Jonathan Haynes: Update, Spring 2016

We are pleased to pass along several announcements about the upcoming professional activities of Professor Jonathan Haynes (English).

Haynes and two of his students, Ernest Agyeman and Adjovi Simpini, were recently interviewed by Sandy Kenyon, the film critic and entertainment reporter for WABC-TV Eyewitness News. The topic was the Nigerian film industry. Kenyon filmed the interview in the Spector Lounge and in Haynes' office, both on the fourth floor of the Humanities Building. Professor Michael Bokor (English) was also included in the interview, but it is unclear at this time whether and footage from his portion of the interview will be is also included in the short (less than 2 minute) segment that will be aired Monday, March 28, 2016, at 4:15 PM. Video should be up on WABC's website a few hours after that.

Watch the video here.

Here's a different version made for play in NYC taxis starting on April 8, 2016.

On April 6, 2016, Haynes will give a seminar presentation at Northwestern University's Program of African Studies, called "Hostile Takeover? Corporate interventions in Nollywood."

Haynes will be a respondent at a Columbia University conference, "New Directions in Nollywood and Nigerian Cinema," on April 21-22, 2016.

Finally, Haynes will present a paper entitled "Lagos, Nollywood, and Neoliberal Transformations," at "Lagos - From the Pepperfarm to the Megacity (and Beyond): A Conference on Space, Society, and the Imagination of an African Crossroad," a conference to be held at Barnard College on May 6, 2016.

Uche Nduka Interviews John High

Uche Nduka  (Creative Writing MFA, 2012) recently interviewed John High (Professor of English, Director of Creative Writing MFA Program) for the Poetry Foundation.

Read the full interview here.

Announcement: Creative Writing MFA Program: Fall 2016 Distinguished Visiting Writer -- Idra Novey

Creative Writing MFA Reading Series: Meet the MFA @ LIU Brooklyn -- Faculty & Visiting Writers Read

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Creative Writing MFA Reading Series: Meet the MFA @ LIU Brooklyn -- MFA Candidates Read

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Advisement & Mentoring Info for English Majors & List of Faculty Mentors

"Swiss guides on Canadian Pacific Rd."
Library of Congress.
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The English Department is committed to providing English majors with the best possible academic and professional guidance as they complete their degrees and contemplate life beyond graduation. To that end, the Department offers a strong program of advisement and mentoring.

There is a Registration Advisor for all undergraduate English majors, who will help you keep track of your progress toward graduation and can answer any questions you may have about requirements and registration. Please meet with the advisor each semester before you register for classes, even if you have another advisor elsewhere (e.g., if you are in Honors, or if English is your second major). When the time comes, the advisor will help you make sure your Application for Graduation is in order. The advisor is also the contact person in the Department for evaluation of transfer credits.

THE ADVISEMENT PROCESS

Registration begins in October for the spring semester and in March for the summer and fall. See the Academic Calendar for specific dates. To best prepare for Registration, follow these steps.

1. Check your Advisement Sheet to see what courses you still need. Then consult the Schedule of Classes to see which of your required/desired courses are being offered in the upcoming semester. Read professors' course descriptions on this page on the English Department blog.

2. Sketch out a tentative schedule for yourself. It's a good idea to have back-up courses in mind. Make sure you've met any prerequisites and that there are no scheduling conflicts.

3. When the time comes to schedule advisement appointments, the advisor will contact you via e-mail and text message.

4. Meet with the advisor.

5. After your appointment, register for your courses ASAP.

YOUR ACADEMIC MENTOR

Every English major also has an Academic Mentor. This member of the English Department faculty will advise you about all aspects of your academic career other than registration. You can go to your Academic Mentor at any time for advice about a variety of academic matters, from choosing electives with an eye toward career preparation, to selecting a second major or an appropriate minor, to making a decision about graduate school and career goals. You may always seek advice on an informal basis from any member of the English Department faculty, but please meet with your assigned Academic Mentor at least once per semester to discuss your progress in the major and your plans for the future. Keep your Academic Mentor informed about how you are doing in your studies so that he or she can provide you with the best academic guidance possible.

Mentor assignments are listed in the scrolling document below.

Click here for mentors' contact info.

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Voices of the Rainbow Event: Matthew Thomas

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Barbara Henning: Reading on Don Yorty Blog

Professor Barbara Henning (English) recently gave a reading from her latest book of poems, A Day Like Today, on the poet Don Yorty's blog, Explorations in Writing, Travel, and Education.

Watch the reading here.

New Graduate Course / Summer 2016 / ENG 530 Documentary Writing / Professor Deborah Mutnick

This is a graduate course, but qualified undergraduate students, especially English majors and minors, are encouraged to apply for permission to enroll.

Contact Professor Mutnick.

If admitted, English majors could use this course to satisfy a general English elective requirement in the Literature concentration. The course could also satisfy the Writing & Rhetoric requirement in either the Literature concentration or the Creative Writing concentration. The course could also be applied toward the English minor.

Alumni News: Stephanie Gray

We are pleased to congratulate one of our alumni, Stephanie Gray (Creative Writing MFA, 2010), on her nomination for a 2016 Lambda Literary Award in the category of Lesbian Poetry.

From the Lambda website: “The Lambda Literary Awards were founded in 1989 to elevate the profile of LGBT literature [...] In so doing, we also elevate the lives of those who find themselves authentically portrayed in our stories. It is with great pride that we come together each year to celebrate the excellent works of inspiring authors who have walked in our shoes.”

Stephanie was nominated for her book Shorthand and Electric Language Stars (Portable Press at Yo Yo Labs, 2015).

Louis Parascandola & Andrea Libin: Honors College Electives, Fall 2016

Study Abroad in Paris this Summer with Deborah Mutnick (English) & Ellen Short (Education)

Update 10 March 2016: This course has been canceled.

Update 17 February 2016: Scroll down for information about Open House.




Study Abroad Open House
February 22, 2016

Lewis Warsh: Reading

More info

Alumni News: John Casquarelli

John Casquarelli (MFA, 2012) is co-hosting a conference on the themes of labor and immigration in literature on Monday, March 14, in Trinidad, Colorado. One of the featured lecturers/readers is LIU alum and former Creative Writing MFA Program Visiting Writer Wang Ping.

Graduate Courses, Summer & Fall 2016

Bus Stop, Grocery & Laundry
by Robert S.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-
NonCommercial 2.0 Generic License.

Undergraduate Courses: Fall 2016

Two Bridges: Under Brooklyn Bridge
by Jeffrey Zeldman.
This work is licensed under a
Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic License.

These course descriptions are provided by the professors teaching the courses.

Note: There are no advanced English courses being offered in Summer 2016.

For more information, write to them directly. Get English Department faculty contact info here.

English Majors — Before you register, make an appointment to meet with Wayne Berninger to review your outstanding requirements. Then register as early as possible to keep courses from being canceled.

Non-Majors — The writing and analytical skills gained in English courses are useful in a variety of professions. Any student may take these courses as general electives. A minor in English (four courses 100 or above) will satisfy the Distribution Requirement for any major. For more information, make an appointment to meet with Wayne Berninger.