As department chair during the pandemic, I had less opportunity than I thought I would have to overhaul programs and build more efficient and more equitable structures in the department. There were just too many fires to put out, and a lot of energy went into successfully shifting hundreds of classes into remote delivery mode and back during a time of crisis. However, we did build consensus and support for the creation of the Center for the Teaching and Research on Writing, which for the first time brings all the (non-creative) writing-focused programs and units the department is home to — composition (English 100 and 200), ESL, the Writing Center, Writing Fellows, Writing across the Curriculum — under one roof and under the leadership of an Executive Director (my colleague Michael Bernard-Donals). As part of the process, the Greater Madison Writing Project transitioned from the School of Education to the English Department, massively increasing the outreach arm of our operations. An English Department at a great public university should be connected to the professional development of K-12 teachers, don’t you think?
I was happy to see that the University today highlights the GMWP’s work, also highlighting distinguished English (Creative Writing) and First Wave alum, poet (and Truman Scholar) Deshawn McKinney.