<<Does anyone know what Nelson's evidence that English departments have led the university in the proletarianization of the workforce is? >>
I would like responses on this too. I would suggest reading the whole article I quoted from however. At Illinois State Univ. English is one of the few ph.d. programs (recently upped to a ph.d. program from a doctor of arts program). They make a big to-do about training these candidates to teach composition, but after spending some time some years ago reading the defenders of "composition theory" in College English and the CCCC journal, I became convinced that its main substance was to provide a few special slots in upper division and grad courses for "composition theorists," while making the burden of the actual teachers of composition heavier and not having any practical effect on student writing skills.
I can write this casually because I'm retired and beyond the grasp of Department, Administration, or Regents.
Carrol