I wrote 300 words about renaming our technical writing certificate.  What is wrong with me? I can't bear to throw it away, because I'm a pathological hoarder, so here it is.

1. “Desktop publishing” is an awesome name for a certificate if it were 1980 and we were sitting around watching Top Gun and teasing our bangs to frightening heights. 

2. Editing is obviously the tech comm bread and butter. I want to suggest that this is a combination of industry needs but also because we have DEB THORNTON who is doing a really good job with student publications and editing, to the point that she has been worn to a nub. Ontologically, I think that editing is a subset of Technical Communication. I’ve used a latin-derived word there, and one from philosophy, so you had darn well better take me seriously. 

If we rename the certificate as “editing and desktop publishing” (which has languished) then we are essentially erasing the tech comm certificate. Let’s not forget what Kenneth Burke said about naming things. 

This feels bassackwards (why is that word underlined in red?) to me. There is this ongoing tension between three audiences: Our academic colleagues (let’s call it Transmedia studies!), the employer (Let’s call it “Factory production of Grammar and nouns”), and the students (“Let’s call it “eating ice cream on roller coasters with your boy/girlfriend”). 

In a perfect world, I would like a title for the certificate that reflects editing, publishing and technical communication, as well as current movements in the world of tech comm. 

It seems like we should survey someone who hires our students. Please note: Jen changed the name of “technical writing” to “technical communication” at my request. It was the only thing I accomplished during my brief reign as tech comm guy. So this may just be me clinging to that idea unreasonably. 

3. I’m really glad that tech comm is inside of writing studies. It feels like it is getting the attention it deserves and growing at a sustainable pace.