1. The all-department softball game, which was held at Prospect Park, and was apparently quite successful in its aim of fostering fellow feeling (or something). Neil and Brooks are planning another game for early summer.
2. The ad-hoc professionalization committee. Brooks reported that top priority went to encouraging and supporting student publications. Ideas on how to do so from the ad-hoc committee and meeting attendees included instituting a required class on publishing, creating a voluntary pro-seminar, using Friday Forum lectures to hear from editors working in our fields, and retooling the 795 requirement or the dissertation workshops to cover these needs. Brooks and Alyson can inform the ESA list of any further discussions or decisions.
3. The faculty membership committee. Carrie reported that the committee recommended Carrie Hintz for a joint-line appointment. Linda Grasso was not recommended, and Hildegard Holler was asked to teach a class in the spring before further evaluation of her application. Jaime Cleland added that the executive committee is considering reconvening to address the need for a Post-Colonial and Americanist hire. Steps may include an expanded search within the CUNY system or a center-line appointment from outside.
4. Our incoming class. 54 out of 80 or so accepted applicants have indicated their desire to enroll in our program. The executive committee believes that this high number will balance with last year’s relatively low enrollment (31) and will not lead to overcrowded classes. Of these students, over half have received some form of funding. The majority of incoming students listed their specialty as 20 th century, gender studies and queer theory. Only two are specialists in Medieval.
5. Creation of an MA program. The idea of splitting incoming accepted students into two pools (MA and PhD) is still in circulation.
6. Placement of recent graduates. Of this year’s graduating PhDs, three have been placed and two are still in interviews. This represents about a fifth of graduating students. However, the five-year survey shows 80% in academic positions, with the majority in tenure-track assistant professorships.
7. Revels. The science room will not be available for this semester’s party. Instead, we will have the poetry reading in the lounge as usual, and the festivities upstairs in DSC room 5414.

Thanks to Robina Khalid, Hyewon Shin, Robert Diaz, Jaime Cleland, Alyson Foster, Neil Meyers, Brooks Hefner, and John Harkey for their participation. We will meet again May 12th to make final preparations for Revels.