Restoration/18th-Century 2010

Demographics
ABD (early):

ABD (will finish this academic year): 12

Ph.D. in hand (one-year, VAP, postdoc, Lecturer): 13

Assistant Professor: 3

Associate Professor: 1

Full Professor:

Lurker: 1

Thinks it's a bad omen that the ad that keeps running on this page is for the community college show starring Chevy Chase: 1

TOTAL: 29 (not including lurkers and bad omeners)

Heard from a friend on a search committee: total # of applicants this year = 108
 * A: The number of applicants varies depending on each search; not everyone applies for all positions.
 * Still, it's a useful ballpark figure. Thanks for posting it.
 * I heard there were over 150 applications for another position in this field (not sure which one).
 * Heard that there were more than 250 applications for another
 * Which job, if you can say?

Observation: Well, it could be worse: we could be 20th-c. Americanists. Here's hoping that with the economy apparently recovering some new lines will get approved in the next few months.


 * Did anyone else completely miss the late breaking C18/post-colonial job at University of Arkansas, Fayetteville? (Deadline 12/14)
 * Any news on this? I didn't see anything about it on the Chronicle or JIL or the U of A website...
 * They are running MLA interviews now.
 * On-campus interviews for 2-3 candidates will be in mid-January; they hope to make an offer in early February.
 * An apology: I was trying to move the Arkansas bit down to the lower section of the page. I might be the one who created a "new category" for it instead. Turns out I'm not quite smart enough to handle basic formatting these days. I hope someone hires me anyway. Good luck to everyone else as the job offers start to come in.

Biola University (3/15)
(eighteenth-century British literature and aesthetics. Secondary interests must include Critical Theory, Gender Studies, Post-Colonial Studies, and Jane Austen Studies) [Must sign statement of faith and integrate faith and teaching]

Utah Valley University (2/15)
(http://asecs.press.jhu.edu/Job%20openings.htm with a strong secondary emphasis in contemporary literary and critical theory)

Offers Made and Accepted
Connecticut College (Q: heard that an offer was made here, back in Dec. A: offer made and accepted as of 1/28.)

Pacific Lutheran (per note below)

University of Arkansas (1/22)

Campus Visits Scheduled
Adelphi University (01/12) and one un-scheduled 1/23 to accept a different job - good luck to the other candidates!

(2/7) Anybody heard if Adelphi's offered the job?

•� Thanks for the update! Very kind of you. Would you be willing to say which job you accepted?/Was it another 18thc. job? I took the Arkansas job on 1/22. Knowing it was my first choice, I decided to take it immediately and not clutter up any other searches. I can also say that it was a tight race for Arkansas - I heard the other candidates were fantastic and any one of us would have been a welcome addition to the department.

•� Congratulations!!! And thanks so much for the info.! Best of luck to you in the job!

Colby College (01/04)

Connecticut College (11/24)

Pacific Lutheran (1/6)

Rhodes College (1/5)

University of British Columbia (reported below)

University of Pittsburgh (1/6)

University of Nevada-Reno (12/30)

University of Southern Indiana (11/10)

Villanova (1/8)

Winona (not sure of the date, but a friend is on a campus visit now)

# MLA Interviews You Have Lined Up
0 interviews -- and I'm ABD (x2); and I'm PhD in hand, employed in academia (x0); and I'm PhD in hand, not employed in academia (x0); and I'm an Assistant Professor (x0); and I'm an Associate Professor (x0)

1 interview -- and I'm ABD (x1); and I'm PhD in hand, employed in academia (x2); and I'm PhD in hand, not employed in academia (x1); and I'm an Assistant Professor (x1); and I'm an Associate Professor (x0)

2 interviews -- and I'm ABD (x2); and I'm PhD in hand, employed in academia (x1); and I'm PhD in hand, not employed in academia (x0); and I'm an Assistant Professor (x0); and I'm an Associate Professor (x0)

3 interviews -- and I'm ABD (x1); and I'm PhD in hand, employed in academia (x2); and I'm PhD in hand, not employed in academia (x2); and I'm an Assistant Professor (x0); and I'm an Associate Professor (x0)

4 interviews -- and I'm ABD (x2); and I'm PhD in hand, employed in academia (x1); and I'm PhD in hand, not employed in academia (x1); and I'm an Assistant Professor (x0); and I'm an Associate Professor (x0)

5+ interviews -- and I'm ABD (x1); and I'm PhD in hand, employed in academia (x2); and I'm PhD in hand, not employed in academia (x0); and I'm an Assistant Professor (x0); and I'm an Associate Professor (x0)

Interviews Scheduled
Please specify method (phone, MLA, etc.)

Adelphi University (MLA 12/14 x2)

Colby College (MLA 11/20 x3, 11/23)

Connecticut College (video 11/10)

Pacific Lutheran University (MLA 12/5 x6)

Rhodes College (MLA 12/4 x3)

Trinity University (MLA 12/1 x4)

University of British Columbia (phone 11/24 x3)

University of Nevada, Reno (MLA 12/1 x3)

University of Pittsburgh (MLA 12/9 x2)

University of Southern Indiana (phone 10/20)

Villanova University (MLA 12/16 x3)

Winona State University (phone 12/1 x2, 12/6)

Yale University (MLA, 12/10)

Did any eighteenth-centuryists get interviews for jobs that weren't on the eighteenth century list? (U.C. Boulder, for example...) Please list if so!

A: I have one interview for a job that's not 18th century and am longlisted for a couple of postdocs. Good luck to all at MLA!

Restoration/18th-Century British Jobs
(please add jobs alphabetically)

Adelphi University (11/10) link

 * Teaching load: 3/3
 * Request for dossier (11/20) x8
 * Request for MLA interview via e-mail (12/14) x3

California State University, Northridge (11/18) link

 * Teaching load: "12 units per semester" (does anyone know if that means 4/4?)
 * Yes, 4-4; that's the standard. They say somewhere that reductions are available on a competitive basis.
 * Don't count on course reductions; it's a CSU, which is in dire straits from budget cuts; most faculty research money has completely dried up. Caveat Emptor.
 * According to the dept. website, this search is cancelled: http://www.csun.edu/english/index.php
 * Received letter officially stating search is cancelled (11/18)

Colby College (ME) (11/19; Restoration and 18thc; 1670-1780) Link
all MLA interviews have been scheduled
 * Teaching load: 3/2, incl. comp.
 * Ack. of app 10/20; 11/10
 * MLA interview scheduled, 11/20 x4, 11/23

Sigh...so sad!!! (x2)

On-campus visits have been scheduled 1/4/10

College of Staten Island (Review begins immediately) (12/16)

 * Received notice of this one via email. I'm not sure if it's listed anywhere, but it's not on their website yet.
 * Nor HERE, which is supposed to be the CUNY-wide teaching openings site. Have you got any more information on this job?
 * Yes! To avoid cluttering the page, I pasted the text of the notice below. If it ever gets listed properly, we can take it off the wiki page and replace this discussion with a proper link.
 * THANK YOU!
 * The CUNY jobs website has yet another set of requirements for this job (previous listings have asked for sample syllabus/no sample syllabus, writing sample, etc) Here's what the online app says:
 * To apply, please log on to www.cuny.edu. Navigate to Careers at CUNY. Click the Additional Job Postings or CUNYfirst link then set up an account. In order to be considered for this position, applicants must attach a cover letter, curriculum vita, writing sample and three letters of reference.
 * CLOSING DATE: December 26, 2009.

this site without problems, this error could mean that someone is trying to impersonate the site, and you shouldn't continue. Technical Details home.cunyfirst.cuny.edu uses an invalid security certificate. The certificate is not trusted because the issuer certificate is unknown. (Error code: sec_error_unknown_issuer)
 * Hmmm. I sent in a letter and materials based on the C18-L posting and am now wondering if it's necessary to also go through the online account thing. When I follow the directions given by the (very generous) poster above, I still don't see this position showing on the CUNYfirst list, the regular postings, or additional job postings. Anyone else give this one a try? Perhaps it's my error . ..
 * A: The posting is there, but you really have to look for it. Go to "Additional Jobs" down near the bottom left of the website and then search using the weird search function. Beware, that when you DO find it, the login won't work a second time, it won't allow you to post the multiple documents that are requested in the ad, and the rest of it is only marginally applicable to an academic job. In other words, par for the course for an online app; Good luck!
 * Q: So what did people do about the multiple documents? Did you make one large PDF and upload it where it asks for the CV? Do we just send our dossiers to the department?
 * And if you try to access the site using Firefox, you get this nice message, which makes it impossible to load the site: This Connection is Untrusted. You have asked Firefox to connect securely to home.cunyfirst.cuny.edu, but we can't confirm that your connection is secure. Normally, when you try to connect securely, sites will present trusted identification to prove that you are going to the right place. However, this site's identity can't be verified. What Should I Do? If you usually connect to


 * Really, given the overall ineptitude, one has to wonder about this department.
 * Thanks to the above poster/posters for the help. I did get this one to work with a Safari browser and after some careful searching.
 * also, I just noticed that this college is listed on the "universities to fear" page of the wiki, based on an earlier year's search. Hopefully they're getting their kinks worked out.
 * what ever happened with this one? Did they interview at MLA?
 * it looks like they're just getting started. I just received a letter of acknowledgment (dated 12/29), so I guess they're going to begin evaluating the applications soon.
 * (x5) The letter also asked for three letters of rec and a writing sample of up to 50 pages to be sent "if you have not already done so."
 * Anyone know the teaching load here?
 * Spoke to someone today (1/13). There were no MLA interviews. Applications are being reviewed.
 * Phone interview scheduled (1/15) x 2
 * Post-interview rejection by phone 1/23 (9 AM on a Saturday, strangely enough). They are moving quickly.

Connecticut College (11/2; 18thc and race/ethnicity) (from MLA) link

 * Teaching load: 3/2 (2/2 first year)
 * Second year for this search
 * Video interview request, 11/10
 * Campus visit scheduled, 11/24

Illinois Wesleyan University (11/01) link

 * Teaching load: 3/3
 * Materials requested by email, 10/12 (x4)
 * Has anyone received a request after the Nov. 1 deadline, or did this school just decide to review people before the deadline?
 * No. They may be compiling a more comprehensive longlist now that all apps are in.
 * Q: Has this research been canceled? (Job listing no longer posted at IWU website)
 * Probably not. Job ads on university sites often only exist until the closing date for applications. To a lesser extent, the same is true for the job sites: they all have a window of time ranging from 30 days to several months when the job is posted, then taken down.
 * Just rec'd very nice email saying that search is indefinitely suspended because of budget concerns.
 * No such email here yet.... Woops.  Missed it in the inbox.  This is getting scary.  How many others are now also going to get pulled?
 * A: Regardless of the economy, a few jobs get canceled in each area each year. This year is really no different.

Pacific Lutheran University (11/01; 18thc and Romantic lit) link

 * Teaching load: 3/3
 * Second year for this search
 * Anyone know why the search failed last year?
 * A: That's a sort of deep, philosophical sounding question, but the answer is quite pedestrian. Position was offered, position was declined. End of story.
 * Does anyone know if PLU is more interested in an 18th-Cist or a Romanticist? The job ad is unclear here.
 * It seemed from the ad that they were especially interested in an 18th-c-ist.
 * Last year the search was strictly 18th c. They added the romanticism bit this year, which makes me think they genuinely want someone who can do both fields, and perhaps figured that out for themselves during the search process last year. Maybe that's why they never made more offers after the first candidate turned it down.\
 * Dossier requested by email, 11/09 (x11); 11/10; 11/13; 11/20
 * How many individuals who have received dossier requests from PLU are actually Romanticists (primarily)?
 * I am (x2)
 * The Romanticism/Victorian wiki is reporting five requests for more materials
 * That listing wasn't on the 19th-century page until I added it a couple days ago and mirrored the total that was here at the time (fives requests). I reverted it back to just show my add and one that was posted late last week.
 * I think they don't care as much about ability to do both fields so much as they wanted a broader pool of applications.
 * How can anyone want a broader pool of applications? I think they are getting inundated enough as it is. My sense is that they want someone who can teach both fields.
 * Judging by how their search went last year, with two sets of interviews (at MLA and via phone) and two sets of campus visits, resulting in an offer for one person (that I know of), I'd say that wanting a large set of candidates to pick from is fairly likely. Good for them.
 * Hmm, given that they went through two rounds of interviews, do you think they're extraordinarily picky, or did they just have the bad luck of multiple candidates turning them down? I suppose this is a silly question, because no one knows for sure unless they are actually at PLU. I'm just very interested in this job, so I love to speculate. [Maybe A: I'm repeating my post from Romanticism/Victorian below since people are wondering about the pool for this job]
 * Pleasant rejection email including this information (11/23):


 * We received 134 applications, constituting a very strong pool of
 * candidates who all, like yourself, have impressive qualifications as a
 * teachers and scholars. As we must choose only fifteen candidates for
 * MLA interviews, I’m sure you can appreciate just how difficult our
 * selection process is.
 * FWIW, I'm a Romanticist with a lot of emphasis on the long C18.

On-campus vist scheduled 1/6
 * [Repeating question from Rom/Vict/19th page] Q: Did anyone who was asked for dossier also get a rejection email? Or was this rejection to candidates who were never asked for dossiers?
 * MLA interview scheduled 12/5 x6
 * Received a second-cut rejection email 12/9

Offer Made and Accepted

Rhodes College (11/6; British lit, 1730-1830)

 * Anyone have any special insight into this search?


 * Email request for a sample of scholarship, 11/20 (x3)
 * MLA interview scheduled via phone, 12/4 x3
 * Campus visit scheduled, 1/5

Suffolk University (Boston, MA) (11/2)

 * Teaching load: 3/2
 * MLA ad says "pending funding"
 * NY Times lists Suffolk U's President #2 of top 10 in annual earnings
 * Email detailing that job search is canceled due to "budgetary uncertainties" (11/9)
 * /snark on/ (presumably the president's salary isn't uncertain.) /snark off/
 * To confirm, has anyone else received that email?
 * Job ad said that they would acknowledge apps via email. I hadn't heard anything yet at all, so confirmation would be good.
 * Yup, just got the email (date-stamped Mon, Nov 9, 11:42:36 EST) - the job's toast for this year. Friendly email, too.

Trinity University (11/20) (from MLA) link

 * "Primary emphasis on drama"
 * MLA Interview Scheduled (12/1) X 3

Q: Any news on campus visits for this job?

Apparently, a spousal hire may be in the works.

Q: Can you say more?

I don’t know the details, but the spouse of an English Department faulty member does apparently have a (or, perhaps “the one and only”) campus visit.

Q: Did anyone receive a call for a campus interview or a rejection call or letter, for that matter, for this job?

University of British Columbia (10/09) link

 * Teaching load: 2/2
 * Ack. of app by email, 11/6 (x2)
 * Anyone know anything about the timeframe for this search?
 * Phone interviews in December; on-campus interviews in January.
 * Decisions on short list to be made mid-month or slightly thereafter.
 * Email acknowledging application; review will occur over the new few weeks, 11/6. I guess this means that they are not trying to do campus visits before MLA, as some Canadian schools do. (Also worth pointing out that there is supposedly a very strong inside candidate for this post.)
 * I read the email as saying that review has been underway since the deadline passed (or thereabouts) and that the ack. email has just been terribly late; got no sense for whether they will invite people before MLA or what . ..
 * Request for phone interview via email (11/24) (x4)
 * invited for interview in January
 * My supervisor told me that U of BC refuses to interview anyone with a PhD from a Canadian university. Does anyone know if that was true this time?
 * A: That's bullshit. I have a PhD from UT and was long-listed for a phone interview (and I can think of at least one other candidate in the same boat). That said, I was not short-listed. UBC contacted their shortlisted candidates last week.
 * If the job talks are posted on the UBC English Department website I expect that all the shortlisted candidates will have American (probably ivy league) PhDs. I wouldn't say that they refuse to interview people with Canada PhDs -- in fact I am certain that they make a point of interviewing a few a the phone interview stage -- but I would be mildly surprised if they shortlisted one and very, very surprised if they hired one.
 * I asked a friend from grad school who is there now: he said all three campus visits have US PhDs from big universities.
 * Are the campus visits all with new PhDs? Assistant, rather than advanced assistant/assoc?

University of Nevada (10/29) link

 * Teaching load: 2/2
 * This job asks just for CV and cover letter for initial round. anyone know what they want following that?
 * Yeah. They'll request a dossier of references and a writing sample after reviewing your CV and letter in the online application. I believe they're attempting to save trees.
 * Dossier/writing sample requested by email (10/20 x4; 10/23 x4; 11/2 x3)
 * Just received a request for an MLA interview via email (12/1 x3)
 * rejection by e-mail (12/8)
 * Did anyone else get a rejection email?
 * Q: I was asked for a writing sample on 11/2, but have not received a rejection email (or interview request). Anyone know what, if anything, this means? Maybe my writing sample was so horrendous that they flung my whole application out the window. (12/13)
 * I would assume it means that your app was so good, they wanted to keep you as a back up.

University of Pittsburgh (11/1) (from MLA) link

 * Teaching load: 2/2
 * Materials requested by e-mail, 11/5 (x 7)
 * rejection email 11/6 (x 8), 11/10
 * EEO request well after the rejection email. (11/18)
 * Rec'd very nice rejection email; have finished shortlist for MLA. (12/8 x3)
 * MLA interview scheduled by email, 12/9 (x2)
 * Anyone know who many interviews they are doing?
 * Did anyone ever find out the number of people they interviewed for this one?

University of Southern Indiana (review begins 10/1) Long 18th c. or Rom./Vict. link

 * Teaching load: 4/4 incl. comp.
 * Did anyone else get a "failed delivery" notice saying the intended recipient (the e-mail address the USI app materials were to be sent to) was "over quota?" (I got this notice via e-mail today from the server, 10 days after sending the materials) A: A friend of mine did. She has also had a difficult time following up on the problem.
 * Request for phone interview via e-mail (10/20x2)
 * Request to contact references (10/30) Q: Was this request post interview or part of it? I ask because interviews weren't concluded until 10/30 A: post-interview via e-mail
 * Timeline: campus visits in November; will make offer in early December
 * Campus interview scheduled (11/10)
 * Has anyone else heard anything?
 * Rejection email from search chair (11/13)
 * See also discussion at Romanticism, Victorian/19th 2010

Villanova University (11/24) Link
Dear colleagues- With a university hiring freeze having just been lifted, our department is opening a search for a tenure-track position in 18th century literature, especially the novel; it is a search that was cancelled last year. The listing will appear in the next update of the MLA Job List, but since this is a late announcement I'm asking for help from list members in making sure that potential candidates are aware of it. The MLA ad is below. --Evan
 * "specialization in the novel"
 * "initial schedule is five courses per year"
 * This is a resumption of a search canceled last year due to funding problems.
 * rumour has it that there's an inside candidate for this one--which would explain the late posting
 * ...yet the chair posted the job to both NASSR-L and C18-L before it turned up on the JIL, so who knows.
 * I don't know about the inside candidate, but the late posting is easily explained by the uncertain budget climate.
 * The chair's posting to C18-L reflects what the previous two posters have mentioned:
 * Inside candidate not a factor here--good luck all
 * Q: Anyone heard anything??? (12/13) (x2)
 * I know BC (see 19th c. page) is meeting today to decide on interviews. I think there are some other universities (including Villanova?) on the same sort of timeline, though there are always the ones that call at the last minute.
 * I am now over my attempts to be calm and patient about this. Just tear that band-aid off quickly, Villanova, while I'm still on a roll with the rejections! (x2)
 * They have to have made the calls already...but just not to wiki people.
 * That's a real possibility. However, I have also been cautioned by two different advisors that these things can go on until the 21st or even the 22nd, with the occasional story of calls during the conference.
 * I don't know if the commenter above has concrete information. However, calls made by the end of this week would not be unusually late, esp. given their relatively late deadline.
 * Well, let's hope that that is the case! Good luck to all!
 * Whew, MLA Interview scheduled by phone (12/16) (x2)
 * Q: any more interviews to report? Did they mention how many they're interviewing?  Did it seem like all of the interviews were being scheduled today (12/16)?
 * A: No concrete information, but when I scheduled they only mentioned three possible interview slots, so I would guess most interviewees have been contacted.
 * Campus interview scheduled (1/8)

Winona SU (MN) [18th Century Literature (1642-1832)] (11/9)

 * Teaching load: 4/4
 * This online app was a pain.
 * See also discussion at Romanticism, Victorian/19th 2010
 * Phone interview scheduled (12/1 x2, 12/6)
 * Committee says campus visits will be mid-January (beginning of next semester)
 * Campus interview scheduled, February.
 * The last person interviewed Feb 1...They are deliberating this week, and probably notification will go out towards the end of the month.

Yale University (11/1) (from MLA) link

 * Second year for this search. Did they ever make an offer last year? So far as I know, they did not.
 * The MLA posting for this job now mentions an 11/1 deadline. Thoughts?
 * I think it was always an 11/1 deadline.
 * Thanks to whoever entered the correct deadlines for Yale, Conn College, and Pitt. At least we can keep better track of their hiring timeline now.
 * EEO postcard with memo from chair (lots of applicants, apologies for the mass mailing, etc. etc.) (11/20)
 * Never got that one this year (did during last year's search) . . . I hope the Dutch mail just lost that one (they lose abso-bleedin-everything)!
 * Correction: Just got it in the mail today


 * Request for more writing (12/2) x 2 (looks like they were on the fence about a couple of candidates)


 * MLA interview scheduled (12/10)
 * How did they arrange the interview? Phone? E-mail? A: phone call to block off time with follow up email that specified the time within that block.
 * Any updates on this search? Campus interviews scheduled?

Jobs listing 18th-Century British Literature as a secondary specialty
(please add jobs alphabetically)

Harvard University (British Romanticism) (10/26)

Linfield College (Shakespeare)

Miami University (Romantic Poetry) (11/2) (link)

University of Tennessee, Knoxville (British Romantic Literature and Culture) (11/1) (link)

University of Wisconsin, La Crosse (19th-Century British) (11/20) (link)

Discussion/Other
Complete text of email that included an unpublished job advertisement from CUNY Staten Island:

Late breaking job news? Apologies if you've already cottoned onto this; I have no idea if it's posted in the usual way or not. Best, XXX

Original Message Subject:       jobs (please forward) Date:  Fri, 13 Nov 2009 09:32:33 EST From: XXX

To: XXX

TWO JOBS AT, Staten Island English Department:

1. Brit Lit A specialist in the "long eighteenth century" British or eighteenth-century transatlantic literature. Responsibilities include teaching elective and required courses for majors, in particular, British and American Literature Survey. Also required are teaching other literature and freshman writing courses, performing department and college service, and engagement in an active and productive research agenda.

Qualification Requirements:

PhD in literature or related field required with expertise in 18th Century Literature; college teaching experience; a demonstrated commitment to teaching; and a strong record of research and publication. Ability to teach a broad range of material, but in particular 18th Century British Literature, in all levels of undergraduate and graduate literature courses desired.

Indicate in your cover letter if you will be at MLA. Send Writing sample, CV and 3 letters of recommendation to: Janet Dudley, Chairperson English Department College of Staten Island 2800 Victory Boulevard New York 10314

2.    Mid East Lit

Position Description and Duties: Middle East literature specialist to teach modern and pre-modern literature from the Muslim world. Responsibilities include teaching elective and required courses for majors, in addition to other literature and freshman writing courses, performing department and college service, and engagement in an active and productive research agenda. Qualification Requirements: PhD in literature or related field required with expertise in Middle Eastern Literature; college teaching experience; a demonstrated commitment to teaching; and a strong record of research and publication. Ability to teach a broad range of material, but in particular literatures of the Muslim world, in all levels of undergraduate and graduate literature courses desired.

Indicate in your cover letter if you will be at MLA. Send Writing sample, CV and 3 letters of recommendation to: Janet Dudley, Chairperson English Department College of Staten Island 2800 Victory Boulevard New York 10314


 * Anyone know the deadline for the 18t c. job at Staten Island?
 * The first poster said "review would begin immediately" so I guess the deadline is now.
 * How much sense does it make to apply for a job that isn't even advertised? Maybe the email in question was sent to someone targeted as a candidate. And does anyone know what the teaching load would be at this school?
 * First poster here: The whole thing is a bit strange, but I do not believe that I was a targeted candidate. I went ahead and mailed my materials, but I don't know anything about it other than what I've posted here. I just put this up in the interest of full-disclosure because *if* the job is real, everyone deserves a shot at it.
 * Job posted to C18-L this morning (11/23). "Due to various bureaucratic headaches the following job ad is going out quite late" Deadline for apps 12/16.
 * Hmmm. Don't see it on C 18-L. [a: It's there, date stamped 11/23, 10:10 am. SUBJ: job listing, from: Alyson Bardsley. Same info as posted above though.]
 * I called the department secretary, who confirmed that they are running a job search (11/24).