Greetings,
Los geht's.
My my, who did those nifty Wine and Cheese Posters? It's almost as if someone in the GSA is jealous of the current campaign season and has the need to design some visuals. As usual, the GSA is about to dole out upwards to two hundred dollars on gourmet sounding food so all us budding german intellectuals can talk about modes of alienation while certain executives of the GSA quietly drink all the good stuff in their new office. Just kidding! You can come and visit us during our office hours by the way any day of the week. Don't you wish you could say hi to your prof everyday? No fear, the professors will be at the Wine and Cheese and there will definitely be enough Brie and that oddly good tasting fruity white "German" wine you can find in every Depanneur this side of the Champlain Lake. Aufkellerein? Not to mention the box wine..... Not to forget: the winners of the Rilke Translation Contest will be announced. Friday, February 13th, 2004. 3:30 p.m.
But why stop there? German students seem so motivated by free food, so Samuel and I announce that we will be buying cookies and coffee for grad student Thomas Lorne's Konversationsstunde on Wednesdays and Thursday afternoons. Nathalie's Lachance's Kaffeeklatsch already this as well! Deutsch lernen macht dick? Well, we'll always have the slim Joschka Fischer. Thomas is the friendly giant from Germany, and apparently is so desperate for conversation partners that he promised free homework help to the chagrin of Karin Bauer. And we thought Bauer only got mad at Nietzsche's evil sister!
Speaking of power, AUS is holding elections. What is the AUS? Think of it as a smaller SSMU. Why should I care about the AUS? Because they hand over the money, like a Reichstag printing press. We strongly endorse Erik Van Eycken - not because his Dutchesque name reminds some of us of our fond days in Amsterdam, but because he is one of those rare politicians who do things like file taxes for the first time in five years and collect $15,000 for the students. As VP Finance, he has helped the GSA secure a minimum level of funding for the coming years, letting us do Wine and Cheeses forever. Bicultural, and authentically caring, Erik Van Eycken has that classic beta male Canadian male politician feel. We strongly endorse him. Also, we throw our support behind Paddy Scace for Arts Representative to SSMU. He is pro-library and seems to be a normal student with some novel ideas. Vote here next week: www.ausmcgill.com
I went to a departmental meeting the other day. This is when all the German professors sit down and discuss, inter alia, why we aren't Berlitz. That's right, it's that time again. Word has it that the Dean of the Arts Faculty, John Hall, a DAAD alumnus, is proposing 6% budget cuts. Not only that but a space audit has revealed we might be wasting five thousand dollars of downtown office space. Peters, taking time off from his sabbatical in Paris (umm...Texas?) offered to sublet his own office in what is being termed "an exploration into alternative methods of graduate student financing."
Nearer to the end of the meeting, Schmidt expounded upon his conspiracy theory that every time he gives the administration his email address, he ends up getting an unusual amount of "enlargement" spam. Professor Bauer has published a planning document for the future of the department. We are wooing the administration for a new professor, familiar with the Goethezeit and film studies. The GSA is open to any suggestions about this, as Bauer has been considerably open to our ideas. If anyone would like to read Bauer's planning document, give me a shout out. (Or stop by the office!)
Sprachwochenende will take place the weekend of the 12th of March. We are taking $20 deposits. We'll be having the weekend near North Hatley, pending confirmation. I'll have more information about this shortly, but having gone on three such weekend get-a-ways, I have never had a bad time. I regret being so shy my early years at McGill.
Speaking of regrets, I'd like to again apologize for the fact our translation contest only garnered English submissions. As I said, earlier, next year the contest(s) will be fully bi-lingual, and had someone really wanted to submit a rendering in french this time around, I would have probably accepted it. However, no one has ever directly complained to me about this. This, in my opinion is typical of some apathetic McGill students: complain about things which others take initiative on. If you don't like how I and others run the GSA, then take it over - or help out. How I would love if I knew I had enough interested francophones or francophiles to sustain a similar contest! philip.cleary@mail.mcgill.ca Email me.
The fridge is broke, and we still don't have a new garbage basket in the lounge, let alone, a new couch. Samuel and I will apply for funding. Finally, we are also taking submissions of any nature for our journal this year. Julia Sittmann is the person to see about this, although you can also direct your questions to me and Samuel.
In line with past emails, I will give an economic outlook. Looks like I was wrong about the Canadian Central Bank intervening before the American dollar fell to 1.20$CDN to 1$USD. They raised interest rates (attracting foreign demand for the canuck dollar) and their target seems to be $1.28-$1.32. Expect GDP growth to slow down, and productivity to lag, but I still think we will see a stronger Canadian dollar by summer. As for Germany, expect a revived Schroeder to pass through labour market reforms, but the downturn is not nearly over. Unemployment will slowly expand, while exports will sulk, and pension liabilities will depress the DAX. Oh, expect major American inflation after the election. We are talking 3-6%.
I'd like to end with a trvia question, to see how many people actually read my emails to completion: Which 20th century German author wrote the following?
"Sch�n war die Welt, wenn man sie so betrachtete, so ohne Suchen, so einfach, so kinderhaft."
mit freundlichen Gruessen,
Philip Cleary*
Samuel Koenig
Anne Marie Leuchs
Catlin St. John
I bring news from the AUS meeting and our own German departmental meeting. Think of us as your liaison to the side of McGill you never see�.. whatever, just read what interests you.
(1) Wine & Cheese � February 13th
(2) Weekly Stammtisch
(3) Rilke Translation Deadline extended: $50 prize
(4) New Arts Building Fee
(5) New German Professor
(6) New Internship Course
(7) Berlin Film Series with Professor Frischkopf
(8) Athletics Fee Passes with 53% of vote
(9) The First Annual German Departmental Awards?
(10) Professor Hsia takes leave of absence.
(11) Another Intellectual Guest Lecture
(12) Sprachwochenende
(1) The GSA will hold its Wine & Cheese on February 13th, 2004 in the room next to the German lounge at around 3:30 p.m. Come to talk to professors, and meet fellow German students. We dole out around $200, so let me tell you it�s worthwhile. If you have any questions or want to help, email us.
(2) We are still holding Stammtisch every week on Thursday at 6:30 p.m. Come practice your German and meet new friends. We�re holding it at Hurley�s on Crescent St (below Ste. Catherine).
(3) We are still accepting submissions for the Rilke Poetry Translation Contest. Enter your rendition of Herbsttag in English and be eligible to win the top prize of $50. You may complete a translation in groups up to three. You can find the poem here: www.oocities.org/mcgillgerman/german
(4) Just to inform you that students will not be voting on a referendum to collect $20 each year from students, to raise money for a new Arts building. The AUS (student government for the Arts faculty, and where we get most of our money from) has voted this idea down about 22 to 4. The German Department abstained because we felt it was a good idea but lacked structured.
(5) Chair of the department and Nietzsche enthusiast Karin Bauer wants to sit down with us and hammer out a common position on what we should lobby the Dean for. I am partial for petitioning what is called a �bridging position�, essentially a young new professor. I want your signatures, but more importantly, I need your input.
(6) Professor Frischkopf has taken the initiative to propose an Internship Course for students. Students who do an approved summer internship in a German speaking milieu will be eligible for three elective credits. These credits will not count towards a German major/minor degree. The grading format for this �course� will reflect your effort in a 10-15 page topic paper and a smaller 5 page paper, as well as a letter from your supervisor. I like the idea of this, but given the department�s total lack of advanced German courses in the summer, I challenge them to give credits towards a German program degree. Their thinking is that this will cause students not to take offered courses. My thinking (Philip), however, contends that credit towards a German degree increases the incentive to go, which means more people going, which means an increased fluency, which means more incentive to take courses offered in German.
If we make the financial and time commitment to go to Germany, the department shall award us appropriately. That being said, the internship idea, no matter how carried out, is an excellent idea.
(7) Professor Frischkopf and the GSA will be arranging a film series revolving around Berlin. Movies like �Run Lola Run�, �Der Tunnel�, �Sonnenalle� are being considered. More information will be offered ASAP.
(8) In a sad day for the standards of direct democracy, the mandatory athletics fee passed with 53% of the vote. Since around 1,500 students voted yes, over 18,000 students will have to pay $20 per year for the next five years. For the many of you who don�t use the gym facilities as much as you do the library, I urge you to write the SSMU and tell them to renew the McGill Student Fee (MSF).
(9) Ever worry about graduate school? Law school? Do you fear that large impersonal McGill will leave you with nothing to brag about? The GSA is proud to propose the idea that the German Department considers awarding three annual prizes: Most Outstanding Student in Literature, Language, and one for Most Improvement. The prizes will carry some token monetary amount and a book. I am submitting a formal proposal next week.
Finally, recognition.
(10) Professor Hsia has taken a leave of absence for health reasons. We wish him a quick recovery. If anyone feels academically neglected because of this, please contact the chair of the department or the GSA.
(11)
Imagine if men and women of intellect came to McGill University,
specifically to address students with pressing ideas and well
thought out lectures.
This happens almost every day and Robert Norton, professor at Notre
Dame
University in Indiana, United States of America is giving a lecture
Tuesday, February 3,
2004 at 17:30, speaking on "FROM SECRET GERMANY TO NAZI
GERMANY: the politics of art before and after 1933.� It takes
place in the
Redpath Museum.
(12) We are having a weekend retreat to practice German (Sprachwochenende) on
the weekend of March 12th to the 14th. We will have more information on this
ASAP.
mfG,
Philip Cleary
Samuel Konig
Caitlin St. John
Nick Delaney
Anne Marie Leuchs
Katie Rothschild
German Department Urged to Bestow Annual Awards
Professor Bauer,
We cannot assume the intimacy of our department ensures recognition. Thus, I, with the support of my fellow executives, propose two awards to be given annually to any student in their U0, U1, U2 years. These awards will be decided by a committee of all German Professors (minus those on leave or sabbatical) and two (non-nominated) GSA representatives. The committee shall meet in early April. I believe that we should begin to hand out these awards this year.
The Peter F. Daly Annual Award for Best Research Paper
The first award, the Peter F. Daly Annual Award for Best Research Paper is awarded to a student who demonstrates the most impressive analytical and creative capacity in a research paper, that was written in any literature class given by the department. The paper must contain a minimum of eight doubled spaced pages of 12 point font and with margins no bigger than an inch. While preference will be given to students who pen their papers in German, nominations for English compositions will also be accepted.
Nominations must be submitted by March 31st (regardless of any due date in the class) and must come from any German professor or instructor (regardless of which class, the paper was written for). Secondly, in order to ensure robust competition, there must be a minimum of two nominations from each class, unless the class enrollment is under eleven students. Students need not be aware their work has been nominated but on the other hand may actively lobby other professors in the department to nominate their work.
Unless the Chair appoints otherwise, it is responsible for the coordination of the award.
The committee is to meet no less than two weeks after the March 31st deadline and having read the papers in the interim, deliberate for at least one hour on which paper deserves the award. A majority of the committee is needed to select a winner. In case of a tie, the chair of the department exercises final authority.
The award itself is a certificate and a monetary prize to be established.
The Chair's Annual Award for Best Student of the German Language
This second award may be bestowed upon any student who in the academic year has completed a course in advanced German (currently, GERM-325A) or a language course above the 325 level. This award seeks to recognize distinguished dedication or achievement in the various areas of German Studies involved in language courses. Work in a literature class is not to be considered.
Nominations must be submitted by March 31st (regardless of any end date in the class) and must come from any German professor or instructor (regardless of who teaches the class, for which the student's work is being nominated). Secondly, in order to ensure robust competition, there must be a minimum of two nominations from each class, unless the class enrollment is under eleven students.
Unless the Chair appoints otherwise, it is responsible for the coordination of the award.
The committee is to meet no less than two weeks after the March 31st deadline and deliberate for at least one hour on which paper deserves the award. A majority of the committee is needed to select a winner. In case of a tie, the chair of the department exercises final authority.
The award itself is a certificate and a monetary prize to be established.
Thank you for consideration,
Philip Cleary
&
Samuel Konig
November 27th, 2003
The German Students' Association
McGill University
Chair Bauer & Her Esteemed Colleagues,
First of all, on behalf of the undergraduate
students, we would like to thank you for inviting us to the faculty club
to discuss the future of the German Department. Second, we thought I best
to outline our position of some of the issues brought up by all who
attended the meeting. It is naturally hard to consolidate student opinion
on the issues, because the composition of the GSA is always in flux, but
this statement is written after numerous attempts to take into
consideration as many students' opinions as possible.
There is no real opposition to offering more
classes in English. Indeed, if there is any lack of ideas, we would
immediately suggest survey classes with titles, like Hesse, Goethe, B�ll &
Grass, Kafka II, and Fairy Tales. These classes could be capped at 40-80
students (whatever lets us regain traction with the administration).
However, to preserve the German component of German Studies: let whoever
so wishes be able to do the following. Students should be able to write
tests and papers in German. Further, they should be able to formally or
informally participate in a bi-weekly seminar. Little more would be
expected from the professor than presence and perhaps guidance. This
would total a mere seven more academic hours demanded from professors. If
it is so desired, perhaps TA's specific to the class (via new funding
stemming from higher enrollment numbers) may instruct the seminars. These
seminars, if our estimation of the situation is correct, will receive
anywhere from five to ten students. As an incentive for students, a
participation grade may be factored into evaluation. The incentive for
the department is two-fold: the involvement of otherwise marginalized
students, who might be able to master material in German, yet have
hitherto shied away, and the continuation of approaching texts in the
original for current and future majors and minors. Finally, as a
pre-caution, we would also ask that over-the-cap entrance for students who
are majoring in German Studies is secured on an ad hoc basis.
However, it should be clear that the German Department must, in our
opinion, offer at least three literature courses in German. The ideal
would be one in the autumn and then two in the spring semester (so as to
retain any 325 graduates). We don't see how the department would fail to
fill these classes. The GSA also endorses the very successful and popular
specialized language courses, specifically Business German and German
Translation. These are must-haves.
Correspondently, we plan to petition the Dean of Arts for more graduate
funding in order to free up professors and let them concentrate on
re-building the salience of our department in the eyes of the faculty.
Further, we will continue to develop the GSA not only as a social club for
German Students but as a broader forum for student-staff togetherness.
For example, our Vice President positions are structured in such
a way that does not reflect devotion to the association per se, but rather
to capture the involvement of well known personalities in the department,
so that marginalized students can approach various people in leadership
positions. The GSA needs to be apart of the German Department
experience.
Thus, we would like to request desk space, given the department's
reserve of rooms. Even our counterparts at Concordia have such a room.
Indeed, you, Professor Bauer, have congratulated us on our success many
times and urged us also to make sure that the GSA will transition to just
as enthusiastic student leaders in the future. A sure way to give a more
credence to the GSA would be to give us a physical presence in the
building. This will go a long way in helping us be a relevant and
recognized association in the eyes of the students. And I don't hesitate
to add, that a stronger German student community and identity is not at
all outside the interests of the Professors.
Our other ambitions this year involve a poetry contest (culminating in
a reading of sorts in January or February) a couch and new computer for
the lounge, two more Wine & Cheeses, a Journal with Concordia and
Universit� de Montreal, and a student-run Sprachwochenende in the upcoming
semester. Finally, we would like to emphasize that we are thankful to the
department for all previous support and encouragement.