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Periodicals
ISSN 0160-5720
85 Broad Street, suite 500
New York, NY 10004-2434
Volume 50
Number 3
Fall 2018
IN THIS ISSUE
1 Who’s Teaching English
and Foreign Language
Courses?
2 MLA 2019 on the Web
3 The Foreign Language
Join Us for MLA 2019! Requirement in the
Twenty-First Century
4 Ten Places to See in
Registration is open for the 2019 convention. Chicago
Learn more and register at www.mla.org/MLA-2019. 5 President’s Column
Volume 50
Number 3
Fall 2018
AA-GRANTING DEPARTMENTS BA-GRANTING DEPARTMENTS PHD-GRANTING DEPARTMENTS
Who’s teaching
English Other Languages English Other
Languages
English Other
Languages
which classes in
English and
other language
departments
in the United
States?
This graph shows a breakdown of
what types of courses are being
First-year writing sections First-year language offered and who is teaching them
sections at 415 departments across the
United States.
Full-time tenure-track
faculty members
Full-time non-tenure-track
faculty members
Part-time faculty members
Other lower-division Graduate student
undergraduate course sections teaching assistants
Upper-division undergraduate Area of circle corresponds to
course sections average number of sections of
each course offered
Who’s Teaching English and Foreign
Language Courses?
Newly published MLA data give us a COURSE OFFERINGS The picture was similar in foreign lan-
better picture of who’s teaching which The survey results reveal that sections of guage departments: sections of first-year
courses in English and foreign language first-year courses made up a considerable language made up 46.0% of all offerings
departments. While data on faculty ap- proportion of all sections offered in En- among the departments surveyed. But
pointments are widely available by in- glish and foreign language departments the proportion of sections of first-year
stitution, we know much less about the in fall 2014. Sections of first-year writing language to sections of other course
composition of the faculty and course were by far the most prevalent type of types varied slightly more among the
staffing within specific departments. course offered in English departments. different types of language departments
To help fill this gap, the MLA in 2015 This prevalence was evident across all surveyed than it did for English depart-
asked chairs of English and language department types, although the share ments. At BA-, MA-, and PhD-granting
departments to complete a survey on of sections of first-year writing as a per- departments, between 38.5% and 46.3%
their instructors, the type and number of centage of all course sections varied con- of all course sections offered were first-
courses offered, and course staffing in siderably. At AA-granting departments, year language, whereas first-year lan-
the fall 2014 term. 74.4% of all sections offered were first- guages represented a full four out of
In all, 438 departments responded, year writing, but first-year English also five (80.0%) of all sections offered by
shedding new light on teaching in En- represented 40.0%, 47.3%, and 50.0% AA-granting language departments.
glish and foreign language departments of all sections offered at BA-, MA-, and
in United States higher education. PhD-granting departments, respectively. (continued on p. 2)
1
(continued from p. 1) teaching assistants (TAs),
and part-time faculty mem- MLA 2019 on the Web
INSTRUCTOR RANK AND bers in English departments
COURSE STAFFING were more likely to teach Registration is under way! CONVENTION DATES
Another notable finding of first-year writing than any The Program is live! Don’t AND DEADLINES
the survey concerns the other type of course. On av- miss out on the latest infor-
breakdown of teaching as- erage, 54.4% of the course mation about the 2019 con- 6 DECEMBER
signments by instructor rank. sections taught by non- vention: visit the MLA Web Regular convention
At MA- and PhD- granting tenure-track faculty mem- site (w w w . mla . org/ M LA registration deadline
deparments, full- t ime ten- bers in English departments -2019) for event highlights, 17 DECEMBER
ured or tenure-track faculty were first- year writing, a links to registration, housing, Postmark deadline for
members were more likely to figure that jumped to 69.0% and more! requesting convention
teach upper-division courses for part-time faculty mem- registration refunds
for undergraduates than bers and 79.4% for gradu- TRAVEL ASSISTANCE
20 DECEMBER
any other type of course. ate student TAs. In foreign The MLA offers $400 grants
Convention hotel
Of all the English course language departments, of to help cover expenses for reservation deadline
sections taught by full-time the sections taught by full- travel to the MLA convention,
tenured and tenure- t rack time non-tenure-t rack fac- which will be held in Chicago 3–6 JANUARY
faculty members in these ulty members, 47.0% were from 3 to 6 January 2019. MLA 2019 Annual
departments, 43.8% were first-year language courses; Non-tenure-track members, Convention
upper-division courses for this went up to 61.0% for unemployed members, and
undergraduates. In foreign part-time faculty members members living abroad who
language departments, the and 67.0% for graduate were members during the within and outside academia
share was slightly higher, at student TAs. previous year may apply or in seeing what other
48.7% at PhD-granting de- In both English and for- for financial assistance. For humanities-related programs
partments and 49.5% at MA- eign language depar t- more information and to ap- are doing to innovate? Then
granting departments. ments, the likelihood that ply online, visit www. mla join us on 4 January 2019,
While full-t ime tenured nontenured or tenure-track .org/f inancial- assistance. from 1:00 to 4:30 p.m., at the
and tenure- t rack faculty instructors were teach- The deadline is 1 December Fairmont Chicago, Millen-
members in BA- g ranting ing first-year courses was 2018. nium Park in Chicago. Visit
foreign language depart- greatest at AA-granting de- outreach.mla.org/attendees/
ments were also most likely partments. Of the course INFORMATION FOR for details.
to teach upper- d ivision sections taught by full-time ATTENDEES
courses, this was not the non-t enure-t rack faculty Did you know there’s a page MLA EXHIBIT HALL
case for their colleagues members, 73.8% were first- dedicated to information Wonder who is exhibiting at
in English departments. In year writing and 69.4% for 2019 MLA convention the 2019 convention? Check
BA- g ranting English de- were first-year language. attendees? To stay current out our exhibitor list (www
partments, full-time tenured Strikingly, of all the sections on event highlights, profes- .mla . org/ 2 019 - exhibitors)
and tenure- t rack faculty taught by part-time faculty sional development opportu- and locate your favorite
members were about as members at AA- g ranting nities, and more, go to www presses and publishers be-
likely to teach first-year writ- departments, 80.2% were .mla . org/i nformation - for fore the convention.
ing courses (35.3%) as they first-year writing and an as- -attendees.
were upper-division under- tounding 90.8% were first- PLANNING A CONVENTION
graduate courses (35.2%). year language. POSSIBLE FUTURES SESSION
On the flip side, across For a more detailed look CAREER FAIR AND Need help preparing for or
all department types, non- at the results of the survey, PROGRAMS SHOWCASE running a convention session?
tenure-track faculty mem- please visit the MLA Web site Are you interested in dis- Visit www.mla.org/planning
bers, graduate student (www.mla.org/2014 -Staffing). covering new career paths -a-session.
The MLA Newsletter (ISSN 0160-5720) is published four times a year (Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter) by the Modern Language Association of America, 85 Broad
Street, suite 500, New York, NY 10004-2434. The MLA Newsletter is edited by the executive director of the association, Paula M. Krebs. The managing editor
is Anna S. A. Chang. The cost of an annual subscription is $8. The subscription price is included in the dues of all members of the association. Periodicals
postage paid at New York, NY, and at additional mailing offices. All news items and letters should be sent to the MLA Newsletter at the above address.
POSTMASTER: Send address changes to MLA Newsletter, 85 Broad Street, suite 500, New York, NY 10004-2434.
MLA and the MODERN LANGUAGE ASSOCIATION are trademarks owned by the Modern Language Association of America.
2The Foreign Language Requirement in the
Twenty-First Century
In recent years, foreign language re- against waivers of the foreign languagepoints on the urgency of language learn-
quirements at postsecondary institutions requirement for students who have com- ing at the national level; making faculty
have again been subjected to attacks pleted a certain amount of seat time ormembers aware of the necessity of inter-
from both inside and outside the acad- acquired a designated proficiency level.
mediate language skills to maintain the
emy—attacks motivated by short-term Following this model, all students, re-university’s chapter of Phi Beta Kappa;
measures of utility, by a misunderstand- gardless of the proficiency level attained
referencing requirements at peer insti-
ing of the methods and goals of language through prior study, should be requiredtutions; noting connections within the
study, and all too often by a broader dis- to complete at least one college-levelexperiential knowledge gained from
regard for the humanities and the liberal foreign language course, just as they language learning as it relates to issues
arts. What is becoming increasingly clear are required to complete general edu- of diversity and cultural difference; and
is that responding to such challenges cation courses in other fields, “none of
coordinating a response from leaders of
requires a more inclusive, sustained, which may be satisfied with advanced ethnic organizations in the Detroit metro
and systematic discussion of the value placement,” as noted in the committee area, students, and prominent alumni
of language learning within general ed- report. The reasoning behind this ap- with direct experience of the value of
ucation curricula that engages with ad- proach is that intensive engagement foreign language study.
vocacy for the humanities and liberal with a foreign language at the postsec- Isabelli’s description of her efforts
arts. To promote the broadest possible ondary level is essential to the kind of
to maintain an intermediate-level for-
participation among stakeholders, the critical cross-cultural awareness thateign language requirement during the
ADFL Executive Committee organized allows students to become successful general education reform process at a
a plenary session entitled “The Foreign professionals in the twenty-first century
small, private liberal arts college in the
Language Requirement in the Twenty- and also enables them to make informed Midwest reinforced several of Duggan’s
First Century” at the ADFL Summer and ethical decisions on global issues.points while also acknowledging the
Seminar North at Michigan State Uni- Duggan’s remarks laid out the practi-
need to take into account accreditation
pressures in professional programs that
lead the directors of such programs to
“[R]esponding to such challenges requires a more seek reductions in general education
inclusive, sustained, and systematic discussion requirements across the board. While
it became clear from the panelists’ re-
of the value of language learning within general marks that one size does not fit all when
education curricula that engages with advocacy for it comes to an institution’s determining
a viable foreign language requirement,
the humanities and liberal arts.” it is possible to identify common strate-
gies for advocacy as well as collabora-
versity in June 2018. Using case studies cal strategies and arguments her depart- tive approaches among institutions that
at their respective institutions, the pan- ment utilized at Wayne State University have a history of infrequent communica-
elists—Mariana Bono (Princeton Univ.), to anchor its defense of a stronger lan- tion with one another.
Amy Dooling (Connecticut Coll.), Anne E. guage requirement in the college when In my capacity as president of the
Duggan (Wayne State Univ.), and Chris- calls were being made for a reduction ADFL and together with ADFL Director
tina Isabelli (Gonzaga Univ.)—described from a three-semester to a one-semester Dennis Looney, I organized the summer
successful strategies they used to advo- requirement. The result was a two- seminar plenary to build upon momen-
cate for language requirements. While semester requirement with an optional tum from the roundtable discussion
many language departments have been third semester that could count toward “Undergraduate Foreign Language
fighting a reactive battle to defend such the new university-level global learn- Requirements” held at the 2018 MLA
requirements, others have proactively ing requirement. The department was convention in New York City, in which
sought to expand them. able to obtain that outcome by situating panelists from a diverse array of institu-
Bono’s comments on Princeton’s 2016 itself concretely in the university’s mis- tions addressed pressing issues related
“Report of the Task Force on General sion statement and strategic plan. It did to foreign language requirements. These
Education” provide a model for arguing this by creating a fact sheet with talking included coordination between post-
3secondary and K–12 schools, curricular at the 2019 MLA Annual Convention in and the ADFL Executive Committee on
reform, and how to leverage language Chicago entitled “Promoting Language this important topic. We are especially
requirements to promote enrollments Study in Public Discourse.” In addition eager to learn about models, strategies,
in language majors and minors. To en- to the convention session, a cluster of and practices that have proven success-
courage further discussion of effective articles on undergraduate foreign lan- ful on your campus.
advocacy for language requirements guage requirements will appear in a
and programs, the ADFL Executive forthcoming issue of the ADFL Bulletin. Gary Schmidt
Committee will be holding a session I invite readers to communicate with me Coastal Carolina University
Ten Places to See in Chicago
The convention is returning to Chicago!
Great food, vast indoor markets, and his-
torical and literary museums are all part
of Chicago’s rich urban center. Below are
ten places to visit that could make your
MLA convention experience even more
memorable.
The AMERICAN WRITERS MUSEUM is
a great place to learn about how Amer-
ican writers influenced our nation’s his-
tory, identity, culture, and daily lives.
Rickshaw Photo, Inc.
Join an MLA excursion to the museum
and experience a private tour with the
museum’s president, Carey Cranston, or
explore the museum on your own.
American Writers Museum
The POETRY FOUNDATION, nestled be-
tween Near North Side and River North, AFTER-WORDS, an independent book- perfect spot for booklovers who love to
is a space dedicated to the art of poetry. store in downtown Chicago with over cook. Take a cooking class or peruse the
Use a listening booth to experience au- seventy thousand new and used vol- vast collection of cookbooks!
dio or video recordings of thirty thou- umes to browse, is sure to be a haven
sand volumes of poetry. for readers of all varieties. The RED LION PUB is a modern version
of the original Red Lion Pub in England,
The CHICAGO CULTURAL CENTER, The GREEN MILL is a historic jazz bar featuring not only drinks and food but
known as the People’s Palace, located located in the Uptown neighborhood. also books. If you’re looking for an
next to Millennium Park, opened in 1897 It was once one of Al Capone’s favorite English-inspired locale where you can
as Chicago’s first central public library. haunts. Enjoy cocktails and live music enjoy a pint of ale, pub fare, or an ex-
Although not a library today, the building from the ’30s and ’40s in Capone’s old tensive collection of books on British
is open to the public for free music and booth! literature and history, this is the place
events or to admire its Tiffany Favrile for you.
glass dome. CHICAGO FRENCH MARKET, an indoor
food market across from the Ogilvie RANDOLPH STREET MARKET, an in-
Looking to learn a little Chicago history Transportation Center, offers cheap and door market for antique and vintage
while you’re at the convention? Then delicious European-inspired food from a items, is also the place to sample and
visit the MCCORMICK BRIDGEHOUSE variety of local producers and retailers. purchase local produce and food.
MUSEUM to see the gears of the mov-
able bridge at river level and learn about READ IT & EAT, half bookstore, half We look forward to welcoming you to
the Chicago River! kitchen, located in Lincoln Park, is the Chicago!
4PRESIDENT’S COLUMN
Re-visioning
Textual Transactions Comment on this column at
president.mla.hcommons.org.
AS I LEFT FOR VACATION IN JULY, I Where tracks are offered, the most com- of first-year writing programs or intro-
tucked A Changing Major: The Report of monly available are literature; creative ductory language courses, and, yes,
the 2016–17 ADE Ad Hoc Committee on writing; English education; and rhetoric decisions about the major. In part such
the English Major into my bag. Not ex- and composition, technical writing, or a deprecations arise from institutional
actly beach reading, I thought, but since writing concentration that combines var- structures and funding patterns that
my own department slipped from 567 ious writing specializations under a rubric lie beyond departmental control, but
majors in 2012 to 294 in 2018 and is pro- such as professional writing or writing they also have roots in a tendency
jected to have only 184 majors by 2021, studies. The number of departments fea- to see words such as literacy and lit-
the report felt like a must-read. The As- turing this last option is notable, since erary, reading and writing, teaching
sociation of Departments of English, a it was not a response choice provided and scholarship, theory and practice
project of the MLA, provides a network on the questionnaire but was written in in dichotomous rather than mutually
for departmental leaders, just as the by respondents.(28) constituting terms. I propose that we
Association of Departments of Foreign reconsider some of these dichotomies,
Languages does for chairs of language I was relieved that rhetoric and compo- and Textual Transactions, my theme
departments. Both the ADE and the sition and technical writing had been in- for the MLA’s 2019 convention, offers
ADFL have long led curricular thinking, cluded in the survey, but I was troubled a space to re-vision (in Adrienne Rich’s
and the ADE report on the major is no that writing studies and other terms sense) our theories and our majors. I
exception. ADE colleagues scanned de- (language, linguistics, TESOL) had not invite you to engage in textual transac-
partmental Web sites and conducted a been included—and proud that col- tions in Chicago.
survey of ADE-member English depart- leagues had, like Frederick Douglass,
Anne Ruggles Gere
ments to create a detailed portrait of En- written them into “the spaces left.” 1 I
glish majors. was troubled because 65% of my de-
Sadly, I learned that my department’s partment’s undergraduate enrollment NOTE
drop in majors is not unique. Two-thirds is in writing studies (including first-year 1. Shifting terms (and their attendant the-
of departments reported lower numbers writing) and because these omissions ories and politics) are not unique to rheto-
of majors, and only 8% indicated growth connect to a century-old issue in En- ric and composition or to writing studies.
in the number of majors. Revision of the glish departments. In 1901, Gertrude For instance, postcolonial, world literature,
major is common: over 70% of depart- Buck, the first woman to receive a PhD global English, and Anglophone literature,
ments have recently revised or are cur- in rhetoric and composition, responded among others, likewise contend with one
rently revising the major; survey courses to an MLA survey regarding writing’s another.
are being replaced by distribution re- place in graduate study, noting that
quirements; creative writing has become literary criticism and rhetoric (today’s WORKS CITED
more established; and, surprisingly, few writing studies) were “subjects often A Changing Major: The Report of the 2016–17
departments have made “digital and me- set in different departments or colleges, ADE Ad Hoc Committee on the English Ma-
dia studies visible parts of the major or and jealously deprecated each by the jor. Association of Departments of English,
the curriculum” (20). Tracks (sometimes other” (199). July 2018, ade.mla.org/Changing- Major.
called concentrations or areas of em- Today’s specialists in literary criti- Buck, Gertrude. “What Does ‘Rhetoric’
phasis), usually programs of courses that cism, writing studies, and language Mean?” Educational Review, vol. 22, 1901,
account for about half the major, are pro- sometimes engage in deprecations, es- pp. 197–200.
liferating. In reading the commentary on pecially when making decisions about Rich, Adrienne. “When We Dead Awaken: Writ-
this phenomenon, I came across these hiring and tenure, graduate admissions, ing as Re-vision.” College English, vol. 34,
two sentences: teaching assignments, the positioning no. 1, 1971, pp. 18–30.
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