Instructions for the organizing committee

Planning typically begins one year in advance of the lecture

 

BARBER LECTURES IN LITERATURE

SERIES BASICS

 

The Barber Lecture series is made possible by a gift to UMM from Drs. Laird H. and the late Dorothy K. Barber, both professors of English with long and distinguished careers at UMM. The lecture series, which began in 1999, is shared between English and the Foreign Languages and Literatures disciplines.

 

Humanities disciplines agreed that this would be FALL lecture (October or November) each year, and Laird Barber decided that the selection of the speaker and management of the visit would alternate between English and, on a rotating basis, the foreign languages. The committee that takes on this job should include at least one member of the previous year's committee. The Division Office keeps records of previous years' expenses; these are available to each committee.

 

Annual fund amount = $4000

Unless the committee solicits and receives additional support from other sources, this $4000 must cover the following expenses:

1. Honorarium ($2500, typically)

2. Housing (LaFave House, 1-2 nights usually)

3. Transportation, both RT airfare and from/to the airport at both ends

4. Dinner (by invitation, before the lecture; usually small; catering at LaFave is a good option)

5. Reception after the lecture

6. Promotion (duplicating and postage)

 

We do not ask the lecturer to be a visitor to classes; this is lecture aimed more at faculty than at students, though of course students are invited and encouraged to attend. Occasionally (but rarely), the visitor expresses an interest in meeting with students separate from the lecture, and this may add one more expense to the list if refreshments are provided.

*AS SOON AS a lecturer and date have been set, Laird Barber should be notified (either by the committee or the division chair)

 

Barber Lectures in Literature (NOTE: please file with Cindy Poppe a copy of the poster advertising the lecture)

 

1999, Samuel Schuman (inaugural)

2000, Leah Marcus (English)

2001, Trinh T. Minh-Ha (French)

2002, Lawrence Buell (actually April 2003, but this date raised uproar; English)

2003, Sander Gilman (German)

2004, Mary Louise Pratt (English)

2005, Marvin Louis (Spanish)

2006, Jerome McGann (English)

2007, Jonathan Culler (French)