their schedule for Banned Book Week, and as soon as this schedule is set, I will share it with the department. I am very pleased that our graduate students are working together and taking initiative in planning this series of events, and I urge everyone to support our students by attending one or more of these events.

Kudos— As you know, I like to use my Monday Missives to share news about recent accomplishments by members of our department. Here is the latest news:

Lil Brannon, the Director of the UNC Charlotte Writing Project, recently learned that the work of the UNC Charlotte Writing Project is featured this year in the National Writing Project’s Annual Report. The report celebrates the collaboration between our Writing Project and Discovery Place, and it features quotations by Lacy Manship, Associate Director, and Steve Fulton, 8th Grade Teacher at Kannapolis Middle School. Our site was one of four selected nationally to partner with science museums to deepen the intersections of science and literacy. Here is a link to the pages of the annual report that feature our project: http://www.nwp.org/ar13/educators-innovate.html

Grace C. Ocasio, a graduate of our MA program, recently published a poetry collection titled The Speed of Our Lives. She is having a reading and book signing at Park Road Books on Friday, August 22, at 6:00 pm.

Upcoming Events and Deadlines— Here are some dates to keep in mind:

August 18 — First day of classes for the fall semester.

August 19 — Convocation will take place at 9:30 in McKnight Hall.

August 22 — The All-College Faculty meeting will take place at 9:00 in CHHS 155.

August 22 — The first English Department meeting will take place from 11:00-12:30 in 290B Fretwell.

Quirky Quiz Question — According to The Old Farmer’s Almanac, August 11 is the last of the Dog Days of Summer. The term “Dog Days of Summer” is related to ancient beliefs about the heat generated by the Dog Star. Can anybody recall the name of the Dog Star?

Editorships Ahoy – I recently received an email from Paula Eckard announcing the publication of the first issue of the Thomas Wolfe Review to come out under her editorship. This is a substantial issue. It is 248 pages long, and it includes nearly twenty articles and features. With Paula now at the helm of the Thomas Wolfe Review, there are currently three journals that are edited by members of our department. Pilar Blitvich is the co-editor of the Journal of Language Aggression and Conflict, and I serve as the editor of RISE: A Children’s Literacy Journal.

The three journals that are currently edited by members of our department are not the first such publications that our English faculty have edited. Some other examples of English professors who have edited journals in the past include Lil Brannon, who edited North Carolina English Teacher, Robert Grey, who edited the Southern Poetry Review, Andrew Hartley and Kirk Melnikoff, who edited the Shakespeare Bulletin, Anita Moss who edited the Children’s Literature in Education for many years, Alan Rauch, who edited Configurations: A Journal of Literature, Science, and Technology, and Ralf Thiede, who edited the Southern Journal of Linguistics.

As Dean Nancy Gutierrez often points out, it is important for faculty members to be engaged in the conversations taking place within their fields. Editing journals is one way for faculty members to contribute to such conversations.

Inaugural UWP Conference — “Why can’t students write?” is a question often heard on college and high school campuses. To address this complex issue, UNC Charlotte’s University Writing Program will host writing instructors from throughout the region at its inaugural one-day regional writing conference on Friday, September 12.
The conference will be held at UNC Charlotte Center City, 320 E. 9th Street, Charlotte.
“Bridging Inquiries: Research, Process, and Literacy from High School to Higher Ed” will offer panels and round-table discussions on topics such as commonalities in curricula, partnerships across institutions, academic literacies, inquiry-guided learning and teaching, academic transferability, and best practices in the teaching of writing. Presenters will include educators and scholars from Charlotte-area K-12 schools, colleges, and universities. Publisher representatives will offer writing resources for purchase, and lunch will provide a space for exchange and discussion.
University Writing Program welcomes participants from all UNC Charlotte departments and programs, particularly those who teach or are preparing to teach writing-intensive courses. The conference also invites educators from the Charlotte area: K-12 teachers, community college and universityinstructors of writing or writing-intensive courses, media specialists and librarians, administrators, and anyone interested in teaching and furthering student writing abilities.
Registration and additional information can be found at http://pages.charlotte.edu/uwpconference/.
University Writing Program is a free-standing academic program of the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences at UNC Charlotte, composed of pedagogical and research activities related to the development of writing ability as well as to disciplinary inquiry in the fields of rhetoric and composition.

SOAR News — Every summer hundreds of incoming students come to our campus to participate in our SOAR sessions. During these sessions, they learn about UNC Charlotte, meet with advisors, and register for classes. Throughout the summer, Aaron Toscano and Tiffany Morin have been representing the English Department in these SOAR sessions, and they report strong interest in our major among the new students. Aaron informed me that he has already signed up 35 new majors, and Tiffany has signed up over 20 students for our English Learning Community. There are still two more SOAR sessions to go, so these numbers are preliminary. Still, I am pleased with the numbers that have come in so far, and I am grateful to Aaron and Tiffany for so ably representing the English Department during the SOAR sessions.

Upcoming Events and Deadlines— Here are some dates to keep in mind:

August 5 — The last day of class for the second summer term.

Quirky Quiz Question — By editing the Thomas Wolfe Review, Paula Eckard is keeping editorship of this journal in Wolfe’s home state. In what city in North Carolina did Wolfe spend his childhood?