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VOL. 16, NO. 2 FALL 2004 A Biannual ASLEPublication of the Association for the Study News of Literature and Environment PRESIDENT ’ S COLUMN ASLE Leadership Holds Retreat, Approves Managing Director Position, and Moves Forward with 2005 Conference Plans In Linnaeus’s day it was common to refer to “the floral cal- endar,” as the turning year was accompanied by its seasonal succession of wildflowers. Here in New England, the end of August always means the blossoming of goldenrod, Joe- Pye weed, and chicory along our highways, of orange and yellow jewelweed in the wet ground and at the woods’ edge. At this vivid time the days remain generally warm but the crickets’ swelling chorus reminds everyone that summer really is drawing to a close. Whatever the signs of the season may be in the diverse landscapes where ASLE members live and work around the world, this is also often the cusp of a new academic year. Between the writing of this column and the actual publication of this Newsletter through Karla During the ASLE officers’ retreat in May, current president John Elder Armbruster’s creative efforts, fall classes will have begun for symbolically passes the leadership of ASLE to Allison Wallace, who will many of us. We will be experiencing the excitement that take over as ASLE’s president in 2005. comes with the arrival of students, the renewal of conversa- tion among colleagues, and the opportunity to approach our various European affiliates. There’s clearly an appetite for classes in fresh ways. the conversations that enhance our research and help us to maintain a larger perspective on our local institutions. The life of ASLE has its own calendar and rhythm—com- plementary to the structure of the academic year. In my The burgeoning of our organization, while exhilarating, is previous column I reported on the unprecedented range of also challenging on a logistical level. We already have well gatherings planned for the summer of 2004. Although we over 900 members, with an ever-increasing number of them will continue to hold our general conference on a biennial in our international affiliates. In order to serve such a com- basis, it’s clearly no longer appropriate to describe the inter- munity well, and to support the flourishing of conferences vening summers as “off-years” for ASLE! I’d like once more and other initiatives, we need to bring additional resources to thank Pavel Cenkl, Joni Adamson, and Hugh Dunkerley into the administration of ASLE. This past May a retreat for their leadership in organizing highly ambitious and suc- of the officers and Executive Council was held in Ripton, cessful conferences this year. Beyond those three get-togeth- Vermont, in order to consider just such matters. In addi- ers, there have been a number of other noteworthy events see PRESIDENT on page 3 in recent months—from a river trip by one cohort of ASLE CFP for ASLE’s Sixth Biennial Conference available on page 11. members to a conference in Germany by scholars active in ASLE News is the biannual newsletter of the Association for the Study of Literature and Environment, reporting ASLE business and publishing information of interest to its membership. Have an idea? Contact the newsletter editor, Karla Armbruster, at [email protected]. A Biannual ASLEPublication of the Association for the Study News of Literature and Environment Executive Sarah McFarland Council University of Oregon (date indi- Project/Professional Liaison Coordinator cates year Rochelle Johnson term expires) Albertson College of Idaho Pamela Banting Professional Organization Liaisons University American Literature Association of Calgary, Rochelle Johnson 2005 American Studies Association, Wes Berry Environmental Studies Caucus Rockford Joni Adamson and Adam Sweeting College, 2006 Conference on College Composition and Laird Communication (4Cs) Christensen Kaye Adkins Green Modern Language Association The McKenzie River, which runs alongside the campus of the University of Mountain Barbara Cook Oregon in Eugene, will be the site of ASLE’s Sixth Biennial Conference in College, 2004 Midwest MLA (M/MLA) June, 2005. Photo by Louise Westling. Ellen Goldey Tom Dean Wofford ASLE Officers College, 2006 Northeast Modern Language Association (NEMLA) President Mark Long Mark Long John Elder Keene State College, 2004 Middlebury College Adam Sweeting Pacific MLA (PAMLA) Rochelle Johnson Vice President Boston University, 2005 Allison Wallace Popular Culture Association Honors College, Project Coordinators Gyorgi Voros University of Central Arkansas Bibliography Editor/Coordinator Rocky Mountain MLA (RRMLA) Secretary-Treasurer H. Lewis Ulman Rochelle Johnson Annie Merrill Ingram The Ohio State University Davidson College Society for the Study of American Book Review Editor, ISLE Women Writers Public Relations Officer Michael Branch Rochelle Johnson Dan Phillipon University of Nevada, Reno University of Minnesota Diversity Coordinators ASLE Affiliates Executive Secretary Ann Fisher-Wirth ASLE-UK • ASLE-Korea • ASLE-ANZ Kathleen R. Wallace University of Mississippi ASLE-Japan • ASLE-EASLCE The Ohio State University Serena Anderlini-D’Onofrio Immediate Past President University of Puerto Rico, Mayaguez Ian Marshall Graduate Mentoring Program ASLE News Ad Policy and Rates Penn State, Altoona Coordinator ASLE News accepts advertisements of ISLE Editor Mark Long interest to our members at rates of $200 Scott Slovic Keene State College for a full page, $150 for a half page, $100 University of Nevada, Reno Graduate Student Liaisons for a quarter page, and $75 for an eighth ASLE News Editor Amy Patrick of a page. Contact Karla Armbruster, Karla Armbruster University of Minnesota [email protected], with inquiries. Webster University, St. Louis ASLE News 2 Fall 2004 PRESIDENT continued from page 1 tion to hiking and cooking together (with culinary inspira- Finally, just a word about Eugene in 2005. Allison Wallace, tion from the talented Mark Long), we explored how ASLE who’ll be President of ASLE then, and Molly Westling, could best fulfill our mission at this dynamic time in our our principal liaison with the University of Oregon for this development. One important decision we reached was that event, have gotten off to a remarkable start in their plan- our organization needs to hire a Managing Director, and ning for the conference. The theme is “Being in the World, that, at least on a part-time basis, we can afford to do so. Living with the Land,” and an emphasis will be on the literature, cultures, ecology, and working landscapes of the I sent a mailing to the ASLE membership in June announc- Northwest. With more speakers yet to be named, the fol- ing this new, half-time job and inviting applicants. The lowing writers have already agreed to participate: Ursula K. Managing Director’s position was also advertised on line. As Le Guin, Karl Kroeber, Jane Hirshfield, David Suzuki, Ana I write, a committee consisting of Adam Sweeting, Annie Castillo, Robin Morris Collin, Jim Dodge, Elizabeth Woody, Ingram, and myself is reviewing a truly spectacular group of Robin Wall Kimmerer, Kathleen Dean Moore, John Daniel, applications. It will certainly be difficult, given the talents Alan Weisman, Robert Michael Pyle, and Gary Snyder. and achievements of candidates in this group, to narrow it What a feast this program promises to be! Allison Wallace down to a smaller list of finalists. But we will try to do so has also recently sent out a Call for Proposals that specifies soon, and then to interview those individuals in conference some topics especially pertinent to this conference (see p. calls. We hope to have ASLE’s first Managing Director 11). We hope that many members of ASLE will propose appointed by early in September (See announcement on p. papers and/or panels for Eugene. 4). One of the Director’s main jobs will be to take over all of the financial management and record-keeping that have This is my final column as President. I’d like to express my been so superbly handled by our retiring Secretary-Treasurer heartfelt appreciation to all who have made the past year Annie Ingram. Another of them will be to work closely of service in this position such a rewarding one for me and with the Executive Council and our other officers in the who continue to offer ASLE your leadership and support. areas of planning, development, and publications. Among our central purposes as an organization are fostering an energetic, sophisticated dialogue among scholars; trans- The Council also discussed the exciting proliferation of forming literary education through ecological awareness and international affiliates within the larger ASLE commu- a heightened concern for environmental justice; and cultivat- nity. In addition to well established groups in such places ing an enjoyable and mutually supportive community. In all as Japan, Australia and New Zealand, and the United these regards, thanks to your creativity and enthusiasm, we Kingdom, a number of extraordinarily vital chapters have have made a promising beginning. Now to see what the new recently arisen in other countries of Asia and Europe, par- season will bring. ticularly. Scott Slovic and Molly Westling have both been —John Elder, President instrumental in communicating with and visiting new ASLE groups. Wes Berry of the Executive Council has generously Call for Conference Site Proposals volunteered to survey these emerging groups outside of the If you are interested in having your college or university United States and Canada and to make recommendations considered as a possible site for the 2007 ASLE confer- about how we may better support and coordinate with such ence, please submit a proposal to ASLE president John affiliates. Members of the Council agreed that we would Elder ([email protected]) by December 1, 2004. like to offer at least some modest financial support to des- The officers hope to review proposals and make a deci- ignated representatives from the international affiliates who sion before the 2005 meeting in Eugene.