Faculty Spotlight: Dr.

Earnest Cox
Many students describe his teaching style as chilled or laid back, but he describes it
as being student oriented. Dr. Earnest Cox has been teaching in the Rhetoric and
Writing Department here at UALR for seventeen years, but has been a part of the UALR
community for much longer. Attending college was not the first thing on his list once he
completed high school. In fact, Dr. Cox had prepared himself to go into the military,
just like many other young men during the 1980s. Instead, Dr. Cox was encouraged to
enroll into UALR and began his college career Fall of 1986, thus beginning a long road
to his career.

During his first year as an undergraduate he decided to major in Chemistry, but

realized that he didnt see himself in a long term career in Chemistry and soon decided
to go in a different direction. He then became a double major in Radio- TV- Film and
English, before finally deciding on English as his main track. Dr. Cox completed his
undergraduate career December of 1990 with a BA degree in English, with an emphasis
in Writing. After graduation, Dr. Cox applied to the Professional and Technical Writing
Masters Program at UALR and was soon accepted.

During Dr. Coxs first year of graduate school, he had the opportunity to be the
Graduate Assistant in the University Writing Center (UWC). In his second year, he had
the opportunity to teach two Composition II courses. From then on, Dr. Cox taught
every semester of his graduate career, which continued to increase his enjoyment of
teaching. Dr. Cox gives much credit to the University Writing Center for inspiring and
navigating him on his path of teaching. Dr. Cox graduated from UALR again, but this
time with a Masters degree in Professional and Technical Writing. While taking a year
break before pursuing his PhD, Dr. Cox continued to work as a composition instructor at
UALR, while also working as an Assistant Movie Theater Manager and occasionally
teaching business writing to Russian bankers at Systematics, Inc.
 After completing his PhD, Dr. Cox
returned to the Rhetoric and Writing Department Fall of 1999 as an Assistant
Professor. As a credit to his flexibility, Dr. Cox has taught numerous undergraduate
subjects including Composition Fundamentals, Composition I & II, Introduction to Non-
fiction, Persuasive Writing, and Theories of Rhetoric and Writing. On the Graduate level
he teaches Composition Theory, Rhetorical Theory, and has served on numerous Final
Project committees. Dr. Cox believes that the most important thing for a teacher to
remember is that we are not here for ourselves, were here for our students. They
should be the focus. And by making them his main focus and their success his priority,
he has helped many students in obtaining their degrees and moving on to work in
careers fields of their choice.

By incorporating popular culture into teaching, Dr. Cox is able to make relatable
comparisons that students can understand, which in turn helps the student to make the
necessary rhetorical connections. Dr. Cox has incorporated various pop culture themes
into his curriculum, but incorporating music is his most popular theme. His teaching
style encourages the students to think critically. I want to encourage my students by
getting them to write about things and think about things, and to not just accept things
as they are, but to ask questions, explained Dr. Cox, when asked about his teaching
goals.

Although he may not have much time for hobbies, Dr. Cox has compiled an impressive
amount of collectable figurines ranging from Star Wars, Sci-Fi, Horror and Fantasy.
Anyone who visits his office is sure to be amazed by his collection, and it will definitely
spark a friendly conversation. And as if teaching both undergrad and graduate classes
arent enough, Dr. Cox recently took on the role as author when his books, Chocolate
Cheesecake (Summer 2015) and Chocolate Cheesecake 2 (Fall 2016) were
published. Both works are coffee table books celebrating modern black pin-up
photography.

Dr. Cox has always had an interest in visual arts, which includes an interest in pin-up

photography. While reading a pin-up

photography book by Bruno Bernard, I realized that it was all rhetoric. Though the
subject matter is not words or speech, its rhetoric. Dr. Cox explains. [When I decided
to write this book] I was less interested in the academic, theoretical aspect of the
subject, but more so the cultural aspect of pin-ups as rhetoric. These books would be a
way of paying homage to the African American pin-up.

Dr. Cox concluded the conversation about his books with this statement: The books for
me are a way to tell the world that black women are beautiful, and they can be
presented in this classical, beautiful way. This is a celebration of black beauty. [And
these books are] my gifts to add a little positivity and beauty to the world.
Faculty Spotlight: Dr. Barb Leplattenier
Quills & Pixels has been a part of the UALR community for nineteen years. For the past
seventeen years it has been in the care of Dr. Charles Anderson, who has guided
students in the editing and publishing of seventeen editions of the peer-reviewed
student publication. As of May 2016, Dr. Anderson is retired after 30 years of service to
the Rhetoric and Writing Department and the UALR community. Many of the students
and faculty wondered what would happen to the popular publication once the Fall 2016
semester began, but to our delight we are happy to announce Dr. Barbara LEplattenier
as the new Executive Editor of Quills & Pixels 2017. She will teach the two courses
associated with Quills & Pixels: Editing for Publication and Production for
Editors. Although they are connected, each course is a stand-alone course, and they
can be taken in any order.

Dr. Barbara LEplattenier has taught in the Rhetoric and Writing Department here at
UALR for nineteen years. Attracted to the Universitys metropolitan location, she
believed that working at such institution would allow her to inevitably improve the
world: I am an expert in some things and I dont think I should keep that expertise
here in the office or the university, but rather help improve the world. Through her
grant writing course and now through Quills & Pixels, she will be able to continue to do
just that.

Dr. LEplattenier teaches Grant Writing, an class offered at both the undergraduate and
graduate level. She guides students in helping others obtain funding for their
organizations through the course: Grant writing lets you change the world. It helps
people survive, not only the people that my students work with but [their] clients; its
an economic driver in Arkansas.

In addition to teaching Grant Writing, Dr. LEplattenier is also an editor for the WPA:
Writing Program Administrators. She conceptualizes this work as pedagogical, noting
that 90% of our peer reviewed manuscripts come back as a revise and resubmit. So
its our jobs to take whatever the peer reviewer has said and put it in such a manner
that is going to open up the writers process rather than shut it down. With her
expertise and ability to give good feedback, Dr. LEplattenier is the perfect individual
to lead students on the process of editing and producing the next edition of Quills &
Pixels.
 Although this is her first time teaching the Editing for
Publication course, the first of two courses with Quills & Pixels as the content matter,
she believes that the editorial staff is doing a good job so far and is excited about what
the second half of the course will bring. Ive never been an executive editor for a
student publication like this. Its exciting!.

Dr. LEplattenier makes every effort to groom and produce good editors, who are able
to see a piece of writing for what it can be and have the ability to properly converse
with the author. She says Ive said this to my class that when youre a good editor,
you have to see what the piece could be, rather than what it is at the moment, and
that can be a very difficult thing; its about being an expert reader. Dr. LEplattenier
explains, [Getting students to start] thinking about how you talk to authors is part of
my job: How do you coach authors? What language do you use when your writing to
authors? And thinking about ways [the author] may interpret that. Those are things I
cant really do in grant writing, [and] really its a skill that can be developed. [Both
courses are] going to let me help people develop a heuristic for looking at work;
whether its their work or someone elses work, and talking about it. [And] Im real
excited about that.

If you are or know someone who wants to be an editor, both Editing for Publication and
Production for Editors would be a great choice for any undergrad or graduate student.
For more information on these and other courses offered through the Rhetoric and
Writing Department, please visit our website.
Faculty Spotlight: Dr. Heidi Skurat Harris

How long have you worked in the Rhetoric and Writing Department
and what classes do you teach?
I joined the department in Fall 2013, and I teach Online Writing Instruction certificate
courses, rhetorical theory, creative nonfiction, and technical writing.

What attracted you to this program?

I knew of the UALR Department of Rhetoric and Writing since the early 2000s. The
Department is well known as one of the first stand-alone writing programs in the
country. When this job came open, I knew I had to apply. Working in a writing program
that combines rhetoric, nonfiction, technical writing and editing was my dream. The
PTW program has a robust history of excellence AND provides faculty space for
innovation and creativity. You cant beat that.

Do you have a favorite class or subject?

Well, I do love online writing instruction classes. Seeing graduate students turn great
ideas into online classes never gets old. Teaching teachers is an awesome
responsibility. And I work hard to make my classes innovative and relevant.

What hobbies/interest do you have outside of the classroom?

What? Youre supposed to have hobbies outside of the classroom? This is new to me. In
my spare time, I play games with my kids (8 & 2.75), do yoga, and read books not
related to online writing instruction (just kidding on that last oneI read books about
OWI for fun).
Whats a fun fact about yourself that your students or colleagues dont
know about you?
For a brief period in the early 1990s, I thought I might become a professional golfer.

What is your favorite quote from a writer?

Two: Norman Maclean and Annie Dillard.

Favorite passage from Macleans A River Runs Through It:

Once, for instance, my father asked me a series of questions that suddenly made me
wonder whether I understood even my father whom I felt closer to than any man I
have ever known. You like to tell true stories, dont you? he asked, and I answered,
Yes, I like to tell stories that are true.

Then he asked, After you have finished your true stories sometime, why dont you
make up a story and the people to go with it?

Only then will you understand what happened and why.

It is those we live with and love and should know who elude us.

Favorite Annie Dillard passage from Living Like Weasels:

I think it would be well, and proper, and obedient, and pure, to grasp your one
necessity and not let it go, to dangle from it limp wherever it takes you. Then even
death, where youre going no matter how you live, cannot you part. Seize it and let it
seize you up aloft even, till your eyes burn out and drop; let your musky flesh fall off in
shreds, and let your very bones unhinge and scatter, loosened over fields, over fields
and woods, lightly, thoughtless, from any height at all, from as high as eagles.