Re: Professionalism

[Sara Kimball <skimball@uts.cc.utexas.edu>]

Hmm, Jim.  *Professional* is one of those words that have a wide variety
of meanings, some of which leave me skeptical.  For example, it was a word
invoked in graduate school to hound people into doing something unpleasant
or to accept a nasty reality ;-)

But I'll bite on the invitation to discussion.  What are some of the
actions, states or changes that would allow one to define the writing
center field as professional or becoming increasingly so?

Sara Kimball

On Sun, 6 Jul 1997, Jim Bell wrote:

> Is the writing center field becoming more professional?
> 
> (I discover that as a dedicated director of a WC, I assume that our field 
> is inevitably becoming more professional. But then I hear about other 
> fields becoming LESS professional e.g., the Canadian military, and I 
> realize that I should be more cautious in my optimism.
> 	I also discover that when I read about the "increasing 
> professionalism" --in articles such as North's "Writing Center 
> Research"--the term is usually used rhetorically i.e., as part of an 
> argument:"Because we are becoming more professional, we must think and do 
> such and such." But little evidence is presented that we are actually 
> becoming more professional.)
> 
> 
> Jim Bell
> Editor, Journal of College Reading and Learning		Ph. (250) 960-6365
> Learning Skills Centre					Fax (250) 960-6330
> University of Northern BC				email jimb@unbc.edu
> 3333 University Way
> Prince George, BC
> Canada  V2N 4Z9                    =====-=-====-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
> 
> 
>