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Subject:Re: TECHWR-L Digest - 22 Aug 1993 to 23 Aug 1993 From:Lisa Kaytes <lisa_cavaliere-kaytes -at- WARREN -dot- MENTORG -dot- COM> Date:Tue, 24 Aug 1993 13:49:31 EDT
On Monday Aug 23 Paul Trummel wrote:
>I have 46 years experience as a professional technical communicator that
>include 13 years in academe. I have also participated for eight years in the
>program at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute....
>The RPI program contains virtually no elements that relate to technical
>communication and most of the faculty have no qualifications or experience in
>the field. If potential students will carefully examine this program then they
>will probably discover the faculty corruption, substance abuse, and
>academic fraud that I have found to exist. Such an appraisal will provide
>them with a true understanding of the program and give them the
>opportunity to make an informed decision on whether to participate.
Well, Mr. Trummel must have a much keener perception than the STC board of
directors; otherwise, why would the Society honor members of a
faculty with "no qualifications or experience" with the ranks of Fellow and
Associate Fellow? It's hard to believe that one of the oldest technical
communication programs in the country could sustain such an esteemed
reputation on academic fraud.
After participating in their program "for eight years", you would think
he could see how courses in rhetorical analysis, visual literacy,
organizational communication, linguistics, technical and
professional writing,..., combined with a required concentration in a
technical field (such as Computer Science or Environmental Engineering)
would provide a solid foundation for any technical communicator. Not
to mention all the "real world" experience students can obtain from
participating in internships and interdepartmental projects between the
Engineering schools and LL&C.
Ken must be right -- Some poor neurotic victim of the "Tute Screw" must have
sat down at a terminal where <trummel -at- U -dot- WASHINGTON -dot- EDU> was logged in and
seized the opportunity to flame his alma mater. Would any other
RPI grads (or tech comm students) care to pick up the gauntlet? ;)
