Identifies the difficulties faced by a female English department head. Creates several case studies of typical moments of conflict experienced by a department chair of feminist leanings. (HB)

Traces the historically optimistic view of college-secondary school cooperation. Asks why such optimism has faded in recent years. Considers how college-level departments of English can collaborate with high school English programs, such as in collaborative conferences. (HB)

Considers the tension between deterministic social construction and individual autonomy of the subject in the act of reading literary texts. Develops a critical reading pedagogy that takes into account the balance between those two extremes of the dialectic of reading praxis. Illustrates the pedagogy with two concrete examples. (HB)

Discusses the central issues regarding the formulation of a technology policy within college English departments. Examines the way that such a policy affects the teaching and research carried out in computer-supported environments. Provides extensive data concerning the support of computer-using faculty members. (HB)

Cautions that the economic woes faced by many colleges involve the risk of losing many graduate programs. Describes a scenario in which primarily research-oriented staff are forced to teach, thus forcing the collapse of graduate programs at all but a few institutions. Discusses a typical workload at many universities and its implications. (PA)

Describes how the English department at Merrimack College set out to revise the English curriculum as a participant in the MLA-FIPSE English Programs Curriculum Review Project. Shows how the faculty redesigned the curriculum, and articulates two strategies marking the successful phases of the process. (HB)

Discusses the role of theory in the classroom practices of English professors. Defines the centrality of theory in English instruction and claims that theory is always implicit in any reading of texts. Advocates empowering students to deploy their own theoretical positions in classroom discussion and practice. (HB)

Analyzes recent trends in the placement of English PhDs as professional teachers and university personnel. Provides data from the Modern Language Association's study of the 1991-92 placement activities at member institutions. (HB)

Discusses research regarding two-career couples working within college English departments. Reports that institutions in large metropolitan areas are more hopeful about spousal placement. Observes that few colleges still have antinepotism laws forbidding spousal hiring. Notes that institutions are devising strategies for specific situations.…

Describes how the English department at Roger Williams University set out to revise and revive the English major under difficult circumstances during the 1988-89 school year. Shows how the faculty redesigned the curriculum, recruited new majors, and established support programs. (HB)

Considers the profound impact of severe budget cuts on the English department at Portland State University. Describes some of the surprising and peculiar types of behavior among faculty members resulting from intense departmental changes. Provides advice for chairs facing similar budget restrictions. (HB)

Discusses the seemingly contradictory nature of chairing an English department by highlighting the opposing impulses faced, especially as related to funding. Presents the situation in the form of a parable similar to a work by Franz Kafka. (HB)

Considers the rewards and sufferings of English department heads. Offers advice aimed particularly at those who have newly been appointed as department chairs. Describes the major challenges faced by department chairs. Provides a list of "dos and don'ts" for new department heads. (HB)

Considers the ways by which English departments might begin the process of revitalization. Provides suggestions in eight areas of concern: record keeping, teaching, scheduling, advertising, handling workloads, revising the curriculum, funding, and hiring. (HB)

Describes steps taken by the English department at Washington State University to deal with the double bind of overproduction of PhDs and the situation of temporary instructors. Addresses the forces pushing against these efforts and the department chair's difficulties in dealing with those forces. (RS)