[Ads-l] Big news on ADS communications

[Amy West]

On 10/15/26 00:00, ADS-L automatic digest system wrote:
> Date:    Wed, 14 Oct 2026 13:10:48 +0000
> From:    Joe Salmons<jsalmons at WISC.EDU>
> Subject: Big news on ADS communications
>
> Dear ADS members,
> I'm writing today with an update about American Dialect Society Communications — which includes some sincere thanks and a hearty welcome!
>
> Grant Barrett has been doing the heavy lifting of ADS communications since 1998, an amazing stretch and one where he’s provided critical hard work for the Society. He’s maintained the website, including redesigns and overhauls, kept our membership list updated, and written tons of material for us (way better than most of us could have written it!).  Now, he’s ready to step away.
I'm amazed that he's been able to do it as long and as much as he did 
given his A Way With Words obligations, his other projects (that 
politics language website?), and oh yeah, that family of his.
>
> After considerable discussion in the Executive Council, we concluded that it will take a team to do the work moving forward

I hope Grant feels good? that it's going to take more than 1 person to 
do what he did.

Good, good, good decision by the executive council.

>   — and we’ve got one. Rachyl Hietpas, currently finishing her dissertation at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, is now doing the web updating. Members of the EC will generate some content, and Rachyl will start posting monthly updates on relevant news. Our communications committee will keep the membership list current. And, happily, Grant’s still willing to consult with us and help as needed. He’s going to continue handling the technical matters of the website as our Technical Advisor.
Yeah, but I'm hoping that the "team" that the EC is comprising will get 
an additional person to do/learn the website technical stuff for 
redundancy's sake.
>
> Please send questions and news to me and Rachyl<rhietpas2 at wisc.edu>.
>
> Welcome, Rachyl. And, wow, do we owe you, Grant!

BIG TIME!

---Amy West

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The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org