Ne AATSEELom edinym: SLAVIC at MLA!

[W. Derbyshire]

On Mon, 1 Dec 1997, Emily Tall wrote:
> I see Wayles Brown feels the same way as I do. Unless I pay $100, I
> can't go to the MLA book exhibit. I believe AATSEEL has tried to get us
> in without paying that enormous sum, but without success. Maybe we should
> try again. Emily  Tall
        Yes, Emily, you are correct. When I was President of AATSEEL in
the mid-80's I took upon myself to do battle with MLA over the issue of
trying to get them to recognize AATSEEL name tags for admittance to the
book exhibit (and Slavic sessions) during the MLA meetings. I had no luck
whatsoever. I imagine presidents since my time (and probably before my
time as well) have also tried with no success. I note that my approach to
MLA was met with no small degree of arrogance on their part.

        The issue of meeting together with MLA was also discussed
extensively during my term of office. No matter which group AATSEEL
decides to meet with, there will be problems and conflicts. Personally I
always hated the time between Xmas and New Year, and now that I am
retired, I rarely put in an appearance. Like Ernie Scatton I too enjoy
being with family at that time.  After my time as President it became a
formalized policy that AATSEEL should always meet together with MLA, the
main reason being to provide those seeking jobs better interviewing
opportunities. It becomes too expensive to attend and to be interviewed at
two different meetings, and if AATSEEL were to meet at the same time but
in a different location, those looking for jobs would have to decide which
would present the better hope for a greater number of interviews.

        A spring meeting would be too late for people seeking jobs, but
maybe it is time for AATSEEL to re-visit this question. AATSEEL might even
have to, god forbid, consider meeting with our rival organization (which
it really isn't!) AAASS. I think that their meeting time, usually the week
before Thanksgiving, has its serious drawbacks as well.

        In any event, this debate will go on as long as MLA and AATSEEL
exist.
                                        Bill Derbyshire