Spring 2013 Schedule/Office Hours

This link will take you to my Spring 2013 schedule of classes and office hours.  Sometimes a meeting may be scheduled during my posted office hours that I must attend, but I will be available as much as possible during those times. I am on campus a great deal, so please feel free to ask me for an appointment at times other than posted hours; I’ll often be able to meet with you.

Impson schedule Spring 2013

Essay Evaluation Guidelines

Under Policies and Guides in the sidebar, I’ve added a document detailing the criteria by which the Bryan College English Department evaluates student essays.  This will assist you in understanding the grades you receive on your work.

9/11 Ten Years After

A few links to help us remember what should never be forgotten:

Bill Luse at What’s Wrong with the World:  ”A Sunday Thought for the Victims of 9/11“

Rich Lowry at National Review Online:  ”A Decade of Heroes“ 

And a sobering view from Mark Steyn, also at NRO, of how we may have failed to meet the challenge of that day horrific day:  ”Let’s Roll Over“

An excellent memorial video:  ”In Memoriam: Remembering September 11, 2001“

Welcome to the Fall 2011 Term

This morning I have been looking back through Gene Edward Veith’s The Spirituality of the Cross.  In it, he discusses Martin Luther’s concept of “vocation” as simply how we are related to other people (not the narrower meaning we often use of one’s paying job).  So my vocations include being a daughter, a sister, a wife, a mother, a grandmother, as well as being a professional writer and being a teacher, the latter of which includes both being under the authority of my department head, my dean, and the college president and being in authority over my students.  My vocations also include being a citizen of my town, my state, my country, as well as being a member of the church body, local and universal.  All of these are “vocations” because they define particular relationships to other people and particular responsibilities of service in each of those relationships.

As I scanned underlined passages and marginalia, the following struck me as especially appropriate for the beginning of a new academic year:

The purpose of one’s vocation, whatever it might be, is serving others.  It has to do with fulfilling Christ’s injunction to love one’s neighbor.  Though justification has nothing to do with good works, vocation does involve good works.  The Christian’s relationship to God is based on sheer grace and forgiveness on God’s part; the Christian’s relationship to other people, however, is to be based on love put into action.  As Wingren [discussing Luther's concept] puts it, “God does not need our good works, but our neighbor does.”

May this attitude be the foundation of all our work.

Congratulations!

Congratulations to Elijah Ammen!

From the English Department:

The Department of English is pleased to announce that the 2011 recipient of the Richard M. Cornelius Award for Excellence in Research Writing is Elijah Ammen. His thesis, “The Heroic Self: The Role of Myth and Archetypes in Christianity,” was judged to be the best among the many excellent submissions from the graduating seniors.

Our deepest thanks goes to all our seniors for their fine work this year.

Plagiarism Policy Update

The Bryan College English Department has updated its plagiarism policy of this semester to reflect new institutional guidelines.  It remains essentially the same, but you should review it so that you understand the consequences of this act against academic integrity.

The Power of the Word

Gerard Manley Hopkins to the poet Robert Bridges:  ”I say it deliberately and before God, I would have you and Canon Dixon and all true poets remember that fame, the being known, though in itself one of the most dangerous things to man, is nevertheless the true and appointed air, element, and setting, of genius and its works.  What are works of art for? to educate, to be standards.  Education is meant for the many, standards are for public use. [. . .]  Let your light shine before men that they may see your good works (say, of art) and glorify yr. Father in heaven [. . .].”  (13 Oct. 1886)