The Department of English at the University of New Mexico honors retiring Professor Hugh Witemeyer with a one-day conference, “Literature and the University,” on Friday, April 16 in Zimmerman Library's Willard Reading Room on the UNM campus.
“The event is different than any we've ever held for a retiring professor,” said Scott Sanders, department chair. Sanders said that in addition to exploring Witemeyer's literary areas of interest and expertise, the event focuses on university governance, a focal point of much of Witemeyer's service work.
Among participants and presenters is Reed Way Dasenbrock, dean of UNM's College of Arts & Sciences, who will discuss the place of Dante's lyrics in Ezra Pound's cantos. Edward P. Walkiewicz, English professor, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, collaborated with Witemeyer on the UNM Press publication, “ Ezra Pound and Senator Bronson Cutting: a political correspondence, 1930-193 5.”
He will attend and present, “Masculinity, Misogyny, and Violence in Ulysses and Finnegans Wake.”
English doctoral candidate Mary Friedman Blum will present, “The Great War: The Greater Love,” taken from her dissertation.
Poet Simon Ortiz, University of Toronto, and Gene Frumkin, UNM professor emeritus of creative writing are featured.
“This is an opportunity to honor Hugh, but also to showcase the best of what we do in the department,” Sanders said.
Former UNM President and Professor of Political Science F. Chris Garcia will chair, “The University and Its Governance,” from 1:30 – 2:30 p.m. Panelists include Jane Slaughter, chair, Department of History; Beulah Woodfin, emerita professor of biochemistry and molecular biology; and Mary Burgan, general secretary, American Association of University Professors.
An afternoon session on Victorian and American literature features Cheryl Fresch and Gail Turley Houston, faculty in the department, and Dieter Schulz, professor of American Studies at the University of Heidelberg.
“We are grateful for the support we've gotten from other departments in Arts & Sciences that has allowed the department to put on this event,” Sanders said.
For a complete schedule of events, call Scott Sanders at 277-6347.
Contact: Carolyn Gonzales (505) 277-5920
Posted by kwentworth at April 12, 2004 04:34 PM