Title: Office: Home: Curriculum Vitae Alexander W. Phillips (September 2011) Director of Assessment and Curriculum Development Commonwealth Honors College 504 Goodell 140 Hicks Way University of Massachusetts Amherst, MA 01003 (413) 577-4276 170 Market Hill Rd. Amherst, MA 01002 (413) 230-0090 Email:alexwp@english.umass.edu Administrative Experience Director, Assessment and Curriculum Development (Fall 2009-Present) In my current position, I lead and coordinate College efforts to improve student learning and educational program outcomes. I work closely with the Dean of the College as I develop curricular goals and strategies. I am responsible for developing and implementing educational and administrative assessment plans and for launching new curricular initiatives. I am well versed in contemporary higher education assessment procedures. I served on the Chancellor s Summer Task Force, out of which came several ideas for expanding educational opportunities for students while increasing revenue for the campus. Among these was an RFP to colleges for revenue-generating programs. I oversaw the creation of residential summer programs for honors students. I worked with the Vice Chancellor for Administration and Finance to coordinate major players, including the Bursar s Office, the Registrar s Office, Housing and Dining services, Financial Aid and Continuing & Professional Education, to streamline procedures for matriculated students to live on campus during the summer. Director, the Honors Seminar Series (Fall 2008-Fall 2009) The Honors Seminar Series is a set of required courses for honors students at UMass Amherst. It consists of a great books-style course for freshmen and a special topics course. I was responsible for overseeing the curriculum and assessing the outcomes for the approximately 800 students enrolled in the course each year. I recruited, oriented, and supported the 10 lecturers and 27 tenure-system faculty members who taught the course. http://www.honors.umass.edu/honorsseminar Assistant Director, the Dean s Book Course (Fall 2004-Fall 2008) In this role, I managed scheduling, enrollments, compensation, assisted in curriculum
development and created course materials. The Dean s Book Course was designed by a former Dean of the honors college, Dr. Linda Slakey. Using a common text, its goals were to encourage active listening, hone presentation skills, and learn basic research techniques in preparation for the honors capstone. Approximately 2,000 students per year were enrolled across the three levels of the course. The course had an annual budget of approximately $350,000. It was eventually replaced by the Honors Seminar Series. Director and Co-founder, Juniper Institute for Young Writers (2004-2006) The Juniper Institute for Young Writers is a summer writing program for exceptional high school-aged writers from around the country. Founding this program took a year of meetings, fundraising, negotiations, and legal research involving a wide-range of faculty and administration at the University. I was the chief facilitator of the process, whose success I measure not only by the prestige the program earned quickly and still enjoys, but also by the fact that so many people in widely various roles worked so well together to make it happen. Juniper is an excellent model for high school summer programs. It could be expanded upon to increase out-of-state visibility, recruitment, and revenue on a university campus. Juniper students were extremely high achieving, and many from private high schools across the country. In an exit survey in 2010, a majority of participants, many of whom are from out of state, indicated they would speak favorably of the University of Massachusetts in conversation with others. Many also said they would consider the University when making college choices. http://www.umass.edu/juniperyoungwriters/ Coordinator and co-founder, Writing Butterfield (2003-2005) Writing Butterfield is a residential academic program for students interested in writing and literature. I designed and oversaw the pedagogical and logistical components of this residential program, including the coordination of faculty and the design of educational facilities, i.e., classrooms and offices. The program has since been integrated into the University s Residential First Year Experiences as an Honors RAP. Academic Employment Senior Lecturer. University of Massachusetts Amherst. Fall 2011-present. Lecturer. University of Massachusetts Amherst. Fall 2004-Spring 2011. Graduate Instructor. Writing Program. University of Massachusetts Amherst. Fall 2001, Fall 2002, Spring 2003. Graduate Instructor. Department of English. University of Massachusetts Amherst. Spring 2001 and Spring 2002. Graduate Academic Advisor. Commonwealth Honors College. University of Massachusetts Amherst. Fall 2000-Fall 2004. Education M.F.A., Dept. of English, University of Massachusetts. May 2004. Focus on contemporary
American poetry writing and criticism. (Terminal Degree) B.A. in Creative Writing and Literature (B.D.I.C.), University of Massachusetts. May 1999, magna cum laude, Departmental Honors, Commonwealth Scholar. Minor topic: Philosophy. Teaching, Research, and Professional Interests Creative Writing Contemporary American Poetry Creative Writing Pedagogy Residential Academic Programming Curriculum Development Summer Education Online Education Academic Assessment Honors Pedagogy The Impact and State of the Liberal Arts Courses Currently Offered English 499A+B, Honors Lifelong Writing. Yearlong honors capstone course in poetry, fiction, and creative non-fiction. Students write an honors thesis, which is a creative manuscript. Former students have attended top MFA programs and published widely. Honors 499A+B. Honors Seminar Scholars. Yearlong honors capstone course. Students conduct surveys, focus groups, and interviews on honors curriculum. A group honors project is produced, which is a curriculum plan for a new honors course offering. English 112. College Writing. English 162. Science Fiction and Fantasy. Honors 191D and 391D. Honors seminars. Colloquium in Web and Print Publication. Training National Collegiate Honors Council Institute on Assessment and Evaluation; Site Visitor s Certification Training. July, 2010. Presenting Data and Information, A one-day course taught by Edward Tufte. November, 2008. New England Educational Assessment Network Summer Institute on Assessment. June, 2008. Practicum: "Teaching and Technology. Writing Program. University of Massachusetts at Amherst. 2003.
Practicum in the Teaching of Writing. Writing Program. University of Massachusetts at Amherst. 2001. Publications Books Phillips, Alex. Crash Dome. Factory Hollow Press, 2010. Poetry. Chapbooks Phillips, Alex. Under a Paper Trellis. Factory Hollow Press, 2006. Poetry. Translation - Poetry Martory, Pierre. Trans. Paul Fattaruso and Alex Phillips. "After a Ball." "Biography," "Connivance," "Wine," "Would You Like to Be a Baker." Germ 5 (2001): 189-194. Martory, Pierre. Trans. Paul Fattaruso and Alex Phillips. "Après Tout." Poetry February 2001: 314. Martory, Pierre. Trans. Paul Fattaruso and Alex Phillips. "Fragment." Poetry October- November 2000: 19. Martory, Pierre. Trans. Paul Fattaruso and Alex Phillips. "Lied." Both 1 (2001): 18. Martory, Pierre. Trans. Paul Fattaruso and Alex Phillips. "The Rats." Poetry March 2001: 383. Martory, Pierre. Trans. Paul Fattaruso and Alex Phillips. "Soundproof Room." Jubilat (2000): 66. Selected Journal Publications - Poetry My poems appear in various other recent print and online journals. Phillips, Alex. Dressmaker, Stonemason s Oratory, Work Shy. Open City 21 (2005): 49-51. Phillips, Alex. "Employment." Both 1 (2001): 12. Phillips, Alex. "Hallelujah Heart," "Read n Run: Driving Instructions," Sharkopath. La Petite Zine 12 (2003). <http://www.lapetitezine.org/alexphillips.htm>. Phillips, Alex. Keeping with the Theme of Clicks, Trigger. 2006. Pilot 1. 1 August 2006 <http://www.pilotpoetry.org/s1phillips.html>. Phillips, Alex. "The Last Part of Flight. 2009. Poetry Sky. In Chinese translation. Phillips, Alex. "The Last Part of Flight. 2009. Poetry Sky Anthology of Contemporary American Poetry. In Chinese translation.
Phillips, Alex. Messages from the Omniverse, Vascular Overture. Redactions 6/7 (2006): 46-48. Syndicated Publications Phillips, Alex. Work Shy. American Life in Poetry: A Free Column for Newspapers by Ted Kooser, Former Poet Laureate of the United States. Nationally Syndicated. September 28, 2006. Readings I regularly read poetry regionally and in other areas of the country. Conference Participation Faculty member and writer in residence, The Juniper Institute, University of Massachusetts Amherst. Fall 2006-present. Panel member. Chapbook Reading and Discussion. Juniper Literary Festival. University of Massachusetts. April 27, 2007. Discussant. "Creative Writing Pedagogy" panel. English Department Graduate Conference. Amherst, Massachusetts. May 15, 2003. Fellowships and Honors Deborah Slosberg Memorial Award. Department of English. University of Massachusetts, 2002. For "work in poetry that constitutes substantial and worthy achievement." English Department MFA Fellowship. University of Massachusetts, 2000 Departmental Honors. The Honors Program. University of Massachusetts, 1999. For honors work concentrated in a student's major field of study. Commonwealth Scholar. The Honors Program. University of Massachusetts, 1999. For completion of the requirements of the Honors Program. Committees Member, Budget and Program Committee of the faculty senate, 2011-presesnt. Member, Gen Ed Council of the faculty senate, 2011-present. Executive Board Member, Massachusetts Society of Professors, 2009-present. Member, ad hoc Summer Task Force, 2009. Chair, Commonwealth College Personnel Committee. Fall 2006-Fall 2011. Member, Commonwealth College Community, Diversity, and Social Justice Committee. Fall 2006-present. Member, Commonwealth College Instructional Development Committee. Fall 2006-present. Member, Commonwealth College Personnel Committee. Fall 2004-Fall 2006. Member, Commonwealth College Visual Identity Committee. Fall 2006-present.