Letter from Norman, January 2009

Dec 28th, 2008 | By IWCA Web Editor | Category: Letters from the President

A new year:  I didn’t think I did too much holiday feasting, but that belt sure is tightening!

Most of us move toward middle age by letting our belt slip to a next opening…we pretend not to notice how we are no longer letting that buckle slip into the most used and worn in comfortable slot…now we have to pass by it…we have a little extra to take care of…we have to let the belt expand.

beltSo belt-tightening does not often happen on our bodies…but it is certainly happening in our centers.   At recent IWCA and NCTE conferences we noticed many sessions were cancelled as travel funding was yanked at the last minute.   Writing centers are not alone; most colleges and universities have announced system-wide hiring freezes, budget cuts in operating expenses, and a distinct cut in professional development support.

Professional development support is usually the first to get cut in a budget.   Seen as extraneous and easy to dismiss as not vital to the daily operations, professional development is certainly misunderstood and undervalued.  Even if we figure out how to make it clear to our institutions how vital professional development opportunities are for us, we may not gain the necessary financial support to participate.

So…

We’ll need now to be creative in seeking professional development opportunities and start by tapping into our existing resources:

  • Hunker down:  writing and research don’t cost much; convert that conference paper into an article for publication; read some new writing center books and write a review for one of our publications; start a research project in your own writing center
  • Local yokels: look around for campus faculty and local speakers who can visit your staff and facilitate workshops, seminars, and special topic discussions
  • Harness technology: learn which teleconferencing tools your campus owns and bring your regional WCA together in online meetings
  • Pool and proxy: car pool to regional events; send a proxy for a whole group if your center cannot afford to pay for all
  • Director’s Day Out: an idea from the great Northwest WCA…a designated day and location where all local directors meet for lunch and networking

    • News & Forecast for 2009

    • The elections for officer positions: February 2, 2008
    • Research awards: deadlines for applications January and July
    • Best book and Best article will be decided and announced March 2009 at CCCC in San Francisco
    • Future IWCA locations will be decided – send a proposal by February 2, 2009
    • Committees will be working on membership, conferences and institutes, and web development
    • Summer Institute: Temple University July 2009

    Our web site offers more details on all of these news items…please check in often!
    www.writingcenters.org

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