Dr. Brian R. Donovan

Professor of English, Bemidji State University (BSU), Bemidji, Minnesota, USA
Director of Composition

On Sabbatical Leave, Fall 2012 and Spring 2013

In Panormo, Crete, Greece, 18 August 2012 to approximately 11 May 2013.
Journal and photos for this trip.

E-mail (to use, replace asterisk with "@"): bdonovan*bemidjistate.edu

Photo ©2005 by Dan Carlson
of The Dive Depot, Bemidji, MN
used by permission

Links and Materials for Teaching Graduate Assistants in English:

The above are sample syllabi, drafted by Susan Hauser as part of the English curriculum package that got approved through BSUFA committees and BSU Academic Affairs a few years ago. As such these documents appear to meet the definition of "Course Outline" as defined by MnSCU Board Policy 3.22 Part 2 Subpart A. Teaching Graduate assistants should take note that the student learning outcomes specified in these documents (under "Assessment") are officially and importantly binding; other stuff in here, like the point system for grading, may, however, be treated as mere example and suggestion. The department has authority to revise these documents, subject I believe to the full curriculum-approval process, but that is doable, and suggestions for improvements are welcome.

Syllabus Template (specifically constructed for on-line courses, but most parts are equally relevant to on-campus courses).
MnSCU advice/policy on copyright and fair use.
Hints and Practical Advice for First Year English Students, a page salvaged from an older version of the departmental Web site, containing a departmental grading rubric.

Advice to College Writers:

Some handouts I have prepared for my College Writing students and the Writing Resource Center, on a few types of errors I have found myself marking again and again:

Some other resources I keep on the Web:

My [old] sabbatical journal, 2000–2001, with pictures, covering travels and adventures with my family in Greece (also the British Isles, first, and Turkey last), during my sabbatical leave for the full academic year 2000–2001.
The Encomium of Helen by Gorgias of Leontini, my translation of an important sophistic text from ancient Greece, because there was a need for one to be more easily available;
Two Lives of Isocrates, translations from the Greek biographical tradition regarding one of the Ten Attic Orators.
Ojibwewanishinaabenaang, a set of 1350x975-pixel maps of southwestern Ojibwe territory, with Ojibwe place names, lest they be forgotten;
Ojibwe Story as taught in Prof. Earl Nyholm’s Advanced Ojibwe class. The Ojibwe text is specially encoded so that grammatical and lexical notes appear as you move your mouse-cursor over the words. [Note 2/1/12: This special encoding has been restored to functionality by Tom Wurdock.]

This page last updated 20 November 2012.