May all readers be gifted with much health, peace, love, hope and happiness during this new year, and may it be so throughout the years ahead. May God bless and protect all of our people in all active and reserve components of the U.S. Air Force, U.S. Army, U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Navy, and the U.S. Marine Corps as well as all who read these greetings and advocate for world peace. “Semper pax vobiscum.” In the 14 January 2004 issue of The Mass Media, Phu Tran brings forth the topic of my letter of 10 October 2002–directed to Chancellor Gora–wherein I advocate for the creation of the MFA in Creative Writing through the English Department at UMass-Boston. To that end,University Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs Paul Fonteyn, responded that his “view is that it is not wise to take an either/or position in respect to the two programs, but rather consider all options, including the potential of offering both.” I do not recall making such a distinction re: either or–MA/MFA–in my correspondece, but rather that, specifically, the Creative Writing program initself, is more of an art form called from the depths of artistic finess/engineering and lending more to the area of “fine arts” than to the traditional academic “letters” end of the spectrum. As such, it is reasonable for students to want for a parchment denoting a MASTER OF FINE ARTS as opposed to simply a MASTER OF ARTS. Granted that–in consonnace with Paul Fonteyn’s view (which has always been in cosonnace with my view from the outset)–both degrees should be available within the Department of English. However–specifically for the Creative Writing program–no other option should exist other than the uni-degree title of MASTER OF FINE ARTS. Don’t cluster all programs into one general title. Be creative/knowledgeable enough to know the fine distinction between all options and discern the appropiate degree titles for the appropriate protocol–the MFA denoting indepth creativity and intellectual finess from the heart, mind and soul. And, as the academic politicians go about their daily routines, the offering of the M”F”A keeps getting colder in the rear burner of the sort-of-speak “thorn on my side” syndrome… A greater show of respect from Adaministration would be to get the logs on the fire and heat up the house bringing the entire affair to full fruition. A bit of wisdon re: people not having any or little time: Time does not exist. We make it… So… just do it…

Adalino CabralMedford, [email protected]