Laban Carrick Hill

Exquisite Idea, Frail Reality

I have come to realize that the English department loved the exquisite idea of me and all that I represent (whatever that might be), but they have not been as successful at integration of the imperfect reality of me. Over the last three weeks, there have been numerous discussions within the department about how to use my skills and knowledge. Originally, they loved the idea of me teaching creative writing because they have been discussing for a number of years the need for a creative writing class. A problem arose however with the fact that they had not yet developed a curriculum of creative writing. Without a curriculum approved by the university administration, a course cannot be offered for credit. If a course cannot be offered for credit, then no students will sign up for the course because their enrollment will not count towards graduation. This is clearly an unbreakable syllogism.

While the department is struggling to find something for me to do, the department is also challenged with the loss of four key professors: one has been promoted to Vice Chancellor, one has left on a Fulbright to the U.S., another has been moved to chair the new department of Theater and Music Studies, and the last has been fired because he never showed up at class (and he was arrested for rape of the woman he had hired to take care of his children). I now sit in this last professor’s office.

In the midst of this turmoil, they neglected to schedule any undergraduate classes on African American or American literature for the semester. All of the classes, including one on African Diaspora literature, focus on post-colonial theoretical concerns and approaches that are not taught in the U.S. At one point I was going to co-teach a class on post-colonial literature, but my colleague began the class without me and issued a syllabus with the first half of the semester focusing on post-colonial theoretical readings and the second half on African, Indian and Caribbean literary examples of this theory. This is a class he has taught many times, and he was not prepared to find an entry point for my contribution. The other class I was assigned to teach was a graduate class on African American literature. I was again supposed to co-teach this class. My colleague however has not yet shown up for the semester. He is out of the country. He was due back three weeks ago, but has yet to return or inform anyone when he will be arriving. At the end of last week, I convinced the chair to allow me to begin the class on my own. We checked with the administrative department assistant to see who was in the class. One student is enrolled. This student I found out today has not yet enrolled for the semester even though the semester began three weeks ago. I am not optimistic that this class will go forward.

Slowly, I am building a constituency within the department who are willing to advocate for my inclusion. My colleague Dr. has taken on the task of arranging for me to give a department lecture on Bert Williams. My colleague Dr. has promised to meet with the department chair on a more active roll for me. These avenues of exploration seem promising. Over the next couple of weeks perhaps something will come of them.