Film and Media Studies 2009-2010

Note: Anyone looking ahead to the next job season and needing a good laugh might like to check out this MLA spoof. It's ongoing and borderline brilliant.

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Note that the new wiki system has a rich text editor which should make editing these pages simple! However, please adhere to the following guidelines:

1. Please place new fellowship entries in alphabetical order. Note that "University of X" should be alphabetized by U as first sort, and X as second sort within the U listings. 2. Please mark the title of the fellowship using the H3 header. 3. Please include the deadline and a web link to the ad/website; PLEASE follow the format of other entries. 4. For logging comments or updates, please begin your entry with a bullet point. Each entry should have a separate line. 5. For substantive comments or updates about status, interaction, etc., please include the date at the beginning of your entry so that users can scan the info quickly for new entries.

(Formatting guidelines borrowed from the Humanities and Social Sciences page)

''NOTE: Someone from the 2008-09 search suggested that this year, "maybe we should organize this the way the Humanities and Social Sciences page does, with all info organized by school rather than by event... it's much quicker to scan the jobs one cares about." Great suggestion, and hopefully one that works out best for everyone. If not, it's easy to revert to the "old" way.''

Austin College
Assistant Professor, Media Studies, Department of Communication Studies

Review Begins: 15 October 2009. Job description

Request for phone interview 11/05.

Any update after the phone interviews?


 * An offer was made following campus visits (12/15)


 * I heard it is a U Chicago PhD

Received rejection letter (1/13) (x3)

Beloit College
Post-Doctoral Fellow in Film and Emerging Media

Deadline: Nov. 1 2009

e-mail ack. rec. 12/2 (no MLA interviews; phone interviews, then campus visits in Jan.) (X5) email also says there were 136 applicants

Phone interview scheduled 12/4

Campus visit scheduled 12/17

any news? anyone want to share the backgrounds of who received campus invites or offers?

Boston University
Feld Professorship in New Media (Endowed Chair),

Deadline 02/20/2010

02/23/2010: Any news? Confirmations, invitations, references?

Birmingham-Southern College
Assistant Professor, Media and Film Studies

Review Begins: 1 March 2010. Link

Carleton College
Tenure-track, Media and/or Film Studies, Department of Cinema and Media Studies

''Deadline: November 15. ''Link.

There's an internal candidate. (10/29) That seemed pretty clear from the website and ad, but do you have additional confirmation? What phrases on the website/ad give you this impression? I don't feel any signal there, nor do I know about an internal candidate. The ad describes a candidate with the exact areas of expertise of their current VAP. What does VAP refer to? I'm a novice in the market:) Visiting Assistant Professor. 

There is a VAP here who just won a dissertation award from the Broadcasters Education Association. (11/4)

Is this internal candidate for the Canadian job or the more generalist job? Or they really only hiring one? ''This posting is for Carleton College in Minnesota, not Carleton University. ''Whew, thanks for clearing that up. I can't be the only dummy.

How can a VAP win a dissertation award? Assistant Professors have usually PhinisheD their Ph.D.s? (11/12) Right. The person finished it and that's why he's a VAP. And while he's there, it won an award. Making him far more likely to get hired than you or me.

''Please stop deleting the above information. Its not slanderous or inaccurate--but such behavior can create animosity on this site.'' Campus interviews late January/early February
 * Email acknowledging materials received (11/19). (x3) Timeline: phone interviews in December, campus visits for finalists in January/February.
 * Any word on phone interviews? phone interview (12/30)
 * HAD interview on 12/30, or asked for interview on 12/30? had interview on 12/30

Interviews concluded. Any news of an offer? (2/20)

Offer made and accepted. It was not the VAP. (2/22)

Carleton University (Ottawa, ON)
Tenure-track, Assistant Professor (two positions)

Deadline: Until filled, review beginning November 15

Position I: Canadian, European, or other National Cinema

Position II: theory, historiography, moving image technologies

emaAil asking if I am a Canadian citizen (11/20) (X5) I believe they are obligated to ask this of all candidates, so  I consider it an ack. really.

Any update on these searches? There must be something going on by now... nothing here either.... crickets.... Still nothing?

Spurred on by the above posting, I decided to email the secretary who had send me the acknowledgement asking if I were Canadian to just check the status of the search. On 1/4/10 she sent me a friendly reply that the committee were still reviewing applications. It sounds like nobody has been notified one way or the other so far. Hope this helps. ''Thanks very much for doing this. They sure are taking their time!''

Email acknowledging receipt of materials (1/25)

Email was very polite and apologized for the committee not having their act together sooner. Predicted that a short list would be ready by early February; candidates on said list will be contacted directly then. (x4)

-campus visit scheduled, 01/29 -- If you don't mind me asking, which position was it for? Seems they skipped right to the short-short list b/c of time constraints, eh? ''yes, i guess so. i was contacted for position 2''

Anyone heard on position 1? ''A friend of mine got a campus interview for position 1. Seems that both positions went straight to the final three or four candidates. All were notified last Friday.''

Catholic University of America
Assistant Professor, Media Studies (new media)

Deadline: Until position is filled.

Request for additional material 10/23. (x2)
 * Skype interview scheduled 11/4 (x3)
 * Any updates after Skype interviews? nothing yet 12/12
 * rejection letter received by mail (no dossier requested) 12/7 (x2)
 * rejection letter after skype interview. (x2) 12/18 Good luck to the finalists! (x2)
 * Anybody want to share the background of who got this job?
 * Did they even have campus invites for this job?
 * I think the phone short list was about 10. According to my phone interview there was going to be another round of cuts with three (if memory serves) invited to campus. I was not one of the chosen three and I trust that it was because of fit. No idea who got the job, though. They seemed like a very nice bunch so extra congratulations to the selected candidate!
 * I was just curious because no one posted about campus invites and they seemed to have a VAP that taught New Media...
 * One of my cohort had a campus visit a few weeks ago. Don't know if they've made a final decision.

Chapman University
Tenure Track, ASSISTANT, ASSOCIATE, OR FULL PROFESSOR OF FILM STUDIES (Asian Cinema)

Deadline: Oct. 2009 Job description

Contacted for phone interview 11/11.

12/22 rejection letter via post

12/26 rejection letter via mail--I was a finalist, so they must have made a hire.

Clark University
Associate/Advanced Asst Professor of Screen Studies

Deadline: 5 Oct. 2009

Anyone hear anything from Clark yet?

Email request for more materials, 11/12 (x3)

Phone interview scheduled 12/10

Anyone hear anything from Clark since the phone interview? Was told at the time they would decide about campus visits week of 1/18.

Has anyone been contacted, now that the week is about over? Nope. (x3)

Into another week and I wonder if anyone has been contacted?

Was contacted for and had a second phone interview on Monday. They said they would be in touch soon about campus visits. (x2) Never a good sign when a provost gets involved before an offer is actually made.

May I ask the above poster what s/he means about the provost being involved?

FWIW, the second interview did not appear to be a planned part of the hiring process, and was apparently instigated by the Provost to answer questions he felt had not been asked, or answered, the first time around by the hiring committee. They were reasonable questions, but, in general, you worry when a high-level administrator steps into the part of a process that is usually trusted to be accomplished by a particular department or program. At the very least it points to a level of micromanagement that could be an issue when/if you are hired to help administer that program.

Thank you very much for this info. Would you mind saying what these unasked questions were, exactly?

Without getting into details, the questions were around the issue(s) of hiring a "mid-career" professor. -- Got it. Thanks again.

Any further word/campus invites yet? Invited, went. No decision yet.

College of Wooster
anyone been invited to a campus visit yet? (2/1)


 * Comm and Media Studies wiki says at least one person has (2/3)

Columbia University
Professor in Journalism, Director of the Tow Center for Digital Journalism

Published in Jan 2010

02/23/2010: Any news? Confirmations, invitations, references?

Columbia University
Assistant Professor of the Arts, specializing in film studies. One-year appointment. "Candidates for an Assistant Professor of the Arts research position must have demonstrated and show promise of the capacity for creative work and accompanying pedagogy." Link.

CUNY Hunter College
Associate or Full Professor in Film and Media Studies (new media and Internet technologies)

Deadline 02/15/2010

23/02/2010: Any news? Confirmations, invitations, references?

Denison University
Tenure-track in Media Studies, specializing in international/cross-cultural media, Dept. of Communication

''Deadline: Until filled (review will begin Oct. 12). ''Link.

Phone interviews scheduled as of 10/30.

11/10: Any update after the phone interviews?

12/12: Campus interviews have been complete; offer forthcoming.

12/16: Offer accepted; search successfully completed.

DePaul University
Tenure-Track Faculty Filmmakers

2.1.2010 for priority consideration.

anyone contacted for caa on this one?

Drexel University
Film Studies, Department of Cinema & Television

Deadline: November 2, 2009. Link.

Timeline? Any info on plans for interviews? The MLA is in Philadelphia, but this isn't an English department... ?

Minimal application: any reference contacts or requests for additional materials? I did accidentally send in a packet application via snail mail, only to receive a friendly email back telling me to apply online instead (not sure how I missed that)--so I guess there's someone there checking apps, and looking out for applicants at least.


 * Phone interview Dec. 11, told visits would be scheduled two weeks later for Jan. (no update/word since)
 * Was the phone interview with Drexel? Has anyone else been requested for interview?  I've heard absolutely nothing from this department: no acknowledgement of materials, timelines etc. 1/7/10.
 * Phone interview was with the job search committee on 12/11

Duke University (Women's Studies)
Asst. Prof in Visual Culture (popular media, digital technologies, or film)

Deadline: Oct? Nov. 2

- according to Women's Studies wiki, Duke has requested additional materials.

- According to Women's Studies wiki again, 4 finalists have been invited to campus.

Fordham University
Asst. Professor in Film/Television

Deadline Dec. 9th Link

Acknowledgment email (12/9) - (x3). Campus invites to go out by end of January.

additional materials (recommendations, syllabi, etc) requested (12/11)

Any follow up on this?

Nothing here ...

Fordham University
Asst. Professor of New Media

Is anyone else having trouble emailing electronic submissions to "newmediasearch@fordham.edu"? +1

any news?

Deadline Jan 12th. Link

Georgetown University
Asst. Professor of Film and Media Studies

Deadline: 5 Nov. 2009 Link?

Dossier (recommendations, writing sample, syllabi) request: Nov. 19 (x8)

MLA interview scheduled by phone, Dec. 13 (x2)

Just now received ack. promising prompt notification of those who will not move on (12/17). Weird. (x10) Very weird. Since MLA interviews have already been scheduled, my guess is there is just some sort of miscommunication or lag time between the administrative staff and the actual search committee. Right?

Non-Bcc'd rejection email, 1/5. Nice. (x2) Even with the wiki providing heads-up, it still hurts. At some point committees should embrace this wiki. Otherwise, it can make them look at best inconsiderate or sloppy, and at worst, like liars (yeah, you just now passed me over).

Has anyone received any post-MLA news about campus visits? 1/14

No, haven't heard anything since MLA (1/14).

Post-interview rejection via snail mail 1/25; states 3 finalists chosen for campus visit.

Would the finalists mind posting their discipline and field?

Georgetown University
Asst. Professor of Communication, Culture and Technology

Deadline: 15 Jan. 2010 Chronicle Posting

Grambling State University
Assistant/Associate Professor/Program Director, Film Studies, Department of Mass Communication

Hope College
Assistant Professor-Video/Film Production, Mass Media

Phone interview on 12/18, dossier (student productions, course evals, personal statement and teaching philosophy) requested.

candidates will be selected for campus visits in early February (1/21)

any news here? (2/1) How about now? (2/4)

Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis
Assistant/Associate Professor of Media Arts & Science

Deadline: 1 Feb 2010. Chronicle Posting

Jacksonville University
Asst Prof of Film (Tenure-Track)

Deadline: open until filled Job Description

James Madison University
Assistant/Assoc. Prof. in Film and/or Video Production

Screening began 10.9.2009

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Keene State College
Assistant Professor in Film Studies

Deadline: 1 January 2010

Snail Mail acknowledgement of materials received. (1/15/10)(x1)

Any other receipt acknowledgements? Phone interviews?

Submitted materials via snail mail, and no ack as of 1/21.

FYI- I just got back from an on-campus interview at Keene State for a position in a different department, and I REALLY liked the school, faculty, students, etc. Best of luck to the candidates for this Film position- it'll be a good job to get (1/22) BTW- I just accepted the aforementioned position (in the Department of Communication, with a specialty in visual rhetoric) so look forward to working with whomever gets/accepts this film position (2/10/10) Congratulations!

Any phone interviews scheduled (1/31)? Phone interview (2/1)

Phone interview (1/29)

Phone interview (2/3)

Kenyon College
Assistant Professor in Film Studies (Dance & Drama Department)

Deadline: 15 Nov. 2009 

Phone interview: 12/5 Q: You had it on that date or they scheduled it on that date?

A: Had it. Q: Any other phone interviews out there?

2 Feb. 2010 A: Just crickets. Not a word. Anybody else?

Lafayette College
Asst. or Associate Professor, Cinema and/or Media Studies

Deadline: 1 Nov. 2009 (MLA interviews)

received email confirmation of materials (forgot date, sorry)

Any requests for additional materials yet? I would expect these should go out by 12/1, yes?

11/12 - Job materials returned without enclosed letter or explanation. (Classy!) (probably just a mail error, or wrong address)

*Do you mean they actually repackaged and reposted your materials to you without explanation (i.e. it wasn't just the same package returned to sender)? Yes, this is what I mean. - Were your materials late? Any sign of a reason? Seems very strange.

11-24 Request for completed dossier (rec letters, writing sample & portfolio) received (x5)

12-15 MLA interview requested (x3)

1-12 Invited for campus visit in February. (Did you have an MLA or Skype interview?)MLA interview

BCC rejection email 1/21

Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Assistant Professor, Contemporary Lit and Media

Deadline: 20 Oct. 2009

* 10/29, 11/5 Email acknowledging receipt of application materials and stating that they will be in touch if they want further materials. 11/12- request for writing sample (x11, 11/13) Anyone hear anything since writing sample request? 12/10. ''No, nothing. (x2) Nothing as of 12/14.'' -MLA interview scheduled by phone 12/15 (x3) FYI There are 2 interviews, including mine, also logged on the 20thc. lit page, where the same job is also listed.

--Had an interview at MLA 12/29; just got rejection email.--''that's awful. Sorry to hear it. I hope that wasn't your only reason for going. ''thanks for the kind words. fortunately, it wasn't--got to meet up with a wonderful mentor who I hadn't seen in almost ten years.

--Had an interview at MLA 12/28; got my rejection email on 1/4 from the Chair of the SC.

Campus visits scheduled for mid-Jan. (scheduled at MLA) (x2)

Has an offer been made? Anybody want to share the background of who got this job?

Offer made & accepted 2/2

Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Tenured Faculty Position in Comparative Media Studies

Deadline Nov 1, 2010

02/23/2010: Any news? Conformations, inivtations, references?

Messiah College
Asst. Professor, Tenure Track, Film and Media Studies

Did anyone apply to this job? Wondering how many applicants actually met their unusual criteria....

Started to, and then just couldn't stomach all the religious questions. (x4)

Deadline: 15 Oct. 2009

Metropolitan State College of Denver
English-Cinema Faculty, Tenure Track Faculty

English, Position #F573, Visit www.mscdjobs.com to apply.

Deadline: 2/24/2010 

Automated email after submitting application reads, "Due to recent cost containment measures at the College, each vacancy is currently being reviewed on a case-by-case basis to determine continuation in the search process. We will continue to accept applications and will notify you when, and if, a decision to proceed on this position has been completed. During this time, we ask your patience."

Miami University
Asst. Professor in Comparative Media Studies

Review Begins: Oct. 26 2009
 * Anyone hear anything yet?
 * Based on the previous job announcement on the Meida Anthropologist listserv (posted by the chair of anthropology dept at Miami Univ), this position is more likely to be for anthropologists (which means candidates whose PhD degree is earned in anthropology) than any other field.
 * Actually, from what I have heard (and understood from ads) they are hiring for four different positions to create a new dept. Perhaps Media Anthropologist was one of those positions, but I believe the scope is broader than just that.
 * Has anyone received a receipt/confirmation of submitted materials?
 * received email acknowledgment back on 10/28; request for phone interview 11/18 (x4)
 * phone interviews done, campus invites should go out week of 12/7
 * campus invite received 12/7 (x4), scheduled for January (heard they are inviting 4 candidates to campus)
 * Does anyone know about the other positions, since the ad did suggest that there were potentially multiple hires?
 * Heard there's 1 position maybe 2 if they have candidates they really want
 * rejection email from secretary, woot! 28 January.
 * 1/29/10 Received rejection e-mail; said got 350 applications- wow.
 * I did not receive the rejection e-mail, but have not been invited to interview by phone or on campus. Is this the case with anyone else? (x3) nary a peep from them as of 2/1.
 * There are 2 positions - 2 offers made (2/5)
 * Were both accepted? (at least one is still under consideration)


 * Anybody want to share the background of who got this job?
 * 1 offer accepted 2/10. Brown MCM ABD. New Media scholar/practitioner. Video games, new media art, inflected through film/television studies...
 * Has the other offer been accepted, yet? (not yet)


 * So... not sound like a total lunatic, but any chance I could get you to post when you decide if you are accepting or not? I believe I am next in line for this position, and would like to have the heads up (one way or another) a little bit in advance. If you don't want to do this, I totally understand... but if you do I'll be super-grateful (in an anonymous, wiki kind-of-a-way)! :-) (Of course! Completely understandable, I'd feel the same way :) ). Thanks! That's awesome... I really appreciate it!
 * yea - I'm not next in line for this position (just one of the 350 who threw their hat in the ring) any word on who got the second position, it has been more than 2 weeks since the offer went out

Middlebury College
Tenure-track, Comparative Media Studies, Department of Film and Media Culture

''Deadline: 2 November 2009. ''Job description and discussion
 * Q: I've seen "Comparative Media Studies" in a few listings this year, and I'm not sure what "Comparative" refers to. Is this for transnational (as in the sense of "comp lit") media studies, or media studies that especially emphasizes, um, comparing different media? Or is it simply a puffed-up name for media studies?
 * My answer (as the person who drafted the job description) is that we're looking for someone interested in the connections and interactions between media, rather than a singular format. It need not be concerning texts (as in adaptation studies), but could focus on industry, user/viewer practices, technologies, etc. Pragmatically, it also resonates within other academic areas (comp lit, comp politics). - Jason Mittell

Received diversity form via snail mail, Nov 4, postmarked Oct 29. x 3 (dated Nov 3rd)

Received interview request for late-November.
 * Incorrect - no interviews have been scheduled as of mid-November. Some requests for more info have been sent out, but apps are still being reviewed. -JM
 * so nice to have a member of the SC dispel the rumors. Why on earth would someone lie about this?
 * I like to err on the side of good faith, so maybe it was a mistake trying to post on a different job. But the anonymous internet breeds the inexplicable...

[Moved this thread to discussion below, because I think it touches on broader issues]
 * I just posted an update on this search. -Jason Mittell
 * Received request for additional materials.
 * Email received 12/1, scheduling phone interviews for 1st & 2nd week of Dec. (x 3)
 * 12/15 email notifying me that I'm out of the running. 3 finalists have been invited to campus.
 * Offer made and accepted. Final blog post about the search posted 1/28.
 * who ended up taking this job? (2/4) a very lucky bastard. LOL
 * The new hire posted the news on her blog.

Montana State University-Bozeman
Assistant Professor in Film and Related Media Studies

Deadline: Feb 1st, 2010 Job Post

I'm surprised at how low that salary is: "$40,970 per academic year appointment. Tenure track position."

$40K buys an awful lot of cattle! ... or $40K in MT is a lot more than $50K in NYC.

received affirmative action form via email (1/28) x2

(2/16) Any news?

phone interview requested (2/16)

No thank you email (2/19)

The New School for General Studies
Associate or Full Professor of Media Studies Faculty

Deadline: 12/15/09

1/20 Any news?

02/23/2010 Any news?

The New School
Assistant Professor of Film Studies

Deadline: 12/15/09

1/20 Any news here? (x2 )

New York University
Assistant Professor: Media, Culture, Communications (Media Advocacy)

Deadline: November 17, 2009

Receipt letter postmarked 11/24 (x3) - any news on this position?

I heard they already made a long-short list.

Campus visit scheduled 12/23

I'm a student in this department and we have job talks for the next month or so for this position. 1/27

New York University - Abu Dhabi
Open rank positions in Film and Media History, Theory and Criticism

''Deadline: December 15, 2009. ''

''Any news here? ''How about now? (2/2)

This is not exactly news, but I inquired about their timeline and received the following:

''Thank you for your email. There is no exact timeline for interviews yet, but candidates will be contacted once the search reaches the appropriate stage. Our apologies for not being able to be more specific at this point.'' (2/5)

SCMS interview scheduled in early Feb.

Northwestern University
Asst. Professor in Screen Cultures

Deadline: 20 Oct. 2009

''Q: Has this opening been canceled? I haven't been able to find the ad in recent days. ''A: It's still posted on the NW jobs site. Search for post number 15006.-- Thanks, that was a great help. A. I just received an email asking to fill in a self-identification questionnaire, so my guess is it's still going ahead. (x3)

I heard they may not hire at all and are just fishing. (10/29) ''That would be consistent with information I've received in the past about their general hiring practices. But it doesn't hurt for people to apply I suppose.''

(11/4) Job talks are set for mid November. All are assistant professors elsewhere.''Really? Phone interview scheduled 11/05''

Any update since the job talks?

-12/11: Rejection letter by snail mail: "We have completed our current search... over 200 applicants... we have chosen to pursue another candidate." Dated 12/4.

--''Did they end up hiring anyone? The rejection letter I received was vaguely worded about that.''

yes, hired an assistant prof elsewhere (1/12)

Asst. Professor in Media Production

Deadline November 1 2009

Has anyone heard anything back from NW re: this job yet? Dec 15 - Nothing yet (x2).

1/20 Any news here?

1/21 still nothing (x2)... thanks

Oakland University
Assistant Professor, Cinema Studies / English

Specialization in world cinema, historical periods following World War II

Deadline: January 4, 2010

AA forms received by mail; letter says SC will meet in mid-late Jan to decide who to interview by video, followed by campus interviews in early Feb.

Skype interview requested (1/21) (x3) - wow, wonder if they're interviewing all of us! In any case, good luck, y'all!

Any news after Skype interviews? - none yet here

2/5 -- phone call invite for mid-February campus visit

Randolph College
Assistant or Associate Professor,Communication Studies

Deadline: November 15, 2009, then open until filled Job Description

Dossier request on 12/17

Ack. received (12/17) (x2)

Rollins College
Assistant Professor, Critical Media and Communications

Deadline: December 10, 2009

12/14 - received rejection letter via email x6

The wording of the email was kind of harsh, huh? x2 made me cry, had to delete and purge it from inbox immediately :(

I wish they had told us how many applicants they had received.

I'd like to know how many applicants had all the desired qualifications indicated in their online application: a book + knowledge of final cut pro/dreamweaver/etc. + films or media installation credits...etc, etc. for an Asst. Prof rank! (x2) -- I wish some of the preferred qualities (evidenced through the online application) were itemized clearly through the description, so I would have known not to bother applying.

They have an internal candidate. It seems like the position was written for her.

-I'm not so sure about that. They do have an internal candidate, but it seems like they're looking for someone a bit more senior.

Nevertheless-- phone interview, 12/17.(x2)

No updates, eh? (2/10/10)

St. Olaf College
Post-Doctoral Fellow in Film Studies

Deadline: Nov 7 2009

Emailed on 1/6 for phone interview during last week of January. (x3)

Told during phone interview that invites for mid-Feb. campus visits will go out next week (1/27) (x3)

Call on 2/2 from scc scheduling campus visit in late-February

Stanford University
Assistant Professor, Art History (African American art history, film studies, diasporic studies or visual culture_

Deadline: November 30, 2009

Surely they must have moved by now - anyone get a phone interview?

Syracuse University
Assistant Professor, New Media Studies

Deadline: November 16, 2009

Email confirming receipt of application X 4 (most recent 11/18)

Dossier request (writing sample, letters of rec) 11/20 (x5)

Email asking to resubmit application online (11/30) (x4). What's this about (beyond the excuse given)? Did everybody who applied get this? a: I didn't get a dossier request like others above so I imagine it is just a formality they are requesting from everyone. ''a: Ditto other answer—it's probably for EOE record-keeping. ''So they're making everyone resubmit the application, regardless of whether we're still in the running? (I'm another who got this e-mail but not the dossier request.) (x4 - anyone willing to write the search chair and ask whether the search is still open before we actually submit our applications, lol?) Way to salt the wounds.

12/15 email requesting interview at MLA (x3)

1/4 anyone hear anything after MLA? ''a: in my mla interview they said they would choose and notify two finalists by the end of the convention. I received a vague email a couple of days after mla ended in response to my "thank you for the interview" email that didn't say anything either way. At least two ways to read that: 1) I am not a finalist, 2) despite their intentions, they have not chosen finalists, yet. Did anyone hear anything more concrete? (x2) ''

''Same story for me. Anyone out there get a campus invite?''

1/6 received email invite for campus visit.

Did the campus visits happen yet? a: yes, I believe they wrapped up the visits this week 2/6.

Temple University
Assistant Professor, American Cinema

Deadline: February 22, 2010. Chronicle posting.

Received email acknowledging application: 2/19

Texas Christian University
Asst. Prof. in Media Industry Studies

Deadline: 15 Nov. 2009 Job description

Towson University
Asst. Professor, Electronic Media and Film

Deadline: December 01, 2009.

Email rejection, 12/16

United Arab Emirates University
Open Rank, Fine Arts (preference for visual or film arts) Chronicle Posting

Deadline: Until filled

University of Alabama at Tuscaloosa
Asst. Professor, Telecommunication and Film in area of Media Studies Chronicle Posting University Posting

Deadline: Review begins January 6, 2010


 * Be aware: the postings request letter, cv, reference names, and make mention of "other materials". When you sign in to their system the following are also requested: Teaching Philosophy; Administrative Philosophy; Research/Scholarship/Creative Activities Statement ; Class Schedule.
 * I don't believe they're all "required," however.
 * Anything yet on this one?
 * Dossier req (by email) 1/29 (writing sample and letters of rec). Side note: I really enjoy saying "Tuscaloosa!"
 * - Administrative philosophy? Seems like an odd request (who the hell has an 'administrative philosophy'?!)
 * Email rejection letter received 2/4
 * any updates? 2/20

University of Arkansas
Assistant Professor of Communication (Film Studies)

Review Begins Dec. 15th Deadline for full review: Jan 1st Job description


 * Has anyone successfully applied to this job? My emails keep getting rejected. (Successfully applied; no problems/rejected emails.) (x2)


 * Affirmative action form received (snail mail) (Dec 18)


 * Any news on this one yet? Request for phone interview on 1/15; conducted phone interview on 1/17.
 * Any follow-up? Communication Wiki says on-campus interviews scheduled
 * offer made, offer accepted, 2/15

University of Edinburgh
Lecturer, Persian and Film Studies

''Deadline: 10 September 2009. ''Link.

University of Edinburgh
Teaching Fellow/Programme Organiser, Film Studies

''Deadline: 14 September 2009. ''Link.
 * Q: Has anyone heard anything back in regards to the University of Edinburgh positions? I imagine that they have been flooded with candidates given the shortage of jobs so just trying to gauge...
 * A: They were meant to be holding interviews in October? Have they happened?
 * Job candidate selected. It appears that they have gone with a local. 29/10

University of Hartford
Assistant Professor, Department of Cinema

Deadline: December 1, 2009

Affirmative Action form email received 12/8

Has anyone heard anything about this search? Never received confirmation of application received or Affirmative Action form e-mail...

University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
Asst Professor of Media and Cinema Studies

Deadline: November 6 2009

• request for add'l materials, reference letters and writing sample (10/28) (x9) (11/10)

heard that they may have someone in mind, person who was invited to give a lecture earlier in the fall (11/12) -- Q: ''I didn't see any lecture announcements for this fall on their website. Was it an unannounced event? '' WAS IN SEPTEMBER

Campus visit scheduled for post-Thanksgiving. (11/18)

Offer made, week of 12/7 and accepted. (UChicago Phd, current VAP) Actually, former VAP, now postdoc (both elsewhere. NOT inside candidate). ''How many people actually interviewed? The timeline gets hazy after the initial round of additional materials. ''No interviews. They jumped straight to campus visits (3 candidates). Had to move fast because they were afraid they'd loose the line. ''I see. Thank you for sharing.''

University of Maryland
Assistant or beginning Associate Professorships in Digital Media

Deadline: Dec. 15th 2009 Post

Request for "e-mail interview" (questions to be sent early next week, with a two week turnaround for answers) (1/14) (x7)

Those who got the "email interview", Since this is a mulitple disciplinary position can you say what the area you applied for?

Hard to say. Women's Studies is probably primary, but they could situate me (for one) in Art or Communications as well.

Similar, I said comm or american studies are likely primary, though I could put placed in several other departments.

Same here; I could be placed in Am. Studies, Women's Studies, or Art.

Same here. Could be placed in Comm, American Studies, or Women’s Studies.

Same as (directly) above.

Heard through the grapevine that this job should be 'interesting' b/c reportedly an administrator told all of the departments participating in this job call that this was the only way they would get a hire this year- if there was an interdisciplinary position such as this. Just something to be aware of for the finalists.

1/22 - snail mail, cordial rejection (x5) said 250+ applicants

2/17 - any updates on this one? Invites for campus interviews will be extended next week.

2/24 - E-mail invitation for campus interview. (Was told over the phone that they are bringing in 8 people to interview for these two slots).

University of Michigan (English)
Assistant or Advanced Assistant Professor - Digital Environments/Digital Humanities Cluster Hire

Deadline: Oct. 30 2009

Hear that they may go another way with this and do a big, full prof hire. (11/9) please clarify--does this mean they may cancel the other two positions as well (in Communications and American Cultures) in favor of one senior "digital environments" position?

The communication studies hire -- not the quantitative job, the visual representation job -- is the cluster hire for "digital environments." They have been courting a very senior person. That is all I have heard. (11/10)

I'm confused about this - are they looking at a senior person for the Communication position or the English position? Neither of these positions seem to have contacted candidates.

I received a letter (I think it was a letter—can't recall the format) in late October stating that calls for this position (the English one) would be made the week of 12/7.

Edit: it was an email (dated 10/26): "Between now and early December, we will be identifying candidates whose work and qualifications seem to us to be particularly well-suited to our departmental needs. Then, pending final approval of the search at the College level, we will interview these candidates at the MLA (Modern Language Association) Convention in Philadelphia at the end of December. Those whom we plan to interview can expect to hear from us during the second week of December (December 7-11)."
 * rejection email 12/9 (x5)
 * MLA Interview scheduled 12/9
 * I had a campus visit in early/mid January and just received a kind phone call from the Dept. Chair, who told me that they would *not* be making a hire this year, after all, but would be putting out another call next year (2/12).

University of Michigan (Program in American Culture)
Asst. Professor - Digital Environments/Digital Humanities Cluster Hire

Deadline: Oct 15 2009
 * Phone Interview scheduled week of 11/9
 * 11/21 - Contacted for on-campus interview in January

University of Michigan (Communications)
Asst. Professor - "Visual Representation, Digital Visual Cultures" - Digital Environments/Digital Humanities Cluster Hire

Deadline: Sept 25 2009

Campus interviews conducted.

--- Received snail mail rejection letter (1/23/10) saying search was complete. Anyone know who may have gotten this sweet job?

University of North Carolina, Wilmington (Dept of Film Studies)
Asst Professor of Film Studies

Deadline: Nov 15, 2009

Phone interview scheduled 12/4

Phone interview: 12/9

Campus visit: mid-January

University of Minnesota, CSCL Department
Asst. Professor (Specialization in Visual Cultures and New Media -- Film & TV in Particular

Deadline: Nov. 10th ''Last year, this same position (and a senior one just like it) was pulled because state funding wasn't there. They might be facing a similar spot and are waiting for the go-ahead (or not) from higher ups. Just a guess, though.''
 * Has anyone heard anything from the SC for this one?
 * Still nothing on this one? Seems late in the game.

''That was remarkably helpful. Thanks to everyone for being so willing to share, and good luck to each of you! I suppose it does beg the question of whether Minn should have stated upfront that they were looking for an A-G expert.''
 * Inside source tells me 450 apps received. MLA invites forthcoming.Wow--good luck to the finalists.
 * MLA interview scheduled -- 12/18 (+4)
 * Would people mind posting their discipline and field?
 * Sure, I'm a Comp. Lit Ph.D. and I do avant-garde film and lit.
 * This poster is Film Phd, comp lit minor, avant-garde media and crit theory -- seems to be a trend
 * ditto
 * I'm a film Ph.D., doing American film history, visual theory, critical theory; experience with avant-garde, but certainly not my central specialty
 * I'm a film ABD, doing film and media theory; again, experience with avant-garde, but my central focus is theory
 * I'm a film PhD, some a-g, more of of historian of technology and aesthetics.

"Many schools simply remain internally divided about what they want, and while a majority may be leaning in one direction, it is easier to do a broader description in order to achieve consensus with the minority. This does not mean the minority has no chance, but nor does it mean schools are obligated to specifically say this is exactly what we want. They may not know for absolute sure."

And further, job descriptions are often written before search committees are even constituted--thus the possible shift here from "film and tv in particular" to an avant-garde focus.

''The point remains, nevertheless--departments in general (Minnesota included--when you get 450 applicants, someone overshot) could do a much better job of narrowing announcements, so as to save time for both folks applying and for those committee members who have to wade through it. I know some departments like to keep it broad because they don't know what they'll get, but I wouldn't say that that's a particularly thoughtful course of action, especially given how much the market's already over-flooded. Good luck to everyone.''

As one of the 450+, I really appreciate learning more about what's going on with this search. Best wishes to the advancing candidates, and thank you for sharing your status. (X2)

Called for campus visit--1/4 - Strange, and disheartening: After my interview, the search chair told me they would not be sending out invites for campus visits until after their semester started, on 1/19.

Yes, the SC chair told me the same thing - also disheartened...
 * Rejection letter received by email (01.11) Rejection via e-mail states 495 applicants received (1/12)--(x2)--I appreciatively found it to be a very thoughtful email.

University of Rhode Island
Asst. Prof, Film Media

Deadline: 1 Dec. 2009 Job Description

Skype interview scheduled week of 12/21 (x2)

Any other updates on this position? I haven't even gotten a confirmation of application.

I've heard from a well-placed source that campus invites have now been extended. (Do you know how many have been invited? I also wonder how many they interviewed on Skype)

1/22 - Any news on this? ''2/16--How about now? ''

University of North Carolina, Wilmington (Film Studies Dept)
Asst Professor of Film Production

Heard it's an inside job for the husband of a TT asst. professor of production so don't feel bad if you didn't get an interview. This department is notorious for inside hires on the production side whether they have the credentials or not. '''This is the second time I've posted this. If someone at UNCW erased my first posting it makes me think my tip is right on. '''
 * Too bad as this looks like a pretty sweet job.
 * Got my rejection (bcc) this afternoon (2/22). Dear Applicant...

University of North Dakota
Asst. prof film, new media, digital humanities
 * request for additional materials 12/5 (x3)
 * request to schedule phone interview 12/16 (x2)
 * request to schedule phone interview and then a second email saying oops, that was a mistake, I didn't make the cut. Ouch! Did this happen to anyone else?
 * invitation for campus visit received via email 1/22

University of North Florida
Asst. Professor in Rhetoric/New Media

Deadline: Nov 2 2009

Request for more materials: 11/16 (x4) Request for MLA interview, email: 12/9 (x2), campus invite, email: 1/15

University of South Florida
Asst. Professor if Film and Video

This is for a position in an interdisciplinary Department of Humanities and Cultural Studies with B.A. and masters programs in Humanities and in American Studies

Deadline: 2 Dec. 2009 Job Description

Acknowledgment: 11/20 (via email, with EOE form), 12/2

Strange email from HR about online application. Why? 12/4 (x6) It is strange. I wonder if every applicant received this, but it was the first I heard of an online app.

Are people re-applying online? A: I asked the staff person who sent the ack if one should. Will post if she answers.

Response to inquiry about online app: "You do not have to do anything at this point. Since your application was mailed in, we uploaded it to our online site and the system has automatically generated an acknowledgment which is what you received." (12/7) Thanks for doing that' (x2).

Ack. email says requests for more materials (sample syllabi and writing sample) are slated for early December.

Received email asking for more materials. It says they are down to a pool of 16. 12/17 (x4)

Request for phone interview: 1/20 (x4) - Pool is now down to 8.

Rejection email received 1/26 (200+ applicants for this position) (x2)

Campus visit request 1/29; pool down to 3 (x2)

Offer extended (2/19) --and accepted??

University of Texas at Austin
Senior Professor Position in Journalism Deadline Oct 15, 2010

02/23/2010: Any news? Invitations, confirmations, interviews, references?

University of Texas at Dallas
Assistant Professor of Emerging Media and Communications (Two Tenure Track Positions) Job Descriptions

Application review to begin Feb 15th.

University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee
Asst. Professor in Digital Culture

Deadline: Nov. 1st Jan. 22


 * Phone interview scheduled (11/24, see Film, Drama, and New Media page: http://academicjobs.wikia.com/wiki/Drama,_Speech,_Film_%26_New_Media)
 * Anything after phone interviews?
 * Position was re-posted to The Chronicle on 12/25 with a review date beginning 1/22/2010; An email to the search chair confirmed that they are still reviewing applications.

University of Toronto
Asst. Professor French and francophone Cinema

Deadline: Nov. 1

Phone interview requested - 12/7 (x3)

Campus visit invitations made - 12/17

Associate Professor, Cinema Studies, Global Cinema

Deadline: Feb 15, 2010

Link to posting:

University of Western Ontario
Assistant/Associate Professor, Film Studies (world cinema specialization)

Deadline: applications will be reviewed from 15 October 2009 until the position is filled. Link.

• request for additional materials (course syllabus) 10/23

• campus interview scheduled - when were you contacted for the campus interview? 11/3

Young Harris College
Assistant Professor, Communication Studies / Mass Media

preliminary group interviewed at NCA (After inquiring about process, I was informed at job fair that I was not one of them. ouch). 11/12

Deadline: Open until filled Job Description

Wayne State University
Asst. Professor of Film and Media Studies Deadline: 2 Nov. 2009
 * Where was this job listed? I could not find it anywhere, including Wayne State's job web site...


 * It is on SCMS, posted Sept. 19.


 * Application will be available on the Wayne State site in "early October."


 * request for additional materials (writing sample + dossier) 10/14 (x2); 10/21 --even though the deadline's not for another week? yes. Heh, I think that was a rhetorical question, but thanks for keeping us updated! Looks like they are moving fast, maybe there's a feared hiring freeze on the horizon.


 * Request for additional materials 11/2 (x2)

-skype interview request for january (12/10 x3)
 * Request for additional materials 11/3 (x2)
 * Request for additional materials 11/5
 * Request for additional materials 11/4
 * Request for additional materials 11/6
 * Request for additional materials 11/16 (X3)
 * Okay, got it. Is there anyone they're not requesting additional materials from? (Besides me). (x6) (assume many more since there is more incentive to share good news)--:) 
 * Rejection email 11/23 (x7) (actually two emails in quick succession that said the same thing; thanks for the timeliness, but one would have been enough--I know, I hear you; I felt the same at first. However, while I'm not happy with how WSU handled some things [the whole situation screams either inside candidate or rushed search for $], I think the double email was just HR carelessness and nothing personal.) (I'm sure it was nothing personal; this is the third time I've applied to this Dept, and the third time I've gotten double rejection letters. They used to send two papers ones. Which I guess makes up for some of the schools that never send any.) *** Those who were rejected, did you receive a request for additional materials? Doesn't seem like that mishandled if you didn't make their (seemingly large) short list and then received the notice of rejection--never fun news to get, but it is courteous of them to let you know. Also, with the seeming size of the short list, I doubt it's an inside candidate. But who knows? I agree. Getting things done quickly doesn't seem like hurried search either. Seems slated for MLA interviews (of which it seems none have been offered yet) which puts it on the same time line as everyone else, no? Illinois also requested materials from a lot of people, apparently, despite the rumor now that there was always an inside candidate there. Also, the specific concerns with WSU mostly I think relate to how they contacted so many people well before the deadline had even arrived, and how the actual window for people to apply online was so small--both of which look fishy to someone on the outside (shades of Fordham from last year). But of course the school can do whatever its wants ultimately. And I've heard they are not doing MLA.
 * Rejection email from the search chair; after submission of additional materials (12/9).

- has anyone heard NOTHING yet from the dept? no requests for writing sample. no rejection. no skype interview. 12/10

Just wondering if anyone else is in the same boat as me or if my application got lost in the ethernet. Same boat as you. X2
 * Any other post-materials rejections?

- Rejection letter via snail mail, after submission of additional materials (12/12). x8 ; (12/23) - I heard that campus visit invites have been made (late Jan) - Campus visit invites have indeed been made (on 1/22)

Discussion:


 * Yes, I think its amusing that so many people insist on posting the 'good news' long after its been established that WSU is requesting more information from some folks. I figured this wiki was for news, not redundancy. Anyway, good luck to those (quite a few) still in the running.
 * This website is also for sharing detailed information which helps fellow applicants at every stage. As someone who is "still in the running," it is helpful for me to know how many people have been contacted and I appreciate all "redundant" postings.   (x3)--sorry, folks, I wish you the best in the job hunt, but in this particular instance, it was excessive.  Whether from gloating, inattentiveness, or just sloppy layout design, this section looks a little silly--which was the original point.  As someone still in the running elsewhere, I can appreciate the extra information, but I'm also smart enough to know that there's a certain point where, if they haven't even started interviewing yet, then its safe to assume there are still a lot of people in the running.  Keep perspective--be grateful you're still in it, and don't waste energy on dumping on the have-nots who were just jokingly commiserating between themselves in the first place.
 * Yes, I agree with the previous poster. Pls. do not conflate what is the neutral revelation of information, which is the intention of such a site, with gloating, which is neither the intention of the site nor necessarily of the poster.--there is no such thing as 'neutral' information on this site. Whether its the person who keeps (not so) conveniently posting job information right after the deadline has passed, whether its the person who incorrectly stated Middlebury was already interviewing, whether's its the person who keeps deleting information about a certain inside candidate, or whether its the person who claims information here is harmlessly 'neutral,' everyone here has an active investment in what does and does not get posted. Best of luck to everyone.
 * Annoying that people delete things from this page/listing. Really? That petty?



General Discussion
'''Is anyone else nervous yet that there have been so few jobs posted? You can count the number of film and media jobs so far on one hand. This time last year it seemed as though there were three or four times as many film jobs already posted (granted, several were canceled ultimately), with deadlines in Sept. or Oct.'''

Can others confirm this observation? The first week of August is still very early in the cycle. At the very least, though, we can be thankful that stacks of applications won't be trashed due to pulled positions.

'''It was admittedly subjective, that's why I threw it out there, to see if others felt the same. If my observation is wrong, please feel free to correct! To clarify, it seemed like last year places like UW-Milwaukee, Michigan, Ohio State, Ohio, South Carolina, Catholic University, SUNY-Brockport, Minnesota, etc., were already posted (and all had relatively early deadlines). And those were just places in my field. It seems like this year its only Drexel and Grambling, at best (again, for my field). But like I said, happy to be wrong.'''

''Sorry to say, but you are NOT wrong. In fact, all of the unrealistic optimists telling us applicants during the canceled searches last year, that this year would be better, have been proven unequivocally wrong. The week around the labor day "holiday" is the biggest week in terms of positions being released and opened. This week has been relatively dormant, however. August is a bit early, as the person who wrote above correctly stated, but September? Nope, September is *not* early. Perhaps matters will change *a bit* a week from now, but that is not likely either. Here's why ...''

''... it isn't too complicated to figure out what has happened. One only has to understand how the tenure-track cycle works in terms of line approvals and releases. Last year, the economy tanked in September and October, and its recovery has been very slow since. The tanking, however, was too late to result in cancellations across the board as after all, the money had already been budgeted and accounted in the previous academic year (of course, many cancellations did occur, but most searches persisted). The planning for 2010-2011 job openings that are released and announced in the prior 2009-2010 academic year, however, was done in 2008-2009, that is, during the year that the economy went to hell. In other words, tenure-track searches work on a three-year cycle. The first year is the planning and budgeting and proposal year. The second year is the actual search, that is, after all the bureaucracy that requires tons of time for approvals to happen, has finally been completed. The search itself, of course, takes many months (anywhere from four to eight, and that's not accounting for "extended" searches that reject all finalists / on-campus invitees), but generally result in a hire for the following academic year, that is, the third year. Since last year was a HORRIBLE year for planning and budgeting to occur, we are all experiencing the effects of this in this second year. As depressing as it may seem, most of us will have to wait two years from now before we have a realistic shot at beginning tenure-track work. Time to account for plan-B's folks, because this year is going to be way worse than last.''

'''I'm not disputing that there are likely less jobs this year, but do remember that last year, many departments knew that their universities might be facing freezes, so there were internal reasons to speed up a search, and post it early, to get in under the wire. This year, by contrast, many universities (and departments) are being a lot more cautious, and thus approvals for new lines are happening later (Sept)'''

Depressing. Check this out. One of the largest communication departments in the country has NO openings for 2010-2011 (see &lt;http://academicaffairs.ucsd.edu/aps/adeo/recruitment/socsci.htm#Communication&gt;). That's sad and also a sign of the times.

Is there any chance that this page could be reorganized by institution rather than process (like the Humanities Post-Docs page)? Last year, it took forever to scroll through the entire wiki just to find updates on specific positions.... ''Not a bad idea. . . if someone wants to take the time. I will say that last year, I just went to the history and recent changes page, so that I knew immediately if anything had been added and what that information was. Big time saver.''
 * Consider it done!


 * I am surprised to read all the doom and gloom on this page. If you look on the Film, Drama, and Speech section of the JIL, film jobs FAR outweigh speech or theater! I am a theater person and I am so envious of all the film openings I see. It seems to me that several job listings are missing on this page...I will try to update! '
 * I'm surprised how few ads specify whether phone interviews versus conference (not to mention which conference) interviews will be used. 
 * Please post this information with each job, especially if you have information not found in the ad, or if you have to nerve to ask and get a straight answer.

"Media Studies", Job Postings, and the Hiring Process: a discussion of Middlebury as a case study ;)

[Moved this discussion which originally appeared immediately after the revelation of the person who landed the much sought after Middlebury job for a "Comparative Media" scholar] As original poster, I don't think you were disingenuous or untrue, but I also don think you really hired in the areas where you listed the strengths in the call. I do agree the hire has done research in new media though, but her strengths are much more in television and film and not in 'video games, social software, etc.' that you requested. If those lines had not been in the advertisement, I would not have applied. Indeed, if the ad had said 'new media', I would not have applied. That was my frustration with what you 'really want', and I think that you have to agree to some extent that there is a bit of warrant to the frustration, especially the way you described the fit of the choice on your blog. In any case, I think she's a great fit and a wonderful hire, just not completely what I expected you would hire given the advertisement. --well news flash, you can NEVER completely expect what the search committee wants just by reading their ads. Because when they wrote the ad, they didn't know what they want. It's like when I am writing the introduction of a paper, I'll never know where its conclusion will end up. That's just life. Assuming this will get cut the minute he reads it, but the search chair is a bully and not that smart. He wanted someone he could mold and wouldn't ask too many questions. His work is terrible, and this will no doubt be a second-rate undergrad department that is doing terrible textual analysis of whatever television shows strike his fancy for as long as he's there. TV studies will go to shit as long as people like him are in positions of power. While I do not agree with the personal attacks, I think this rant is valid to the extent that helps illuminate why Middlebury may have made the choices it did--the search chair did hire a television studies scholar very similar to his own interests, which wasn't the advertised position. And the first time this was suggested, the search chair deleted it, which may indicate why this person is so upset now. I suggest it is left up this time. I deleted one line insulting our new hire, as I think that was highly inappropriate - if anyone wants to exact revenge or express bile about this search, target it at me. I'll leave the rest of this anonymous rant as a piece of evidence of what I see as the dangers of being transparent and forthcoming in discussing the search process. I have gotten many positive comments here and on my blog for my decision to be open and responsive in this search process. But all it takes is one person cloaking themselves in anonymity to spew nasty attacks to alienate members of search committees and drive them away from engaging openly. If such attacks persist and are left to stand by the wiki community, then sites like this become hinderances rather than tools to make the process more humane and transparent. (Hear! Hear! Thx for the openness of the search! In my opinion your efforts were a true and historic move forward...x2) As for the question of our hire's area of expertise, I'll just say that the search committee unanimously felt that she embodied the call for a "comparative media scholar," and that we had a better sense of what her work is than these anonymous commenters. - JM
 * lolz,well good for her:) I had a feeling they would hire a television and film specialist, not a new media specialist. I wish people would just advertise for what they really want.X3 no doubt! If they did this it would save everyone a lot of time and money. I think this is a fair criticism. It doesn't even look like they hired a "film specialist"; in fact, Jason admitted on his blog after the fact that film scholars were among the first cut. Looks like they settled on a contemporary television scholar. Then again, no one should be surprised that--as usual--the (applicant) apple here didn't fall too far from the (search chair) tree (let me just clarify that I don't care who they hire, or why, but I third the original comment about more honest wording in the advertisement).
 * I don't want to get into the details of why we hired whom we hired in a public forum like this, but I will say that the idea that our posting was in any ways disingenuous is untrue. As it said in the job posting, we needed a new hire to contribute to the existing curriculum as well as adding new areas. Being comfortable and conversant with film & TV as well as new media was highlighted in the ad, and was a feature of most of our semi-finalists. -Jason

Let me add constructively to this discussion, because it is an important one. First off, I am sure Middlebury acted in good faith and hired the candidate they deemed the strongest. In the end, that is all that matters. Secondly, I do not condone the rant above and agree that it should remain as "evidence." However, I am the one who restored it after being deleted, because I do not condone censorship either. This wiki will only work when its contributors work through issues, rather than around them.

That being said, and I am talking generally and constructively here about all jobs, I do not believe that "transparency" is a magic bullet that will elevate anyone above criticism, or which simply subjects one person to endless congratulation. It is an important and "historic move forward," but it will not make things easier, raise fewer questions about a job search, or shield one from criticism. At best, such a search will raise more constructive criticism, but criticism nonetheless. A transparent search must understand that.

As to the "bile" above, I agree that it is unseemly and no doubt the result of a finalist or semi-finalist who saw the process up close and is simply venting now. However, as someone who applied, but was never seriously considered, I would point out another important perspective on this (and it relates to the issue of "transparency")--I was very frustrated when I first read the search chair's initial rationale for why certain people were cut immediately, and was not alone. It was not something reflected in the job description, but rather seemed to be a discipline-specific 'assumption' on the part of the chair. Now, I agonized for weeks over whether or not to raise this question on the chair's blog, because it seemed to be a valid institutional issue--"what does and does not define 'media' scholar?" But ultimately I kept being discouraged because, frankly, the chair is a very powerful and well-connected person in my field and I could not risk even the most innocuous question being misinterpreted as petty sour grapes and thus risk reprisal from anyone reading the blog. So, I kept it to myself. I am sure I was not alone. And if others have been keeping things to themselves for that reason, and who got much further along than I did--it may suggest why the rant occurred. Of course, I am not excusing it, but, in short, this whole discourse of transparency and anonymity is much, much more complicated than is being represented here. Good luck to Middlebury and the other job candidates.
 * have not posted until now -- "transparency" lets the chair act as if his whims and personal preferences are fact. he is "a very powerful and well-connected person" insofar as he yells loudest and is an opportunist. the "blog" is still one more attempt at self-aggrandizement. it never ends.
 * Clearly we all need to re-familiarize ourselves with the Greater Internet Fuckwad Theory: Normal Person + Anonymity + Audience = Total Fuckwad (Penny Arcade Cartoon at: http://fishbowl.pastiche.org/2004/04/02/penny_arcades_greater_internet_fuckwad_theory/ ). :-)

[From person who moved this discussion]: I think what this discussion reveals is the structural dysfunction of academia, coupled with the mismatch between important institutional knowledge and that knowledge's utility in the private sector. I think Middlebury made their decision in good faith according to their own wants and needs, as is their prerogative. But let's look at what those are, and what they do: it appears to adhere to the (necessary and important) function of teaching undergrads how to read/understand the mediated world in which they live, to ultimately produce conscientious citizens who can formulate a critical orientation toward media. That's it, and that's fine. At the same time, however, MY opinion is that "comparative media" scholarship should do this and more, touching on more complicated and deeper issues. Unfortunately I think a fair criticism of some of the things we've been seeing in journals and conferences over the last 15 years (I'm looking at you, PCA), is a lot of scholarship that is right on that line between "Here's why ____ show is important" and "Here's a show I like, and I'm going to dress up my fandom in academese" (I mean this as a general trend, not as a direct comparison to the folks at Middlebury and what they do.) In order to make yourself attractive to a place like Middlebury, it behooves you to throw your lot in with that strain of "comparative media studies" which does this while catering to the curriculum they have in place for the undergrads. Because the other side of this is that such courses attract a boatload of undergrads who want to take a "cool" course, which simultaneously (1) justifies the jobs of tenured faculty doing this kind of scholarship; (2) undoubtedly creates even more people who pursue academic careers because this stuff really lights their fire (as was the case for me), and nobody ever tells them until it's far too late that the "life of the mind" tends not to pay well or at all in most cases, as so many of us have discovered, for a variety of structural reasons (not to mention the poor sods who have only a BA in something like Film Studies--honestly I have no idea what jobs my students expect to be getting). (And to nip this in the bud: I am speaking as someone who tends to do "cool stuff" but am put off by people I've seen who are clearly just wanking on about stuff they like.)

So, if you throw yourself into that kind of work, you have a better chance at getting a job at a place like Middlebury, but really this is akin to buying a lottery ticket, because if you don't land this kind of job, you're totally screwed--what are the "transferrable skills" of talking about the importance to culture (or the things about culture revealed by) "Buffy the Vampire Slayer"? If you've spent the last several years completely dedicated to churning out a dozen articles and a book on that, but don't land this sort of job, what can you point to on your CV that gets you hired anywhere else? Can you get even a TV executive or consultancy job out of that? I venture to say you cannot. So the only thing left for people who do "comparative media studies" is to either develop some expertise in PR, marketing, etc. (which is pretty much anathema to any critical orientation) or...what, dig ditches?

I don't mean to say we should make PhD programs or our research more "market oriented" or administrative, because to me this defeats the entire purpose. But at the moment most of us are stuck between a cloistered, priestly class of academics who act like profligate Sith Lords in their desire to capture and mentor apprentices on the one hand, versus a private sector that cannot fathom what use (at all) a PhD in this field can do for them in their business or institution. Reform is needed in graduate training, the structure of academic teaching for undergrads, and the broader system. The question is, how?


 * EDIT: I don't wish to imply that anything done at Middlebury or similar institutions, or by those people, is wankery or not academically rigorous in any way. I'm merely pointing out (1) the overlap between legit criticism/analysis with an eye toward media literacy on the one hand, with a tendency of some in academia to leverage this trend in order to merely professionalize and justify their fandom and navel-gazing on the other hand, whereby I believe it's become acceptable for people to publish and present research that is of extremely limited applicability to what we might deem "knowledge" with which to better understand and reform society; (2) the self-perpetuation of a system where tenured faculty teach "cool" courses which attract a lot of undergrads, and these faculty then encourage these undergrads to pursue that path, as well (because it's not just cool, I really do think it can be important); (3) if you can't find an academic job based on doing this kind of scholarship, you have no hopes of landing a job anywhere else; and yet if you try to broaden out your expertise and experience via "applied" work outside of academia, you may be (rightly, to some extent) branded a "sellout" or will have hurt your chances landing a plum job at a place like Middlebury because you haven't spent the time churning out the pubs and going to conferences. It's a bit of a Catch-22.