20-21 c. American 2011

See Also: American Studies 2011-2012.

Demographics and interview statistics at Talk:20-21 c. American 2011 =20-21 c. American Jobs 2011=

Agnes Scott (GA)
Link

"Tenure-track position in American literature at the level of assistant professor. The successful candidate will be expected to teach the second half of a broad survey of American literature and intermediate and advanced courses in twentieth century American literature. Desirable fields of specialization include ethnic American literatures (other than African American, which is already offered) and gender and sexuality. We seek an active scholar with a solid grounding in both older and newer canons and a commitment to undergraduate liberal arts learning. The teaching load is 3-2."

Deadline: Oct. 30, 2010; apparently early version(s) of the ad did not request dossiers but later versions did; hence some applicants did not send dossiers and now deadline for materials has been extended

Acknowledgment received: 9/30 (A very nice email!), 10/11 (said we'd know more in Dec.)97.123.93.178 19:12, October 11, 2010 (UTC)

Request for Additional Materials:

Rejection Letter: via email 12/17 (x3) (it was a very nice email, FWIW), same here 12/17 (and it was a very nice letter--the person who gets this one will be lucky); Not to be too snarky, but what was so nice about it? It was a form letter in which a person I've never met addressed me by my first name; I must disagree. In comparison to a rejection letter a friend received, written in Joker font (really happened) or hearing nothing at all, it was a very good letter--of course, they are still idiots for not hiring me heh heh kidding ... mostly ;)

MLA interview scheduled: 12/8 (x2), 12/9 via phone

Campus interview scheduled:

Offer made:

Offer accepted:

NOTES AND QUERIES:

FYI: VAP in residence who meets criteria of job listing.

Any others? To the poster above, did you get an e-mail or a phone call? 12/8: I also got this notice (that more info would be given in Dec.). It was an email.

A: I received a phone call first, followed by an email confirmation. (12/8)

A: I also received a phone call and then an email confirmation. (12/8)

Baker University (KS)
MLA JIL:

Full-time position available beginning fall 2011; Ph.D. preferred. Teaching responsibilities include undergraduate courses in both literature and composition. The department seeks an Americanist with specialties in literature of the modern and contemporary period, post-colonial and minority literature, and literary theory and criticism. Demonstrated teaching effectiveness and willingness to teach in Baker’s new and innovative Liberal Studies program. Commitment to language/literature instruction within a small college, liberal arts context. The teaching load for this position is 4-4. Priority given to applications postmarked by October 22, 2010. Interviews will be held at the MLA. Applications accepted until position is filled. Acknowledgment by return letter. Send letter of application, vita (including list of three references with current telephone numbers and addresses), and credential file to Cynthia L. Appl, Chair; Language and Literature Department; Baker University; P.O. Box 65; Baldwin City, KS 66006-0065 or [mailto:cynthia.appl@bakeru.edu cynthia.appl@bakeru.edu].

Acknowledgment received:

Request for Additional Materials:

Rejection Letter:

Phone/MLA interview scheduled: MLA interview scheduled (11/19) x 5

Campus interview scheduled:

Offer made:

Offer accepted:

NOTES AND QUERIES:


 * Has anyone asked, or does anyone have a theory of, what a "credential file" includes?
 * Perhaps it means the transcript? Not sure-- how frustrating!
 * I think it probably just means letters . . . but I also think it is acceptable to ask the contact person for clarification on these kinds of points.
 * It means send whatever might suggest effective teaching and research: teaching philosophy and scores, abstract, etc.
 * Original poster here: I just applied and asked for clarification. I got a very nice email that suggested they're primarily looking for evidence of teaching effectiveness (philosophy, summary of evals, etc.).
 * Just read the interviews are scheduled: COME ON!! UGH! I hate this job season, and it's only second with no results. How in the world do people actually get jobs? Who wants to join the circus with me?!
 * The website for the English dept. lists 4 faculty members, 2 of whom are obviously married to each other, and none of whom is Cynthia Appl. I find this odd. Is Appl in a different department?
 * Appl is a German professor, I believe; the English department is part of the larger Language and Literature Department.

Boise State University
From MLA JIL:

"Tenure-track assistant professor in 20th-century American fiction, with expertise in Modernism or Postmodernism, starting in Fall 2011. Ph.D. in English required by time of appointment. The successful candidate will teach a range of literature courses from the survey to the graduate level. The normal teaching load is 2/3."

Deadline: Review of applications received by October 15, 2010 will begin immediately. Applications received after that date may be considered if the position is not filled from the initial applicant pool.

See also: HigherEdJobs

Acknowledgment received: By e-mail, about a week ago (10/18), By email with link to Affirmative Action form (10/27) (x2)

Request for Additional Materials:

Rejection Letter: By email (11/18) (x8) -- form letter, but still very nice.

Phone/MLA interview scheduled: phone interview (11/8). Timeline puts campus interviews first week of December.

Campus interview scheduled: (11/16). Campus interviews of 2 finalists are first 2 weeks of Dec.

Offer made:

Offer accepted:

NOTES AND QUERIES:

Has anyone besides the poster above heard about a phone interview? Is it likely the process is now complete?

Re: As with any job, don't count yourself out until you have officially been told that you are no longer being considered. It's frustrating and incredibly difficult to not fully know what's going on but that's the nature of the profession.

Are they not interviewing at MLA? Why would campus interviews be before MLA?

Re: They are apparently accelerating the process so as to secure funding before administration has a chance to take it away. However, it might also be a way to double their chances of a successful search - if the first round falls through, perhaps they will actually have MLA interviews.

"Accelerating the process"--yeaaa-hah, nice to know the English dept. follows that hard-driving, blue-turf Broncos style! BOISE STATE FOR THE COLLEGE FOOTBALL BCS!

-- Indeed. Advice to those of you who received campus interviews: watch out for the statue of liberty! Those Broncos can be quite devious.

Even better advice: do not use the phrase "quite devious" to refer to football. And sorry about the BCS thing, Boise.

Any news!?

Bryn Mawr College (Pennsylvania)
Link

''Subfield/description: "The Department of English at Bryn Mawr College invites applications for a full-time, tenure-track Assistant Professor position to begin July 1, 2011 in Contemporary American Literatures who emphasizes comparative ethnic perspectives. We seek a candidate with expertise in Latino/a and Chicano/a literature and culture in conjunction with other fields of ethnic study." ''

Deadline: November 1, 2010

Acknowledgment received:

Request for Additional Materials:

Rejection Letter:

Phone/MLA interview scheduled: Call to request MLA interview x3 (12/10)

Campus interview scheduled:

Offer made:

Offer accepted:

NOTES AND QUERIES: Has anyone heard anything yet? Lots of silence. A: silence shattered.

Cross-posted at Other Ethnic American 2011

Cleveland State University
The successful candidate will be expected to teach a broad survey of American literature, as well as intermediate and advanced courses in American literature and topics courses in sub-specialities, e.g. 20th-century American poetry; multi-ethnic/cultural literatures of the United States; gay and lesbian discourses; or disability studies. The successful candidate will be expected to carry on an active research program and to contribute to departmental and university service. This is a tenure-track position. Minimum Qualifications: Ph.D. in English or American Studies with a specialization in American literature of the twentieth century by July 1, 2011. Ability to teach a broad survey of American literature. Evidence of research promise in twentieth-century American literature.

LINK

Deadline: December 1, 2010

Acknowledgment received: by mail 10/27; 11/12; 11/15 (x2)

NOTES AND QUERIES:

The teaching load at Cleveland State, from what I can see on their website, is 2/2.

"Hiring is contingent on maintaining existing levels of funding from the state."

Rcvd 12/6: "Our search for a specialist in twentieth century American literature has been cancelled for budgetary reasons. We will advertise if the search is reopened."

'''Question: was this an e-mail notification or a letter? I haven't received anything yet.... (x2)'''

'''A: Not the original poster, but I received a letter with this information today (12/7), (12/9)--my copy of this letter was crookedly xeroxed. "Budgetary reasons," indeed!'''

'''I just got a letter of ack--via snail mail, dated 12/2. But it was delivered to my school address, not my home address, which I listed as my only contact on my CV. Guess they just found out about the job being axed soon after they sent out the letter.'''

College of Wooster (VAP)
Visiting Assistant Professor of English, beginning fall 2011. One-year position. Specializing in 20th-century American literature; secondary expertise in film and/or ethnic studies desirable. The successful candidate will teach the department's introductory course in textual and cultural interpretation as well as courses in her or his specialty. The teaching load is 3-3, which includes participation in the College's Independent Study Program. Ph.D. required.

Please send application, cv, graduate transcripts and three letters of reference to Thomas A. Prendergast, Chair, Department of English, The College of Wooster, 1189 Beall Avenue, Wooster, OH 44691.

LINK

Deadline: Postmark deadline for applications: January 17, 2011.

Acknowledgment received: 12/3 via email

Request for Additional Materials:

Rejection Letter:

Phone/MLA interview scheduled:

Campus interview scheduled:

Offer made:

Offer accepted:

NOTES AND QUERIES:

Creighton University
From MLA JIL (11/05):

Creighton University’s English department seeks to fill a tenure-track, entry-level Assistant Professor position in Modern/Contemporary American Literature; specialization in Western Literature or Native American Literature strongly preferred. Three-course load per semester. Ph.D. in above area required by August 2011 with evidence of excellent university-level teaching and significant publications. All faculty teach 100-level courses. Position begins August 2011. Candidates are strongly urged to familiarize themselves with our programs, department, university and mission at http://www.creightonenglish.org. Review of applications begins December 6, 2010 and continues until the position is filled. Two-part application process: 1. Fill out online application form and send CV at https://careers.creighton.edu (select “Faculty” link) ; 2. Send letter of application, CV, three letters of recommendation, graduate/undergraduate transcripts (photocopies acceptable initially), and writing samples to Dr. Bridget Keegan, Chair, Search Committee, English Department, Creighton University, Omaha, NE 68178. Include email address. All applications acknowledged.

Deadline: Review begins December 6, 2010

Acknowledgment received:

Request for Additional Materials:

Rejection Letter:

Phone/MLA interview scheduled: MLA interview scheduled via phone/email (12/17) x2

Campus interview scheduled:

Offer made:

Offer accepted:

NOTES AND QUERIES:

Q: Those with interviews: background in Western lit or Native American lit?

Fairfield University (CT)
LINK

"tenure-track faculty position in 19th and early 20th century American Literature in a Transatlantic Context, at the Assistant Professor level . . . successful candidate will teach such courses as "Transatlantic Literature and Culture" and "American Realism and Naturalism." 3/3 course load.

Deadline: Application review begins October 1, 2010

Acknowledgment received:

Request for Additional Materials:

Rejection Letter:

Phone/MLA interview scheduled: From Early American 2011: "MLA (12/10) (x4)"

Campus interview scheduled:

Offer made:

Offer accepted:

NOTES AND QUERIES: --someone inside the university has Confirmed that this job belongs to only one person.
 * Cross-posted at Early American 2011
 * "An internal candidate has been identified," for what it's worth.
 * it is essentially a spousal hire. Not really an open position at all. Stay away. Don't get your hopes up.
 * Well, that explains the insanely early deadline. Nice way to weed folks out on a technicality.
 * Thank you for posting this stuff about the internal candidate. I've been to other sites where, at the end of the job search season, said wiki has who got the position and identifies "internal hire," "spousal hire" etc... It's very helpful. That said, did two separate people post this and confirm the information? Thanks.
 * The original ad includes the language about the "internal candidate" and a second poster confirmed it.
 * You might notice that they updated their ad on the JIL on October 1st to state that MLA interviews had already been scheduled. That is a serious "step off"... I hope no one bothered applying.
 * I'm sorry, but this job posting from Fairfield is really lame. I know that internal candidates and spousal hires happen, but I had spent time a month ago getting all the stuff together for this position, time I could have spent on other jobs and my work. My recommendors had all commented to me that the deadline was unusually early.
 * oh, jeez, I spent $$ having letters sent, plus the money to post and print a writing sample -- couldn't they at least have spared us that?
 * I appreciate that the ad specified that an internal candidate had been identified. I thought given that they likely legally had to do a search, they handled it responsibly.
 * 1) The position has a rolling deadline; review of applications was set to start Oct 1, 2010; 2) The pulldown menu box in the JIL ad stating "MLA interviews have already been scheduled for this position" was incorrectly checked. The search committee has not yet even begun review of applications. 3) Also note the JIL ad has been corrected to state the successful candidate must have Ph.D. in hand by August 2011, not August 2010 --Jim Simon, department chair
 * ......awkward.
 * So no one has posted contact as of yet--can we go ahead and chalk this one up to designated internal hire yet? I know the ad specified as such, but...it would be great to have confirmation so we all aren't waiting to hear....
 * FYI: there were 4 MLA interviews scheduled on 12/10, according to Early American page. Seems to contradict the inside hire narrative somewhat.

Flagler College (FL)
From MLA JIL (11/19):

The English Department at Flagler College invites applications for a full-time position at the rank of assistant professor to begin August 2011 with a specialization in American Literature and a secondary interest in African-American Literature. The teaching load is four classes per semester divided between general education courses and upper-level major courses. Other responsibilities include committee service and student advising.

Requirements include a completed Ph.D. or a documented completion date for ABDs, a demonstrated commitment to undergraduate teaching, and evidence of scholarly production with the promise of continued professional development. Salary and benefits are commensurate with experience. Minority candidates are encouraged to apply. Flagler is a private independent college with an enrollment of approximately 2,500 students. The College is located in historic St. Augustine, FL, 35 miles south of Jacksonville and 55 miles north of Daytona Beach.

Applicants should send a letter of application, curriculum vitae, brief statement of teaching philosophy, unofficial transcripts, and three letters of recommendation with contact information to Dr. Alan Woolfolk, Dean of Academic Affairs, Flagler College, 74 King Street, St. Augustine, FL 32084. Application review will begin on December 8. Initial interviews will be conducted at the 2011 MLA Conference in Los Angeles.

Deadline: Dec. 8

Acknowledgment received: 12/15 by mail

Request for Additional Materials:

Rejection Letter:

Phone/MLA interview scheduled:

Campus interview scheduled:

Offer made:

Offer accepted:

NOTES AND QUERIES:


 * Cross-posted at African American 2011 & Early American 2011

Fontbonne University (MO)
LINK

Fontbonne University seeks an Assistant Professor of English with a specialty in American literature. Duties include teaching four courses per semester, advising, participating in shared university governance, and working to advance a small but vigorous department that houses majors in English and communication studies. . . . The ability to teach courses in African-American literature, or women's literature, or to supervise teaching certification would be an advantage. Review of applications begins immediately and will continue until the position is filled. This position is advertised pending available funding. Deadline for receipt of applications is November 15. Submit letter of application, curriculum vita, three letters of recommendation, and evidence of teaching effectiveness to: Professor Jason Sommer Department of English and Communication Fontbonne University 6800 Wydown Boulevard St. Louis, MO 63105-3098.

Acknowledgment received: 10/20 via email

Request for Additional Materials:

Rejection Letter:

Phone/MLA interview scheduled:

Campus interview scheduled:

Offer made:

Offer accepted:

NOTES AND QUERIES:

I emailed the chair a few days ago, asking whether they take email/electronic applications, and I mentioned that the link from the MLA site was dead. The chair emailed me back to say that the deadline had passed. But the posting clearly states November 15. Did I miss a correction somewhere?

Any news on this job? (12/17)
 * The ad for this job expired in the JIL on Nov. 5, maybe that's what he's referring to?
 * Cross-posted at Early American 2011 and African American 2011

Via Early American: 12/16: Heard through the grapevine that the search committee met last week. They will not be interviewing at MLA, but will be contacting people in January for phone interviews.

Franklin College Switzerland
From MLA JIL:

Franklin College Switzerland seeks applications for an Assistant Professor in Literature beginning fall 2011, pending funding.The successful candidate will have a Ph.D., with expertise in 19th and 20th-century North American literary studies and a secondary focus in creative writing or a non-western literature. Applicants must demonstrate a commitment to excellence in both teaching and scholarship and a strong interest in interdisciplinary teaching and research. The successful candidate will be expected to teach undergraduate courses in literary studies, lead academic travel, and maintain an active research agenda. Preference will be given to candidates with European experience and a working knowledge of a Swiss language. Please submit electronically a letter of application, a cv, and recent teaching evaluations to [mailto:litsearch@fc.edu litsearch@fc.edu] by November 10, 2010. For more information see http://www.fc.edu/

Acknowledgment received:

Request for Additional Materials: 11/18 (dossier), 11/22

Rejection Letter:

Phone/MLA interview scheduled: Phone interviews conducted Dec. 6 and 7

Campus interview scheduled: 2 invites to campus 12/8

Offer made:

Offer accepted:

NOTES AND QUERIES:

Cross-posted at Early American 2011 & CreativeWriting 2011

Q: I'm curious where the candidates are flying from: Europe or North America -- if not elsewhere?

A: The person who made the "2 invites to campus 12/8" update had an IP address in Berlin.

Georgetown University
LINK

"Twentieth-Century American Literature and Culture: Tenure-track assistant professor, PhD in hand by August 2011."

Deadline: November 5

Acknowledgment received: 9/30, 10/25 (email), 10/29 (email) 11/5 (email x3) 11/11 (email X2) 11/18 (email x3), 11/24(email)

Request for Additional Materials: 12/7 (email x4) 12/15 (email x3) 12/20 (email x3)

email mentions over 700 applications received

Rejection Letter:

Phone/MLA interview scheduled:

Campus interview scheduled:

Offer made:

Offer accepted:

NOTES AND QUERIES:

Anyone else not receive acknowledgment of application materials yet?

I applied on 10/26 and still haven't received an acknowledgement. Because the ad was so broad, they must have gotten a zillion applications.

I applied on 11/4 and still haven't received acknowlegement.

I applied 10/28 and just got my acknowledgement about an hour ago.

10/26 applicant here: I just got an acknowledgement too. I think they're just working through them slowly.

11/8: got acknowledgement. No word since.

12/15: On the RAM email, it indicated over 700 applications.

12/15: Geez, I feel honored. If nothing else, at least they sent me an automated mail of ack.

12/20: Anyone scheduled an interview yet? Or have a sense of when they'll be scheduling interviews?

A: The dossier request says they'll be scheduling interviews "as soon as possible" but through Jan. 3.

12/22 I haven't received a request for additional materials, but on 12/22 I received an email asking me to fill out the Confidential Applicant Form. The email listed the full email addresses, and in some cases the names, of dozens of applicants. I think this is a violation of confidentiality.

12/23 Received an affirm. action form via email today. Any sense of whether they're finished with requests for materials?

12/23 rc'd same "confidential" applicant form, with names of applicants visible. I've been wondering about the materials requests as well--was told in my email that I'd hear back by 12/23, but others above indicate 1/3. One can only sit and wait, I guess.

Grant MacEwan University (Alberta, Canada)
Link

Subfield/description: "The Department of English at Grant MacEwan University invites applicants for a continuing position in drama. Applicants must have a specialization in the scholarly study and textual analysis of British or American drama, excluding Shakespeare and the Renaissance. Preference will be given to specializations in twentieth century British or American drama."

Deadline: December 1, 2010

Acknowledgment received:

Request for Additional Materials:

Rejection Letter:

Phone/MLA interview scheduled:

Campus interview scheduled:

Offer made:

Offer accepted:

NOTES AND QUERIES:

Cross-posted at Generalist 2011, Modern British 2011 & Drama, Speech, Film & New Media 2011

Harvard University
From MLA JIL (10/1):

The English Department at Harvard University invites applications for a tenure-track faculty position in Contemporary American literature with a special interest in Asian American Literature. . . Finalists will be expected to submit in December the entire dissertation or as much of it as is completed (or, alternatively, a book-length publication). The successful candidate will teach four courses per year at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Send cover letter, CV, 1-2 page abstract of dissertation, 3-5 letters of recommendation, and article-length writing sample (25-30 pages, excluding footnotes), all postmarked no later than October 29, 2010, to "Contemporary and Asian American Literature Search Committee," c/o James Simpson, Chair, Department of English, Harvard University, Barker Center, 12 Quincy Street, Cambridge MA 02138. Late applications will not be considered.

See also: Ad in Chronicle

Acknowledgment received: 11/23 (mail)

Request for Additional Materials: email 11/16?

Rejection Letter:

Phone/MLA interview scheduled: 12/8

Campus interview scheduled:

Offer made:

Offer accepted:

NOTES AND QUERIES:


 * Cross-posted at Other Ethnic American 2011

James Madison University (VA)
LINK

"Assistant Professor of English in ethnic literatures of the United States, focusing mainly on literature after 1900. Tenure-track position, to begin Fall 2011. We welcome candidates specializing in Asian-American/Asian diasporic, Latino/a and/or Native American literatures."

Deadline: We will begin reviewing applications on November 5. We will interview at MLA.

Acknowledgment received: 11/10 via e-mail; asked to apply online too at http://joblink.jmu.edu

Request for Additional Materials:

Rejection Letter:

Phone/MLA interview scheduled: 12/5 via phone (x2)

Campus interview scheduled:

Offer made:

Offer accepted:

NOTES AND QUERIES:


 * Cross-posted at Other Ethnic American 2011

Kent State University at Tuscarawas (OH)
LINK

"a tenure-track position to teach introductory writing courses and upper-level writing and literature courses . . . Ph.D. in English by the appointment date. Preferred concentrations include 20th/21st Century American and/or British Literature or criticism. Experience in technical or business and professional writing is highly desirable."

Deadline: No deadline stated (posted on HigherEdJobs on 9/15/10) November 2 (via e-mail inquiry).

Acknowledgment received:

Request for additional materials:

Rejection (no interview):

MLA or phone interview scheduled:

Rejection (after MLA or phone interview):

Campus interview scheduled:

Rejection (after campus interview):

Offer made:

Offer accepted:

NOTES:
 * Cross-posted at Generalist 2011, Modern British 2011, & British Open 2011,

Lewis and Clark College (OR)
Link

"tenure-track assistant professorship in Modern American Literature"

Deadline: Review of applications will begin Nov. 15, 2010 and continue until the position is filled.

Acknowledgment received: 10/04 (email response, including link to EOE form)(x3); 10/27 (email response); 11/12 (email response); 11/30 (email response)

Request for Additional Materials:

Rejection Letter:

Phone/MLA interview scheduled: 12/5 (email from search chair, mentioned receiving over 600 applications for the job) (x3: same email)

Campus interview scheduled:

Offer made:

Offer accepted:

NOTES AND QUERIES:

Can we get a wiki consensus on what is meant by "Modern American Literature"? I know what modernist American literature is, and I know what contemporary American literature is, but this phrase has me stumped.

It typically means post-1865 American literature, but it's definitely a broad term. I think some people to use it instead of "modernist," even when they mean early 20th C literature, because it's less restrictive.

Q: The ad asks for a letter that "includes a statement of teaching philosophy, teaching experience, and research interests." Should I take this specificity to be stating what is usually expected for a letter, or should I incorporate portions of my (separate) teaching philosophy statement and research statement? Won't this bloat the letter out of proportion?

A: I've been advised by our dept. placement offer to follow these sorts of requests, well, by the letter. So I did exactly what they asked, in that order. I hope that they'll ask for more, at which point, I'll send a full teaching statement and an abstract.

600? Jesus. That's a record so far as I've heard this year. To the person who got the interview, did you actually get an email today (12/5)? A: Yes, the email arrived 12/5.

600?!? Time for some holiday spirits.

I agree. 600 is an absolutely outrageous number. How is that even possible?

Friends, 600-650 is the number received by comparable posts last year as well. It is like that scene in Titanic when you get the bird's eye view of all the people with their arms waving in the Atlantic. Bad movie but demonstrative, I think..... (Sigh. So true. About the quality of the film and the flailing victims!)

600...I change my mind. I want to be a ballerina instead, Zelda Fitzgerald style. (Georgetown got...700!!!)

Marquette University (2 positions)
Link Use Posting Number 0601162 to Find Job

Two tenure-track Assistant Professor positions in American Literature in the Department of English The successful candidate will have expertise in AMERICAN LITERATURE of the 20th-21st centuries. One desired emphasis is American Indian, Chicana/o, and/or Latino/a literatures; other desired emphases include Ecocriticism, Feminist/Gender Studies, Transnational Literatures.

Deadline: Review of applications will begin immediately, with applications accepted until October 20, 2010.

Acknowledgment received:

Request for Additional Materials:

Rejection Letter: 12/15 email (said that they'd scheduled interviews, and I wasn't one.)x2; 12/16; 12/21 e-mail

Phone/MLA interview scheduled: MLA x4 (12/6)

Campus interview scheduled:

Offer made:

Offer accepted:

NOTES AND QUERIES:

Perhaps this would best be posted on the discussion page, but here goes: why this format for deadlines -- "review begins immediately, with applications accepted until . . ."? Are we to believe that it's first come, first served; or, does the review really begin, as in this case, on the deadline stated? For those of us having to decide whether to hound referees for letters, this is confusing. Thoughts anyone?

-My sense is that committees start reading docs as they come in. That's what they do at my university, anyway. Review gets more intense after the deadline, but they'll read stuff as soon as they get it.

I was informed by a faculty member at our university who mentored a prime candidate for the ethnic lit position that the hiring committee has previously attempted to hire this position and failed. Her impression is that this was due almost entirely to one member of the committee who is an armchair ethnic lit buff (but carrying no particular credentials in such). Word is, when our candidate interviewed, Joe Ethnic Expert rudely and aggressively grilled the candidate, repeatedly challenging his answers and frequently informing him that he was wrong about the points he was making vis-a-vis American Indian literature. The other committee members appeared to defer to Joe Expert, allowing his challenges to stand as fact. Our candidate's impression was that the other members were relatively unfamiliar with the field themselves. Apparently Joe Expert is also on this year's committee as well. My dissertation committee strongly urged me to give this position a pass. It'll be interesting to see how this one plays out.

Most excellent and informative commentary, dear poster above. Thanks.

Q: Any of these interviews for the Ethnic Lit position? Thanks! (12/6)

Sort-of-an-A: From what I gathered, they are apparently interviewing for one (or maybe 2, but I got the impression just one) contemporary American position (presumably w/ an ethnic subspeciality) and one rhet- comp position. Other A: That was my impression (tho my current project doesn't match the multi-ethnic ad); does anyone know for sure if it's now just 1 Americanist job in addition to the comp job?

Another A: I was told they were approved for 4 hires, though the breakdown of Rhet/Comp and Americanist was not clear. 2 interviewers are R/C, 3 are Am. - not sure which is "Joe Ethnic Expert" but good luck to all!

Don't think this is just a contemp or ethnic focus for Americanist position. Friend has interview and works on earlier period, and not especially ethnic stuff. I think there are 2 hires - 1 comp and Americanist

Fellow interviewees, be on the lookout for a very informative email from the chair that confirms they are in fact making 4 hires total (2 Americanist, 2 R/C, including, following the ad, 1 ethnic hire and one person with a desired topical or methodological focus). One must always be prepared for difficult situations in interviews; but FWIW a friend familiar with the dept advised me not to put much stock in the above "Joe Expert" report. Best of luck, all!

Memphis College of Art
LINK

"Assistant Professor. Full-time, beginning August 2011. Position begins with a two-year appointment. Responsibilities: Teach three literature classes each semester, encompassing a broad curriculum for non-majors. Periodically teach freshman composition. . . Qualifications: Ph.D. in English. Specialty in any aspect of American or European literature. Competence in two or more of the following: Southern literature, contemporary novel, women's literature, African American literature. Three years of full-time teaching experience preferred. Eagerness to participate fully in the education of the visual artist."

Deadline: Application deadline for MLA interview: November 15, 2010.

Acknowledgment received: By e-mail (10/22)

Request for additional materials:

Rejection (no interview):

MLA interview scheduled: By email x2 (12/08) 1 (12/13)

Rejection (after MLA or phone interview):

Campus interview scheduled:

Rejection (after campus interview):

Offer made:

Offer accepted:

NOTES:
 * Cross-posted at Southern 2011, Generalist 2011, African American 2011

Messiah College
From MLA JIL:

"Messiah College invites applications for a term tenure-track position as assistant professor of English beginning in August 2011. This position will specialize in 19th-century American literature, with secondary expertise in 20th-century American literature. Ability to teach writing for digital media or ability to diversity our curricular offerings in American literature is desirable. This position also requires teaching first year seminar and general education literature, advising, and participation in departmental governance. Evidence of strong commitment to teaching undergraduates in the liberal arts tradition and to scholarly research is expected. PhD required at time of employment. Review of applications will begin October 15, 2010 and will continue until the position is filled. . . Application forms may be accessed at http://www.messiah.edu/offices/hr/forms/Faculty_Empl_Appl.pdf. Messiah College is a Christian college of the liberal and applied arts and sciences. The College is committed to an embracing evangelical spirit rooted in the Anabaptist, Pietist and Wesleyan traditions of the Christian Church."

Acknowledgment received: 10/13

Request for Additional Materials: 10/13

Rejection Letter:

Phone/MLA interview scheduled:

Campus interview scheduled:

Offer made:

Offer accepted:

NOTES AND QUERIES:

N.B. The "application form" requires a statement of agreement with the college's Statements of Faith (including the Apostle's Creed) and its Community Covenant. Probably should not have been a surprise given their mission, but this is not explicitly stated in the ad.


 * Cross-Posted at Early American 2011

Marian University (WI)
From MLA JIL:

Marian University, a premier Catholic university located in Fond du Lac, WI invites applications for a full-time tenure-track position in English beginning Fall 2011. Primary responsibilities include teaching courses in English composition, American literature, research writing and advanced-level writing and literature for majors and minors in English and English Education. Normal teaching load is 12 credits per semester. Additional responsibilities include departmental duties, such as advising and writing assessment, as well as school and university-wide service and committee work. Ph.D. or terminal degree in English required. Willingness to support the Vision, Mission and Core Values of the University. Submit a letter of application, current curriculum vitae, statement of teaching philosophy, three letters of reference, evidence of teaching effectiveness (sample syllabi for one literature and one composition course, and course evaluations for the last year) and transcripts by January 2, 2011 to: Human Resources, Marian University, 45 S. National Ave., Fond du Lac, WI 54935.

See also: Ad in Chronicle

Acknowledgment received:

Request for Additional Materials:

Rejection Letter:

Phone/MLA interview scheduled:

Campus interview scheduled:

Offer made:

Offer accepted:

NOTES AND QUERIES:


 * Cross-Posted at Early American 2011 & Generalist 2011

Notre Dame (University of)
LINK

"Assistant Professor, American literature after 1900. Breadth and interest in various genres desirable."

Deadline: Application review begins Oct 1, 2010, and continues through October

Acknowledgment received: via email 6 Oct. (x3); via e-mail 7 Oct (x1); via email 19 Oct (x1); via snail mail 19 Oct; via snail mail Oct. 22

Request for Additional Materials:

request sent for additional materials (10/13) (x2), (11/9) (x8)

Rejection Letter: 11/15 (x14) (Hey Terry, is one of those x's you? Guess we don't have to worry about competing with each other anymore :P But what are we gonna do now?)

Phone/MLA interview scheduled: 12/10 (x2)

Campus interview scheduled:

Offer made:

Offer accepted:

NOTES AND QUERIES:
 * Searches in Early American 2011, African American, and Latino/a (Other Ethnic American 2011) also advertised. Not clear which has priority?
 * The department website is very proud of the fact that they're looking to hire so many new people this year, so at least for now they're claiming 4 totally separate hires.
 * Any sense on whether requests for more materials are complete, or if they're rolling like the deadline?
 * If they just acknowledged receipt via e-mail for one person on 10/19, maybe the requests are rolling?
 * Arg, what the heck is up w/ this? 2 requests nearly a month ago--and well before the closing deadline--and then nothing since? why do you toy w/ me, ND? :)
 * Anyone heard anything since the request for materials? (12/3)

Oglethorpe University (GA)
From MLA JIL (10/29):

Assistant Professor of English and American literature

Assistant professor, tenure-track position beginning fall, 2011. Ph.D. in modern and contemporary literature with emphasis on prose fiction, and secondary fields in 19th Century, post-colonial literature and/or film. 3/3 teaching load. All English faculty teach 1/3 of load in an interdisciplinary first-year core course in the humanities, and serve on faculty committees.

Deadline: Candidates should submit application letter, cv, and three letters of recommendation electronically to [mailto:englishsearch@oglethorpe.edu englishsearch@oglethorpe.edu] by December 7, 2010.

Acknowledgment received: Automated email 10/30. (ACK received via email 12/7)

Request for Additional Materials: 12/7 (x2), 12/13 (x2), 12/22

Rejection Letter:

Phone/MLA interview scheduled: 12/16 (x4)

Campus interview scheduled:

Offer made:

Offer accepted:

NOTES AND QUERIES:


 * Despite the late deadline, they'll be interviewing at MLA, according to their acknowledgment email.
 * Cross-posted at Modern British 2011

Oklahoma State University
LINK

"Tenure-track position in English, specializing in Literature Post 1900 with emphasis in poetry and poetics. 3-2 teaching load beginning August 2011."

Deadline: To ensure full consideration, applications must be received by November 3, 2010.

Acknowledgment received:

Request for additional materials:

Rejection (no interview):

MLA or phone interview scheduled: Phone interview scheduled on 11/10 for 11/19 (x3)


 * Skype interview (2nd round, with different people) requested 11/30

Rejection (after MLA or phone interview):

Campus interview scheduled: 12/17

Rejection (after campus interview):

Offer made:

Offer accepted:

NOTES:

Interesting that they didn't get around to sending their acknowledgment email til 11/22--would've been kinder just to reject us all, methinks [& amusing that the dept assistant revealed all addressees in said email ;-)]

Cross-posted at Modern British 2011 & Generalist 2011

Oregon State University (Literature, Science and Technology)
Link to University Job Site (posting #0006235)

From MLA JIL:

Assistant Professor in Literature, Science, and Technology

A full-time (1.0 FTE), nine-month, tenure-track, assistant professor position in Literature, Science, and Technology beginning in Fall, 2011. Ph.D. required at time of appointment. Significant teaching experience and demonstrated scholarly innovation, commitment, and publication strongly preferred. A typical teaching load would be five courses (2-2-1 or similar three-term arrangement) and might include Science Writing, Historical Textualities of Science, Science and Travel, Language and Environmental Science, etc., with emphasis on 18th-21st century Anglo-American and interdisciplinary perspectives.

Deadline: 11-12-2010

Acknowledgment received:

Request for Additional Materials: (12/2) X3

Rejection Letter:

MLA interview scheduled: 12/10 (x3)

Campus interview scheduled:

Offer made:

Offer accepted:

NOTES AND QUERIES:
 * Cross-posted at Restoration/18th-Century 2011, Modern British 2011, Early American 2011, & Romanticism, Victorian/19th 2011
 * Query: Can I ask? How did the request come--phone or email?
 * Response: You can ask! It came via email.

Pitzer College (California)
Link

Subfield/description: "'Pitzer College invites applications for a tenure-track appointment at the Assistant Professor level beginning Fall 2011 in 19th and 20th Century American Literature, with a specialization in Chicana/o-Latina/o literatures. Also desirable are research and teaching interests in gender and sexuality, queer theory, and/or film and literature."'

Deadline: November 1, 2010 or until the position is filled

Acknowledgment received: email/EOE form (11/8)

Request for Additional Materials:

Rejection Letter: email 12/3

MLA interview scheduled: 12/10 x4

Campus interview scheduled:

Offer made:

Offer accepted:

NOTES AND QUERIES:

Q: were the interviews scheduled by phone or email? A: by phone

Cross-posted at Other Ethnic American 2011 & Early American 2011

Princeton University
LINK

"19th-20th - century American Literature. Candidates with expertise in theory and/or visual culture are especially welcome."

Deadline: November 1, 2010

Cross-posted at Early American 2011

Acknowledgment received:

Request for Additional Materials:

Rejection Letter: Just got a friendly, personal-ish rejection email, 12/22...so I'm #999. Whoo!

Phone/MLA interview scheduled: per Early American 2011, MLA interviews scheduled 12/17 (email) 12/21 (by email)

Campus interview scheduled:

Offer made:

Offer accepted:

NOTES AND QUERIES:

Q. It's Wednesday, Dec. 14. Does anyone have an idea about when they'll contact interview candidates?


 * Know someone (Americanist actually) who was once contacted for an MLA interview with Princeton on Dec. 23. This was some years ago though . ..
 * Thanks. That's funny, if also somewhat frustrating information. And of course today is the 15th (not Dec. 14). One day closer to the 23rd.....

Q: No acknowledgments yet? Nothing? Bueller? I'm sure they got a million applications.

A: The State Department could learn a thing or two from academic hiring committees. Leak-free!

Q: Do others think they want someone to cover both 19th and 20th C.? My assumption was that they're just fishing to see who's out there (or here) with anything in that range that looks interesting to them...

A: I was told by a professor of mine who asked a professor at Princeton that the posting is intentionally vague. They're just looking for the "best" person. (x2)

Reed College
LINK

"Tenure track appointment in English and Humanities, with a specialization in American fiction in any period from the later nineteenth century to post-modern. We are especially interested in candidates with a sub-specialty in one of the following areas: post-colonialism; transatlantic studies; ethnic or race studies; narrative theory. All members of the department are expected to teach some sophomore-level introductory courses in narrative, poetry, or drama. The position requires flexibility and broad intellectual interests, and a willingness to work in interdisciplinary contexts. . . Deadline for receipt of applications is Wednesday, 10 November. The Search Committee expects to conduct preliminary interviews at the MLA Convention in Los Angeles in January."

Acknowledgment received: via email 10/25 (x2), 11/11

Request for Additional Materials:

Rejection Letter:

MLA interview scheduled: 12/16 x 2

Campus interview scheduled:

Offer made:

Offer accepted:

NOTES AND QUERIES:

The department has two VAPs who could be inside candidates for this position.

12/10: Has anyone heard anything? A: Nope, still nothing.
 * Interesting, but I think it would be hasty to assume either VAP has a lock on the position, in the absence of further inside information.

Rhode Island College
From MLA JIL 10/29: Assistant professor, American literature. Anticipated vacancy at Rhode Island College beginning fall 2011, pending funding approval. Full-time, tenure track position in American literature of the 19th or 20th century. Requirements include Ph.D. in English with specialization in American literature of the 19th or 20th century. Preferred: college teaching experience; subfield in literary theory or film. The successful candidate will teach the department’s offerings in American literature of the 19th or 20th century, 200-level introduction to the major courses, and general education courses. An ongoing commitment to scholarly work, to student advising, and to departmental and college service is expected. Application deadline: January 7, 2011. IMPORTANT: for full job description, including additional responsibilities and requirements for the position and application procedures, see our web site at https://employment.ric.edu.

Deadline: Jan. 7

Acknowledgment received:

Request for Additional Materials:

Rejection Letter:

Phone/MLA interview scheduled:

Campus interview scheduled:

Offer made:

Offer accepted:

NOTES AND QUERIES:


 * Cross-posted at Early American 2011
 * As far as I can tell, there is no information about the job through the link. Perhaps this is because they are in the process of changing systems?
 * It is not unusual to see a lag between the ad and the college jobs site . . . seems like this job was just advertised today, so might take them a while to get it coordinated?
 * Any idea of the teaching load?
 * From their online course listings, looks like either 3 or 4 a semester -- hard to tell.

Providence College
LINK

"The Department of English at Providence College invites applications for a tenure-track assistant professor specializing in drama, with expertise in modern and contemporary. Ability to teach drama in periods from the Restoration to the present preferred."

Deadline: November 1, 2010

Acknowledgment received:

Request for Additional Materials:

Rejection Letter:

Phone/MLA interview scheduled:

Campus interview scheduled:

Offer made:

Offer accepted:

NOTES AND QUERIES:

Cross-posted at Modern British 2011 & Drama, Speech, Film & New Media 2011

Quinnipiac University
Quinnipiac University invites applications for an Assistant Professor position beginning in fall 2011. This is a full-time, tenure track appointment. Applicants must have a Ph.D. in an appropriate field or expect to complete the doctorate by start of classes in fall 2011. The department seeks a specialist in Contemporary Literature of the Americas, emphasizing comparative analysis of North American, Central American, and South American literatures, and who can also teach American Literature since 1865. All faculty at Quinnipiac University are expected to teach in the University Core Seminar series. The English major at Quinnipiac University is growing and we seek someone with strong teaching credentials supported by an appropriate and rigorous research agenda. The expected teaching load is 3/3. We are interviewing at the 2011 MLA conference in Los Angeles.

LINK

Deadline: Applications must be received by November 30, 2010. We expect to conduct on campus interviews early in the spring.

Acknowledgment received:

Request for Additional Materials:

Rejection Letter:

Phone/MLA interview scheduled: 12/16 (phone call for MLA interview)

Campus interview scheduled:

Offer made:

Offer accepted:

NOTES AND QUERIES:


 * Cross-posted at Comparative 2011

Saint Jerome's University (ON)
From MLA JIL:

Department of English, St. Jerome’s University invites applications for a tenure-track appointment at the Assistant Professor level, commencing July 1, 2011. Applicants must have a PhD in English with expertise in '''contemporary American Literature; strength in literary theory and/or philosophical hermeneutics an asset. Also interested in candidates keen to offer first-year genre- or theme-based courses. '''We seek candidates with a high standard of teaching excellence, strong sense of collegiality, commitment to service, and strong research agenda. Base salary for an Assistant Professor is $68,158. Applications due December 1, 2010 and should include a letter detailing interest in and suitability for the position, curriculum vita, teaching portfolio with statement of teaching philosophy, outline of research agenda, any sample publications, and three confidential letters of recommendation. Please send applications to Dr. Norm Klassen, Chair, Department of English, St. Jerome’s University, 290 Westmount Rd. N., Waterloo, ON Canada N2L 3G3. Applications from women and men familiar with and sympathetic to the traditions of the Roman Catholic faith are encouraged. To view full position advertisement, visit http://www.sju.ca/humanresources/employment.html

Acknowledgment received:

Request for Additional Materials:

Rejection Letter:

Phone/MLA interview scheduled:

Campus interview scheduled:

Offer made:

Offer accepted:

NOTES AND QUERIES:

- just wondering if anyone else is following this search... no noise so far (12/18)

San Diego State
Link

"Assistant Professor: 20th and 21st Century American Literature . . . tenure-track assistant professor specializing in 20th and 21st century American literature. Desirable secondary specializations include race and ethnicity, gender and sexuality studies, literature and the environment, transnational and comparative studies, border studies, or media studies"

Deadline: Nov. 1 2010

Acknowledgment received: by email 11/16 (x7); says the committee will be contacting candidates for MLA interviews in mid-December

Request for Additional Materials:

Rejection Letter:

MLA interview scheduled: 12/16 x3

Campus interview scheduled:

Offer made:

Offer accepted:

NOTES AND QUERIES:

I got my postcard back in the mail (10/18), and there was a staple on it, but whatever was attached was gone. Can anyone fill me in on what they got back--was it just a diversity form, or was there actual information?

I received my SASE back with nothing in it.

Perhaps we can assume this is how the department acknowledges receipt of the application.

Also received SASE with nothing but San Diego State stamp (10/29) (2).

Received the stamped postcard inside a separate envelop, then received an email as well. Seems like there is internal disagreement in the department about how to acknowledge receipt.

Has anyone received a rejection? Perhaps the SASE acknowledges receipt of the application, and the email noted above acknowledges these candidates have made it past the first round of cuts....?..

The acknowledgement email is just a timeline update and notification that they'll be doing MLA interviews. It doesn't mean anything else in terms of long/short/cut lists. Best not to spend one's time trying to read into things (or read what's not there)--it'll drive you crazy.

I didn't get my SASE back. Perhaps it got lost in the process? No biggie. However, I got an email telling me all was in place and off to the committee as of about a week ago. Perhaps they are doing both? First, yes, they got your materials. Then, yes, the committee is starting to look. That seems the most reasonable explanation.

All I got was a staple. What do you think that means? A: That's your research stipend, buddy. Congrats!

I shifted back through SDSU's current Instructors who are not tenure track and found a professor who is absolutely and utterly qualified for this position. I know we shouldn't presume the search was written for this professor, but ... it's so close. Is it time to start drinking yet?

Wow, you are right. Said un-tenured professor looks pretty good on paper too.

Yup, this one has great ratings on ratemyprofessors.com as well...

I'm not going to jump to conclusions entirely yet, but after looking all that up.... *Bartender, I'll take a whiskey straight, please*

I believe everyone had a good reason to drink (uh, the market in general) even before figuring this out!

I called last week and the admin secretary said they would be making their decisions in a meeting on Wed. the 15th (yesterday). She said interviewees would be called and everybody else would get a letter.

To poster above: Thanks for the info, but I wish you would have chimed in earlier! Sorry. It's just me being paranoid and playing the conjecture game. Oh, well.

Good luck to those of you who got interviews! You must be amazing scholars and teachers.

OK, I didn't get an interview, but just got a Diversity form in the mail. Anyone else? Weird... Me too (12/18) -- me too (12/22); don't see the point of filling out since I didn't get a call for interview.

Siena College (NY)
Link

"Assistant Professor in American Literature - The Department of English at Siena College seeks applicants for a tenure track position in late Twentieth Century American Literature, beginning September 2011. Specialization sought in late Twentieth/Twenty-first Century American literature, including multicultural writers. Course responsibilities will include Survey of American Literature, Literature of the Jazz Age, Literature of the Cold War, Contemporary American Literature, and the introductory Literary Perspectives course"

Deadline: The Department will begin reviewing applications on October 8, 2010.

Acknowledgment received: By e-mail, last week 10/18 (x2), 10/22 (x2)

Request for Additional Materials:

Rejection Letter:

Phone/MLA interview scheduled: Phone interview scheduled (11/14) x3

Campus interview scheduled: 12/10, 12/14

Offer made:

Offer accepted:

NOTES AND QUERIES:

"Thank you for your response to the Assistant Professor in American Literature position and your interest in Siena College. We have received a robust pool of applications and as of October 12 we are no longer actively reviewing new ones."
 * It's a small Franciscan (Catholic) school just outside of Albany
 * On 10/26, I received the following email:
 * I have to say: if you started reviewing applications on 10/8 and stopped *4 days later* on 10/12, I really wish you would have just put a firm deadline in the job ad. I wasted a good hour preparing materials for this job, which I presumed was still open.
 * I have to agree, and to say to the spirit of Siena: If one is so overwhelmed by applications that one must end the search early (and isn't the job advertisement a legal contract?), then perhaps one should ask for fewer materials in the first place. To be fair, perhaps Los Bros. didn't realize how the market has changed.
 * Any additional requests for phone interviews, or just the one? //Relatedly, was that second interview request on the 14th, or on the 24th (when the edit was made)? Curious whether this one is just rolling along very slowly or if it's looking more and more like an inside hire.
 * Phone interview with Siena was on 12/2. (Thx—it's nice [if potentially pointless] to know the dates of subsequent requests, so that folks know whether a school is doing requests one by one—e.g. Interview Req: 11/14 (x2), 12/2—this format seems to have fallen out of the wiki "house style" this time around.)

Simpson College (IA)
LINK

"Assistant Professor of English with a specialization in U.S. literature from 1865 and an emphasis on ethnic and multicultural literature. Secondary expertise in postcolonial literatures outside the U.S. is highly desirable. A dissertation in American literature is required."

Deadline: Review of applications will begin on Nov. 9 and continue until the position is filled

Acknowledgment received:

Request for Additional Materials:

Rejection Letter:

Phone/MLA interview scheduled: MLA (12/6) (x7)

Campus interview scheduled:

Offer made:

Offer accepted:

NOTES AND QUERIES:

Can someone explain what is meant by the "teaching load will be 24 hours across three semesters?" How many courses are they expecting us to teach per term?

Skidmore College (VAP)
Ad in Chronicle (12/17)

The Department of English at Skidmore College invites applications for a one-year sabbatical replacement, to be appointed as Visiting Assistant Professor, and to begin September 2011. Research and teaching experience required in 20th-century poetry. Experience teaching expository writing is also required. Additional expertise in Critical Theory is desirable. The teaching load is 3/3, which includes one themed expository-writing course each semester.

Doctorate required at time of employment. We encourage applications from historically under-represented groups as well as individuals who have experience teaching diverse student populations; women and minority candidates are encouraged to apply. Review of applications begins immediately. All applications will be acknowledged; phone interviews are likely in January, though interviews at the MLA convention are a possibility.

To learn more about and apply for this position, please visit Skidmore's website at: http://jobs.skidmore.edu/applicants/Central?quickFind=52674

Acknowledgment received:

Request for additional materials:

Rejection (no interview):

MLA or phone interview scheduled:

Rejection (after MLA or phone interview):

Campus interview scheduled:

Rejection (after campus interview):

Offer made:

Offer accepted:

Notes:

Cross-posted at Modern British 2011

Southern Arkansas University
"Tenure-track position to begin August 2011. Specialization in one or more of the following areas desired: secondary English education (with experience in teaching at the secondary level), composition and rhetoric or American literature. Duties include teaching freshman composition, sophomore world literature courses, and upper division English courses in area of expertise; scholarship and service are also expected."

LINK

Deadline: Review of applications will begin on October 22, 2010, and will continue until the position is filled.

Acknowledgment received: via snail mail 6 Oct. (x1), 29 Oct (x1); via e-mail with EOE form Nov. 12

Request for Additional Materials:

Rejection Letter:

Phone/MLA interview scheduled: 12/11

Campus interview scheduled: 12/16

Offer made:

Offer accepted:

NOTES AND QUERIES:

Anyone heard anything about this one yet? (11/27) <<Nope, nothing here (12/19)
 * Cross-posted at Early American 2011, Children's 2011 & Generalist 2011

Spring Hill
From MLA JIL

"Spring Hill College invites applications for a tenure-track assistant professor in Twentieth Century Drama. PhD required. Standard 4/4 teaching load includes composition, introductory literature, genre courses, and upper level courses for the major. Founded in 1830, Spring Hill College is a private, Jesuit, liberal arts institution of 1,300 students. Applicants should send a cover letter, CV, unofficial transcripts, statement of teaching philosophy, and three letters of recommendation to Dr. Michael Kaffer, Search Committee Chair, Department of English, Spring Hill College, 4000 Dauphin Street, Mobile, AL 36608. Must be received by November 15 for full consideration."

Acknowledgment received:

Request for additional materials:

Rejection (no interview):

MLA or phone interview scheduled:

Rejection (after MLA or phone interview):

Campus interview scheduled:

Rejection (after campus interview):

Offer made:

Offer accepted:

Notes:
 * Cross-posted at Modern British 2011 & Drama, Speech, Film & New Media 2011

St. Olaf College (Minnesota)
Link

Subfield/description: "'The Department of English seeks an individual with teaching and scholarly expertise in the area of twentieth- and twenty-first century American literature, with emphasis on post WWII multicultural literatures such as Latina/o, Native American, African American, Indian American, and Asian American literatures. Desirable secondary interests include film; transnational literature; and generic, cross-cultural, and cross-disciplinary approaches."'

Deadline: Review of apps will begin October 15

Acknowledgment received:

Request for Additional Materials:

Rejection Letter: Email 12/21 (x2)

MLA interview scheduled: 17 Dec

Campus interview scheduled:

Offer made:

Offer accepted:

NOTES AND QUERIES:

Went to apply online and found message that they are not accepting any more applications. 10/25
 * If applications are no longer being accepted, does this mean the search is cancelled or simply that they think they have a sufficient pool? Has anyone inquired?
 * I called the department secretary. The search is definitely still on. They have a sufficient pool of applicants.
 * Thanks for the clarification! (10/30)
 * taps microphone* Is this thing on? Any news out there, St. Olaf applicants?
 * Still waiting.... (11/29)
 * Nothing but crickets over here as well
 * Perhaps they're letting Rose Nyland conduct the search and she's exasperated by all the applications?
 * Now, now, you know Dorothy will keep them all in line. Except that sassy Sophia.
 * Friend of a friend says that Blanche Devereaux will soon be contacting the short list with a materials request for headshots.
 * You all sound so sweet and funny. I wish we could all grab a cheesecake at the MLA.
 * Cheesecake? But we have to provide headshots per Blanche! I need to look my slim best. heh heh ;) Seriously, we do seem to be a friendly bunch. Usually, everyone is giving everyone else the side-eye. It's nice we're not made crazy by the search ... yet
 * The economy is so bad. I think it is senseless to be catty. Of course, we are all motivated by self-interest....but, because the process seems to be such a crapshoot, I am inclined to just be happy for people and hope that some day I am lucky enough to get a decent job doing what I love to do. Don't get me wrong; I can have my hissy Sofia moments. Tee hee.
 * If I wanted to be snarky, I'd have moved over to history a long time ago. Honestly, if you didn't think of Rose, Blanche, Dorothy, and Sophia while writing the job letter for St. Olaf, I pity you.....cause I watched the season 4 DVD (the best season, in my opinion) while writing mine. Nothing but the best of luck to all of you, and I really mean that. No reason for competition on an anonymous wiki! Cheesecake to all.
 * Someone in CA loves you (referring to the person who posted above) :)
 * Thank you for being a friend! heh By the way, any word on this one? At all? Anything? Class? Class?
 * Nothing at all, but still hopeful! (12/18) (x2)

Cross-posted at Other Ethnic American 2011 & Film Studies 2010-2011

Tennessee Technical University
LINK

"Full-time, academic (nine month) tenure-track appointment, beginning August 1, 2011.

QUALIFICATIONS: Earned PhD in English by the time of appointment from an accredited institution with dissertation or other significant research in any one of the following areas (listed in alphabetical order): Contemporary Literature in English, Ethnic American Literature, Milton or other Early Modern Literature, or Postcolonial Literature. College-level teaching experience required. ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS: The successful candidate will be a generalist who will teach general education courses in composition and/or literature, as well as upper-division and graduate courses in literature. Teaching load is 4/4. "

Deadline: Jan. 13

Acknowledgment received:

Request for Additional Materials:

Rejection Letter:

Phone interview scheduled:

Campus interview scheduled:

Offer made:

Offer accepted:

NOTES AND QUERIES:

Cross-posted at Renaissance 2011

Also posted at Other Ethnic American 2011, Modern British 2011 & Generalist 2011

Texas Tech
From MLA JIL:

"Assistant/Associate Professor of American literature with a concentration in modernism. Ph.D. required. Candidates with research and teaching interests in the department's strategic research initiatives—literature, social justice, and environment; history of the book; or film and media studies—strongly desired. . . . Candidates must apply online at http://jobs.texastech.edu (No. 82241), attaching a letter of application and curriculum vitae. Applications will be accepted until the position is filled; the committee will start screening applications on November 1."

Acknowledgment received:

Request for Additional Materials: 12/6 (x8)

Rejection Letter:

Phone/MLA interview scheduled:

Campus interview scheduled:

Offer made:

Offer accepted:

NOTES AND QUERIES


 * email requesting additional materials said phone interviews would be conducted later this month. (Received the same email.)


 * 12/8 - This announcement concerning a "critical needs hiring process" came out on Monday. Could be bad news for this search. 12/8, to the original poster: Can you explain why this announcement could be bad news?


 * 12/9 - Responding to above question: Using the language of the announcement: TTU "has begun a process to strategically evaluate hiring efforts during this fiscal year" and TTU "is limiting hiring to those positions that are critical to operations." Effectively, hiring decisions have been taken away from the department and placed in the hands of a "Critical Needs Committee" - Dept. Heads now have to fill out a Position Justification Form that is submitted to the dean or vice-provost and if approved at that level, then has to be approved by the CNHC, basically adding two more opportunities to end a position. Also, they're having to explain the difference (in the announcement) between the CNHP and a hiring freeze. Hopefully the position is deemed a critical need, but this news does not bode well.
 * Really interesting (and I agree does not bode well) -- thanks for posting this!
 * Have interviews already been scheduled? A posting on the talk pages lists that interviews were scheduled on 12/8, but the deadline for submitting additional materials was not until 12/10. And there is no indication of interviews posted here. This seems strange.
 * A: Somebody did post an interview request here but then erased it. The Talk page page interview list was updated while the interview request was still visible here. Not sure what is actually going on. Perhaps someone got paranoid about posting the interview request? It seems no one else has noted one, though . ..
 * 12/13 - I think someone probably jumped the gun when they saw "phone interviews will be scheduled later in December" in the request for AM email. For the record, this person was not me, I'm merely engaing in wild conjecture and rampant speculation.

Tulane U., New Orleans, LA
The School of Liberal Arts at Tulane University invites applications for a two-year contract, renewable annually, as Mellon Postdoctoral Fellows in the Humanities beginning in August 2011. We expect to appoint two or three fellows for AY 2011-2012. Candidates must have received the Ph.D. by June 30, 2011 and not before September 1, 2007. They must demonstrate successful teaching experience and an interesting and exciting research agenda. Fellows will be assigned to one of six departments within the School of Liberal Arts: Communication, English, French and Italian, History, Philosophy, or Spanish and Portuguese. Fellows will teach mid-and upper-level courses in their field of expertise, and these courses will be cross-listed with one or more of four interdisciplinary programs: African and African Diaspora Studies, American Studies, Asian Studies, and Jewish Studies. The teaching load will be one course per semester, with the remainder of the fellows' time devoted to strengthening their research profiles. Fellows must be in residence at Tulane during the tenure of their fellowship. Preference may be given to applicants who intend to make use of Tulane's and New Orleans' rich cultural and archival resources, such as the Amistad Research Center, the Hogan Jazz Archive, the Newcomb Center for Research on Women, the Southeastern Architectural Archive, the Latin American Library, the Historic New Orleans Collection, the Louisiana State Museum, and the archives of the New Orleans Public Library. The stipend is $45,900 per year, with some funding also available for research and travel.

Tulane University is a privately endowed institution located in New Orleans, one of the world's unique urban centers. The University holds membership in the Association of American Universities and is a Carnegie Extensive Research University. Tulane is composed of nine academic divisions and home to over ten thousand graduate and undergraduate students. The School of Liberal Arts provides undergraduate students with an outstanding education in the humanities, social sciences, and fine arts, developing skills of analysis, research, and written and oral expression that will serve them in their chosen profession. Students work closely with faculty who are distinguished research scholars or creative artists and who are eager to engage students in their work. For more information on the School of Liberal Arts please visit the Web site: http://www.liberalarts.tulane.edu/.

Send dossier including cover letter, curriculum vitae, a one-page summary of the dissertation, a few sample titles of courses the applicant would like to teach, and three letters of recommendation to Dr. Kevin Fox Gotham, Associate Dean of Academic Affairs, School of Liberal Arts, 102 Newcomb Hall, New Orleans, LA 70118 by December 1, 2010.

Tulane University is an equal employment opportunity/affirmative action employer committed to excellence through diversity. All eligible candidates are invited to apply for position vacancies as appropriate.

Deadline: Dec. 1

Acknowledgment received:

Request for Additional Materials:

Rejection Letter:

Phone/MLA interview scheduled:

Campus interview scheduled:

Offer made:

Offer accepted:

NOTES AND QUERIES:


 * Cross-posted at African American 2011 and Humanities and Social Sciences Postdocs 2010-11

University of Alabama
Tenure track Assistant Professor in Modern Drama (20th Century)

LINK

Deadline: 10/29/10

Acknowledgment received:

Request for Additional Materials:

Rejection Letter:

Phone/MLA interview scheduled: MLA (12/8) - x2

Campus interview scheduled:

Offer made:

Offer accepted:

NOTES AND QUERIES:


 * Cross-posted at Modern British 2011 & Drama, Speech, Film & New Media 2011

University of Central Arkansas
American Literature Generalist: The University of Central Arkansas English Department seeks qualified applicants for a tenure-track generalist in American literature at the assistant professor level, to begin in Fall 2011. The successful candidate may have a specialization in any aspect of American literature. Teaching load will usually consist of general education courses in literature (including world literature), with occasional sophomore level surveys or courses in the candidate's field.

LINK

Deadline: Applications should be received by January 15, 2011.

Acknowledgment received:

Request for Additional Materials:

Rejection Letter:

Phone interview scheduled:

Campus interview scheduled:

Offer made:

Offer accepted:

NOTES AND QUERIES:

Cross-posted at Early American 2011 & Generalist 2011

University of Chicago
LINK

"The University of Chicago's Department of English invites applications for an assistant professorship in transnational American literatures from candidates with a special interest in the relation of racial formations to media histories and aesthetics from the colonial period to the present. We welcome applications from scholars working in a specific historical period or across periods, but especially from those who are creatively rethinking ethnic studies and its relation to other fields."

Deadline: Nov. 1

Cross-posted at Early American 2011 & Other Ethnic American 2011

Acknowledgment received:

Request for Additional Materials: 11/24 (x4)

Rejection Letter: Rejection email after request for additional materials 12/10 (x2), 12/13, 12/16

MLA interview scheduled: 12/15

Campus interview scheduled:

Offer made:

Offer accepted:

NOTES AND QUERIES:

University of Findlay (OH)
Full time tenure-track faculty position in English to begin in August 2011 in the College of Liberal Arts. Candidates will be expected to teach courses in contemporary literature (British or American) as well as first-year composition, and have the ability to cover post-colonial literature and related courses.

LINK

Deadline: Review of applications will begin December 15, 2010, and continue until the position is filled.

Acknowledgment received:

Request for Additional Materials:

Rejection Letter:

MLA or Phone interview (your choice) scheduled: 12/16 (x1)

Campus interview scheduled:

Offer made:

Offer accepted:

NOTES AND QUERIES:

Cross-posted at Generalist 2011 & Modern British 2011

University of Massachusetts Lowell
The Department of English at the University of Massachusetts Lowell seeks an energetic and collaborative colleague for a full-time, tenure-track Assistant or Associate Professorship in American Literature and American Culture, with emphasis on the second half of the twentieth century. Position to begin September 2011. Primary or secondary specialty and the ability to offer courses in one or more of the following areas also desirable: Beat Literature, twentieth-century American drama, and global perspectives on American culture. Teaching duties include introductory and upper-level courses in American Literature and American Studies. The successful candidate will be expected to pursue an active publishing agenda and to engage in service to the department and university. We are especially interested in candidates who can participate in and enhance our many outreach projects in the community and region, such as the newly-established Jack Kerouac Literary Festival, on-going work with the Lowell National Historical Park, and partnerships with local museums and cultural organizations.



Online Application: https://jobs.uml.edu/applicants/Central?quickFind=51418&jtsrc=www.higheredj obs.com&jtrfr=www.peopleadmin.com&adorig=PA

Deadline:11/30/2010

Acknowledgment received:

Request for Additional Materials: via email 11/11 x3 ; 12/3 x 3; 12/9 x2

Rejection Letter:

MLA interview scheduled by phone: 12/16 (x4)

Campus interview scheduled:

Offer made:

Offer accepted:

NOTES AND QUERIES:

- WARNING : although it doesn't say so in their MLA listing, they are not accepting applications from people with fewer than three years of college-level teaching. (See fuller listing linked above).


 * What do you think of their plan to send automated emails to your recommenders requesting letters? I'd much rather send mine via interfolio.
 * Can't you use Interfolio with this kind of system? See: http://www.interfolio.com/helpcenter/index.cfm/198
 * Is it normal to ask for additional materials from people before the deadline comes up?
 * It is various. Some search committees get started early, some get started very late. Yes, some committees have been known to ask for materials ahead of the deadline. There is no universal law for search committee behavior.
 * Any second-wave requests for more materials after the 11/11 ones? Seems like there should be more since the deadline was Nov. 30th...

University of Nevada, Reno
"Tenure-track, assistant professor position in late 19th-and/or early 20th-Century American literature. The faculty member will teach intermediate and advanced undergraduate courses in English and in the Core Curriculum, as well as graduate seminars. UNR English faculty who teach and mentor in the graduate program and engage as expected in scholarly research typically teach a 2/2 load. Interviews will be held at MLA in Los Angeles. . . Dissertation must focus on late 19th and/or early 20th century American fiction. Ph.D. must be completed by July 1, 2011. . . Desired areas of secondary specialization include, but are not limited to, cultural studies and the study of race, identity, and/or gender."

LINK

Deadline: 11/05/2010

Acknowledgment received:

Request for Additional Materials: 11/8 (4); 11/18 (X2)

Rejection Letter:

Phone/MLA interview scheduled: 12/15 MLA (x4)

Campus interview scheduled:

Offer made:

Offer accepted:

NOTES AND QUERIES:
 * Cross-posted at Early American 2011
 * Job ad asks for abstract; HR site asks for writing sample. After some work, I found out that only the abstract is desired.

University of Puget Sound (1 Year VAP)
LINK (Requisition Number: 6000207)

"Full-time, non-tenure-line, one-year position in 20th-century American literature beginning in Fall 2011."

Deadline: 10/4/2010

Acknowledgment received:

Request for Additional Materials:

Rejection Letter:

MLA interview scheduled: 12/17 2x

Campus interview scheduled:

Offer made:

Offer accepted:

NOTES AND QUERIES:


 * Anything on this one? It feels like a million years since I sent this application out, and I haven't received an acknowledgment. Has anyone, out of curiosity?
 * I haven't heard anything from them either. Do know through the grapevine that UPS might be cutting visiting professor positions due to changes in budget. That happened after the deadline for this job, so don't know if this one got affected by those changes.

University of Tennessee at Martin
Tenure-track assistant professor in modern and contemporary American literature (12-hour load), beginning August 1, 2011. Ph.D. in English required by time of appointment. Candidates should also have ability in one or more of the following areas: women's studies, gender studies, Southern literature, or Victorian literature. A successful candidate will demonstrate a commitment to teaching composition and the ability to use technology as a teaching tool. UT Martin has the traditional tenure requirements in teaching, research, and service, though the primary focus is on quality teaching.

LINK

Deadline: 12/01/2011

Acknowledgment received: Letter (11/23)

Request for Additional Materials: 11/23 (x2) 12/4 (x2) 12/13 Question: Did you receive confirmation that your additional materials were received? I am a little paranoid because I e-mailed them very large files and I have not yet received a receipt from the e-mail server saying my e-mail went through. *I believe I only got a snail mail letter, but it oddly showed up at my institution's mailbox - not my home address on my CV.

Rejection Letter:

Phone/MLA interview scheduled: MLA, 12/21

Campus interview scheduled:

Offer made:

Offer accepted:

NOTES AND QUERIES:


 * Cross-posted at Southern 2011 & Romanticism, Victorian/19th 2011

University of Wisconsin, Eau Claire
From MLA JIL:

"Tenure-track position teaching courses in 20th and 21st Century American Poetry; appointment begins August 22, 2011. Required qualifications: Ph.D. in English or related field with specialization in 20th/21st Century American Poetry; ABD candidates must complete all requirements for doctoral degree by December 1, 2011. The successful candidate will show evidence of teaching experience in 20th/21st Century American literature, research in 20/21st Century American poetry, and excellent scholarly potential. Also considered as assets: evidence of ability to teach a variety of modern American literature courses, with particular interest in early to mid-20th-century American poetry; evidence of excellent teaching in college-level composition; commitment to undergraduate liberal education and to the values of equity, diversity, and inclusivity. . . To ensure consideration, application letter, vita, writing sample, brief statement of teaching philosophy, and three letters of recommendation must be postmarked by October 29, 2011 to Professor Jack Bushnell, Department Chair, ATTN: 20th/21st Century American Poetry Search."

LINK

Acknowledgment received: by mail, 10/18, 10/29, 11/5 x3

Request for Additional Materials:

Rejection Letter:

Phone/MLA interview scheduled: Phone interview scheduled (11/23)

Campus interview scheduled: 12/16

Offer made:

Offer accepted:

NOTES AND QUERIES:

This search was almost completed a few years ago, and then WI froze all new hires.

University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
The Department of English at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee invites applications for the tenure-track position of Assistant Professor in the field of Transnational American Literature and Culture, Post WWII.

Minimum Qualifications: PhD or ABD (PhD to be completed by August 2012) in English or closely related field; dissertation focus on transnational American literature and culture since 1945; evidence of record and of promise in scholarly research and publication.

Preferred Qualifications:
 * Secondary expertise in literary and cultural theory as demonstrated by course work, teaching, and/or scholarly writing is desired.
 * Knowledge of gender studies/queer theory.
 * Knowledge of transnational literature.
 * Knowledge of postmodern fiction/narrative.
 * Knowledge of digital literature and culture.
 * Successful achievement of peer-reviewed publication in scholarly journals and/or academic presses.

LINK to H-Net Ad

LINK to UWM posting

Deadline: The position is opened until filled; review of applications will begin November 3, 2010.

Acknowledgment received:

Request for Additional Materials:

Rejection Letter:

Phone/MLA interview scheduled: Phone interview scheduled (11/23)

Campus interview scheduled: 11/31

Offer made:

Offer accepted: 12/22

NOTES AND QUERIES:

Will there be MLA interviews as well as phone interviews? (11/23)

They didn't say--but I'd bet that they are trying to save money from having to go to MLA. Interviews started this week, go into next. No sense of the timeline yet... A: FYI Just another example of why those of us on the WIKI shouldn't jump to conclusions or assume we understand what is going on with any SC in particular. For this search the reasons for not going to MLA had absolutely nothing to do with saving money.

No MLA interviews being done.

Villanova University
From MLA JIL:

"Tenure-track assistant professorship beginning Fall 2011 in Early 20th-century American Poetry and Poetics. Ph.D. required but candidates close to completion of degree may be considered. To apply for the position, please go to https://jobs.villanova.edu/. Some elements of the application, including its initial steps, must be done electronically. The deadline for applications is Nov. 9, 2010; interviews at MLA Convention."

Acknowledgment received:

Request for Additional Materials:

Rejection Letter: Dec 14 e-mail x 4; Dec 16 e-mail

Phone/MLA interview scheduled: MLA interview scheduled via phone 12/15 (x5)

Campus interview scheduled:

Offer made:

Offer accepted:

NOTES AND QUERIES:

Worcester State University (MA)
The English Department seeks a generalist with strengths in 20th century and contemporary American literature, especially the poetry, to teach surveys, literature electives, and composition for a tenure-track position. Preference may be given to applicants with interest/experience in teaching creative writing (poetry). Requirements: Advanced ABD or Ph. D. required.

LINK

Deadline: December 15th, 2010 (stated on school website job description)

Acknowledgment received:

Request for Additional Materials:

Rejection Letter:

Phone/MLA interview scheduled:

Campus interview scheduled:

Offer made:

Offer accepted:

NOTES AND QUERIES:

-Very serious about the poetry focus. One of the questions on the on-line application asked whether the applicant had expertise in 20th century American literature, especially poetry. So less "generalist" than it may seem.

-Qu: Where do you send the letters of reference? To the registrar?

-Let me echo the above. This is an unusually, um, "unfriendly" application. And on that note...I am unfortunately not that gifted at being nasty, but I am disappointed at the lack of rancor on this site. Where is the clever aggression and despair to brighten my day? We seem like an unusually muted bunch this year. Please, please let your frustration spill all over this wikia to muck up its clean lines.


 * FYI: If aggression and angst are what you're looking for, check out the History pages (particularly U.S. History) sometime. You will marvel at what a cheery and collegial bunch we are over here on the literature side of things, in comparison. See, it could always be worse, you could be a historian . ..
 * I'm not the original poster, but I wanted to say thanks for the U.S. history tip. I strongly recommend anyone and everyone take a look at the comments regarding a U.S. history job at Rhode Island. Truly funny stuff. Here's the link: http://academicjobs.wikia.com/wiki/U.S._History,_2010-2011
 * Cross-posted at Generalist 2011 & CreativeWriting 2011
 * Is the teaching load known?
 * Called and asked when applicants might be hearing from the search committees, and HR said they would be scrambling to contact us before the "Christmas break." So, my guess is, we should hear something by next week(?).
 * Thanks for posting this information! Do you know if they're going to MLA? I'm assuming not, since the ad doesn't mention it.
 * No, I don't know. I didn't ask. I called HR to see if they got the letters of reference (12/18).