Summary Report for Newsletter of PCC activities and plans

[Denis Salter]

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inning with pleasant news is always so seductive.  I thank all Ð






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he Ð

nt Ð


lson for Ð

for Survival," Ð

common concern Ð

ies for working Ð

s; and, finally, thank Ð


R / ARTC) and Noreen Golfman Ð

f Canadian College and University Ð

EÐ
















« and her hardéworking Ð


ing the running of a most productive conference.

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ÏThe PCC is also grateful to Herbert Rosengarten who has kindly Ð








of Ð

University Ð


CUTE's Ð

reed to Ð

s interested in Ð

Associations.  Indeed, Ð


onsor professional concerns Ð

ations over the next few years in Ð

s a plethora of issues of common concern, the need for solidarity is greater tha
n ever.

Ð


rrie Loffree (Ø Ø« «UniversitÎ) Î Laval) Ð

of many others in the Association (she cites 104 Ð


ar and is still counting!), is putting together what Ð

 doubt be an invaluable list of Deans, unit Heads and
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across the country, Ð

or example,  in letting Ð


the Association in promoting Ð

in perhaps advising them about Ð

for positions, in asking for their Ð

nding out letters of concern to Ð

t directly affect the state of theatre Ð


education more generally) in Canada, and in Ð

 post job notices on CANDRAMA and perhaps on HéNet Ð


U.S.écentred but which is of course available on the Ð

de net.  The list will also prove useful as part of our Ð

uitment campaign to increase the number of members in the Ð

sociation, and the number of subscriptions to the journal, in Ð

 Ðcirculating information about scholarships and sources of research Ð

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us to maintain and expand our network of theatre people.

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C Ð


d Ed Ð

 The job Ð


t out to theatre Ð

, asking them to Ð


o make in the field over Ð

ately, this survey was Ð


any of the initial financial Ð

 the information contained within Ð

e become (mostly) outéofédate within a Ð

time.  (I have the diskettes and would be Ð
 ì € p
es of them to anyone who asks.)   The committee Ð

ally thanked Diane Bessai, Ed Nyman, Kym Byrd and all Ð

departments that responded so carefully to the questionnaire, Ð

 Ðbut decided that, regrettably, as cutbacks continue, it would Ð



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g, Ð

ustain Ð

 departments Ð

process of cutting back finally bottoms out, if and when it does.

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ATRC.  Ð

n reach him at Ð

ectly to him c/o the Drama Centre where he is a PhD candidate.



 in the composition of ACTR's Ð

e.  The people listed in the Spring Ð


f the Ø ØNewsletter« «, with the exception of Judy Harvie and Ð

 ÐHerbert Rosengarten, are still with us. Moreover, since the St. Ð



£

en van Dijk (University of Ð

 University), Guillermo Verdecchia Ð

r of our ACTR Executive), Ira Levine Ð

iversity), Chris Johnson (University of Ð

of (Athabasca University), Jan Selman Ð

 Columbia), John Poulsen (University of Ð

 Îleste Derksen (University of Victoria).  Their Ð

nd advice will be most welcome.  Given the size of the Ð

ssional Concerns Committee, we are well represented across the Ð




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Ð

eatment Ð

 the ACTR Ð

mes listed Ð

 consultations are still regularly copied to them, again in a liaison function.)


Ð

stions, and Ð

bsorbed into its Ð

tlined in my report to Ð


e of the Ø ØNewsletter« «, those that emerged Ð

orial sessions, discussions, and meetings, those that Ð


merged from discussion among members of the PCC over the Ð

mer, and those that have been brought to our attention by other Ð



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we Ð


ies and Ð

ected threeé, fouré, or perhaps even fiveéyear cycle of activity.


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 Ð

 that Ð

he Social Ð

nities and Social Ð

ociations, provincial and Ð

use of Commons and the Senate.  Ð


in St John's that although the PCC Ð

articular issues, it is equally important Ð

one of us take the time to write letters, and Ð


 emails about issues that affect the present and future conditions of our discip
line(s).


) We must be eternally vigilant in reading and perhaps Ð

nding to the wording of advertisements for positions in drama, Ð



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we Ð


y between Ð

redentials and Ð


r.  Perhaps we should Ð


g what actually happens to an Ð

are the implications for our Ð

ointment is not made? if hiring Ð


abused?  if the initial advertisement Ð

exercise to eliminate Canadianétrained Ð

 international search can then be authorised? Ð

and other forms of discrimination seem to have taken Ð

 Do we have an obligation to try to find out if such things Ð



ì €
if Ð

at Ð

should we Ð

haps being exploited, year after year, by sessional appointments?

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Ð

 level, Ð


«conception of both our Ð

w, for example, this Ð

 interdisciplinarity) might influence graduate training programs.

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Ð


es and Ð

ired to Ð

 prestigious Ð

o direct mainéstage Ð

 courseérelief) and still Ð

ities, like journal editing, Ð

rvision and various forms of Ð

nd outside their home institutions. Ð

n a number of places protocols have not Ð

iteria agreedéupon, to understand and properly Ð

erhaps unusual mixture of responsibilities during Ð

omotion, and merit assessments. Should ACTR, perhaps in Ð

ultation with the Council of Ontario University and College Ð


ì € 
« Ð

eges and Ð


 run a workshop, Ð


ment Chairs, unit Heads, Ð


plines who might be serving as Ð

atre position hiring committee, to


erédisciplinary nature of our work?

Ð

r lines, has the field of theatre studies in Ð


the historical moment to form a body like CACEééthe Ð

 Association of Chairs of Englishééconsisting of Chairs of Ð

epartments and programmes in drama, theatre, and performance Ð

Ðacross the country?  Such a body could, for example, become very Ð



€ @
 to bearing an unequal share of the burden of cutbacks.


Ð









 Ð

blishers Ð

ptualise, write, Ð

ssessments, and rewrite an article to get it into publication?

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Is Ð

mething Ð

g programs, and Ð


ctoral candidate from Ð

?  Similarly, should actual Ð

es for survival, in career Ð

reparation of an eyeécatching CV Ð


ion letters, in learning the skills of Ð

 interviewed, in acquiring the skills of Ð

ng and impressive grant applications and in Ð

nce travel funding while still being graduate Ð

iguring out how, where, and why to get published, and Ð

eloping strategies for presenting conference papers perhaps Ð

become an integral part of doctoral training and the Ð

ionalisation that goes along with it? Moreover, should Ð

ing Assistantshipsééwith clearly defined responsibilities, Ð

ncluding, in our discipline, both practical and academic workéébe Ð





?
Ï
Ð


etter informed about Ð

ocols that have been Ð

ian Association of Ð

h matters such as hiring Ð

ad performance, evaluation Ð

ermination of employment Ð


e or perhaps a series of Ð

 of our own contribution, should

 € ½


ured?

Ð

wa Congress, a panel Ð
 ì €
ks to the arts in general Ð

udies in particular and to the Ð

, through various modes, of Canadian Ð


a related topic, should we discuss the way Ð

tbacks have been replaced, as it were, by the Ð

onsumerist agenda, in which disciplines such as Ð

ies might be treated as nonéproductive frills, and Ð

 necessarily and easily dispensed with?  The object here Ð

ld be to analyse the situation, identify possible solutions, and Ð



 € ½


 Ð

in an Ð

ver, without Ð

t/capitalist productivity.

Ï
Ð

 touch with me and/or any of the members of the Ð

 Concerns Committee about these matters and others that Ð
 ì € p
want us to work on your behalf.  In particular, please let us Ð

 Ðknow which particular kinds of workshops and themeésessions that Ð


ference during the Ottawa Congress next May.


Ð

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