Texas A & M-Commerce 18th Annual English Graduate Conference in English

Just received this from Dr. Lackey - another fairly local conference to consider submitting to and possibly attending - get those lines on your CV!! (Interesting that this graduate student organization also chose "egad" as their acronym, isn't it? Of course, ours is better because it's EGADS! with that exclamation point - makes all the difference!!)

Poets, Practice, and Passion in the Profession: A Dare to be Different

Texas A&M University-Commerce will hold the 18th Annual English Graduates for Academic Development (EGAD) Conference on February 26, 2010. We are pleased to welcome slam poet and educator Taylor Mali as our keynote speaker for the conference (more information at taylormali.com). Taylor’s mission statement includes this important line: “I want to be a spokesman for teaching’s nobility, one of the poets laureate of passion in the classroom.” His goal—to be part of a movement that brings smart, successful, and qualified people into classrooms across America. Althusser posits that teachers are the only people tenably positioned to bring about effective change, and we at EGAD feel that we are all teachers in some sense, using words and language as the “weapons.” Althusser refers to our efforts to create meaning in our lives and in the lives of those we touch, through teaching, tutoring, writing, and performing.

EGAD is now accepting proposals for papers and panels dealing with contemporary issues in academia. While adherence to the conference theme is not necessary, it is encouraged, and we welcome submissions from all areas of academic discourse including, but not limited to: English, History, Journalism, Political Science, Education, Psychology, and Sociology. Submissions due Jan. 8, 2010. Registration materials will be sent upon acceptance to the conference. Panels will be organized by topic.

Suggested areas of interest:

Critical Theory
Foreign Language Studies
Science Fiction
Academia/Professional Issues
Composition & Rhetoric
Linguistics/ESL
Pedagogy
Pop Culture
Grad Student Issues
Writing Center Theory & Practice
Film Studies
Literary Studies
Technology in the Classroom
Drama
Art
Creative Writing*

*N.B. The conference will include sessions dedicated to Creative Writing, both for writers to share their works with an audience and for writers to learn from experienced writers, including a poetry workshop with Taylor Mali.

Share your passion for your profession with us at EGAD by submitting your paper/panel abstract of 250-500 words by January 8, 2010. Electronic submissions are encouraged, and should be sent as MS Word or .rtf document attachments. Panel proposals and workshops are welcome, as are individual paper proposals. Notification of acceptance and registration information will be sent electronically upon acceptance decision.

Please visit our site for further information and a chance to witness Mali’s passion and powerful delivery. https://webmail2.utb.edu/owa/redir.aspx?C=a266115b623d444e9e4bd0abd4dd87f8&URL=http%3a%2f%2forgs.tamu-commerce.edu%2fEGAD%2f

Send inquiries and abstracts to:
EGAD
c/o Angela J. Kennedy
Department of Literature and Languages
P. O. Box 3011
Texas A&M University-Commerce
Commerce, TX 75429-3011
email: https://webmail2.utb.edu/owa/redir.aspx?C=a266115b623d444e9e4bd0abd4dd87f8&URL=mailto%3aEGADConferenceChair%40gmail.com

"Rifle" Versus "Riffle"

An interesting Q&A from Grammar Girl.

Q: The other day on Twitter I said I was going to riffle through the medicine cabinet looking for something to soothe a wicked headache, and someone corrected me saying that I was actually rifling through my medicine cabinet. My headache went away, but my curiosity about these two words didn't.

A: Both "riffle" and "rifle" mean to go through something, but when you're riffling you're hastily flipping through something--such as book pages--or shuffling cards ("riffle" is thought to be a blend between "ripple" and "ruffle"), and when you're rifling you're searching frantically or ransacking, usually meaning to steal something ("rifle" is from the Old French word for "steal or plunder"). Indeed, I meant to rifle.

Conference Website Up!

Our webmaster, Robert Carlson, has posted the website for the spring conference. Looking good!

Elena Poniatowska at UTPA Nov. 10

It is very fitting that Elena Poniatowska will be the author inaugurating UTPA Library’s new “Innovative Voices” speaker series on Tuesday, November 10. She has wide appeal for students and faculty in so many different disciplines, including journalism, Spanish and English literature, political science, history, creative writing and women’s studies. She is one of the greatest living writers in Mexico today and certainly one of the most courageous. Several showcases of her books are on display in the Library Lobby. Since the Engineering Auditorium has only 256 chairs, seating will be on a first-come, first served basis. Free admission. UTPA Bookstore will have copies of her award winning novel The skin of the sky at the event.

Author Talk: The Patriarch

Brownsville author Frank D. Yturria will be giving a talk and book signing for The Patriarch: The Remarkable Life and Extraordinary Times of Francisco Yturria on Friday, November 6 at 6 p.m. at Paragraphs bookstore in South Padre Island.

Francisco Yturria was one of the founders of Brownsville. The book was published by UTB/TSC in 2006.

I'm looking forward to it!

Proper Citation or Plagiarism: Your Choice

Faculty are becoming very interested in pursuing cases of plagiarism through on-line sources that assist them in finding sources being used by students. Students find themselves getting into trouble for plagiarism that they did not intend to commit, but simply did not know how to cite a source, or what format to use.

The Learning Enrichment Center (LEC) at UTB/TSC would like to help you avoid common citation error, the dreaded “Plagiarism” grade (F) and possible disciplinary referral. The Center is sponsoring the following sessions to help you with your end of term papers and alleviate student fears of submitting plagiarized work.

“Citing Your Sources - APA Style”
Presenter: Griselda Valerio, LEC Coordinator – Special
Projects
Location: MRC North Hall 108
Date: Tuesday, November 10
Time: Noon and 6 p.m.

“Citing Your Sources - MLA Style”
Presenter: Daniel J. Perez, LEC Assistant Director
Location: MRC North Hall 104
Date: Tuesday, November 10
Time: Noon and 6 p.m.

Sponsored by the UTB/TSC Learning Enrichment Center and the Dean of Students Office

Inquiries may be addressed to: Daniel.Perez@utb.edu or Griselda.Valerio@utb.edu