A Letter from Ed Demerly, Immediate Past President

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Almost to my surprise, I have become the College English Association president. It's not something I have sought, but it is a responsibility I welcome. Frankly, I don't remember when I first attended a CEA conference, probably in the 1980s after several years' attendance at Michigan 's CEA affiliate conferences, and I've not missed any conferences since that first one. My experience is not unique. I've heard the same story from a great number of CEA members. Just what is it that makes this particular organization and its annual conference so appealing?

Surely collegiality is a major factor. First-time conference attendees have repeatedly emphasized how welcomed they felt, how encouraged they were during and after their presentations, how surprised they were by the wide range of academic interests, and how easily they blended into special features such as the Diversity luncheon, the Women's Connection dinner, the Peace Panel breakfast, the book giveaway, and post-conference tours.

Certainly the personal response during the submission-of -papers process is another reason members continue to attend CEA conferences. Although we use a database for submission of proposals, it is always easy to reach the program chair and the president for personal questions and requests which receive relatively fast responses. Applicants may check on the status of their proposals at any time and may suggest the type of panel of which they would like to be a part.

Diversity is a special appeal at CEA. The conference has a wide range of special interests including composition and rhetoric, British and American literature, creative writing, pedagogy, distance learning, film, and ethnic literature. The program always includes other unique panels in areas such as food and literature, ethics in the classroom, book history, children's literature, service learning, religion and literature, teacher education, and literature of violence. Presenters come from most of the fifty states and foreign countries and from community colleges, private colleges, military academies, technical institutions, and universities. This great range of choice offers wonderful variety. Conference attendees may spend their time focused on their specific field or find new interests relevant to their individual teaching assignments.

Opportunities to publish are inviting. The CEA Critic reflects the great range of current scholarship especially as it applies in the college and university classroom. The CEA Forum , a web-based journal, serves as an arena for members to exchange ideas about the teaching and learning of English in all its aspects. The Forum also provides information about and reports from the annual conference and news of interest to members.

Finally, I want to acknowledge the honor you have given me to serve as the first CEA president from a community college since CEA's founding in 1939.

Ed Demerly