[Cwgrad-announcements] please help

[Carly Kimmel]

A few weeks ago I emailed the list serve in a desperate attempt to  
get some answers regarding what classes would be offered for winter  
quarter.  What I was looking for was a list of class descriptions put  
together by the faculty that details what classes are being offered,  
what the format of the class will be, what the reading lists will be,  
and how much work to expect. I was told to wait and look it up when  
the schedule of classes was released. I still hoped some of the  
teachers would read my email and send me the information I requested  
so that I could compile it for them and then distribute the master  
list to all of the graduate students in our program.

Well I waited, and my patience was a huge waste of time. The schedule  
of classes is for the most part totally useless. It does not give us  
reading lists, it does not offer specifics, and often times it does  
not even tell us who will be teaching the class. After my first  
email, only one faculty member responded to my email. ONE !!! Plenty  
of people stopped me on campus to tell me they shared my frustrations  
- students and teachers.. "good for you," they said - and yet no one  
did anything. Are we really that busy?

Most of the faculty already know what classes they will be teaching  
in Spring. I think the students should have that information as well.  
We are not simply planning one quarter, we are planning two full  
years, and what classes are being offered now verses in Spring could  
and should make a big difference in what we choose to register for.  
This is not an outlandish request. It is unacceptable that other than  
Professor Winer, who is on sabbatical and not even teaching this  
quarter, no one answered my call for help. Why aren't the teachers  
eager and able to help us get the most out of this program?

Rumors are flying around that Tom Lutz will be teaching a craft class  
on our campus next quarter. Why weren't we notified? How hard would  
it be to send out an email or stick a flyer in our boxes? I am  
assuming he would be a visiting or new professor which seems worthy  
of a little advertising. Most of us would jump at the chance to work  
with him, and yet the majority of us had no idea a class with him in  
Riverside was even an option.

The system is inefficient and here you have a motivated capable  
student offering to help free of cost. Please take advantage of it.

I care very deeply about this program, in fact I feel absolutely  
privileged to be here - On the first day of classes Susan Straight  
told us that it is our responsibility as students to make it the  
strongest and most prestigious writing program around- to make it as  
good as Irvine and Iowa - and I took that very seriously. I am  
willing to do my part - to read all that I can, to perfect my craft,  
and to learn what the professors on the campus have to teach me - I  
am here to do nothing if not work my absolute hardest, but along with  
my commitment comes an expectation that the administration and the  
faculty will do their part as well. There is no reason we can't work  
together to get organized.

Faculty - please send  your class descriptions for this quarter and  
next to carlyrose at mac.com . It doesn't matter if you don't know when  
and where the class will be offered - just let us know what we can  
expect in the coming months.

I am sorry for the long rant, but I hope it will prove worth the time  
it took to compose, and the time you took to read it.
Thank you for doing so,

Carly Kimmel
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