ANNUAL REPORT
2003-2004

Date of Preparation (In preparation for 17 May 2004).

BRIEF INTRODUCTION

Highlights of 2003-2004 include:

A Courses Taught ( 2003-2004):

Regular Course Load:

Spanish 2012 Intermediate Spanish 1 (38 students)
Spanish 2023 Intermediate Spanish 2 (36 students)

Spanish 3313 Advanced Reading 1 (14 students)
Spanish 3323 Advanced Reading 2 (12 students)

Spanish 3513 Introduction to Translation 1 (28 students)
Spanish 3523 Introduction to Translation 2 (22 students)

Unpaid Voluntary Overload

Spanish 4986 Honours Reading List : Both Terms (5 students)

Spanish Independent Studies – Continuing Translation Second term (1 student)

B Honours Theses Supervised

Romance Languages: Bibliography and Methods of Research: Second term (2 students / honours paper).

C Other Teaching And/or Instructional Activities.


II SCHOLARSHIP.
A CREATIVE AND SCHOLARLY WORK IN PROGRESS.

Creative:

Scholarly:

B. PUBLICLY AVAILABLE CREATIVE AND SCHOLARLY WORK (2003-2004)

Publications

Readings and Presentations

 

III ACADEMIC AND ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES.

Head of Spanish Section

2003-2004 was a good year in which to head the Spanish section. The Spanish Section was finally granted a third tenure track position. and this has been filled via a national competition and on campus interviews.

The first seven St. Thomas University students will sit the DELE examination this spring. Dr. Omar Basabe is to be congratulated for the magnificent work he has done in bringing the DELE to St. Thomas University and in preparing these students for this objective international examination.

The Intermediate Spanish Grammar Course (SPAN 2013 / 2023) had 72 students enrolled. We were able to divide this into two sections and hire a part-time faculty member to teach the second section. This alleviated, but did not eliminate, the crowded conditions at the second year grammar level.

The first stage of the complete renewal of the Spanish Section took place this year and the new curriculum moved successfully through the curriculum committee of the department and of the senate. It is still under revision as changes will be necessary due to the presence of a new tenured member. The new program comes into effect as of July 1, 2004.

Committee Work

Member of the Romance Languages Hiring Committee
Work included hiring for contract position in French and one tenure track position in Spanish .

Learning and Teaching Development Committee (Chair)
2003-2004 was an extremely busy and effective year for the LTD and Dr. Ray Williams, together with committee members Dr. Linda Turner and Dr. Julia Torrie, and student representative Shawn Stevenson, are to be congratulated on their hard work and commitment to this committee throughout the academic year. Highlights of the committee's work include:

Peer Mentoring
In association with my work as chair of the LTD, I assisted various faculty members with promotion applications [1], Teaching dossiers [3], in class mentoring / SGIDS [1], curriculum vitae, and general developmental advice (12)

STLHE (Society for Teaching and Learning in Higher Education)
Elected to National Steering Committee of STLHE

Atlantic Association of Universities
Reappointed as Retreat facilitator for 2004
Facilitator for the 2003 Award Winners Retreat
Joint Organizer of 2003 Award Winners Retreat



IV. PLANS FOR THE COMING YEAR:

My plans for the academic year 2004-2005 are quite simple: to survive another year in my chosen career!

The Spanish Section workload will again be heavy this year and includes

TEACHING:

This year I will be teaching the equivalent of three 6 credit hour courses; [*** means new preparation)on account of numbers (new methodology) and or new texts and / or new course.]

Spanish 1006D Beginning Spanish (27 students)***

Spanish 3313 Advanced Reading 1 Spanish Peninsular (12/15 students)
Spanish 3323 Advanced Reading 2 Spanish America (12/15 students)***

Spanish 4023 Spanish Golden Age Culture and texts (10 students) ***
Spanish 3523 Introduction to Translation . (20 students)***

ROML 3923 Research Project (Second Term papers -- 3-6 students).

SCHOLARSHIP AND CREATIVITY:

I will be attending very few academic conferences this year as there continues to be minimal financial support for my research from St. Thomas University. I continue to deplore this unfortunate situation.

3M / STLHE, AGM, Ottawa, June, 2004. Steering Committee Meetings and 3M meetings.

Atlantic Association of Universities. 9th Teaching Showcase. Dalhousie University. October, 2004. Panel member or presenter of paper at this conference.

I will again be more involved with creativity and will be working on poetry (either or both of my two new mss. should be published within the next 12 months), films, short stories, digital photography (including the design and construction of a multi-media DVD), and web page construction. There is more external financial support in this area and I remain committed to my growing reputation as a creative artist.

Working with 3M / STLHE, the FAA Board, and the NBFilm Coop Board will also keep me occupied. As will work on the various editorial boards (now 4 in total) of which I am a member.

ADMINISTRATION AND OTHER DUTIES:

1. Department: work from 2003-2004 continues into 2004-2005.
2. My current research areas are Quevedo, Mexican Poetry (especially Octavio Paz), 20th Century Poetry, scholarship of teaching, film, digital and other forms of creativity.
3. Continuing to establish Spanish Certification at St. Thomas University.
5. Peer mentoring / LTD Work for faculty at St. Thomas University.
6. WebCT Committee and development of WebCT.
7. Senate Nominating Committee.
8. LTD Committee (continuing work with LTD Committee).

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