Melissa Girard

Great colleagues, great city, super cool job title!

ACADEMIC JOB ALERT: My department (Loyola University Maryland) is searching for a senior faculty member to serve as the next Gerard Manley Hopkins Chair in English. We’re searching in pre-1800 British Literature. I’m chairing the search & would be happy to answer questions. Details in the ad.

AI Data Centers Are Sending Power Bills Soaring Wholesale electricity costs as much as 267% more than it did five years ago in areas near data centers. That’s being passed on to customers.

Electricity now costs up to 267% more than it did five years ago in areas near data centers.

www.bloomberg.com/graphics/202...

More good info.👇👇

Title page of our presentation slides. On a collage background is the title “Spread the Word: A Zine for Every Poster” with the author names listed (Julie Setele, PhD, MLIS; Jex Calvert, RDN) and the date (April 17, 2025)

The back and front cover of the zine Jex made to accompany our presentation. An arrow labeled “distribution” on the back cover extends onto the front cover. Zine distribution suggestions are provided: make copies and fold to share at your poster session; donate a copy to the zine library on campus; and leave copies to be found in fun places! A ko-fi donation link for Jex is included: https://ko-fi.com/AceOfMugs

I co-facilitated a workshop last night on how to transform one’s research poster (or paper) into a zine!

Here are the slides and zine we created:

Slides:
library.buffalostate.edu/ld.php?conte...

Zine:
library.buffalostate.edu/ld.php?conte...

Photo of Senator Chris Van Hollen with Kilmar Abrego Garcia.

I said my main goal of this trip was to meet with Kilmar. Tonight I had that chance. I have called his wife, Jennifer, to pass along his message of love. I look forward to providing a full update upon my return.

Opinion | Junot Díaz’s Forced Disappearing Act The great writer has been exiled from the Norton anthology.

I've been uneasy about Junot Díaz's treatment by the mainstream media for a while now, but seeing him get nixed from the Norton anthology was the last straw for me. I've put my thoughts down here. Thanks, as usual, to my editor, Len Gutkin!
www.chronicle.com/article/juno...

Most Higher Ed Workers Still Paid Less Than Before Pandemic Although raises for most higher education employees last academic year beat inflation, most are still effectively earning less than they were in 2019–20, according to new salary survey data released M...

"Adjusting for inflation, tenure-track faculty are now paid 10.2 % less than before Covid... While 'median pay increases for most higher education employees in 2024–25 remained strong, they have dropped...” www.insidehighered.com/news/quick-t... #edsky #highered

So many foundational books being banned, but I was especially shocked to see Jim Miracky, S.J. on this list…My first Dean, who supported me as a new faculty member at Loyola University Maryland. Jesuit teachings are too radical for the Naval Academy.

Going green: University of Maryland announces Kermit the Frog as commencement speaker Prominent political figures and lawmakers on the commencement speaker circuit are about to have some friendly, froggy competition — Kermit the Frog will deliver the address to the University of Mar…

Man, universities are really scared of controversy right now. Literal puppets, geez.

Would really love to hear responses to this from @vanhollen.senate.gov @alsobrooks.senate.gov @repkweisimfume.bsky.social and others.

I learned about it in Harvey Levenstein’s Paradox of Plenty. I don’t think it’s discussed that much.

Nixon also oversaw the largest expansion of food aid in American history. His policies came so close to eliminating food insecurity in the US that Reagan was able to convince the public that they were wasteful and unnecessary. Straight out of the current MAGA playbook.

9-5, and I am so bad at singing that the crowd invariably joins in to help, and we all become part of Dolly’s revolution.

I can’t believe the anti-celery lobby got to you.

Lentils—celery goes perfectly with lentils!

Hahaha! I do love breaking things

Totally unscientific googling did not turn up any references to this. And nothing in the Help as far as I can tell.

Good to know. So too much traffic or something?

Error messages from MY Feed saying rate limit exceeded

So there are rate limits here too (or am I doing it wrong?)

After years of being locked on twitter, I unlocked tonight to write the following thread, which I'm copying over here for all you who have rightfully left that place behind.

Paula Bennett’s selected edition of her poems has a wonderful introduction. That’s a great place to start.