[CBW_Exec] CBW 2011 Planning

Thu Apr 8 19:37:49 CDT 2010

I would like to suggest a somewhat different approach . . . prompted by two developments.  

One is my growing sense that basic writing is undergoing a sea change.  It's disappearing at many four year schools either completely or because it has gone "underground" in the sense that basic writing is hidden in FYC.  In some places this is my political fiat; in other places, it is because four-year schools themselves are raising their admissions standards to the point that few basic writers are being allowed in.  Meanwhile, the bulk of basic writing instruction is migrating to community colleges. What scares me about this trend is that it may simply be a subtle way to gradually faze out developmental writing (and reading and math) altogether.  To some of us, the democratizing function of basic writing, the social justice effect, is the most important component of higher education.  If we are right, then it is alarming that this function is being relocated to the most underfunded sector of higher education, where many basic writing students will be taught by adjuncts with little or no preparation and where there is currently no support for the kind of scholarship that has been the hallmark of basic writing for the past half century.  Think about the articles and books that have had a major influence on basic writing.  How many of these were produced in community colleges?  How much scholarship will there be in the future, if most basic writing takes place in an environment where faculty teach fifteen credit hours per semester and where there is little incentive, indeed, little opportunity for serious scholarship.  

The second development is the publication of Rebecca and George Otte's fabulous new history of basic writing, a book that has crystalized my concern about the future of basic writing.

I'd really like to see CBW begin to address these issues.  First by alerting people to them.  Second by discussing what our response might be.  Is this a trend we should be resisting?  Or should we begin a campaign to improve the environment for serious scholarship in community colleges?  If there is, in fact, a growing political momentum to end developmental education in higher education, shouldn't we be taking on a more public role in explaining why this is folly?

I'm not sure that what I'm suggesting is possible as a focus for the workshop, but I do know that I think it should become a focus for CBW.  

Peter

Peter Adams | Director of Accelerated Learning
Department of English
Community College Baltimore County
443•710•1852 | padams2 at ccbcmd.edu

-----Original Message-----
From: cbw_exec-bounces at tamu-commerce.edu on behalf of Shannon Carter
Sent: Thu 4/8/2010 7:50 PM
To: Conference of Basic Writing Executive Board
Subject: [CBW_Exec] CBW 2011 Planning

Hi, all--

It was wonderful to see you all last month and I¹m very excited about all
that we¹ve accomplished thus far and all that appears to be on the horizon.

In keeping with that spirit and planning our next steps, we¹ve been hashing
out plans for upcoming CBW Workshop.

Drawing from our conversations in Louisville, it seems the CBW 2011 has two
core goals:
>> 1. Figure out (together, as an organization) the core goals BW might stand
>> for and, by extension, its professional organization
>> 2. Open up CBW to new folks (beyond our invitations to keynoters based on
>> themes, which we¹ve attempted to solicit from folks not currently involved
>> with CBW<Kevin Roozen, Steve Lamos, Valerie Kinlock, . . . And then there¹s
>> this year).
>> 
Thus, we decided to build a proposal that would leave room for an open call
for proposals. In year¹s past the entire program has always been by
invitation only.
>> 
> Questions for you:
>> 
>> 1. Attached is a draft of the CFP. Thoughts? Suggestions? Revisions?
>> 2. What should be the deadline for submissions? On the attached draft, I set
>> the deadline for CFP at random. Getting on the official CCCC program after
>> the fact isn¹t going to work, unfortunately. I suspect Eilleen will make some
>> changes on a case-by-base basis, but we aren¹t able to count on that option
>> after the CCCC deadline. We have two options, then: (a) we go with a later
>> date and promise to create a separate CBW program and offer official
>> acceptance letters to those selected or (b) we push the deadline for CBW
>> proposals to BEFORE the CCCC deadline, then add the selected names to the
>> program proposal we submit to CCCC in early May.
>> 3. Suggestions for keynoter/featured speakers that might do well with
>> conference theme?
>> 
Workshop agenda could look something like this, with presentations and
guided discussions in the morning leading to draft of mission statement
before lunch and afternoon actually working together to develop
recommendations and other working items for CBW membership.
>> 
> Notes on agenda, including potential times. Thoughts?

> 1. 9-9:45--History and Future of Basic Writing (Opening Session/panel/plenary
> speaker)--suggestions?
> 2. 9:45-10:45--Open Panel
> 3. COFFEE BREAK 
> 4. 11:00-12:00--Discussion Groups, with leaders (Mission Statement)--Guided
> discussions toward establishing core values that might feed into CBW mission
> statement and inform afternoon conversations
> 5. 12:00-1:00--Lunch
> 6. 1:00-1:45--Local Contexts (plenary/keynote)---suggestions?
> 7. 1:45-2:45--Open Panel
> 8. BREAK 
> 9. 3:00-4:30<Discussion Groups (also drawn from CFP and other means)
> 10. 4:30-5:00<Recommendations from Discussion Groups and Next Steps
> 
 Thanks!
Shannon
-- 
Shannon Carter, PhD
Associate Professor of English
Director, Writing Programs
Department of Literature and Languages
Texas A&M University-Commerce
Commerce, Texas 75429-3011
Shannon_Carter at tamu-commerce.edu
http://www.shannoncarter.info

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