Rowan Writing Arts Events Update: Week of October 8, 2018

Reminder: Rowan Hosting PWPA Fall Meeting This Friday
 
The Philadelphia Writing Program Administrators (PWPA) Fall 2018 meeting is being held this Friday, October 12, from 9:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.in Victoria Hall and Hollybush Mansion. While some events at the all-day session are restricted to PWPA members, the keynote address by Temple University associate professor Shannon Walters, being delivered over lunch (at 12:30 p.m. in Victoria 200), is open to the general public. Please click here to RSVP to the speech and lunch. Dr. Walters’ professorial research focuses on into rhetoric and composition, women’s studies, disability studies, and critical animal studies; she will deliver the speech, “Access Paradigms: Disability Delivery and Notes Toward a Crip Style.” For more information about the PWPA, and for membership details, please click here.
 
 
Rowan Writing Arts Booth a Collingswood Festival Hot Spot 
 
One of the busiest locations at last Saturday’s Collingswood Book Festival was Booth 37, with the Osaka Sushi Hibachi Restaurant on one side and the doo-wop Pop Shop on the other. The hustle and bustle, however, had nothing to do with tempura or burgers; it was the constant flow of attendees stopping by the Rowan Writing Arts booth. In the wake of students, alumni, parents, and other interested parties, the 10 colleagues who shared the three two-hour shifts at the booth were kept quite busy. Several attendees obtained information on how to submit to Glassworks (the peer-review journal of our Master of Arts in Writing program) while another was thrilled to learn of the three new books just published by colleague Megan Atwood. A comment echoed by many graduates who stopped by, however, was how the writing instruction they received from Rowan Writing Arts has helped them become stronger professionals in a variety of fields. Five of the 10 colleagues who worked the Festival were (left to right), Glassworks editor-in-chief Katie Budris, Glassworks managing editor Anthony Palma, Glassworks intern and Writing Arts graduate student Amanda Rennie, colleague Kristine Lafferty, and colleague Jason Luther. Not pictured, due to earlier or later booth shifts, were colleagues Megan Atwood, Anna Bassiri, Alexis Rivell, Myriah Stubee, and Gerry Williams.​ (Thank you to colleague Anna Bassiri for providing information for this item, and for her work as Rowan Writing Arts’ on-site Festival coordinator.)
 
 
Campus comes together to discuss police incident at Mimosa Hall
 
More than 300 members of the Rowan community and a number of Glassboro residents attended an open forum meeting on campus last Friday to discuss an incident (click here) in the Mimosa residence hall parking lot on Monday, October 1. In that incident, a routine vehicle stop turned contentious when Glassboro municipal police officers (not part of the Rowan campus police force) drew weapons, including an assault rifle, on two Rowan students of color. President Houshmand opened the forum by acknowledging the "huge traumatic impact" of such incidents, noting that "the pain doesn't stop with the physical pain." He later announced plans to continue the conversation in additional meetings with borough officials, the Student Government Association, and the students involved. A number of Rowan students of color spoke after the president’s remarks and said they collectively feel targeted by the Glassboro police; several even told of being pulled over so often that they have developed acquaintances with certain officers. Speakers also questioned the appropriateness of the procedures used in these numerous altercations and wondered at what point Rowan police are notified that borough officers are on campus. A majority, however, wondered why the Glassboro police chose not to attend the open forum. (Thank you to colleague Nicole Cesare for providing information for this item.)
 
 
Sophomore Clinic Takes to the Stage in Minneapolis
 
Rowan Writing Arts and our coterie of Sophomore Engineering Clinic 1 instructors were well represented at last week’s Council for Programs in Technical and Scientific Communication (CPTSC) annual conference held on the University of Minnesota campus in Minneapolis. Four of our colleagues – (from left in photo) Jude Miller, Grace Fillenwarth, Tim Donaldson, and Steve Royek – presented and conducted a panel discussion on “Creating Value Through Fostering Connections: Programmatic and Pedagogical Responses to Trends in Engineering” on the second morning of the three-day meeting. Grace spoke first and gave an overview of Rowan Writing Arts, our university’s Engineering program, and the Clinic writing courses that are team-taught by faculty from both departments; Steve presented on the theory and technique behind teamwork, team charters, and collaborative writing; Jude talked about resumes, cover letters, and the trend toward digital, web-based student portfolios and C.V.s; while Tim wrapped up with a look at boosting creativity in classrooms with out-of-the-box discussions and exercises. Click here for the full conference program, and to see our new Rowan Writing Arts advertisement (on page 18). Finally, for your future file: The CPTSC 2019 annual conference is scheduled to be held at West Chester (Pa.) University from (tentatively) Thursday, October 10 to Saturday, October 12. Click here for the CPTSC home page.
 
 
Avoid Those Endless ‘Gesundheits;’ Get A Flu Shot
 
While the sentiment behind the German language response to a sneeze – “gesundheit” – literally means “health,” it’s a phrase most folks would rather not hear if it means they’ve recently contracted the flu. It doesn’t matter if the bug came from your students, your family, or any other face-to-face social contact, the flu isn’t fun. It’s messy, you’re contagious, and it can keep you out of the classroom, if not home on the couch, for who knows how long. The Rowan Wellness Center at Winans Hall is holding flu shot clinics on campus for the rest of October at which faculty and staff, as well as students, can get vaccinated. Click here for more information or visit the Wellness Center home page for more details.
 
 
Do you have a new publication, a reading, or any other event of interest coming up? Please let me know so I can let all our colleagues know in the weekly Rowan Writing Arts Events Update newsletter. Stop by my Victoria 521 office or email me at [email protected] to give me the 4-1-1.
 
Access Events Update online by clicking here.
 
Stephen A. Royek, M.A.
Lecturer, Writing Arts
Rowan University
2015 Rowan Medallion Award winner
     Phone: 856-906-4755
     Victoria Hall, Room 521
     Email: [email protected]

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