Announcements, Appointments

Alemán appointed to MLA Committee

The MLA Executive Council has appointed Jesse Alemán, ALS faculty member, to serve a three-year appointment on the Committee on the Literatures of People of Color in the United States and Canada. The committee develops projects designed to encourage dialogue across ethnic and racial boundaries and to promote intercultural perspectives on, and comparative analyses of the literatures and languages of ethnic groups historically underrepresented in the United States and Canada. Recently, the committee has produced MLA statements on Native American languages in college coursework; guidelines for best practices on diversity hires; and data on humanities doctorate recipients and faculty members by race and ethnicity. Dr. Alemán’s appointment was based on his research and teaching record, and his long-time advocacy for minority students and faculty issues within MLA organizations (the American Literature Section; the Delegate Assembly; and on various Division Executive Committees). The appointment includes annual business meetings at MLA headquarters in New York as well as a role organizing MLA sessions related to the committee’s charge.