[R. S. Gwynn]

Just posted it to show some doubt that WCU is dismantling everything.

[R. S. Gwynn]

I'll take Manhattan!
But not the Bronx or Staten
Island too.

[Quincy Lehr]

I'm waiting for something official, too, but alumni magazines are generally the last place to look if one wants to know what is really going on.

[Charlotte Innes]

Yes, and this probably went to press months ago, long before the news about Kim came out. I happen to know that alumni magazines plan way in advance of their pub. dates. Also, as you can see, it's only about this year's conference, with pix of Kim all over it!

Charlotte

[W.F. Lantry]

Originally Posted by Quincy Lehr

alumni magazines are generally the last place to look if one wants to know what is really going on.

Exactly. And that one was stitched together months ago.

But I don't understand why they'd want to knock the entire structure down. Now, university presses are dropping left and right, that's not really news. But centers and conferences, even when they're peripheral to the core mission, are cash cows and reputation enhancers. They're also good for town/gown relations... a big consideration on a backwoods campus like that. They raise the local profile, and convention-goers spend money at local businesses. They also look good at state-wide higher ed meetings:

"You're just a dumpy teachers college in the southeast corner, destined to be absorbed into Penn State."

"No, we're special. We've got a poetry center, and a nationally recognized poetry conference..."

Not any more. Or maybe it's just business as usual. One time, my digital media guys were off campus, and before the event they needed to do a sound check. And what did the president of that other campus choose to say? "Welcome to Blah-Blah University, where every time we turn around we manage to shoot ourselves in both feet!"

That little sound byte became famous, mostly because it's so true, and applies to almost every school around...

Thanks,

Bill

[Jayne Osborn]

Since we can be fairly certain that there will be no West Chester conference in 2015, it seems to me that we should be looking for other ways and places to be with each other next year.

Definitely, Maryann! And, speaking from the other side of The Pond, we Brits tend towards the viewpoint that if we're going to travel to the USA it doesn't make a whole lot of difference where exactly in the USA it is... as long as there's an international airport within striking distance.

I loved the 2012 WC conference (my first time) and was hoping to go again next year, so on the basis of the above please keep me posted if a new venue comes up!

Jayne

[W.F. Lantry]

Originally Posted by Jayne Osborn

it doesn't make a whole lot of difference where exactly in the USA it is... as long as there's an international airport within striking distance.

You're in luck! It's only 220 miles from the Denver airport to Gunnison, Co. Not that far... it'd be like driving from London to Manchester. Maybe a little farther. Call it Southport. Or Blackpool, maybe? But in this case, you'd get to drive over the Great Continental Divide, which is pretty spectacular. Everyone should do that at least once: the mountains are stunning!





Thanks,

Bill

[Gregory Dowling]

London to Manchester - that's a hell of a distance! Worlds apart.

American and British ideas of distance are very different...

[Jayne Osborn]

... and the bicycle puts me off, Bill.

[Simon Hunt]

Most of the U.S. is too hot all summer. Not the central California coast. Just saying. I'll bake cookies if somebody else can work out the venue, hotel, meals, etc. Deal?