• News from the Division Election Committee:
The English and Journalism Division needs representation on the new Faculty Senate.
If you are interested in representing our division or know someone who would do a great job, please send your nominations to Marilyn Senter (msenter@jccc.edu), Monica Hogan (mhogan@jccc.edu), or Andrea Broomfield (abroomfi@jccc.edu).
We need to elect:
a full-time, non-probationary faculty member for a two-year term
an adjunct associate professor faculty member or a faculty member familiar with adjunct issues for a one-year term.
The nomination deadline is February 15.
• Kay Haas, Adjunct English Professor, Presentation at 2012 NCTC
Kay’s presentation is “The Core of Text Complexity” and was part of the Common Standards, Uncommon Teaching session at NCTE 12.
• 2013 Kansas Studies Lecture about Brown vs. Board of Education on February 12 and 13
Cheryl Brown Henderson, founding president and CEO of The Brown Foundation for Education Equity, Excellence and Research, will deliver the 2013 Kansas Studies Lecture at JCCC on February 12 and 13.
She will speak from 11 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 12, in GEB 233, and from 7 to 9 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 13, in Hudson Auditorium.
Daughter of the late Rev. Oliver Brown who joined with other plaintiffs in the landmark 1954 Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, KS school desegregation case, she has more than two decades of experience in political advocacy and federal legislative development.
The annual Kansas Studies Lecture series brings to campus prominent individuals whose life work addresses issues of concern to all Kansans. Previous speakers have been Wes Jackson, Stan Herd, Bill Kurtis and Kevin Willmott. More information about Brown Henderson’s presentations will be forthcoming.
For more information, contact James Leiker, director, Kansas Studies Institute, at ext. 3673.
• Common Read Student Writing Contest Deadline Extended to February 14
Image Courtesy of Indiana University
David “Sonny” Lacks
English/Journalism Division The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks Writing Contest
In honor of David “Sonny” Lacks’ visit to JCCC on February 21 to discuss the book The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, the English Department is pleased to announce a writing contest.
The contest is open to all JCCC students who have read the book this semester or last in their composition classes.
Here is the topic for the contest: If you could speak to Henrietta personally, what would you say to her? Write a letter of no more than 500 words.
All entries must be sent from your JCCC student email account to Lorie Paldino at lpaldino@jccc.edu by Tuesday, February 14. Include your name, your instructor’s name, and your phone number and attach your electronic file. Acceptable file formats are PDF, .doc, .docx, and .rtf.
Two winners will be invited to a small group luncheon with Mr. Lacks and others from the college on Thursday, February 21 at 12:45 following Mr. Lacks’ presentation at 11:00 in Polsky Theater.
• Outcomes Assessment Mini-Grant deadline is Feb. 15
Don’t miss this opportunity to apply for an outcomes assessment mini-grant.Jump-start or continue your assessment project by submitting a mini-grant proposal for up to $500. Funds may be used for assessment resources, travel for assessment related activities, equipment or software dedicated to assessment efforts, assessment retreats, costs associated with data input or external consultants, for example.
The deadline for assessment mini-grant applications is Friday, Feb. 15. Funds will be available by Friday, March 1. Application forms are available at the Outcomes Assessment InfoShare site or by contacting the Office of Outcomes Assessment.These mini-grants are intended for use to further assessment projects related to instructional course assessment of the JCCC Student Learning Outcomes in credit courses.For questions or more information, please contact the Office of Outcomes Assessment at ext. 7607 or sbarre13@jccc.edu.
• Innovation of the Year Award Nominations due Feb. 15
Nominations for the Innovation of the Year Award are due Friday, Feb. 15, in the staff development office, RC 152, Box 35. The award recognizes a faculty or staff member who has designed and implemented a significant innovation during the past year. The award is sponsored by the League for Innovation in the Community College and is available to all current JCCC employees. The nominations may be made by the nominee him- or herself, a peer or a supervisor.
Nomination forms can be accessed here. The award recipient(s) are determined by a committee chosen from across campus. The award recipient(s) will receive a League for Innovation plaque and recognition at the Annual Awards Luncheon. In addition, the recipient(s) will receive funds to attend the League for Innovation conference during the following fiscal year; usually held in late February/early March. Recipients may be asked to share their successful innovations or write an optional article for the Innovations Showcase
Winning innovations should meet one or more of the following criteria.
Quality. Students and/or staff agree that the innovation increases quality in the course, program, office, or institution.
Efficiency. The innovation contributes to more efficient processes.
Cost effectiveness. The innovation adds value to the institution while containing or reducing costs.
Replication. The innovation is easy to replicate at other institutions.
Creativity. The innovation is original and creative.
Timeliness. The innovation is not more than five years old at the institution, allowing plenty of time for it to be tested.
• The Winner of the Digital Literacy Contest Is . . . .
Matthew Schmeer! He wins a USB drive. Congratulations, Matthew!
• Free Cult Film Club Movie for February 19
• Writers Showcase: Monica Hogan Shares Ideas about Digital Media
As a continuation of my work in digital composition, my sabbatical project focused on researching and reading about digital literature and digital composition. This reflection piece uses the book RAW, edited by Cheryl Ball and Jim Kalbach, as a launching point for an argument for the integration of digital media in our English curriculum.
Why Digital Media Matters in the College English Curriculum
The editors of RAW, Cheryl Ball and Jim Kalbach, tell us that “to study new media is to study something that is constantly changing, and that means being more interested in questions than answers, in reading and writing processes rather than in textual artifacts” (5). While Ball and Kalbach do start here, it suggests that in their text, there will more questions than answers. And, interestingly enough, the text is a traditional publication. To many reviewers (e.g., Stephanie Vie, Fort Lewis College), the format—it’s not even available on an e-reader—is greatly disappointing. There is supporting new media. Indeed, the companion website is quite lack-luster, with a few broken links to author pictures.
But, this isn’t a review of their text. Instead, it’s a discussion of new media that starts with the Ball and Kalbach’s assertion that studying new media means asking more questions than there are answers and not worrying so much over the textual artifacts. Why is that I wondered. And, most certainly, as some point out, new media is simply rapidly developing and changing. My papers that I saved to my floppy disks would be difficult for me to access—first I’d have to find old technology that works and find a process of transference leading to today’s hardware. Then, there’s the issue of the software. WordStar 2000 has been defunct as it was known in the 1980s for some time. But, that’s not all that I lost. I lost the “hello” program my father wrote for me on my first computer that I toted off to college with me in 1987. Hello programs were the messages that computers displayed as they were booting—much like that Microsoft screen and bing that happens when booting a windows PC. It’s gone, and I miss it. But, it was a textual artifact that used 1980s new media.
So, you see, writing using new media that won’t translate into the traditional paper book format is risky. The new media most likely will not stand the test of time—yet. But, as I watched the commercials for e-readers for children and adults alike, the possibilities are quite astounding! The ability to supplement that written word seems boundless. You see, when I help my son learn, we often head to the web to watch a video—it’s not replacing the reading we’ve done, it’s enriching it. Most recently, we watched a video of Hagia Sophia that a tourist had uploaded—such a beautiful building. The words in the book helped us picture it, and then watching the video, in combination with the words filled in what was a little flat. Would the video do without the words—No! Video just doesn’t capture being there—or anywhere—and words aren’t quite perfect either. The two together, though, build a richer envisioning of the architecture, of the grandeur—and made my 7-year-old want to travel to see it in person. New media is quickly being woven into the very fabric of composition . . . . Why Digital Media Matters
• Recipes
Valentine’s Day Recipes at the Food Network
• MARK YOUR CALENDAR: Andrea Broomfield’s College Scholars Presentation:
Andrea’s presentation is entitled “Soldier of the Fork: How Nathaniel Newnham-Davis Democratized Restaurant Dining in Fin de Sie´cle London.” It will be held on Feb. 28, 11:00 – Noon, in the Craig Auditorium, GEB 233,
• The Student News Center at JCCC Asks Us to Celebrate Sunshine Week, March 11 – 15
Monday, March 11: Freedom of Speech Banner:
9 a.m.-3 p.m., COM second floor
Tuesday, March 12: “Open government is good government” Panel Discussion: 12:30 p.m.-2 p.m., Hudson Auditorium
Wednesday, March 13: Pass our First Amendment Quiz and Satisfy Your Sweet Tooth
11 a.m. – 1 p.m., COM Plaza
Thursday, March 14: Screening and Discussion of Erin Brockovich
12:30 p.m.-3 p.m., Craig Community Auditorium
Friday, March 15: Exercise Your Right to Petition
11 a.m. – 1 p.m., COM Plaza
All events sponsored by The Student News Center at JCCC
• Kansas Writers Symposium
This year’s JCCC Kansas Writers Symposium will be held on Saturday, April 13, in the Regnier Center. Sponsored by the Kansas Studies Institute, this is part of an ongoing series of efforts to promote education about the art, history, environment, cultures, and literature of Kansas. This year’s theme is “The Native Presence in Kansas Literature.” Denise Low, former Kansas Poet Laureate, will be the keynote speaker. Unlike previous years when invited authors from the humanities, social sciences, and even journalism discussed the topic of Kansas as a place and idea, this year’s symposium will be focused on a more narrow dialogue among writers whose primary work has been in fiction and poetry. Participants will include, in addition to Denise Low, Linda Rodriguez, Lisa Mann, Joshua Falleaf, Stephanie Fitzgerald, DaMaris Hill, Lisa Tatonetti, Jim Hoy, Kevin Rabas, Raylene Hinz-Penner, Pamela Dawes Dambornino, Roy Bird, and Xanath Caraza. The organizers of the event include Jim Leiker, director of the Kansas Studies Institute; Ann Rubeck; and English faculty members Sam Bell, Dave Davis, Tom Reynolds, and Farrell Jenab.
• Sonny Lacks to Visit JCCC Campus on February 21
Sonny Lacks, son of Henrietta Lacks, will visit JCCC at 11:00 on Thursday, February 21, in the Polsky Theater, with a reception to follow.
If you see Lorie Paldino or Monica Hogan, please take a moment to thank them for their work on the details of this event. Finally—look out for details on a student writing contest; the winning students and their teachers will be invited to a private-ish lunch with the guests.
• BookTalk News: For February 22
The BookTalk Discussion Group selection for February 22 The Fat Years (266 pages) by Koonchung Chan
• Tom Reynolds Encourages Student Writing
Literatary Competition Entry Form
Literary Competition Flier
The League for Innovation in the Community College is sponsoring its annual student literary competition. Each League board member conducts its own competition, for which students submit work in four categories: fiction, non-fiction, poetry, and one-act play. The work of the local winners will be forwarded to the national competition to be judged by nationally-known writers in each category. The winners of the national competition are then published in a journal.
The JCCC competition is now underway, and as mentioned above, we are accepting submissions in four categories: fiction, non-fiction, poetry, and one-act play. The deadline is April 1, 2013. Entry forms are available at the Writing Center, on the E/J Division office bulletin board, and at GEB 165H.Submissions and completed entry forms can be placed in my mailbox or dropped off at my office (GEB 165H). Several reminders will be sent before the April 1 deadline.
Last year, two JCCC students were recognized in the national competition: Kevin L. Earls won first place in the non-fiction category for his essay “White Lies, Brown Stains, and Honesty,” and Jane Blakeley received honorable mention in the poetry category for her poem “The Waltz.”
Please encourage your students to enter.
• Sam Bell Announces Hosts for Creative Writing Readings
The creative writing readings this spring semester are in COM 319 from 12:00 to 1:00. The dates and the hosts are:
Wednesday, 2/27: Danny Alexander
Wednesday, 3/27: Kathryn Byrne
Wednesday, 4/24: Nathan Hagman
Samantha Bell ext 4950 sbell26@jccc.edu
• Register now for April 19 Assessment Conference
Register now for the third annual Regional Community College Assessment Conference, scheduled for 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday, April 19, at JCCC.
The plenary speaker is Susan Hatfield, assessment coordinator and professor, communications studies, at Winona State University, and a visiting scholar on assessment at the Higher Learning Commission.
This year’s conference theme, “Assessment Matters,” will feature best practices from two-year colleges around the region. Faculty interested in presenting on their assessment activities should contact the Office of Outcomes Assessment at ext. 7607 or by email atsbarre13@jccc.edu. Tracks are still being added to the schedule.
The conference is free to JCCC faculty and staff. To register, go to the Outcomes Assessment website and click on “Register Now” at the top right corner of the page. Follow the directions for registration and use the promotional code RCCAC at the checkout.
If you have questions or problems, please contact the Office of Outcomes Assessment at ext. 7607, or by email at sbarre13@jccc.edu
• Telluride Landscapes in Slow Motion
• Common Read News
The Common Read selection for the Fall 2013-Spring 2014 school year will be Behind the Beautiful Forevers by Katherine Boo. We will be writing to the publisher for review copies post haste and will let people know when they are available. Thank you for your careful consideration. Both books looked fun to program for, but this one has some very interesting possibilities! If you have ideas you think would be beneficial to the committee, please send an email or come talk to me or any of the members of the Common Read committee:
Andrea Broomfield
Shawn Edie
Monica Hogan
Lorie Paldino
Paul Restivo
Jane Stock
Steve Werkmeister
• International dinner is March 8, purchase your tickets now
JCCC’s seventh annual International Dinner with the theme “A Taste of Brazil” will be held at 5 p.m. Friday, March 8, in RC 101.
The event is a fundraiser to benefit JCCC international students. With the assistance of international hospitality management students, JCCC executive chef Marc McCann will prepare an authentic Brazilian meal which will be hosted and served by international students. Live entertainment will also be part of the evening.
Tickets are $30 per person, $50 for two or $200 for a table of eight. Purchase tickets here. This event will sell out very quickly, so purchase your tickets now.
For questions regarding the dinner or how to purchase tickets online, please contact Patricia Donaldson at ext. 2638 or at pdonaldson@jccc.edu
• Creative Writing Club Meetings for the Spring Semester 2013
The Creative Writing Club will meet every Tuesday from 3:30 – 5:00. Location is yet to be determined.
• Reading Creative Writing Out Loud
The Open Mic series continues in the Spring Semester. This semester you can read your writing on Wednesdays, Feb. 27, March 27 and April 24, 12:00 – 12:50 in COM 319.
• Booktalk Reading List Announced:
February 22 The Fat Years (266 pages) by Koonchung Chan
March 29 Beyond the Beautiful Forevers (288 pages) by Katherine Boo