Dear fellow Inkshedders, Like Russ and Anthony, I attended our first working conference in 1984. Inkshed has informed my teaching life ever since. As nineteenth-century poetry specialist, I had suddenly been transported to teaching "writing" in 1974. My national community at that point was ACUTE (as it was then spelled), a traditional talking heads' conference whose members viewed writing as a discrete skill, like riding a bicycle. Once you got it, you got it. I had no larger group to talk to, to question assumptions with, to argue with, to work through half-baked ideas about real writing in real contexts. Over many years, Inkshed became not only a cherished cohort of companions, but also my central intellectual community. (And although I wasn't part of the group that proclaimed itself "dysfunctional" during the year we tried to write together, I was certainly pushed often well outside my comfort zone---for which I am hugely grateful.) My debt to Inkshed continues in my current work with Grades 3-6 in a small Quaker community in the mountains of Costa Rica, where I teach for six months of the year. Thank you, my friends. Kenna On Mon, Apr 10, 2017 at 6:41 PM, Provost, MC Lois <[log in to unmask] > wrote: > This is indeed sad. And how could Inkshed have metamorphosed to include > other languages and dual language learning, bilingual language learning and > interlanguage learning at a time when our society most needs > intercommunication ... > Lois > -- > Provost, MC Lois > Doctorandus/Ph.D. candidate > on hiatus and Scholar Residency in New York > Focus:Indigenous Mestisaje Knowledge Systems > Sacred Music and Arts > Mother Language Teaching & Learning > Founding Head, World Indigenous (Mestisaje) Teaching & Learning Centre > Circle > Advisors: Dr. A. Miles, Dr. G. Dei > University of Toronto > Social Justice Education > > Notice of Confidentiality: The information transmitted is intended only for > the person or entity to which it is addressed and may contain confidential > and/or privileged material. Any review, re-transmission, dissemination, or > other use or taking of any action in reliance upon this information by > persons > or entities other than the intended recipient violates law. If you received > this in error please delete the transmission and attachments and notify > sender. > Thank you. > > > ----- Message from [log in to unmask] --------- > Date: Mon, 10 Apr 2017 18:36:13 +0000 > From: "Paré, Anthony" <[log in to unmask]> > Reply-To: "casll-l: Canadian Association for the Study of Language and > Learning (Inkshed)" <[log in to unmask]> > Subject: Re: Farewell to Inkshed > To: [log in to unmask] > > > As a participant at the first Inkshed conference, a regular attendee for >> 13 years in a row, an Inkshed conference organizer (twice), an early >> Inkshed Newsletter editor, and a frequent newsletter contributor, this >> news makes me feel sad and nostalgic. The community was absolutely central >> to my development as a teacher and researcher. And, most importantly, as a >> human being; no other scholarly collective in my experience was so >> welcoming of me as a whole person. >> >> But I do reluctantly support the Board’s decision. I think Brock is >> right on in his analysis; all things must pass. >> >> Thanks to Brock, Clare, Kim, J. Barbara, and Dena for steering the ship >> to shore. >> >> Anthony >> >> >> >> From: "casll-l: Canadian Association for the Study of Language and >> Learning (Inkshed)" <[log in to unmask]<mailto: >> [log in to unmask]>> on behalf of Brock MacDonald < >> [log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>> >> Reply-To: "casll-l: Canadian Association for the Study of Language and >> Learning (Inkshed)" <[log in to unmask]<mailto: >> [log in to unmask]>> >> Date: Monday, April 10, 2017 at 7:57 AM >> To: "[log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>" >> <[log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>> >> Subject: Farewell to Inkshed >> >> Hi, all. >> >> (I’m sending this message to both the CASLL and CASDW lists, in the hope >> of reaching all former Inkshedders. Apologies for duplications!) >> >> The announcement Roger Graves recently sent out re the latest book from >> Inkshed Publications makes this a timely message . . . >> >> This is the second year in a row without an Inkshed conference. None of >> our efforts to reboot and reinvigorate the conference in the years 2012 >> through 2015, though sometimes moderately successful as one-off meetings, >> have generated the collective commitment needed to truly revive Inkshed >> and keep it going. Taking stock of this situation, the CASLL Board of >> Directors has decided that it’s finally time to face the music and accept >> that Inkshed and its parent association aren’t coming back. (Re the >> association, it effectively no longer exists: for several years now there >> have been no paid-up members apart from some of us on the Board and >> Margaret Procter, who manages the Inkshed/CASLL website.) >> >> No doubt there are a number of reasons for this situation: one is the >> growth of CWCA in recent years, based on its great success in bringing >> together the Canadian Writing Centre community; another is the way that >> CASDW has become a big tent association for Canadian writing studies and >> writing pedagogy in general since its metamorphosis from CATTW. Most >> pertinent of all may be the fact that a great many (almost all?) of >> Inkshed’s founding generation of members have retired in recent years: the >> core of the community that once sustained the conference and its parent >> association just isn’t there any more. >> >> I’m sure many of us will feel some sadness about this, remembering how >> significant Inkshed has been in our professional lives. However, although >> the Board has decided that it’s time to shut CASLL down, this isn’t an >> absolute ending. The Board proposes to transfer the remaining funds in >> the CASLL bank account, roughly $7000.00, to Inkshed Publications. Unlike >> the Inkshed conference, Inkshed publications is very much alive: besides >> the recently published Cross-Border Networks in Writing Studies, it has >> two more books coming out in the near future, following which it will >> still have sufficient funds to produce perhaps one more. The infusion of >> the funds from CASLL will make possible up to four more books over the >> next few years, following which new funding will be needed, perhaps from >> CASDW and CWCA. According to its Constitution, the purpose of CASLL is >> "to provide a forum and common context for discussion, collaboration, and >> reflective inquiry in discourse and pedagogy in the areas of writing, >> reading (including the reading of literature), rhetoric, and language.” >> We on the CASLL Board feel that devoting the association’s remaining funds >> to supporting Inkshed Publications, the one and only Canadian imprint >> devoted to work in our field, is the best way to ensure that CASLL’s >> dissolution is in keeping with its fundamental purpose. >> >> Regarding the association's online presence: it's currently (and rather >> awkwardly) in two cyber-places, the Inkshed newletter/blog site that >> Margaret maintains (http://www.inkshed.ca/blog/) and the older Inkshed >> site (http://inkshed.ca/), now essentially an archive of material from >> the association’s earlier years. Ideally all the association’s records >> should be brought together on one site, either under the aegis of CASDW or >> as part of an independent Inkshed Publications site (which would be >> effectively a repurposed version of the Inkshed newsletter site, where >> Inkshed Publications currently has its online presence). The key thing is >> that the association’s archive needs to be maintained by an active >> organization to ensure its long-term viability. This will be on the >> agenda for discussion at the CASDW AGM at Congress. As for the CASLL list >> serve, once the association has been dissolved it would be shut down. >> >> I should say something regarding the constitutional aspects of >> dissolving CASLL. The one explicit mention of dissolution procedures in >> the CASLL constitution is a clause that says "In case of dissolution of >> the association, the profits and liabilities of the association will be >> shared equally among all of the paid-up current voting members.” The >> Board’s plan to transfer the association’s remaining funds to Inskhed >> Publications is in effect an agreement among the paid-up current voting >> members to use their “shares” that way, rather than simply cashing out >> (!!). >> >> As for the decision to dissolve the association, while there is no >> specified procedure for this, the constitution does say that "The Board of >> Directors of the association shall have the responsibility of carrying out >> the management of the association. This responsibility should be carried >> out with the knowledge and cooperation of the membership.” In our view, >> in the absence of any specific clause re dissolution, it clearly comes >> under “management of the association.” As for "the knowledge and >> cooperation of the membership," as I’ve already mentioned, at present the >> membership is effectively non-existent, leaving the Board on its own. >> However, in keeping with the spirit of the constitution, the Board agreed >> that this notice should be sent out: we hope it will reach all former >> CASLL members and prompt some discussion, from which we further hope will >> emerge general agreement in support of the decision we’ve taken. >> >> If there is strong opposition to the Board's decision, those opposed >> would need to take a number of steps to give their opposition effect, >> starting with paying fees in order to become current CASLL members and >> thus be entitled to vote on the Board’s plan. If a sudden flood of >> membership payments materializes, obviously we’ll have to think again! >> However, we sincerely hope that this will not happen — that everyone will >> agree that it’s best to bid CASLL and Inkshed a fond farewell and let them >> rest in peace. >> >> Best wishes, >> Brock >> >> On behalf of the CASLL Board of Directors (membership as of 2016, when >> we met and made this decision): Clare Bermingham, Kim Garwood, J. Barbara >> Rose, and Dena Taylor >> >> >> >> W. Brock MacDonald >> Vice-Principal >> Director, Academic Writing Centre >> Woodsworth College, University of Toronto >> 119 St. George Street >> Toronto, ON M5S-1A9 >> (416) 978-0246 >> -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- To leave the list, send a SIGNOFF CASLL-L command >> to [log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]> >> or, if you experience difficulties, write to Russ Hunt at [log in to unmask] >> <mailto:[log in to unmask]> >> >> To view or search the list archives, go to >> https://listserv.utoronto.ca/cgi-bin/wa?A0=CASLL-L -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- >> >> -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- >> To leave the list, send a SIGNOFF CASLL-L command to >> [log in to unmask] or, if you experience difficulties, >> write to Russ Hunt at [log in to unmask] >> >> To view or search the list archives, go to >> https://listserv.utoronto.ca/cgi-bin/wa?A0=CASLL-L >> -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- >> >> > > ----- End message from [log in to unmask] ----- > > > -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- > To leave the list, send a SIGNOFF CASLL-L command to > [log in to unmask] or, if you experience difficulties, > write to Russ Hunt at [log in to unmask] > > To view or search the list archives, go to > https://listserv.utoronto.ca/cgi-bin/wa?A0=CASLL-L > -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- > -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- To leave the list, send a SIGNOFF CASLL-L command to [log in to unmask] or, if you experience difficulties, write to Russ Hunt at [log in to unmask] To view or search the list archives, go to https://listserv.utoronto.ca/cgi-bin/wa?A0=CASLL-L -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-