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      • ISSUE XX May 2014
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      • ISSUE XXI February 2015
      • Contemporary Indian English Poetry ISSUE XXII November 2015
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      • ISSUE XXIII August 2016
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      • ISSUE XXV August 2017
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      • ISSUE XXIX July 2019
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      • Issue XXX February 2020
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      • ISSUE XXXIII June 2022
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      • ISSUE XXXV August 2023
  • Collaborations
    • Macedonian Collaboration
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  • Interviews
  • Prose on Poetry and Poets
    • 2010-2013 >
      • Sylvia Plath by Dr. Nidhi Mehta >
        • Chapter-1(Sylvia Plath)
        • Chapter-2(Sylvia Plath)
        • Chapter-3(Sylvia Plath)
        • Chapter-4(Sylvia Plath)
        • Chapter-5(Sylvia Plath)
        • Chapter-6(Sylvia Plath)
      • Prose Poems of Tagore by Dr. Bina Biswas >
        • Chapter-1(Rabindranath Tagore)
        • Chapter-2(Rabindranath Tagore)
        • Chapter-3(Rabindranath Tagore)
        • Chapter-4(Rabindranath Tagore)
        • Chapter-5(Rabindranath Tagore)
        • Chapter-6(Rabindranath Tagore)
        • Chapter-7(Rabindranath Tagore)
        • Chapter-8(Rabindranath Tagore)
        • Chapter-9(Rabindranath Tagore)
      • Kazi Nazrul Islam by Dr. Shamenaz Shaikh >
        • Chapter 1(Nazrul Islam)
        • Chapter 2(Nazrul Islam)
        • Chapter 3(Nazrul Islam)
      • Kabir's Poetry by Dr. Anshu Pandey >
        • Chapter 1(Kabir's Poetry)
        • Chapter 2(Kabir's Poetry)
        • Chapter 3(Kabir's Poetry)
      • My mind's not right by Dr. Vicky Gilpin >
        • Chapter- 1 Dr. Vicky Gilpin
        • Chapter-2 Dr. Vicky Gilpin
        • Chapter-3 Dr. Vicky Gilpin
        • Chapter-4 Dr. Vicky Gilpin
      • On Poetry & Poets by Abhay K.
      • Poetry of Kamla Das –A True Voice Of Bourgeoisie Women In India by Dr.Shikha Saxena
      • Identity Issues in the Poetry of Nissim Ezekiel by Dr.Arvind Nawale & Prashant Mothe*
      • Nissim Ezekiel’s Latter-Day Psalms: His Religious and Philosophical Speculations By Dr. Pallavi Srivastava
      • The Moping Owl : the Epitome of Melancholy by Zinia Mitra
      • Gary Soto’s Vision of Chicano Experiences: The Elements of San Joaquin and Human Nature by Paula Hayes
      • Sri Aurobindo: A Poet By Aju Mukhopadhyay
      • Wordsworthian Romanticism in the Poetry of Jayanta Mahapatra: Nature and the Reflective Capabilities of a Poetic Self by Paula Hayes
      • Reflective Journey of T.S. Eliot: From Philosophy to Poetry by Syed Ahmad Raza Abidi
      • North East Indian Poetry: ‘Peace’ in Violence by Ananya .S. Guha
    • 2014-2015 >
      • From The Hidden World of Poetry: Unravelling Celtic mythology in Contemporary Irish Poetry Adam Wyeth
      • Alchemy’s Drama: Conflict, Resolution and Poiesis in the Poetic Work of Art by Michelle Bitting
      • Amir Khushrau: The Musical Soul of India by Dr. Shamenaz
      • PUT YOUR HANDS ON ME: POETRY'S EROTIC ART by Elena Karina Byrne
      • Celtic and Urban Landscapes in Irish Poetry by Linda Ibbotson
      • Trickster at the African Crossroads and the Bridge to the Blues in America by Michelle Bitting
    • 2015-2016 >
      • Orogeny/Erogeny: The “nonsense” of language and the poetics of Ed Dorn T Thilleman
      • Erika Burkart: Fragments, Shards, and Visions by Marc Vincenz
      • English Women Poets and Indian politics
    • 2016-2017 >
      • Children’s Poetry in India- A Case Study of Adil Jussawalla and Ananya Guha by Shruti Sareen
      • Thirteen Thoughts on Poetry in the Digital Age by Mandy kAHN
    • 2017-2018 >
      • From Self-Portrait with Dogwood: A Route of Evanescence by Christopher Merrill
      • Impure Poetry by Tony Barnstone
      • On the Poets: Contributors in Context by Donald Gardner
      • Punching above its Weight: Dutch Poetry in English, a Selection, 2013-2017 by Jane Draycott
  • Print Editions

Colleen Harris in conversation with Koketso Marishane

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1.       In your present capacity as ‘’Assistant Professor’ who’s soon to be promoted to a higher level provided you satisfy the relevant bodies, how will your nomenclature affect effects in your profession and lifestyle? Could you take us on a narrative journey of the whole process, please? 

Title changes do not mean much to me, and I expect to work just as hard once I achieve tenure as I do without it. I am, however, hoping that there might be a lifestyle change if there is a salary raise involved, as I would love to buy a home. I very much desire the ability to paint my walls whatever color I please whenever I please, which is not an option with apartment living. The process is fairly simple and (luckily, at my institution) forthright. After so many years of working at the assistant professor level, I am eligible for tenure and promotion. A committee of my peers reviews my dossier, which includes materials showcasing my experience and growth in librarianship, research and service. Should they approve and want me to remain, they will recommend me for tenure. That recommendation then goes to the library Dean, the University provost, the Chancellor, then to the University Board. Should there be approval all the way up that chain, I will have achieved tenure. Many universities and departments do not have as clear guidelines as my own library does, where we spell out the expectations very clearly.Essentially I have worked hard to demonstrate not just competence but growth as a practitioner, scholar, and servant. 


2.       Appropriated the chance to justify yourself for all you’ve made throughout your life, how are you positioned and how is the room for improvement and the chances of your occupancy in it?

I am very lucky, and with a tenure-track position in a career field I love (librarianship), I am able to engage in meaningful research as well as to satisfy my own desire to work on creative writing. I certainly have room for improvement in time management – I currently work a 12-month tenure track job, am a full-time doctoral student, I teach as an adjunct in various departments across campus, and I also pursue my creative writing in my free time. Creative writing usually gets the short shrift when priorities start competing, and I would like to make more space for it in my life.I also have not yet set down roots, as I have been too interested in exploring the different facets of life and work, and I hope to improve in my ability to truly integrate into my community.


3.       Based on the current trend of living in a global village via digital divisions, how is your work and lifestyle affected professionally and personally?

I find computers to be incredibly distracting. I do my best creative writing work by hand and in quiet – usually outdoors. I work on the computer with creative writing only to play with line breaks and so I can store and print multiple copies easily. Because I work at a university that serves a very diverse group of students, many of them economically disadvantaged, I maintain a consciousness about how I use technology, and how I assume others use it. I also work very hard to make sure that I use technology as a tool to solve particular problems as opposed to choosing technologies based on the shiny-shiny-ooh factor.

4.       In terms of language development in an information society that has emerged with the 21st century generation, what’s your take on digitising data with relevance to archaeological and anthropological treasures meant for clandestine disclosure and; how do you decide which direction to take with technology as an advancing mechanical tool?

I think that digitizing information is an incredible opportunity to make it available to those who might not otherwise have been exposed to it. Aside from top secret government information and personal information, there is not a lot in terms of archaeological treasure that I would posit should be clandestine. Information is the essential weapon against ignorance, and if we can harness digital technologies to expand access to information, particularly about other cultures, I think we should do so with no delay. In terms of my own use of technology and my advocacy for it in my work, I try to make sure we match the tool to the need. Sometimes pen and paper are as advanced as I need to get; other times I require server access. It is all about the end result of what we want to accomplish. I do think that we as humans need to be more conscious of the decisions we make with regards to our technology choices.

5.       Based on your life’s experiences in academia, how would you classify your work on a global scale and what message would you convey to the newcomers aspiring your accolades?

On a global scale my impact is probably very small; I work hard to improve services, experience, and the skills of the students at my local university. I try to present my work and research at conferences and have done so nationally and internationally, which I hope impacts other librarians’ and teachers’ practices for the better. My hope is really that my influence somehow either helps people become more effective at finding the information they need or helps libraries be more effective in the work that they do. My goal for my creative writing is that it touches someone somewhere, and that they remember my words with comfort and/or inspiration at some point in their lives. My message to any newcomer in either academia or creative writing is just this: you must do what you love. Only that will make you happy, only being happy will allow you to throw yourself heart and soul into your work, and only working with that sort of dedication will bring you satisfying success. 

                                             ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


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​VerseVille (formerly The Enchanting Verses Literary Review) © 2008-2023    ISSN 0974-3057 Published from India. 

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  • Home
  • About Us
    • Contact
    • Media Coverages
    • Copyright Notice
    • VerseVille Blog
  • Submissions
    • Poetry and Essays Guidelines
    • Book Review Guidelines
    • Research Series Guidelines
  • Masthead
  • Editions
    • 2011 Issues >
      • ISSUE-XIV November 2011
    • 2012 Issues >
      • ISSUE-XV March 2012
      • ISSUE-XVI July 2012
      • ISSUE-XVII November 2012
    • 2013 Issues >
      • ISSUE-XVIII April 2013
      • ISSUE XIX November 2013
    • 2014 Issues >
      • ISSUE XX May 2014
    • 2015 Issues >
      • ISSUE XXI February 2015
      • Contemporary Indian English Poetry ISSUE XXII November 2015
    • 2016 Issues >
      • ISSUE XXIII August 2016
      • Poetry From Ireland ISSUE XXIV December 2016
    • 2017 ISSUES >
      • ISSUE XXV August 2017
      • ISSUE XXVI December 2017
    • 2018 ISSUES >
      • ISSUE XXVII July 2018
      • ISSUE XXVIII November 2018
    • 2019 Issues >
      • ISSUE XXIX July 2019
    • 2020 ISSUES >
      • Issue XXX February 2020
      • ISSUE XXXI December 2020
    • 2021 ISSUES >
      • ISSUE XXXII August 2021
    • 2022 ISSUES >
      • ISSUE XXXIII June 2022
      • ISSUE XXXIV December 2022
    • 2023 ISSUES >
      • ISSUE XXXV August 2023
  • Collaborations
    • Macedonian Collaboration
    • Collaboration with Dutch Foundation for Literature
  • Interviews
  • Prose on Poetry and Poets
    • 2010-2013 >
      • Sylvia Plath by Dr. Nidhi Mehta >
        • Chapter-1(Sylvia Plath)
        • Chapter-2(Sylvia Plath)
        • Chapter-3(Sylvia Plath)
        • Chapter-4(Sylvia Plath)
        • Chapter-5(Sylvia Plath)
        • Chapter-6(Sylvia Plath)
      • Prose Poems of Tagore by Dr. Bina Biswas >
        • Chapter-1(Rabindranath Tagore)
        • Chapter-2(Rabindranath Tagore)
        • Chapter-3(Rabindranath Tagore)
        • Chapter-4(Rabindranath Tagore)
        • Chapter-5(Rabindranath Tagore)
        • Chapter-6(Rabindranath Tagore)
        • Chapter-7(Rabindranath Tagore)
        • Chapter-8(Rabindranath Tagore)
        • Chapter-9(Rabindranath Tagore)
      • Kazi Nazrul Islam by Dr. Shamenaz Shaikh >
        • Chapter 1(Nazrul Islam)
        • Chapter 2(Nazrul Islam)
        • Chapter 3(Nazrul Islam)
      • Kabir's Poetry by Dr. Anshu Pandey >
        • Chapter 1(Kabir's Poetry)
        • Chapter 2(Kabir's Poetry)
        • Chapter 3(Kabir's Poetry)
      • My mind's not right by Dr. Vicky Gilpin >
        • Chapter- 1 Dr. Vicky Gilpin
        • Chapter-2 Dr. Vicky Gilpin
        • Chapter-3 Dr. Vicky Gilpin
        • Chapter-4 Dr. Vicky Gilpin
      • On Poetry & Poets by Abhay K.
      • Poetry of Kamla Das –A True Voice Of Bourgeoisie Women In India by Dr.Shikha Saxena
      • Identity Issues in the Poetry of Nissim Ezekiel by Dr.Arvind Nawale & Prashant Mothe*
      • Nissim Ezekiel’s Latter-Day Psalms: His Religious and Philosophical Speculations By Dr. Pallavi Srivastava
      • The Moping Owl : the Epitome of Melancholy by Zinia Mitra
      • Gary Soto’s Vision of Chicano Experiences: The Elements of San Joaquin and Human Nature by Paula Hayes
      • Sri Aurobindo: A Poet By Aju Mukhopadhyay
      • Wordsworthian Romanticism in the Poetry of Jayanta Mahapatra: Nature and the Reflective Capabilities of a Poetic Self by Paula Hayes
      • Reflective Journey of T.S. Eliot: From Philosophy to Poetry by Syed Ahmad Raza Abidi
      • North East Indian Poetry: ‘Peace’ in Violence by Ananya .S. Guha
    • 2014-2015 >
      • From The Hidden World of Poetry: Unravelling Celtic mythology in Contemporary Irish Poetry Adam Wyeth
      • Alchemy’s Drama: Conflict, Resolution and Poiesis in the Poetic Work of Art by Michelle Bitting
      • Amir Khushrau: The Musical Soul of India by Dr. Shamenaz
      • PUT YOUR HANDS ON ME: POETRY'S EROTIC ART by Elena Karina Byrne
      • Celtic and Urban Landscapes in Irish Poetry by Linda Ibbotson
      • Trickster at the African Crossroads and the Bridge to the Blues in America by Michelle Bitting
    • 2015-2016 >
      • Orogeny/Erogeny: The “nonsense” of language and the poetics of Ed Dorn T Thilleman
      • Erika Burkart: Fragments, Shards, and Visions by Marc Vincenz
      • English Women Poets and Indian politics
    • 2016-2017 >
      • Children’s Poetry in India- A Case Study of Adil Jussawalla and Ananya Guha by Shruti Sareen
      • Thirteen Thoughts on Poetry in the Digital Age by Mandy kAHN
    • 2017-2018 >
      • From Self-Portrait with Dogwood: A Route of Evanescence by Christopher Merrill
      • Impure Poetry by Tony Barnstone
      • On the Poets: Contributors in Context by Donald Gardner
      • Punching above its Weight: Dutch Poetry in English, a Selection, 2013-2017 by Jane Draycott
  • Print Editions