[CBW_Exec] CBW Exec Agenda, Gratitude and Energy

[Susan Naomi Bernstein]

Dear friends,

I almost wept when I read the applications of prospective CBW Board
members. Such passion for BW -- and such strong commitments to social
justice as part of that passion. My first thought: My work here is done.
Perhaps it's time to move on and make room for this new generation of
scholars and their remarkable energy.

But my second thought gave me pause. I'm not quite ready to resign-- but I
do want to take on a different kind of role, that of CBW mentor/scholar. In
the new paradigm of Occupy Wall Street, I don't see myself as a "leader,"
but more as working in coalition and collectivity with other
mentor/scholars as part of CBW-- with a vision of sustaining CBW for years
to come.

In some ways, I am following Hannah's excellent lead in suggesting this
role.  I also want to formalize the work I have been doing more informally
for some time now-- and the work I know I can continue to do, even if I
cannot attend Cs. I envision this work as somewhat different from the work
in our traditional venues of Cs and BWe.  My hope is to open the
metaphorical floodgates for  colleagues who would not ordinarily think of
themselves as scholars of/in BW, even though they practice BW every day in
their classrooms.  For example:

--support new practitioner/scholars via individual and group mentoring
--create, nurture, and sustain new spaces for BW practitioner/scholars to
publish and otherwise share their work. The spaces I have in mind do not
involve blind peer review, but would give practitioner/scholars (who so
often work in isolation) a chance to brainstorm, imagine, and enact their
visions. The CBW facebook page is just 1 example of this.
--write accessible scholarship for more general audiences (those unfamiliar
with BW theory/practice)-- and work with others who are interested in
writing for this audience.


As you may know, I have been unemployed since September 2010. Speaking
realistically, it's difficult to know if I'll find another academic job.
Market forces and my unconventional CV seem to mitigate against it. But
unemployment seems to pale against an even greater loss this last year. In
July 2011, one of my closest friends died unexpectedly at the age of 34.
This friend worked with me as a classroom tutor in Cincinnati and as a peer
reviewer and ad hoc ADHD coach after I moved to New York. He was one of the
most empathic people I have ever known-- deeply supportive of students'
transitions to college and amazingly intuitive about how and why to
motivate good writing. My friend's passing is a tragedy not only for his
family and friends, but also for our field.

The journey of this last year has involved a great deal of soul searching
as I wonder how best to honor my friend's beloved memory and to continue my
career in new and productive directions. My suggestion for a new role with
CBW is of course subject to your deliberations and approval. As ever, I
accept your good judgment and value the process of consensus for what most
fits the needs of the group at this historical moment. Thank you, as
always, for your openness to listening to these ideas, no matter what
decisions we ultimately come to as a group.

I have saved the good news for my 1 sentence on Tuesday-- and I promise not
to use too many semi-colons. ;-)

Peace and safe travels,

Susan





On Sun, Mar 18, 2012 at 1:27 PM, Ashley, Hannah <HAshley at wcupa.edu> wrote:

> Hello friends;
>
> I have not written in response to the resignations of Peter, Rebecca,
> Sonya and Shannon because I had not resigned myself to them.  However, I
> now see that I have to do so.  I have been honored to work alonside each of
> you, to learn from and with you, and to share in the commitments of our
> discipline and the laughter of our gatherings.  Thank you.
>
> To everyone:  below, please find the agenda for our Executive Board
> meeting on Tuesday.  Liz and I ask that you do two tasks prior to the
> meeting.
>
> 1.  Please read the agenda and note that we are asking everyone to take on
> one subcommittee commitment; they are listed below.  Please consider where
> you would most joyfully put your efforts over the next academic year.
>
> 2. Please take the time to read the attached applications for new Exec
> Board members.  Folks have taken the time to be detailed in their
> experiences and enthusiasms, and we should choose well based on those as
> well as what the Board needs to continue to grow and develop.  (These will
> be available in print at the meeting, but they are fairly long and need
> review prior; additionally some of you are calling in and so need them
> yourselves.)
>
> See you in St. Louis--Hannah
>
> *****************
>
> Council on Basic Writing Executive Board Meeting AGENDA
>
> 3/20/2012 6-8pm
> Drury Inn & Suites Convention Center
> 711 North Broadway (Convention Plaza), St. Louis
>
> Agenda
>
> 1. Celebrate what we did last year: say your name (just in case), say in
> one sentence how last year’s work made a difference for you in your
> individual work, your institution, or the discipline (5 minutes)
>
> 2. Thanks to board members stepping down (Peter, Rebecca, Sonya, Shannon);
> Thanks to Chris Anson (how do we do this?) (5 minutes)
>
> 3. Discussion items
>
> (a) Forming sub-committees and deciding their 2012-2013 work (1 hour total)
>
> • everyone choose one subcommittee on which to serve over the year (some
> suggestions below based on previous work, but you can choose), including
> one person willing to chair that subcommittee (a commitment to move the
> work forward through emails, phone calls, etc.)
> • group discusses/brainstorms possible goals for that area
> • ultimately, members of subcommittee choose ONE goal for 2012-2013
>
> Subcommittees (please consider where you would like to dedicate time prior
> to our meeting)
>
> • Funding:  Bedford, other (e.g., Evaluation Program/Speakers bureau)—Greg?
> • Community Development:  electronic community/membership (blog, fb);
> local area development—Liz?
> • Institutionalization: mission & charter; NCTE/CCCC Statement
> development—Marissa?, Steve?, Hannah?
> • Scholarship:  Basic Writing e-journal; work on the pre-con workshop
> (e.g., reviewing  submissions, etc.) supporting the co-chairs; mentoring
> scholars –Susan?
> • Awards: Innovation, Scholarship
>
> (b) Reconstitution of board—discussion of how to choose new board members
> and how many; choose new board members? (30 min).  Please read the
> applications (attached) prior to Tuesday’s meeting; they will also be
> available in print.
>
> Go forth and enjoy the night…
>
>
> Hannah Ashley, Ph.D.
> Associate Professor of English, Composition & Rhetoric
> Composition Director
> Service Learning Faculty Associate
> Director, Writing Zones 12.5  (www.writingzones.net)
> 543 Main Hall, West Chester University
> West Chester, PA 19383
> 845-337-5000
>
> If you can find a way to get somebody interested enough to learn, they'll
> do it themselves...[we need more places that fashion themselves] to help
> those young people dive so deep into their dreams that they become their
> realities   --George Clinton, in Foreward to Hip Hop Genius: Remixing High
> School Education
> _______________________________________________
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> CBW_Exec at tamu-commerce.edu
> http://mailman.tamu-commerce.edu/mailman/listinfo/cbw_exec
>
>


-- 
Susan Naomi Bernstein, PhD
Queens, NY
http://writing4themind.tumblr.com/
http://blogs.bedfordstmartins.com/bits/author/devenglish/
718-416-5747
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