ASU Polytechnic ramps up its offerings

Like everything coming out of ASU Polytechnic in Mesa, the literary magazine Superstition Review has a technological bent - eschewing a traditional print run, it'll be published exclusively online. Managing editor Patricia Murphy says it's both intentional and incidental that the magazine will be online-only.

"We don't have a budget," says Murphy, with a laugh. "Part of my own specialty is online learning. I've taught 43 classes online. It seemed most natural that it was an online magazine rather than a print magazine."

To avoid competing with the Tempe campus literary magazine,Superstition Review includes solely national writers. They received more than 200 submissions, and the inaugural edition will debut online May 4.

Murphy, who conceived the idea behind the magazine and spent 13 years at ASU's main campus before moving to Polytechnic, says it's something she'd "never be able to do at Tempe campus."

The school as a whole is growing. Currently at just under 9,000 students, Duane Roen, professor of English and head of humanities and arts in the School of Applied Arts and Sciences at Polytechnic campus, says ASU President Michael Crow's plan is to grow Polytechnic to 15,000 within the next few years.

"If I was a betting person, I'd guess that we would get to that 15,000 pretty quickly," says Roen.

Several buildings are being constructed, including Santa Catalina Hall, which will provide space for humanities and social/behavioral sciences, and a "black-box" theaterto house performances for the School of Applied Arts and Sciences. Both should be ready in time for the fall semester.

"I'm very anxious that we're actually going to have a real black-box theater," says Angela Giron, a faculty associate teaching theater courses at Polytechnic.

Giron has had to stage productions at whatever space she could find on the campus, usually at the student union annex.

One of Giron's classes will perform a series of three short scenes titled "Comic Absurdity" on Monday at the annex.

But this growth threatens to remove one of the biggest advantages Polytechnic has over Tempe: the relatively small size of the campus.

"I was on Tempe campus last Friday for an honors thesis committee," says Murphy. "I get panic attacks when I go there. There are so many people."

Murphy, who worked with eight interns this semester putting together Superstition Review, says that Polytechnic has a "different feel."

"You get the ASU resources but with the intimacy of a small school," she says. "I think it's a great place for students who go to ASU and feel overwhelmed."

All students in Giron's class performing Monday will get to act in two scenes - the class only has five students. But that may be a matter of students simply not knowing about the courses rather than the result of smaller enrollment.

"One of the challenges is trying to get the word out that these classes exist," says Giron. "I think a lot of students find them by accident sometimes. For so long the school has had the reputation of being so science and engineering oriented."

This represents the challenge for educators like Roen, Murphy and Giron - one they are meeting head on through things like Superstition Review and "Comic Absurdity."

Superstition Review reading series

What: Final of three creative writing readings to promote Superstition Review, the first literary magazine from ASU Polytechnic

When: 3 p.m. Monday

Where: Cooley Ballroom, ASU Polytechnic, 7001 E. Williams Field Road, Mesa

How much: Free

Information: (480) 727-1028 or asu.edu/superstitionreview/

'Comic Absurdity'

What: Performance of three short, comedic scenes from a class at ASU Polytechnic

When: 10:30 a.m. Monday

Where: Fireside room south, Student Union annex, ASU Polytechnic, 7001 E. Williams Field Road, Mesa

How much: Free

Information: (480) 727-1028