Thirty-two years ago, Professor Emeritus Richard Calhoun started up a publication in the English Department, The South Carolina Review (SCR). Six years ago, Calhoun retired, leaving SCR, at present, in the hands of co-editors Wayne Chapman, Donna Winchell, and book review editor Frank Day. But Calhoun's impact is still being felt in the department.
Because of the distinction of SCR, a task force has been meeting to develop a Clemson University Press. The task force started last October as charged by President Jim Barker, who was then Dean of the College of Architecture, Arts, and Humanities (AAH). The idea was to create a press only for AAH, but it has since drawn in scope.
Chapman is chair of the task force, and he said that the department was having problems supporting its two main publications: SCR and The Upstart Crow: A Shakespeare journal. Chapman said Barker noticed these problems and appointed a "Task Force to Explore a 'Press' and Publication Program" for AAH. Since Barker has become president, Acting Dean Ron Moran has also played an active role in the development of this project.
The task force envisions an electronic and digital publishing center that would build on existing facilities in the department, such as the Multi-media Authorities Teaching, and Research Facility (MATRF) and the Document Design Lab (DDL). Many publications are already produced in these facilities: SCR, The Upstart Crow, Mirare (AAH Newsletter), The English Department Newsletter, the MAPC Newsletter, as well as several web sites.
The concept of a University Press is not a new one to the English Department, however. In the 1980s, Calhoun was involved in a similar project, one which never got this far and proposed a partnership with the University of South Carolina Press. Clemson withdrew from the project because of funding concerns. Chapman said that partnership is once again a possibility if Clemson were to have its own press. His hope is that, in such cases, Clemson would be responsible for much of the design of the publications, with South Carolina responsible for warehousing them. If this were to happen, the two might publish under a common trademark.
Until Clemson does establish a press and gain more support for its publications, Calhoun is still helping out. He has made donations to SCR, as well as to the Richard J. Calhoun Visiting Writers and Teachers Series. He is also still writing for SCR. The coming Spring 2000 issue features a review by Calhoun. It also features a piece in tribute to writer and former Clemson student James Dickey and an interview with Clemson's own Dr. David Tillinghast. This local emphasis is in contrast to last Fall's issue, which was entitled "Ireland in the Arts and Humanities, 1899-1999."