French 2010-2011

Position
Currently in TT job:4

PhD in hand, currently in non-TT job:21

PhD in hand, currently unemployed:7

VAP:7

Adjunct:

Other: 1

ABD, but looking to defend this year: 17

ABD in non-TT job: 5

Field
Francophone: 12

Medieval: 2

Renaissance: 5

17th: 4

18th: 6

19th: 14

20th/21st : 15

Other? Define: cinema 2; visual culture 1

SLA/Pedagogy (language and culture): 3

Linguistics and sociolinguistics: 1

Language Background
Native speaker: 6

Non-native speaker: 32

Heritage speaker: 3

Appalachian State University (TT)

 * Acknowledgement received 11/02 (email) (x3)
 * References contacted 12/02
 * interview via Skype scheduled (12/3)
 * not interviewing at MLA...going straight to campus visits

Boston College (Visiting, Spring 2011)
Candidate already chosen

Brandeis (postdoc)

 * Acknowledgment received (email, 11/30)
 * Should this perhaps go on the Humanities and Social Sciences post-doc Wiki?
 * The search is being led by the Romance Studies Dept.
 * Request for writing sample 12/16 (email) - did you not originally send one or is this a 2nd? (This was the first one)

Any information about this post? I've looked on the Italian wiki and it seems they had already scheduled interviews.

What is the Italian job? Also, this postdoc is not listed in any other wiki that I've seen, but I have heard no information. / Strange. You're right, I saw it on the Italian 2010-2011 wiki the other day and now it's not there anymore. Good news for the rest of us????

Has anyone heard anything? I've never applied for a post-doc before. Is is appropriate to call about the interview process and time-frame? (1/10) --> I applied for about 12 postdocs last year. Some did interviews, while others would ask for more materials (though this one already has asked for a good amount from everyone), and most like this (i.e., not SOF and not generalized humanities postdocs) would make offers from the initial application. The longest I waited for a rejection (and saw on the wiki that offers were indeed made at this time) was 3.5 months. I hope this helps. Each was truly different.

Brown University (Lecturer, 3 yr contract)

 * Acknowledgement received 12/8 (mail)
 * Phone interview scheduled

Colby College (Visiting, Contemporary French Studies)

 * Request for letters of recommendation (x2 11/16, 12/7 mail)

College of the Holy Cross (VAP, 17th/18th)

 * Acknowledgement received (snail mail)

College of Wooster (VAP, generalist)

 * Acknowledgement received (12/6, email)

Coventry University (UK):
permanent job (no tenure system in the UK) at whatever level is appropriate to your career so far. Deadline 05-Oct-10.

Dickinson College (VAP, 1 year)

 * Has anyone heard from them?
 * I have not heard anything so far.(x2)
 * Thanks!

Drew University (TT)

 * The ad reads "pending budget approval." Any idea on how likely it will be that the search won't get canceled?
 * Request for transcripts (12/01, email) (X11) - review of applications will begin "as soon as the December 3 deadline has passed" - they must have changed the deadline from 11/18 - yes, I just looked at the ADFL ad; they had extended the deadline. --> Though not on the new ad, it sounds like this might be a general request for everyone. -> It also seemed to me that this was a general request for everyone. --> Perhaps I'm trying to look for good news during this bleak job season, but I do know someone who applied and didn't get a request...
 * Request for transcripts (12/02, by email)
 * For those who got asked for transcripts, are you sending official or unofficial ones? In order that they're there by Friday morning, official mailed copies might be tough...
 * I ordered an official transcript to be sent to them, and emailed to let them know that it was coming by next week. I also said in the email that if they would like to have the transcript by Friday, I could fax an unofficial copy to them tomorrow. If I hear back on this, I'll post it here.
 * I asked if I could simply email unofficial grad transcripts and they said no problem.
 * Has anyone heard anything else from them?
 * No news thus far. Are they planning on interviews at MLA?
 * I inquired and they will not be interviewing at MLA. They'll be conducting Skype interviews instead.
 * Ad reposted on Chronicle with deadline 1/17. (1/3/2011)
 * Does anyone know why they reposted? Did they already conduct Skype interviews?
 * Yes, they have already conducted Skype interviews. Not sure why they reposted, but this is the 2nd extension.
 * I inquired and they had to post in the Chronicle to conform to university regulations. So those of us who weren't contacted before probably won't be.

Drew University (non-TT, Second Language Acquisition)

 * Search canceled.

East Stroudsburg University (TT)

 * Rejection email received (1/10) X2

Elmhurst College ("professional track"??, perhaps will convert to TT)

 * Does anyone know what "professional track" means?
 * Rejection received (12/14, by email) x3 (12/15, by email)

Emory University - Oxford College (TT)

 * Acknowledgement received 11/16 (letter)
 * Received letter to schedule an interview at the MLA (12/09) - sounds strange: they mentioned in the acknowledgment letter that review will begin on Dec. 15 - and also stated "If you are planning on attending this conference in January and would like to make an appointment to discuss your application, please contact me via e-mail." Request for MLA interview from Search Chair 12/12 (e-mail) (x2).

George Mason University (TT, 17th and 18th-century French studies)

 * Phone interview scheduled (12/3)

Georgetown University (TT, 19th-century studies)

 * Acknowledgement received 11/03 (email) (x4)
 * MLA interview scheduled 12/17 (phone) (X1)

Georgia Southern University (TT)

 * Email announcing that I'm a semi-finalist (whatever that means) and asking if still interested 1/20

Georgia Tech (TT)

 * Acknowledgement received 12/02 (letter)
 * MLA Interview scheduled 12/10 (email)
 * Rejection letter received (12/22) (x2)

Gettysburg College (TT, expertise in colonial/postcolonial studies an asset)

 * Acknowledgement received (letter) (x3)
 * Are people who are applying for both Gettysburg positions mailing letters of recommendation twice?
 * Any news? Candidates might be contacted by Friday (12/17).
 * Has anyone heard anything about campus visits post-MLA? (1/14)-->I believe the MLA JIL states they have been scheduled. (1/16)

Indiana University (TT, French film studies)

 * Request for writing sample via email 12/6
 * MLA Interview scheduled 12/10 (email)

Indiana University (Visiting, 1 year)

 * Acknowledgment received 12/ 6 (letter)
 * MLA interview scheduled 12/10 (e-mail)
 * Rejection received 12/13 (letter) (x4)
 * Have they re-posted the same position on ADFL? What's up with that? 1/16 --- No, not the same job. The new one is a visiting lecturer position; this job is a 16th-18th VAP.

Ithaca College (non-TT)

 * did anyone receive an acknowledgment of their application? 1/13

James Madison University (TT, generalist)

 * I called Nov. 29th and the administrative assistant told me that they had chosen the short list and were conducting campus interviews.

McDaniel College (TT, generalist w/ specialization in Francophone Studies)

 * Does anyone know if they are doing phone interviews instead of going to MLA?


 * I think they have an inside candidate. --> Yes, as I was looking at the website to work on my application, I noted that of the 2 professors, one is a Francophone specialist whom the ad seems to describe very well. She's in a visiting position, so it all made sense... Wish they wouldn't have asked for so many materials since it's clear that they've already got the candidate that they want.
 * Being a visitor is not necessarily an advantage. Moreover, sometimes people who think they are inside candidates do not get the job. This whole process is stressful and miserable enough. I propose that us "outsiders" limit our speculations.
 * Conducted a campus interview the week of Thanksgiving.
 * Rejection email received (early Jan)

Middlebury College (TT, 19th-century literature and cultural studies)

 * Acknowledgement received 11/17 (letter) (x5)
 * Interview scheduled at MLA 12/13

Millikin University (TT)

 * request for transcripts 12/14
 * Has anybody heard anything from them post-MLA? 1/21

Ohio Wesleyan University (TT, Medieval/Renaissance specialist for a Humanities-Classics department)

 * Acknowledgement letter received 11/24

Old Dominion University (TT, open)

 * Acknowledgement letter received 12/6 (x2)
 * request for writing sample (12/6)

Pepperdine University (TT, active Christian commitment?)

 * Acknowledgement received (email)
 * Rejection email (12/20) - they have selected 4 finalists that they will interview by phone.

Princeton University (TT, contemporary and/or Francophone)

 * Has anyone heard anything from them? Have they already scheduled MLA interviews? --> Nothing since the acknowledgment in mid-September.
 * I received a writing sample request about a month ago but have heard nothing since.
 * Requests for reference letters, 11/23.
 * Heard that someone got a call to schedule an interview at the MLA a few days ago, 11/30
 * Writing Sample request in mid October. Rejection email today, 12/14.

Reed College (Visiting, 1 year, possibly renewable)

 * Acknowledgement received (email) (x3)

Saint Michael's College (TT, "supportive of the mission of this Catholic, residential, liberal arts college")

 * Has anyone received a request for reccomendations? Any new if they are going to the MLA?
 * Was opening cancelled? Other positions with same due date (Dec. 1) still appear on SMC's web page, but French one hasn't been there for at least 3 weeks.
 * Does anyone have any new information about this position, as of 1/9? Had MLA interview this past weekend, I'd give them at least a few days to make a decision...
 * Sorry, I am unclear on this: Did they in fact conduct interviews at the MLA?
 * I didn't know that they went to MLA...so I guess that answers my question.
 * Does anybody know what the status is with this search? Has it been cancelled or did they invite people for campus visits?
 * no news either 1/14 (x2, but classes resume this week, 1/17)
 * they also had a search in Spanish and the Spanish wiki says they scheduled their campus interview around 1/14; I am not sure what that means for the French search though....

Shorter U (TT, French and English, German, or Spanish; support the U's Christian mission)

 * they state in the posting they had open interviews at MLA; does anyone know anything about this?'
 * I made an appointment with the contact and spoke with him at the MLA. It's a broad job and the school is quite conservative.
 * Thanks a lot!

San Diego State University (European Studies)

 * Acknowledgement received (11/23, letter)
 * Interview scheduled (see Italian wiki)

Stanford University (TT, Francophone Studies)

 * Acknowledgement received 11/02 (email)
 * Letters(of rejection?) to be sent out next week (of 12/20)
 * Any news?
 * Heard finalists have already been invited to campus (2nd hand, 01/18)

Susquehanna University (TT, specialization in Francophone Studies preferred)

 * Insider candidate? They are not going to MLA and have a visiting already.
 * Campus interviews scheduled
 * Rejection letter received; says they have chosen a candidate. (12/17) (12/20)

University of Central Arkansas, Lecturer

 * Spoke to the department today. Three candidates have been shortlisted (01/07)

University of Iowa (TT, Francophone)

 * I spoke to the department today and they indicated they will not be interviewing at the MLA, that the committee has not yet met, but that they will be meeting soon. (12/16) --> Thank you so much for finding out and sharing this information!

University of Kentucky (Lecturer in French Studies)

 * acknowledgment received, 1/4

University of Missouri-Columbia (non-TT Assistant Teaching Prof or Instructor)

 * acknowledgment received, 1/6

University of Southern California (TT, French or Italian, Mediterranean Studies)
- acknowledgment received via email 11/5

- anyone heard anything yet?


 * An Italianist has scheduled an interview (go to Italian 2010-2011)

University of St. Thomas (TT, Medieval and Renaissance France or Francophonie)

 * Has anyone heard anything about this position?
 * rejection email 1/10

University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (TT, Specialization open, with preference given to Francophone, 20th and 21st Century, Early Modern)

 * Is anyone having trouble with their online application system? (solved; the documents just took very long to upload - 11/6)
 * I used it without problems today. 11/4
 * I completed two applications on their site (this position, plus one in Global Studies) on 11/5 without any problems.
 * Rejection email (11/29)
 * Did they schedule campus interviews?
 * Anyone else w/ no rejection email nor interview invite? (12/1)
 * No rejection mail nor interview invite (12/1) (x10, including the person who posed the question) - wow (poster who got the rejection email here) - they must have hated me so much that they wanted to personally reject me. That sucks :-/
 * To poster who got the rejection e-mail, don't fret. I submitted my application at the last minute. Since they've already scheduled interviews, I'm clearly not a contender, but they just haven't had the chance to reject me yet. You were probably organized and submitted earlier, but just didn't correspond with what they are looking for. Hang in there! (x2 I, too, (sans rejection) submitted it the night before it was due!)
 * Also to poster who got the rejection email: it's also possible that yours was one of the applications they seriously considered, and that's why you got the email! No way to tell what it means or doesn't mean, I don't think. Best of luck to all!
 * Email rejection, was never interviewed, just oddly late... (1/13) (x3)

University of Zurich (TT, Medieval)

 * I heard they have their eye on a Swiss-German candidate with fluent French currently finishing up at the Sorbonne.

Washington & Lee University (TT, asst, pre-Revolutionary literature and culture; film an asset)

 * Make sure you check to see if they got all of your materials; they are apparently not looking at the on-line applications at all.
 * Acknowledgment card received (11/19) x2 (12/10) x1
 * rejection email received (12/17)
 * rejection letter received (12/23)

Interviews Scheduled
(Schools with which interviews have been scheduled as well as means - MLA, phone, campus) -- Please could we keep this in chronological order? It's so much easier to follow what interviews have been scheduled. Thanks!

Please, put the MOST RECENT ON THE TOP. Thanks!

Old Dominion University: Skype interview requested by email (1/19) (1/20) (x2)

Millikin University: MLA interview scheduled by phone (12/24)

Ohio Wesleyan (Humanities-Classics): MLA interview scheduled by email (12/16) - per Medieval 2011 list

Aquinas College (TT Spanish and French): MLA Interview scheduled by email (12/18)

Drew University: email request to schedule phone interview (12/17)

College of the Holy Cross: email request to schedule phone interview (12/17) (x4)

Oxford College (Emory U) - MLA interview scheduled by email (12/17)

U of Saint Thomas (TT): MLA Interview scheduled by email (12/16)

St. Mary's College of Maryland (TT): MLA Interview scheduled by email (12/16)

Grove City College: on-campus interview scheduled (second-hand but reliable info., date unknown)

Gettysburg (VAP): MLA interview scheduled by phone (12/16)

Gettysburg (TT): MLA interview scheduled by phone (12/16) (x2)

VA Tech: MLA interview scheduled by phone (12/15) (x2)

UConn - interview scheduled by phone (12/14) MLA interview scheduled by phone (12/16) (X2)

University of Wisconsin, Steven's Point--Phone interview scheduled by phone (12/14) (X2)

Colby College - MLA interview scheduled by email (12/13)x2

Franklin & Marshall - MLA interview scheduled by email (12/13)

Georgetown - MLA interview scheduled by phone (12/13) (X6)

Oxford College (Emory U) - MLA interview scheduled by email (12/12) (x3) - " Review of applications will begin December 15th." Another awesome search. Yes, but did anyone else get an email yet? Maybe there are more to come? - At least a second email went out on 12/12, sorry I couldn't update until today. - I don't see how a search committee can make an informed decision about its candidates until it receives all of the applications... that is, unless they already have a candidate in mind. Deadline isn't for another day.

Georgia Tech - MLA interview scheduled by email (12/10)--> Wasn't the deadline 12/16? At least this is what the ad said on the ADFL when it came out and on all of the list serves I received it on??? Deadline was Dec. 6th, per the MLA JIL, which also says they're "no longer accepting applications," sorry.

USC - MLA interview scheduled by email & phone (12/10)

Indiana University - MLA interview scheduled by email (12/10) (12/14) x2

Washington and Lee University - MLA interview scheduled by phone (12/10) x3 (on 12/11) (9 slots total)

East Stroudsburg University- Phone interview scheduled (12/9) (10 slots total)

Reed College - MLA interview scheduled by email (12/9) x2

Middlebury College - MLA interview scheduled by phone (12/10)(12/13) x7

Elmhurst College - Skype interview scheduled by email (12/8) x2

Central Michigan University - MLA interview scheduled by phone (12/07)x2

Lake Forest College - phone interview scheduled by email (12/6)

Appalachian State - Phone interview (12/03/10) x2

William and Mary-Skype interview scheduled by e-mail (12/1) (x5) --> wow, wasn't review supposed to begin yesterday acc to the ad? Yes, review was supposed to begin Nov. 30. Do these interviews replace MLA? Did anyone else get an email yet? They do have a VAP who seems to fit the ad...That makes one-quarter of the jobs I applied for like this (that I know of)! --> This is a bit ridiculous about interviews being scheduled already. Their own ad said that review would begin on 11/30. How is it possible to read through 150 or 200 apps in one day? And the way that the site was it only allowed us to put reference names and gave no indication whether they wanted just the names or letters, so it's possible that if you submitted your application recently your letter writers didn't even have the opportunity to upload their letters before the interviews were scheduled. Really crappy search.-- Are there really 150 to 200 applications per job you think? Not reassuring...

University of Tennessee, Knoxviille - MLA interview scheduled by email (11/28)

JMU - Phone interview scheduled

Brown University- Skype interview scheduled by email (11/24)

Princeton: MLA interview scheduled by email (11/23)

U of Wisconsin-Milwaukee: phone interview (11/23). Campus interview will take place 1st week of December.

Union College - MLA Interview scheduled by phone/ contacted by email (2yr)(11/18) x3

Pittsburgh - Phone interview scheduled (11/17/10)


 * Has anyone been contacted post-interview?
 * Another interviewee, no news here either (1/3/2011)

Eckerd: Phone interview scheduled (11/16/10)

Dartmouth Skype interview scheduled by email (11/15/10) (x5)

George Mason - Phone interview scheduled (11/12/10)


 * Post-Skype interview request for more materials from smaller semifinalist group (12/10) (x2)
 * Did they contact you by email?
 * Not the original poster, but yes, the request was made by email.

Susquehanna - Phone interview scheduled (11/05/10, 11/08/10)

McDaniel - Phone interview scheduled (11/03/10, 11/04/10)

Campus Visits Scheduled
(most recent on top) did they call or write? Any indication how many candidates they are inviting to campus? Scheduled by phone or email? Phone. They didn't say how many.
 * Gettysburg College, non TT.
 * Indiana University, TT ~1/17
 * Reed 1/14
 * Colby 1/14
 * Middlebury 1/14 (x2) - wow, I thought they were going to wait until after the January term. Any idea how many are invited?
 * Washington & Lee 1/13
 * Georgetown 1/10 (x4)

Congrats and good luck! They were really cordial, and it looks like a great department. --same as you. no date scheduled yet, but invited to visit. sorry for any confusion. -- Do you have any dates as of yet? --Yes. Ticket is booked (sorry for the delay in replying) 1/11.
 * Princeton 1/10/11
 * East Stroudsburg 12/21
 * Appalachian State --> could you clarify? i was contacted after the first interview with an email indicating they voted positively on my file and that we will be contacted after the break concerning campus visits. did you receive the same email or have they actually scheduled a campus visit with you?
 * William and Mary (12/11) (X3). Are the visits taking place pre- or post-MLA? Post-MLA, I think (from Jan. 19th onward, no?)
 * Eckerd College: 3 campus visits scheduled. Can you say when you were contacted for the campus visits?


 * James Madison University (11/10)-- (3 scheduled) --Is this really a campus visit that was scheduled? Isn't that quite early considering that they are accepting applications until 12/1 ? -- Yes, I called JMU and they said that they had closed the search. This was several weeks ago; Oct 27, I believe. --Wow. Thanks! -- Scheduled on 11/10 and will take place the first week of December.


 * Susquehanna U : Campus scheduled


 * Yale University (11/10) : Did they first conduct phone interviews? Idea on how many candidates were invited? Four candidates were invited to Yale

Offers Extended/Accepted
Eckerd College: Offer extended and then RESCINDED 12/17 --> huh??? The offer was extended on Wednesday, they gave me two days to decide, and when I attempted to negotiate they rescinded the offer. By email. And when I phoned they wouldn't take my call. Has anyone ever heard of this happening? I'm so sorry to hear this. Perhaps you could try to contact the ADFL Executive Board? At MLA last year I went to a few of their job-seekers sessions and they seemed to be concerned about protecting job seekers' interests. I guess other people have told you this, but you probably wouldn't have wanted to work with people like that anyway...

Absolutely unacceptable behavior on their part!! You have my deepest sympathies. Many universities are taking advantage of a job market 'crisis' that they themselves have created. Where's the ADFL? the MLA? the AAUP? I wouldn't hesitate naming names, if I were you. Lee Hilliker? Christine Chabrier? If they had anything to do with this, they should be publicly shamed and ostracized from the French scholarly community.

And likely illegal. I have heard some amazing stories over the years, but this tops it. Undermines everything the MLA guidelines serve to do to protect the job candidates. MLA sanctions are in order... and legal action!

James Madison University - Offer extended & accepted 12/14

Word on the Street
To all of you getting ready for the MLA, good luck! I already have knots in my stomach and I just hope this is the last MLA for a lot of us...
 * How was the MLA?

I'm not sure if this is the place to put this, but I've noticed that several of the jobs for which I applied people have received interview requests and also rejections (i.e., for the same job) and I have received nothing. I can draw my own conclusions, but there are at least 5 jobs like this. I'd rather just get the rejection and not wonder what's going on (and even if they indeed received my app). Is anyone else having a similar experience? Last year I remember receiving rejections at about the same time as everyone else.
 * I was actually just wondering the same thing. There are a few positions from which I've heard nothing at all. I think that it's best if we just assume rejection--if anything positive happens, it'll be a nice surprise.
 * Having been on the hiring end multiple times, I know that rejections often aren't sent until the job is filled. But the question suggests that something is different this year. Are institutions less sure of the money to make an offer and therefore leaving the door open longer? Or with more on-line submissions (and no guarantee that a human has even looked at your file), are the courtesies of follow-up simply overlooked?
 * Not all search committee members are created equal. A couple of years ago, I was never contacted after my on-campus interview. I only know I didn't get the job because a friend of mine received the offer. Conversely, another search committee contacted me at every single step of the application process, even calling to tell me that they had chosen another person but I was their second choice, etc.
 * I have also found that the "courtesies of follow-up" are very frequently overlooked -- I, too, was never contacted after one campus visit, and I know of several other people who have had the same experience.