Rhetoric Society of America Membership Matters

Dear RSA Members:

I write regarding several matters of importance to RSA’s members.  The first is to remind you that January is membership renewal month.  As you recall, two years ago we switched to a new renewal system, which made all memberships due in January. When you renew, you will have the choice of a 1-year or 2-year membership.  The 2-year membership comes at a steep discount. You also will find at the bottom of the renewal page two new items.  The first is an opportunity to become more involved with RSA by volunteering to serve in some capacity.  The second is a request for demographic information.  We seek this data so we may have clearer understanding of our composition to better address member needs.  Providing this information is completely voluntary and is kept for private use and not shared.  We remove any personal identifying information before preparing demographic reports.

Second, registration for RSA20 in Portland is now open.  Michelle Ballif and her team have assembled an exciting program. You will find relevant information for the Conference and Hotel registration on the RSA website. 

Third, when you go to the RSA website, I invite you to visit the RSA Members page, where there are important statements and information about the Society.  Under Members Area, at the top of the page, you will find important statements and policies that apply to all members. On the left, under Members, you will find tabs that are relevant to the work of the Society, how it seeks to serve you, and opportunities for you to become more involved.

Finally, I call your attention to two Fellowship opportunities of special interest to rhetoricians. 

1. The National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) Public Scholars program, which supports the creation of well-researched nonfiction books in the humanities written for the broad public, is now accepting applications. More information (including a full statement of the eligibility requirements) is available on the NEH’s website at http://www.neh.gov/grants/research/public-scholar-program.  The application deadline for this cycle is February 5, 2020. Recipients may begin the term of the grant as early as September 1, 2020 or as late as September 1, 2021.
2. The ACLS just launched the tenth annual Mellon/ACLS Public Fellows competition. Full position descriptions are available at acls.org/programs/publicfellowscomp/. Among the updates to the program this year: Candidates can now use a single online application to apply to up to two positions offered through the program.

Best wishes for the New Year,

Jerry

Gerard A. Hauser
Executive Director