Phelps, excerpt from "Matching Form to Function," 2002 consultation speech at Michigan State

Summary: A key concept Phelps advocates in this piece is that of "enterprise": "the characteristic mode by which intellectual work is accomplished and evaluated at a college or university." She argues to expand "intellectual work" beyond publishable research, but also cautions that it needs to "invoke ideas and explore their consequences" and "be open to public assessment by peers and beneficiaries." When applying this concept to MSU's writing program, Phelps states that "a university writing program must have a core research faculty to authorize its teaching mission. But that isn't enough. [...A] writing program itself needs to accommodate and facilitate the whole range of work encompassed in the university mission, including research, professional service, and engagement with the community." Phelps writes that the first component is very similar to other departments, but the second one is different from most others. Integrating the two will be a challenge.

Response: My first response to this piece was to want to read the whole thing, since I received my undergraduate degree and teaching certification from MSU, as well as working in its writing center (and presenting at conferences and writing two pieces with other people there). In terms of the content of the piece, though, I had a pleasant flashback to Productive Theory and our discussions of the affordances of concepts, the one in question here being enterprise. Enterprise suggests (affords) different things than department or program or division or group--productive things, including a way of blending the different roles of a writing program so that they do not compete with one another, but complement each other. I appreciate the public nature of the work done in an enterprise--it doesn't suggest a "live and let live" philosophy (which sounds great but results in a splintered program), but it does respect individuality. Again, I'd like to know more about how MSU realized these ideas.

Uses: Productive ways to conceive of a writing program.