Re: Grad School in Tech Writing

[Paul Trummel <trummel -at- U -dot- WASHINGTON -dot- EDU>]

On Thu, 3 Feb 1994, Michelle Adams wrote:

> Hello.  I am a senior English and computer science major who will be
> graduating this May.  I am planning on attending graduate school next fall
> and am in the process of applying to several programs in technical writing.
> I know a little bit about each program, but I would appreciate any
> information you could provide about any of the schools or programs to which
> I am applying.  I am particularly interested in your own evaluations of
> these programs, as well as what you recommend I look for in a graduate
> program.  Here is a list of where I am applying:

>         Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (Troy, NY)
>         Carnegie Mellon U. (Pittsburgh)
>         Northeastern U. (Boston)
>         North Carolina State U. (Raleigh)
>         Univeristy of Michigan (Ann Arbor)
>         University of Washington (Seattle)
>         Southern College of Technology (Marietta, GA)

> Feel free to respond privately if you wish.  Thanks a lot!

> Michelle Adams
> Abilene Christian University
> Abilene, TX
> LMA36959 -at- ACUVAX -dot- ACU -dot- EDU


Michelle. I will send you the full text of the current edition of CONTRA
CABAL by email.

All potential graduate students should Subscribe to CONTRA CABAL:
                concabal -at- u -dot- washington -dot- edu

Exerpts from the Current Edition.

CONTRA CABAL has published 20 editions and has a regular
international readership of many thousands. Through regularly reading
posted material they have become familiar with the pernicious practices
that exist in the Graduate School, and the Department of Languishment,
Licentiousness, and Corruption (LL&C), School of Inhumanity and
Social Scourges (SI&SS), at Rensaler Politicking Institution
(RPI). Recently, a reader posed the question:

                "So what is going on at Rensaler??"

Apparently, the only recent changes at Rensaler relate
to the appointment of a new president. A Cabal thrives and the
dehumanization of, and the discrimination against, specific
student constituencies persists. Malfeasance flourishes. The
graduate and humanities deans continue to receive the same
presidential blessing upon their nefarious conduct that they
received in the past.  The administration continues its cover-up
of criminal activity. Business continues as usual at Rensaler
Politicking Institution.

A reader recently requested more information about the
"elements" in RPI's program that do not relate to technical
communication. A short answer: the RPI curriculum relates to the
history of classical rhetoric and very little contained in the
courses relates to the technical and graphic components of
technical communication. Like a number of other universities,
LL&C disguises an English and rhetoric program to attract
technical students. Most LLC/RPI faculty members have no
professional or academic qualifications and no experience in the
field. Neither has the program any official accreditation.

Approximately 50 programs exist in the United States
that advertise technical communication content. About 80% of
these programs do not provide anything like a well-rounded
education in the field. Most do not employ professionals on their
faculties (an essential to teaching any craft) and rely on
outmoded theories that relate to either individual experience or
departmental politics. These programs rely for their economic
survival upon offering an education that they cannot provide.
This constitutes fraud.

The editor of CONTRA CABAL, formerly an associate
professor, a lecturer and PhD student in LLC, reveals his nine
years experience of this criminal and asinine department of
egocentric despots. In the current edition, in the pursuit of integrity,
he declares his personal interest and describes his role.

By reading CONTRA CABAL readers come to realize the
lack of program accreditation and student abuse that exists at
RPI. If they  willingly accept intimidation, deprivation of
rights and privileges, acquiesce to illegal activity and
humiliation, have sycophantic tendencies, then they should not
read CONTRA CABAL. They can then discover the truth through their own
negative and expensive experience.

Paul Trummel.
trummel -at- u -dot- washington -dot- edu