DRW Digital Archive

Items

• John Ruszkiewicz's 1992 Legal Pad
  A legal pad filled with notes about and a speech given at a Heritage Foundation seminar. At the end are notes on the formation of the Division of Rhetoric and Composition.
• Ruszkiewicz's notes preparing for Sept 1992 meeting about DRC formation
  Ruszkiewicz thinks about what the new division should do, how it should be structured, and how innovative it can be.
• Major Selling Points of Our Plan
  A list of seven major selling points for a plan to establish an autonomous writing program.
• Recommendations for a New Writing Program
  A two-page description of a proposed, autonomous writing program that offers E 306 ,E 317, E 346K and E 310.
• Summary of Administration
  A 3-page plan for a writing division administrative separate from the English Department.
• Minutes of the University Council Meeting of November 16, 1992
  At this meeting, the faculty deliberated and approved the Faculty Senate recommendation to constitute a committee to review the undergraduate writing program.
• Minutes of the University Council Meeting of October 19, 1992
  At this meeting, the only thing discussed was Dean King's proposal to create a Division of Rhetoric and Composition. Debate went on for 90 minutes.
• Background Material Concerning the College of Liberal Arts Proposal to Establish a Division of Rhetoric and Composition
  Several documents including letters from Robert King and William Cunningham, an _OnCampus_ article (11 May 1992), and a proposal for a Division of Rhetoric and Writing, all distributed to prepare faculty for the 19 October 1992 meeting of the University Council.
• Minutes of the University Council Meeting of September 21, 1992
  At this meeting John Durbin asked his questions about the newly established Division of Rhetoric and Composition. Several other faculty ask questions about how the decision was made, whether the faculty should have been involved, and whether the governance of the new division will violate university practices of faculty governance.
• First Regular Meeting of the University Council for 1992-1993, Order of Business
  John Durbin (Mathematics) asks the president several questions about the newly formed Division of Rhetoric and Composition.
• Minutes of the University Council Meeting of April 20, 1992
  At the beginning of this meeting, Wayne Marshall asked when the administration would respond to the Report of the Committee on the Undergraduate Experience. Livingston said he could not answer that question.
• Minutes of the University Council Meeting of January 27, 1992
  At this meeting, Frank Bean introduced the Report of the Committee on the Undergraduate Experience; no discussion of the report occurs.
• Fifth Regular Meeting of the University Council for 1991-1992, Order of Business
  At this meeting the Report of the Committee on the Undergraduate Experience was scheduled for presentation by Frank Bean
• Memo Expressing Robert King's Intention to create a Division of Rhetoric and Composition
  Dean Robert King writes to Joseph Kruppa (Chair of English), saying that he wants to appoint a chair to the new division, and he wants to establish a committee of English faculty to deliberate the division's shape.
• Minutes of the Faculty Senate, October 5, 1992
  At this meeting, the newly created Division of Rhetoric and Composition was discussed. Faculty raised concerns about the process and the effects of the new unit.
• The English Wars
  Davis, Rod. "The English Wars." _Texas Observer_ 28 Sept 1984, pp. 18-21. Davis, a lecturer, narrates the events of the spring of 1984/fall 1985, including the failed effort to dismiss 33 senior lecturers, disenfranchise all lecturers, and the lecturers' attempt to save their jobs.
• Request for Faculty Action Concerning the English Composition Program
  This proposal was submitted to the University Council by James Kinneavy to criticize the English Department's plan to revamp the composition program and to propose that the writing program be separated from the English Department. The proposal was classified as minor legislation to be considered at the 17 March 1986 University Council meeting.
• Some Professors Oppose Dropping E 306
  Ewing, Darryl. "Some Professors Oppose Dropping E 306." _Daily Texan_ 24 Feb 1986, p. 3. This article reports that the English Department voted to drop E 306, effective Fall 1988 (offering only Summer classes), and Dean King approved the proposal. Some information about the new E 309K courses is included. Maxine Hairston, John Ruszkiewicz, Joseph Kruppa, and Alan Gribben are quoted.
• Hugh Strange Letter to Ruszkiewicz, 13 January 1986
  Writing as a member of the E306 Subcommittee, Strange writes to report that a survey of E306 students has begun. He also asks to sit in on a section of E 306 for his own private research
• Sledd Letter Regarding Gribben Accusation, 7 October 1985
  Initial letter (by Sledd) addressing possible accusation against Sledd by Gribben. Sledd explains that in the last few days several people have reported Alan Gribben’s accusations made to the EC, the Dean, and the Provost, saying Sledd was in a conspiracy to embarrass Gribben publicly.
• Sledd Letter Regarding Possible Accusation by Gribben, 11 October 1985
  Sledd writes in response to Gribben’s accusations that Sledd assaulted him on Sept. 26, saying Gribben made the accusation in letters dated 28 Sept and 1 Oct, and given to the EC in an effort to have the committee reconsider its decision to appoint Sledd as professor emeritus.
• William Cunningham Letter to Sledd, 28 October 1985
  Letter addresses recent dispute between Sledd and Gribben and states that no disciplinary or administrative action had been taken against Sledd as of the writing of the letter
• Draft of Letter to Fonken with Notes, 25 February 1986
  A prefatory handwritten note asks for feedback on an attached letter to Gerhard Fonken. The letter says that the needs and interests of the students are not served by recent changes to the writing program. The letter argues that the new program will adversely affect the university's reputation, the Writing Center, and the graduate program in rhetoric. The letter defends the E 306 curriculum, saying it was never a remedial course. Finally the letter argues that E 309K will suit the needs of English literature faculty by letting “non-specialists” who know nothing about the research on writing instruction teach lower-division writing.
• Association of Graduate Students of English Minutes, 11 April 1986
  Minutes of the AGSE. Listed as present are Deaver, Fowler, McDonough, Gambrell, Campbell, McDonald, Balester, Penticoff, Peterson, and Parker. Among other topics discussed are: The status of graduate students on the FEPC and Bump’s plan to teach a computer-assisted composition course with Burns.
• Hugh Strange Note to Ruszkiewicz, 11 February 1986
  Hugh Strange thanks John Ruszkiewicz for articles and reports that they are finishing surveys conducted in December.