Don Bush's Intercom article

[Northcut, Kathryn]

Colleagues:

Colleagues:

I've just read Don Bush's "The Friendly Editor" column of February 2007. I'm distressed by the article, even though the proverbial shoe doesn't fit me. With this sort of characterization of my work within publications that are supposedly promoting the profession, we are doing ourselves a disservice to say the least. At best, Bush is misinformed, and at worst, he's being malicious. I'd send this message to Mr. Bush, but he lists only a snail mail address, no email.

I'm interested in hearing how others are reacting or responding to what he's said, and if I'm off base in thinking that a column published in TC reflects the position of STC toward "academicians" (a term I loathe). Certainly there are factions within STC trying to build bridges between university personnel and workplaces, but are we swimming against the tide?

Although I could perhaps shrug this off, I told my students to join STC, and they read this column, and they will take it to heart.

I'm concerned.

Kathy

Kathryn Northcut
Assistant Professor of Technical Communication
Department of English and Technical Communication
University of Missouri-Rolla
northcut at umr.edu