Meeting Minutes
ESA Plenary Meeting—Friday, November 9, 2012 @ 10AM; Room 5409
In attendance: Maggie Galvan (proxying for Amanda Licastro, Velina Manolova, Jason Nielsen), Tracy Riley Anne Donlon, Paul Hebert, Rebecca Fullan, Jenny LeRoy, David Letzler, Chris Eng, Danica Savonick, Ellie Weybright, Dominique Zino, Mia Chen, Rasheed Hinds, Sue Barker, Charlotte Thurston, Kristin Moriah
I. ESA Conference—“Mind and Body”
A. Planning Meeting for involvement: Wed., November 14th, Wed. 5-6:30PM (lounge or thesis room)
B. Discussion, reading abstracts, chairs
C. Contact Jason Nielsen (Jason.r.nielsen@gmail.com) for more information
D. Good opportunity to learn about conference planning!
II. ESA website (https://gcenglish.commons.gc.cuny.edu/)—join the group (https://commons.gc.cuny.edu/groups/esa/)!
A. Linked to program website (should we link it to ESA Facebook page as well)
B. Everyone linked to commons can edit and encouraged to post
C. Functions
a. Forums: semi-private place
b. Events page and calendar—submit an event, CFPs, etc., allows for other functions unavailable through just the ESA listserv (https://gcenglish.commons.gc.cuny.edu/events/)
c. Committees can post updates
d. Resources: both those already available on program website such as guides (easier to edit) and sample CV’s/job market materials
e. Student Profiles: customizable; you control what you want to say on your profile (https://gcenglish.commons.gc.cuny.edu/submit-a-profile/)
i. Can attach documents and CV’s
ii.Can add other affiliated institutions and find colleagues who are also there
D. Website is public and found easily through search engines
a. Option of marking a post private or keeping information within the group
E. Submit recommendation and feedback for website design (function on the website)
F. Contact Paul Hebert (phebert@gc.cuny.edu) for further information
III. Discussion re: ESA listserv—how private is it?
A. Concern that those who are no longer students are still on the list—does that compromise our discussions there?
B. Possibility of requesting those who are no longer students to remove themselves from the list
C. Perhaps adjuncts would still like to stay on
IV. Fundraising and Alumni Committee Report—David Letzler
A. Interview/profile with alumni of our program to build networks with current students and see where these alumni are
Update: Jay Prosser completed with interview and will be posted soon
Rasheed Hinds to pursue Victorianist alumi
Emily Stanback to pursue Romanticist alumni
Will send announcement to ESA listserv to gather ideas about other possible contacts
V. Faculty Membership report
A. List of potential scholars to consider as target of opportunity hires to submit to entire faculty membership committee
B. Aim of target hires: increase visibility and reputation of the program, diversity
C. Person should be someone who has published more than two books
D. December Meeting about intra-CUNY faculty members
VI. State of Program
A. Collective brainstorming about what we what our program to look like and how to move forward
B. 2007-8 Study: identified Asian Americanist and Latin Americanist, postcolonialists, pre-18th century
C. Mia: Broad and deep program—strength of program with its wide range of periods and fields
D. Anne: should consider the changing funding package and lower number of students being admitted starting next year (~21 students)
E. Question of governance and pushing for student governance
F. Status of ESA Co-Chairs on Executive Committee: non-voting student members
G. Anne: DSC will push for all program to observe CUNY memo on Open Meeting laws
Vii. Resolution in Support of QCC English Faculty to Establish Departmental Governance
A. In support of Queensborough Community College English department’s faculty governance
B. Context: department faculty voted to remove current chair and replace with David Humphries; President Diane Call rejected this decision and placed an unelected person to be chair at the moment
C. Stance of Resolution
a. Violates faculty governance
b. Rejection of Pathways
c. No discussion on bylaws because President’s decision was technically legal
d. Question: address to Board of Trustees? QCC admin? GC English program refuse to send PhD students to teach there?
D. Feedback/edits
a. Affirm faculty governance as authority, rather than the bylaws, in order to
ensure the ethical dimension rather than legal
b. Anne: may want to suggest that program EO’s at GC be elected by faculty and
students rather than appointed by president
E. Vote: Rebecca Fullan motions, Mia Chen seconds
16 (counting 3 proxies) Yes; 0 No; 0 Abstentions
F. Contact Tracy (tracysriley@gmail.com) if interested in joining ad hoc committee on Pathways & Adjuncts regarding attack on the governance of QCC English department and other similar moves across the CUNY university system.
VIII. Meeting adjourned at 11:46AM
