Education

1984

Ph.D. in English, University of Texas at Austin

1973

M.A. in English, University of Texas at Austin

1970

B.A. in English, Duke University

Administrative experience

2006- 

Vice President for Academic Affairs

2004-06

Dean, College of Liberal Arts

2001-03

Chair, Department of English and Speech

1996-98

Director, UTB/TSC Institutional Self-Study

Teaching experience

1985-

University of Texas at Brownsville/Texas Southmost College: More than twenty different courses in creative writing, literature, and composition

1973-78   

University of Texas at Austin (TA and AI): Freshman composition; sophomore literature, creative writing

Awards, grants, and honors

2007

Member, Texas Institute of Letters

2000

Promotion to Full Professor

1999

Exceptional Merit Award

1998

Finalist, 1999 Ohio State University Press/The Journal Award in Poetry

1998

U.T. Telecampus Grant of $80,000: developing distance education courses for freshman composition (four faculty-member team)

1996

U.T. System Chancellor’s Council Outstanding Teaching Award

1996 

UTB/TSC Nominee, Minnie Stevens Piper Foundation Piper Professor Award

1995

Exceptional Merit Award

1995

Nominee, Pushcart Prize for Poetry

Scholarly and creative interests

Fiction:    

20th century American, British, African, Caribbean, Latin American

Poetry:     

Creative writing; 20th century American, British, African, Caribbean, Latin American

Publications and presentations

More than 210 books, articles, poems, presentations, and readings; available in separate listing.

Professional and service experience

2003-04

Member, Friends and Fund Raising Committee, UTB/TSC Futures Commission

2002

Member, BISD Curriculum Strategic Action Committee

1997-03

Board Member, Brownsville Tennis Association               

1996-01

Associate Editor, Chachalaca Poetry Review

1995-98

Project Editor, Treasures of the Rio Grande Delta: A South Texas Curriculum (Gorgas Science Foundation project)

1995-

Editorial Staff, Journal of Caribbean Literatures

1995-97

Past President, Academic Senate, UTB/TSC

1995-96

Poetry Consultant, Del Castillo Elementary School

1995-96 

Finance Subcommittee Member, BISD Facilities 2000 Committee

1994-96   

Co-chair, Governance Committee, U.T. System Faculty Advisory Council

1992-95

President, Academic Senate, UTB/TSC

1992-95    

Editorial Advisory Board, Borders Review

1991-  

Book Review Editor, Short Story

1990-92

Chair of Welfare Committee of Faculty Association, TSC

1988-90 

Ombudsman of Faculty Association, TSC

1986-89 

Director of Honors Program, TSC

1978-85

Managing Editor and Editor, Texas Business Review

1978

Associate Editor, Texas Quarterly

1976-78 

Coeditor, Thicket

1975-80

Editorial Board, Troubadour Press