She has written me a letter. Another one she wrote, if I remember well, asked for donations for Katrina victims. Now I am to renew my MLA membership. Here is why:
As we prepare for another MLA convention, which will take place in Chicago from 9 to 12 January 2014, I wanted to remind you of how important your dues are to the research and outreach programs of the association. Members’ dues help pay for travel grants for graduate students to attend the convention, the development of online career resources, and the gathering and analysis of data on the job market. Your dues also fund the MLA’s advocacy of the study and teaching of languages, the MLA Language Map, and the association’s distinguished publishing program.
I am an MLA member as a sort of magic charm to stay in the profession. Paying for it is a hardship I take on. I cannot afford to attend the convention, although I would like to.
This reminder that the membership I sacrifice to cover buys things for other people that sound like luxuries to me, is not effective motivation to stick with the organization.
When Rosemary Geisdorfer Feal asked for donations to help Katrina victims from privileged universities relocate to more privileged situations, I wrote a letter explaining the situation. I do not intend to write again.
#OccupyHE.
Axé.
coldhearted scientist وداد 