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DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH AND COMPARATIVE LITERATURE Spring 2015 Newsletter Cindy Baer: An Outstanding Nurturer of Table of Contents Success By Aaron Thein and Giselle Tran Cindy Baer: An Outstanding Nurturer of Success 1 he average preschooler will begin to use their motor skills and learn to have fun by running Robert Cullen: Leaving a Lasting around, jumping on one foot, or skipping. Dr. Impression in SJSU History 2 T Cindy Baer, how- ever, was not an av- Spotlight on Visiting Professor Andrew Lam 4 erage preschooler. “I’ve known since Celebrating a Career: Dr. Bonnie Cox is Retiring 5 I was five years old that I wanted to be Dr. Katherine Harris Publishes New Book on a teacher,” she says, the British Literary Annual 6 having developed a hobby of writing Student Success Funds Awarded to Professional quizzes for her and Technical Writing Program 7 imaginary students at that age. She re- alized her dream of Spartans’ Steinbeck 8 becoming a teacher when she received The English Department Goes to Ireland 10 her MA in 1983 and her PhD in 1994 from the University of Washington National Adjunct Walkout Day 11 in Seattle. And now, in March 2015, she has been given the Outstanding Lecturer Award of 2015—an award Now Hiring: Writing Specialists 12 that considers eligible lecturers from all departments of SJSU—as well as hired in the tenure-track position of Welcoming Doctor Ryan Skinnell 14 Assistant Writing Programs Administrator. Upon receiving all the good news, Dr. Baer admits Reading Harry Potterin Academia 15 it felt surreal. “It’s one of those things where so much good fortune comes your way that you start to feel a First-Year Writing Program News 16 little self-conscious, [but] it’s very satisfying to have the good opinion of your fellow faculty,” she says. Dr. Baer has been working as a lecturer at SJSU on and off since Course Descriptions, Fall 2015 18 1981 and was finally able to stay at SJSU in 1988, build- ing many decades worth of meaningful relationships Letter from the Chair 24 with both her students and colleagues. According to her longtime colleague Dr. Bonnie Cox, Dr. Baer is “a won- English Department Newsletter Staff derful colleague. She comes to meetings always prepared Layout & Design: Vanessa Mendoza Palencia (Lead), and ready to contribute intelligently and reasonably to Alexis Bejarano, Mark Roberts whatever issue is at hand.” Graphic Editors: Tyler Kittle (Lead), Shirley Ramos Dr. Baer has a long history with SJSU, beginning in Copy Editors: Elizabeth Barrera (Lead), 1977 with her education as an undergraduate. When Victor Hernandez, Aaron Thien Proofreaders: Nicole Bracciotti (Lead), she got to San José State, she was surrounded by faculty Andrea Heine, Thao Nguyen, who accepted her. She says, “You could go to their offices Managing Editor: Mark Thompson and sit down and talk books with them...this felt like my intellectual home.” In 1981, she continued on at SJSU to position of Assistant Writing Programs Administrator pursue her MA, beginning her dream career as a Teach- to run the program.“In that role,” Dean Vollendorf says, ing Associate alongside Dr. Cox. After getting her MA, “she will continue to coordinate Stretch English and Dr. Baer earned her PhD at the University of Washing- work with colleagues to strengthen writing instruction ton in Seattle and returned to SJSU to teach. Decades lat- for all students at SJSU.” er, Dr. Baer remains happily at SJSU, saying, “The range As Dr. Cox retires this year, she is pleased to know of teaching assignments that I get in this department, that the Stretch English program will be in Dr. Baer’s I wouldn’t get in other places…I’ve always been able to competent hands. “No one works harder or more pro- teach both writing and literature, and teach a wide range ductively than she does,” Dr. Cox states, “Students taking of writing courses, all the way from Stretch English to classes from Dr. Baer can expect to get the very best Advance Composition. It keeps my mind busy...I’m here instruction humanly possible.” because I’m still learning at San José State.” A tireless nurturer of student success, Dr. Baer says, Currently, Dr. Baer’s biggest project and challenge “The important thing is…to remember that you can’t is the Stretch English program, or Stretch Composition. push people to it. It really is leading them. That means She pilots and coordinates the program with twelve oth- you have to start where they are, just like writing. You er faculty members in order to create a new, year-long can’t push an audience to see what you are trying to say. curriculum that accepts a myriad of students. Because of You have to lead them to a new perspective.” Dr. Cindy the large spectrum of possible students in freshman year, Baer proves that before titles, achievements, and awards, Dr. Baer says, “Your teaching strategies have to change comes a relentless patience for learning and educa- quite a bit,” noting that the classroom becomes a place tion, and an optimistic attitude that seeks only to usher where constant writing and reading activity is happen- students into their intellectual selves. “[This] has been a ing, embedding discussion within the activities instead. long and fruitful career,” she says, “and it’s not over yet Since many of her Stretch students are auditory learners, because I’ve just started a new one.” one of her teaching techniques is having them read out loud. “They can function linguistically at a pretty high level orally,” she says, “but in writing, it’s not the same development. There’s this great incongruity between Robert Cullen: Leaving a Lasting those two levels of learning.” Impression in SJSU History Despite the challenges, Dr. Baer has found her work By Alexis Bejarano and Memo Alvizar with the program rewarding. One of her most powerful memories from the young program involved a student who is a U.S. citizen, but has parents who were not U.S. he English Department at SJSU is blessed with citizens. During a conversation the two of them were many fine teachers, and Professor Robert Cullen, having about the newspaper early on last term, the who will retire after this semester, is certainly T among them. With student revealed to Dr. Baer that he realized he could vote. He admitted that he had not really thought about diligence, kindness, it before because his parents cannot vote as they are and a willingness to not citizens. Still, he realized he wanted to change his ensure the success world and began to understand that the only way to do of his students even that was to become a person with information, and to on a personal level, turn that information into action. The only way to get Professor Cullen’s information, he told her, was to go out there and get it abilities as a teacher himself. “I want to put them on that line toward civic and as a colleague action,” Dr. Baer says, “I want to help them make that will remain forever connection between reading and writing and democracy. imprinted in the It’s a process. Writing’s a part of it. Reading’s a part of it.” hearts of many. Dr. Baer’s involvement in the Stretch English pro- Professor Cullen gram is part of the reason Dean Lisa Vollendorf nomi- has always worked nated Dr. Baer for the award. Dean Vollendorf says, “[Dr. earnestly for his Baer’s] leadership in the past few years has been truly tremendous number extraordinary. She stepped up to become a leader in of accomplishments building our Stretch English Pilot Program, which is in that have led to his its first year. The pilot is off to a fabulous start thanks to current success. her leadership.” Due to the nature of the new program, Since childhood, Dean Vollendorf has also welcomed Dr. Baer into the Professor Cullen somehow knew what direction his life was going to head in. 2 “I liked school and I was a good reader. Teaching He has served the department in crucial positions for seemed fitting for me,” he states. “My experience of being decades, from leading the composition program twenty in good schools throughout my life and having some years ago, to mentoring teaching assistants now,” says very good teachers certainly helped as well.” Professor Mesher. “As much as we’ll miss him, I know we In response to being asked what else affected his all wish him well.” decision, he gives a bemused smile, and rubs his chin Professor Mitchell heartily agrees. “He has been an thoughtfully. amazing officemate these past seventeen years. The office “I worked at my uncle’s greenhouse for a while as a just won’t be the same without him.” young adolescent, and after that I knew I wanted to work Although he will certainly be missed, he plans on with my head and not my body.” spending his retirement fruitfully. “I want to enjoy my Professor Cullen earned his BA in English from so-called ‘golden years’—travel to places I would like to Stanford in 1975, and later earned his PhD from UCLA visit or revisit in Europe. My wife and I enjoy artsy-fartsy in 1981, with a dissertation in American literature on stuff like plays, ballets, photography, and music. I may Thomas Pynchon. Describing how he first became a pro- even volunteer or coach volleyball.” He says all of this fessor here at SJSU, he says, “[It happened] once I decid- with a smile before being asked what final parting words ed to study for the doctorate at UCLA.