Center For Writers

     I'm sure that many of you have heard that Rick Barthelme was "not retained" in the Center For Writers this year.  I am deeply saddened by this decision from the College of Arts and Letters, and while I understand that budget cuts are a part of life (especially during a recession) a loss such as this seems rash.
Center for Writers loses Rick Barthelme.

     Rick Barthleme dedicated much of his scholarly life to building the MA and Ph.D program for Creative Writing here at Southern Miss.  Barthelme was the director of the Center for Writers, and the Editor of the Mississippi review, a famous literary magazine.According to most articles I have read about the situation (and the buzz here on campus,) Barthelme was on phased retirement and planning to stay at least three more years.  His did not leave voluntarily.

      As a prospective student in the Center for Writers I am very upset about the current goings on in the Center For Writers.  The Center for Writers will suffer a large loss without Rick Barthelme.  Though his brother Steve Barthelme remains at the University, I fear that the department will not be the same without the two of them as a team.