News from the Chair
Greetings (again) to the graduates and friends of the English Department at the University of Pittsburgh. This is the second of what we hope will be an annual newsletter, one intended to keep you up to date on the department and its activities. We sponsor a variety of events throughout the academic year: lectures, readings, colloquia, and films. We use the local papers to publicize these events and there is a regular calendar posted in the Cathedral. If you are ever curious about what is going on, feel free to give us a call (624-6506). Ask for Peg. She is keeping the Events calendar.
We had a busy year in 96/97, ending with the reading by Salman Rushdie in the Spring. This was an amazing evening, as anyone who was there will say. There were over 700 people at the Masonic Temple and the atmosphere was electric. Rushdie read from his novel, The Moor's Last Sigh, and then was in conversation with questioners from the audience and with Christopher Hitchens, our Visiting Mellon Professor. According to the Post Gazette, it was one of the most significant cultural events of the year. There is a video tape of the reading at the Hillman Library. Christopher Hitchens brought his own great charm and energy to the department for a semester. Christopher is a regular columnist for Vanity Fair and The Nation and the author of 13 books, the last three on the United Nations, the war in Kurdistan and Mother Theresa.
In Fall '97, we began to prepare for our once-a-decade evaluation as an English department. We wrote a large, comprehensive Self-Study and, in Spring '98, we were visited by both an Internal FAS Review Committee and an External Review Committee. We received their reports this Fall and I'm please to say that we came out with flying colors. The External Evaluators said, "This is a healthy, indeed vibrant department, ch
cterized not just by an excellent reputation but by excellent programs and faculty, in all its concentrations, meriting that reputation....It is a department that has at one and the same time created a top-echelon graduate program, a strong undergraduate major with an impressive array of concentrations from which students can choose, and a national model for general education courses." And: "The strength of 'Pitt English' -- its quality and visibility -- comes not only from its strong research faculty, its prominent editorships, and its leadership in national professional organizations, but also, and perhaps more importantly, from a sustained, self-reflexive reinvention of its programs which has set a national standard for the redefinition of the field of "literary studies." Needless to say, we were gratified to receive this endorsement from our colleagues.
The Self-Study completed a three-year cycle of curriculum review that produced changes in the structure of the MA (introducing required core courses in lieu of an exam) and in the structure of the literature major (introducing a junior seminar). (A copy of the Self-Study is available in the Crow Room on the 5th Floor.) We have also completed a plan for an Honors English Major and instituted a joint major in English literature and English Writing. And, at a time of general belt-tightening, I am please to say that the FAS Dean has provided substantial annual fund to support a Visiting Writers Series, one that has allowed us to plan a program of readings on a much grander scale than was ever possible in the past. All these readings will be open to the public. The first series began this Fall. Keep your eye out in the local papers.
Milestones
We were pleased to welcome two new members of the faculty, Dwight McBride and Kellie Robertson. You will find profiles of both Dwight and Kellie in the Newsletter. Ed Ochester completed his last year as Director of the Writing Program in Spring '98, a job he has done with great flair and distinction for 18 years. Lynn Emanuel took over the reins as Director this Fall. Phil Wion completed his term as Director of the Literature Program. he played a major role in the review and redesign of our undergraduate curriculum. Nancy Glazener, recently promoted to Associate Professor, has taken over as Director of Literature. It is a great pleasure to welcome both Nancy and Lynn to leadership positions in the department. William E. Coles, Jr., will be retiring at the end of this Fall Term. Ed Ochester, Robert Marshall and Austin Flanders will be retiring at the end of the Spring Term.
Finally, I note with deep sadness and regret the deaths of two members of our faculty.
Cynthia Sutherland died in February, 1998, after a long battle with cancer. Cynthia joined our faculty in 1968. She was one of the founding members of Pitt's Women's Studies Program. She had a long and distinguished career as a teacher and scholar and is fondly remembered by many of our undergraduate majors.
Carol Kay died suddenly and tragically on Saturday, September 12th, 1998, from complications associated with aplastic anemia. She was 51. Carol received her PhD from Harvard in 1975. She joined our faculty in September, 1989, after teaching at Princeton, Amherst, Washington University and NYU. Carol wrote on the literature of the 18th century and its relations to 18th century philosophy and political thought. She has a devoted following of students, both graduate and undergraduate, and her loss has been a constant presence as we meet and teach this year. Her legacy was celebrated in a moving and spirited memorial gathering on campus in October 1998.
Contributions in celebration of the life and work of Cynthia Sutherland and Carol Kay can be made to the English Department.
Honors and Awards
Nick Coles was awarded the Chancellor's Distinguished Service Award in Spring 1997 for his outstanding contributions to the students and teachers of Western Pennsylvania through the Western Pennsylvania Writing Project. Jonathan Arac was awarded the Chancellor's Distinguished Research Award in Spring 1998 in recognition of the significance and the international reception of his contributions to literary studies. Marcia Landy was appointed a University Distinguished Service Professor in the Fall of 1998. Toi Derricotte (The Black Notebooks) and Buddy Nordan (Lightning Song) had books listed on New York Times' 1997 end of year list of "notable books." The Black Notebooks also won the Anisfield-Wolf Book Award and the American Library Association Black Caucus Award; her book of poetry, Tender, received the 1998 Paterson Poetry Prize. Toi was invited to the "Millenium Evening" at the White House. Lee Gutkind's An Unspoken Art: Profiles of Veterinary Life was chosen as a Book of the Month Club selection. The Pitt Poetry Series, edited by Ed Ochester, continues to win notice and awards; most recently Alicia Ostriker's The Crack in Everything won the 1997 Paterson Poetry Prize and was nominated for a National Book Award.
Finally
Please keep in touch. If I can answer questions about the department or if we can be of service to you in any way, please don't hesitate to call (624-6509) or to send an email (barth@pitt.edu).