Sage Minutes
November 15, 2005
5:00 p.m., 3132 Wescoe

5:00 - Meeting called to order

1. In attendance: John Wiehl, Kristin Bovaird-Abbo, Heather Bastian, Alicia Sutliff, Jennie Joiner, Jen Humphries, Katie Egging, Keri Behre, Angela Glover, Leslee Friedman, Jenny Noyce, Lesley Bartlett, Sarah Blythe, Matthew Candelaria, Joe Sommers, Nate Williams, Micah Hawkinson, Catherine Betz, Lisa St. Ledger, Becky Miller.

5:01 - Approval of minutes: there were a few changes, all sent over the listserv. Minutes approved with changes.

5:02 - Officer reports

1. John

•  Attendance at departmental voting meetings has been dismal.

• Dean Rozmek attended last meeting and promised NO new hires for English Dept., regardless of the eighteen tenured professors eligible for retirement (40% of the department.)

2. Kristin

• Dr. Louisa Matmati is the visiting Fulbright Scholar. Her host is Dr. Giselle Anatol, who wants to thank all the grad students who have been helpful in welcoming Dr. Matmati to our campus.

• SAGE is looking to have her do an informal meet 'n greet in the beginning of spring semester and an AA later on in the semester.

• Any grad students who would like to have a meal or coffee with Dr. Matmati (and you should, she's lovely) contact Dr. Anatol.

3. Heather

• $149.39 in slush find after $13.03 spent on AA and $35 on the Halloween party.

• $500 from grad school still intact.

• Jennie Joiner asked about those who applied for money last year and still haven't received any. To be taken up with Corey Johnson.

4. We are recruiting a new non-GTA first year liaison, if you are interested or know someone who might be, please email Kristin or John. We will be emailing first year non-GTA's directly, but word of mouth is appreciated.

5:10 - Committee reports

A. Academics Anonymous

1. We've had two events and both have gone quite well.

2. We're taking faculty recommendations for one session next semester. Terese Monberg was mentioned as a possibility.

B. Advisory Committee

1. Fewer graduate classes are going to be offered to try and fix the last minute class cancellation problem.

2. Grad students have been cut out of discussion as to whether full time lecturers should have voting rights. There is talk of forming a third committee to discuss the issue.

3. Upped attendance at voting meetings might stop the avoidance of grad student opinions.

4. Discussion of whether it is ethical to hire one of our own Ph.D. grads in a tenure track position.

C. FSE

1. Five new books chosen for 102.

i. The three that I caught were The Conscious Reader, The Curious Reader and Ways of Reading. (If someone wants to email me the last two, I'll change the minutes.)

2. A committee has been set up to focus on setting up sequence of assignments for working with new books.

3. Session will be held on Monday Dec. 12 (yup, they know it's finals) from 3:30-5 to talk about possible assignments, help with getting to know the new texts.

4. The FSE website has notes from the last meeting if anyone wants to read more.

D. Graduate Assembly/Graduate and Professional Association

1. They're hiring a new financial director in the spring. Traditionally this position has not been well advertised but Matt would like to make sure that all graduate departments are aware of it.

2. Everyone should take advantage of SUA events, and if you have any suggestions for events that the Department could possibly work with SUA on getting money for (big name authors, etc.,) direct your ideas to Matt.

E. Graduate Comm.

1. Meets 11.16.05. Jennie Joiner sent out the new set up for MA distribution requirements that Hartman, Hardin and Sutliff put together over the SAGE list. Please email her if you have any questions/concerns/suggestions.

2. Voting to change 899 to thesis hours for MA and MFA.

3. Voting to implement 896 as internship hours for MFA. SAGE suggested that a push for MA internship hours as well be made.

4. Continued look at the acceptance policies of the department. Numbers may be too large, driven by financial set up of FSE and faculty's desire to teach graduate courses.

REMINDER: The SAGE website has all committee members listed with their email addresses. If you have any questions, feel free to contact an appropriate committee member.

F. GTA/Lecturers Comm. (skipped in the meeting)

1. GTAL is curious if the English Department could somehow officially endorse the GTAs'--but not necessarily GTAC's--interests in the negotiations between GTAC and the Provost (most notably, increasing wages and health insurance coverage, and eliminating the 10-semester teaching limit). This could be done in a way that might be similar to the English Department's official statement on the Library's search for a new dean.

G. Lecturers/Readers comm. (skipped in meeting)

1. Speakers for rest of the year confirmed. Marjorie Garber (Shakespeare, visual culture), Dolores Frese (Medieval), David Brin (Science Fiction), and Kevin Higgins (Irish poet). Dates yet to be decided.

H. Library Comm.

1. Made sure everyone was up to date on paper drafted by SAGE reps Sarah Blythe and Heather Krasovec.

2. There was a response from library to said paper, but it was not entirely helpful.

3. There will be a meeting at 2:30 on Thursday the 17th in the Centennial Room of the Union with Dean Stella Bentley. Please show up with questions.

4. Also check out the link for Watson Reconfiguration Task Force, be aware that the statistics are badly skewed. Or, as Jen Humphries so wonderfully put it: Weapons of Mass Destruction in the Library.

5. Sarah showed us the lists of the print journals that will be dropped this year, they all have online equivalents. She also showed us the list of journals that the library wants to drop next year. They do not have online equivalents. Talk to Sarah if you want to see the list and make a case for a particular journal.

6. Added on a few sentences which were sent out in the finalized letter to the SAGE list on Wednesday evening. Approved letter.

I. No report from New Literacies Conference, we still haven't heard from faculty on this. (skipped in meeting)

J. Supplemental Funds (skipped in meeting)

1. Nothing new since last meeting.

K. Social Comm (skipped in meeting)

1. Joe Sommers asks if there is any interest in an end-of-the-semester gala? bowling party? interdepartmental mixer? Sadie Hawkins dance?

2. If not, there will certainly be new events next semester

L. SAGE advice (skipped in meeting)

M. Professionalization comm. (skipped in meeting)

1. The first SAGE professionalization skills workshop, originally scheduled for Nov. 9, was cancelled because of a conflict with a KU men's basketball game. The Burge Union lot closes for games, and committee members were not alerted of this until three days before the event.

2. SAGE willing, the workshop will be re-scheduled for next semester. There will be two workshops instead of on next semester. The topics will be conferences and scholarly publishing.

Old Business (skipped in meeting)

New Business (skipped in meeting)

A. Professor Katie Conrad has recently been put out of commission with hip and back problems; Joe would like to have SAGE send around a "get-well" card for people to sign. I will have more information on how this is going to work as soon as I know more information.

6:05 Meeting adjourned.

Minutes submitted by Leslee Friedman, Secretary.