20-21 c. American 2009

20th and 21st c. American
'''Saturday, Dec 13, 12:45 pm EST Please change the date/time when you update this page. Why don't we also put the job we've updated in parentheses (see below) to make finding the updates quicker? We can limit the header list to 5 items, and the replace them as we go. That way, we'll always know where to find the 5 most recent updates.'''

'''5 most recent updates: U Iowa, Merrimack, Murray State, Gettysburg, Rollins College.

If you just click the "watch" feature at the top of the wiki page, the wiki will email you with the most recent updates. It seems easier to keep track of the most recent changes that way... And then we don't have to check the page every 15 minutes looking for an update. --> Agreed, but you only get the "watch" option if you have an account, I think. So it's probably easier to just use the system above.

Should we follow the other wiki fields and do a headcount? (should we put another category in here for those of you overachievers with book deals?!?! just kidding.)


 * ABD 30
 * PhD in hand (lecturer or adjunct) 16
 * Visiting Assistant Professor 8
 * Visiting Associate Professor 1
 * Assistant Professor 8
 * Postdoctoral Fellow 3

Boston University (visiting position for spring semester 2009 in contemporary American fiction) Oct. 15
 * Email request for additional information (week of 10/13)
 * Email received re: offer made and position accepted by another candidate (11/7)
 * ...well, that was...fast...
 * Better get that contract signed before the line is frozen.

Drew University (20th-century American literatures w/a secondary specialization in Latino/a literatures) App. deadline: Dec. 5

Eastern Washington U (20th century American literature/cultural studies)
 * Q: "Review of applications will begin when applicant pool is certified and continue until position is filled."  What does "certification" mean in this context?
 * "Certification" most likely means they have met the university or state requirements for minimum number of applicants, diversity of applicant pool, etc.
 * Letter acknowledging app. 11/21, 11/28
 * Didn't this job run last year but then was cancelled because lack of funds? A: Yes--I applied for it last year, and I compared the job description this year to the one from last year. And they are the same.

Gettysburg College (20th Century American) App. deadline: Nov. 3 Did anyone who got a sample request also get a rejection letter? A: No
 * Snail mail acknowledgment of receipt of app 11/6 (x7); 11/12
 * Sample/Dossier request 11/13 (x5)
 * Sample/Dossier request 11/20
 * Rejection Letter 12/4: Over 500 applicants! (x2)
 * got the same letter today (dated 12/1)(x8)
 * letter included truly heinous line: "I only wish the outcome could have been better for you."
 * It's funny you should mention that line. I was about to toss the letter into the recycle bin yesterday and then decided to save it to show to my colleagues. It's the most bizarrely-worded rejection I've ever received. The paragraph never really says you're rejected, and then you arrive at that line. Hilarious. And heinous.
 * MLA interview scheduled 12/8 (x2)
 * Rejection letter after request 12/12 (x3)

Hood College App. deadline: Nov. 3 This job is also listed under "American Open," which is more appropriate, as the ad says they want a generalist. I suggest we keep current data on that page instead to avoid confusion. (11/18)
 * Snail mail acknowledgment of receipt of app 11/10
 * Dossier Request (11/18) (x2)
 * Nope; no acknowledgment here either (11/26)
 * No ack. of app- anyone else? (11/21)
 * Ditto (11/22)

Hofstra University App. deadline: Nov. 24
 * Email announcement--search canceled: budget (11/26) (x2)

James Madison University (American literature 1865-1950) App. deadline: Nov. 5
 * Acknowledgment of application 11/6; 11/10; 11/11; 11/12
 * MLA interview scheduled 11/23 (2)

James Madison University (Southern literature) App. deadline: Nov. 5
 * MLA interview scheduled 11/21, 11/19

Lehigh University (post-1945 American) App. deadline: Oct. 31 MLA interview scheduled (12/8) (x2) Q: Has anyone else who had a dossier/writing sample request not been contacted for an interview and not gotten a rejection? Yes. (3)
 * got a friendly "sorry, no thank you" e-mail 10/23 (x6)
 * Ditto 11/6 (x2)
 * email request for dossier and writing sample 10/23 (x6)
 * Rejection Email (11/10) (x5)
 * Rejection Email (11/13)(x9)
 * Sample/Dossier/Teaching materials request 11.13
 * Rejection Email (11/14)
 * No dossier request and no rejection (12/2) (x2)
 * Rejection Email (12/3)
 * Were interviews scheduled via email or phone? Mine was scheduled by phone.

Long Island U Due 11/3
 * This search is cancelled
 * Anyone have more info on this?
 * Here's the relevant section of the email I got: "Unfortunately, the University Administration has just frozen all job searches and hiring for next year. We do hope to get permission to search next year for hiring in fall 2010."

Loyola University - New Orleans (Contemporary Literature and Critical Theory) App. deadline: November 10
 * I can't relocate this posting on the JIL - does anyone know if it is still on?
 * I think it is. I had printed out the post, and it stated that it would expire from the JIL on October 24th.
 * Ack. e-mail (Affirmative Action survey) 11/11 (x2)
 * MLA interview scheduled 12/2 (x2)
 * On campus interview scheduled 12/2
 * they scheduled an on-campus prior to the MLA? Care to explain? A: I'm not the one who got the interview, but I'm guessing this is someone local.  Same thing happened to me in NY last year.
 * Yes, I am local. Applicant pool is 300+. (12/9)
 * I'm new at this -- no offense intended -- but is there a difference between "local" and "inside"?
 * Those who have interviews, how were you contacted? Did they mention how big the applicant pool and long-list were?
 * Maybe the on-campus interviewee is an inside candidate.
 * Snail mail rejection letter (12/11, 12/12). Addressed to "Dear [First name]." No "Mr." No "Dr." No last name.

Macalester College (20th and 21st Century American and US Ethnic Literatures) App. deadline: Nov. 1


 * Snail mail acknowledgment of app (dated 10/30; x6)
 * No acknowledgement. (11/17) --Is anyone else in this boat, or do you think I should contact them to see if they received my application? --No akcnowledgement for me either.
 * No ack. either as of 11/18
 * No ack. either as of 11/20
 * No ack. either as of 11/22 -- I checked my delivery confirmation, and it was delivered. So lack of ack. probably not anything to worry about.
 * Search has been cancelled as of 11/28 (see MLA JIL status update)
 * I was dealing with the cancellations in stride; now I'm really frustrated. Such a great job. :(
 * Focus on how cold it gets there... that's what I'm doing.
 * Or on how seemingly disorganized the dept is: How do some applicants get ack and others don't? And shouldn't they at least email everyone about canceling the search, since we took the effort to mail in our applications?  Thanks to whoever sent the JIL status update, since I never would've even known to check there! (You're welcome--wish I had better news to contribute!)
 * As if you already didn't know, I did receive a letter by snail mail saying the search was cancelled. You are correct; it seems weird that some are notified and some aren't. 12/2/08
 * Received letter on cancellation (12/3) (x3) (12/4) (12/10) (12/11)

Merrimack College (modern and contemporary American) Review of apps. begins Oct. 15


 * Dossier request 11/5 (2)
 * Wasn't a dossier required with the application?
 * The job ad lists "three letters of recommendation" as among the materials to be sent initially. Are we talking about letters or a writing sample?
 * A: E-mail request for a writing sample. [Date? Did they request yr dossier simultaneously?] I was contacted by e-mail on 11/5 and asked to send a writing sample. My rec letters were mailed in October.
 * Cryptic update on JIL: "Candidates will be contacted for MLA interviews by first or secon"--cut off mid-sentence! Anyone know the dates?
 * It looks as though the listing is gone from the JIL (11/10).
 * The listing is there (you just have to search under "expired listing"). It's frustrating that the dates are cut off, but I'd guess that they're saying that candidates will be contacted for an interview by the first or second week in Dec. [I mean, we could wish that it was Nov., but that seems unlikely.]
 * email request for writing sample 11/26 (x3)
 * MLA interview scheduled 12/6 (x4)
 * any of you with 11/26 samples heard about interviews? are they done?
 * Yes. I received a writing sample request in the second round and have scheduled an interview.
 * Me too.

Miami University (American modernism/North American literature and culture 1900-1950) 10/31
 * JIL now says this position is canceled (11/3)
 * email explaining that the search is canceled due to anticipated budget constraints (11/7)

Millersville University (American literature and culture since 1970) App. deadline: Dec. 21

Mississippi State University (20th-Century American with a strong emphasis on Southern literature) 11/ 14
 * "Thanks, but no thanks" email 11/4 (x2), 11/17 (x2), 11/21
 * Dossier request 11/5 (x2)
 * Received dossier request, today (12/3) rejection e-mail regarding interview
 * MLA interview scheduled (12/3)

Missouri Southern State University (20th/21st-century American and British literature, with secondary expertise in postcolonial literature) App. deadline: Nov. 3
 * Ack. snail-mail, dated 11/24.
 * Phone interview scheduled 11/24.
 * Search cancelled 12/11. They're going to hire a one-year replacement.

Murray State University (modern or contemporary American poetry) App. deadline: Nov. 14
 * MLA interview scheduled 12/12 (2)

Notre Dame Review begins 10/31
 * Ack. of app. 11/4
 * Received request for more materials (11/14)(x8)
 * Does anyone know what the request for "updated credentials" means/refers to in their email for additional materials? Thanks
 * I would guess that means they want recommendation letters that were written this year, as well as any recent changes to the c.v.
 * Snail mail rejection (dated 12/5, received 12/8. I was not asked for more materials) x11
 * Rejection letter (12/8) (X5) Q: Had any of you been asked for more materials previously? A: I was not asked.
 * I just noticed that there's another listing for Notre Dame on the 19th Century American wiki page; I thought the position was for 2 twentieth century people and didn't include 19th century applicants :( Anyway, the other page says they have already invited two senior scholars to campus in early Dec., but still plan on interviewing junior people at MLA.

Penn State Shenango (Americanism and race/gender diversity) Due 10/20
 * Ack. 10/22
 * Ack. 10/25 (x2)

Pomona College (British and/or American Poetry since 1820) App deadline: Nov. 3
 * USPS Ack. 11/10 (x4), 11/12
 * email request for writing sample 11/12; ditto, 11/14; ditto, 11/14; ditto 11/14 (2)
 * MLA interview scheduled 12/10; x2.
 * Phone or email?
 * Phone

Providence College (any area of fiction 1960-present, with the ability to teach U.S. writers) 11/1
 * rec'd email indicating that my dossier, sent 3+ weeks before via Interfolio, hadn't arrived! was told other applicants also had problems w/ their dossier services.
 * I also sent via Interfolio, but as of yet received no email. Did they specify the problem was Interfolio, or just other dossier services in general? Did anyone receive ack of app from them?
 * I used my university's dossier services (and they got materials to all the other schools on time) and have not heard a word from PC in form of receipt. No acknowledgment letter or EOE card. It also looks like the same thing is happening in their Milton search (same Nov 1 deadline) -- no one has updated the other PC search for ack letters or EOE cards.
 * I also received the email that neither my dossier (sent via university dossier service) nor two sets of official transcripts (sent from two diff Registrars offices) had arrived (after 4 weeks). The email made no mention of this being a wide-spread issue but I have heard from others who applied that they were also told letters hadn't arrived yet. Since I did get the email, though, I knew that at least my application package had arrived. 11/26 (x2)
 * I also received an email that my dossier didn't arrive, and now I feel bad because I got mad at Interfolio (my dossier service) about it. Turns out one of my colleagues got the same email message.  It must be something on their end. 11/26
 * MLA interview scheduled by phone (12/13)

Queens College - CUNY App. deadline: Nov. 20 App. deadline has been extended to Dec. 15
 * Where is this ad? I don't see it in the JIL.
 * You have to search under "expired listings." The job is in Transnational American Lit. (not confined to any century).
 * MLA interview scheduled (12/4)
 * What does this mean, considering that the application deadline isn't until Dec. 15th? Is it even worth it to apply when interviews have already been scheduled? It sounds like they already know who they want... (12/11)

Quinnipiac University (20th-century British and/or American and the ability to teach both Modernist and contemporary literature) App. deadline: Nov. 1
 * Anyone get a letter of acknowledgement? I haven't. (11/24)
 * No ack. here. (11/26)
 * Nor here (12/2) X6
 * Email saying tenure-track position has been suspended. Position being converted to visiting assistant professor (12/10). (X8) btw --a one-year position which we can REAPPLY to....um, okay.
 * This may not be the best place to ask, but it's my impression that such positions aren't often "re-converted" to TT. Are my perceptions correct on this one?
 * I've never seen this precise formulation, TT to visiting and back, but it is unlikely, from my experience of departments getting lines, a pretty involved and often contentious process, that it will be next year or even the next. Further, taking such a position does not necessarily work in one's favor if and when the job does come up. Familiarity does not often breed a tenure track job.

Rollins College (Hamilton Holt School) App. deadline: Oct 15 Texas A & M (contemporary U.S.-based literature) App. deadline: Nov. 1
 * Ack. of app. 11/6
 * dossier/sample / teaching statement request via email 11/7 (x8)
 * Wasn't the teaching statement requested originally?
 * A: I was asked for a brief statement on teaching non-traditional students and program administration experience in addition to the teaching philosophy statement I submitted with original ap.
 * E-mail announcing that I'd get a call scheduling MLA interview. (12/10)(X2)
 * Rejection Email (I received a dossier request), over 200 applicants (x3).
 * Rejection Email (no dossier request) (12/12) (x3)
 * Acknowledgement by snail mail 11/11; 11/13; they will be reading applications into early December (x5).
 * MLA interview scheduled, via phone (12/6) (x3)
 * Snail mail rejection letter 12/8 (x4)

University of Alaska-Fairbanks App. deadline: Nov. 3
 * Anyone get a letter of acknowledgement?
 * No, haven't heard anything. (X2)
 * Big fat old mass rejection email from HR (11/25) (x4)
 * It's amazing how cold the rejection was--whhooo! get it?!?!!
 * Ba da bum.
 * Q: Over in the 19th. C. section, someone is reporting a phone interview for this job. Has anyone both not received a rejection and not been contacted for an interview? *
 * A: Yes. No rejection and no interview (x7)

University of British Columbia (Literatures in English since 1945) 10/17
 * Request for phone interview 11/18 (x4)
 * friendly rejection via email 11/18 (x15)
 * Ditto 12/4
 * The email said that there were 199 applicants for this job. Wow.
 * Is 199 average for a lit job? It seems like a lot to me, but maybe that's normal?
 * Yes - it is normal for UBC. Have you been to B.C. or visited the campus?  I'd give my left arm to work there.
 * 199 actually sounds low. I know at Lehigh over 300 applications were sent in for that job and that, sadly, seems more like the norm than not.
 * Yeah, 199 sounded low to me too. Maybe the numbers were low because the job deadline was so early (it was my earliest one), and the Canada searches always ask for so much material up front. Hard to get everything together that fast. Plus they want things to arrive by the deadline, not just be postmarked by that date. Last year a Canadian school actually went to the trouble of sending me a letter that said that they weren't going to consider my application because it arrived a day after the deadline.
 * Remember, too, that Canadian schools usually take citizenship into account. Not that it really matters most of the time; I reckon they'll go for anyone who has the golden stones.


 * I don't think you can over-generalize about Canadian schools. I have applied to Can jobs late and had my app accepted. I always thought that American schools asked for too much material upfront.  It really depends on the school.
 * I'm the generalizer, above. I've applied to 7-8 jobs in Canada over the last couple of years and every one of them asked for dossier, writing sample, teaching statement, student evalutions, etc., from the get-go. I've wondered about it. It's a lot of work, esp when you don't know how seriously American applicants will be considered.
 * Hey do you know of a central location to look for Canadian jobs? I have found one but it is never updated and I end up having to go to schools webpages. Is there something like the MLA or chronicle for smaller jobs?
 * Who you calling "smaller"? Ha ha. Check out University Affairs.
 * Anyone else not received rejection email but not been called for interview? 12/2
 * Yup - x2 right here (12/3)
 * The email said that they had settled on a long-list of 11 candidates back on 11/18. But perhaps there is a "shadow" long-list in case all of us bomb the phone interviews, and that's why you haven't had a rejection yet?
 * The phone interviews will last 15 minutes...seem a little short?
 * So short! What can they possibly find out in 15 minutes?
 * They will base their decision on how annoying your voice is relative to the other 10 people. Or, they have a secret question with only one right answer; the closest answer wins. My other guess is they will have a trance medium there who will make the decision based on your past lives. As with a police phone tracing, there is a minimum time period required to evoke your spiritual rap sheet.

University of California, Santa Barbara (Literature and Media) due 10/24
 * Anyone?
 * The Film & Media Studies wiki showed a request for more writing samples listed in mid-Nov.
 * not the one on scratchpad-- can you direct us to the wiki of which you speak?
 * Yes, the one on scratchpad. Film and media studies has its own wiki, not the "film and media" section under English Literature.  It says another writing sample requested on 11/17.

University of Chicago (20th-Century British, American, or Anglophone) due 11/3
 * Acknowledgment by email 11/17 (x17)
 * no acknowledgement here 11/19 (2) 11/21(1)
 * acknowledgment 11/20 (x4)
 * ack. 11/21
 * Writing sample request 11/24 (x3)
 * Writing sample request 11/25 (x3) - did you receive requests via e-mail or snail mail? email.
 * MLA interview scheduled by phone 12/11
 * May I ask if the person who rec'd an interview also rec'd a WS request? I ask b/c the WS request email said they'd be reading up until the convention, so the interview req. seems surprisingly early...

for those of you who've had writing sample requests, did you send in your applications early? I'm just wondering whether they're done, or if things are still rolling. Answer: I did not send it early (x2).

on list of cancellations it says 3 jobs have been reduced to 1. Any confirmation/source on this? No, but insider source reports that they received over 700 apps. Across all three fields? That actually strikes me as low.

I agree! Esp. if Gettysburg had over 500 apps for an American job.

University of Iowa (20th-century U.S. literature and culture) Review begins Oct. 15

MLA scheduled by phone 12/13
 * email request for writing sample and dossier 10/23
 * Same request 10/28 (x6), 10/28 (x5), 10/29 (x6)
 * email request for writing sample and dossier (even though I included a ws in my initial app) (11/10, Submitted app on Oct31)
 * request 11/10 (x5); submission 10/26; request 11/10; submission 10/23; 11.11, sub 10.31
 * Same: request for dossier and sample apparently sent earlier (to the wrong e-mail address?), but follow-up phone call on 11/17 elicits the materials promptly (yikes); app submission was 10/31
 * Those of you who rec'd requests, when did you submit online apps? Answer = Apps submitted: 10/5; 10/10; 10/13 ; 10/16 ; 10/17; 10/18; 10/22;  10/27 ; 10.31

University of Nebraska - Lincoln (Twentieth Century Poetry, British or American) due 11/1
 * Dossier request via email 11/12 (x4)
 * MLA interview scheduled 12/03
 * anyone else heard about interview who got a sample request? 12/12 I was one of the people who received a dossier request above, but I haven't been contacted for an interview. I'm pretty bummed because I have been checking the wiki constantly for info about this job, and then this interview update pops up yesterday, a week after the person has been contacted. No one from the British modern and contemporary wiki has been contacted for an interview for this job either. I must say that I am jealous of the interviewee. 12/12

University of Nebraska, Kearney (post-WWII and contemporary American literature) Review begins Jan. 15

University of North Carolina, Pembroke (contemporary literature) Review begins Oct. 3


 * Phone Interview: 10/28


 * Campus interview scheduled 11/17


 * Snail mail indicating that the starting date will be in August, not January (12/10). I wonder:  are they still reviewing materials, or is this just that the chosen candidate can't start in January?

University of Tulsa (early 20th-Century American) due Oct. 1
 * What job is this? I never saw this listed?
 * From website: The University of Tulsa seeks an Associate or advanced Assistant Professor of English in early 20th century American literature.
 * Have heard nothing yet 11/20 (x2)
 * Received ack. of app. before 11/20 (n.d.)
 * Email writing sample request (11/19)
 * MLA interview scheduled by phone (12/9) (x2)

University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee (post-WW II/Contemporary American Lit and culture) Nov. 15 (w bonus name misformatted: "Dear Surname, Firstname...")
 * Dossier request by email ~11/7
 * Dossier request by email 11/20 (x3)
 * awesome mr. roboto email rejection 11/20 (x10)
 * haven't heard either way 11/24. are there others in the same boat?
 * Yes, me too. I'm trying hard (but failing) not to read anything into the lack of rejection.
 * Me three; I applied last-minute, though. Maybe they haven't gotten around to reviewing everyone yet? Or we're a sort of back-bench crew if the dossier request folk don't work out? Or they just haven't gotten around to dinging us yet. We'll see ..
 * Me four. Also applied last minute.
 * I thought a rejection too but now, on Dec 2, I get a request for my dossier. Who knows? Maybe they are still going through the pile. (x5)
 * same awesome Mr. Roboto email rejection, after 11/20 dossier request (12/9) (x4)
 * Mr. Roboto strikes again; I wasn't asked for a dossier earlier . . . (12/9) (x7)
 * Phone interview scheduled (12/9) (x2)
 * Phone interview scheduled 12/11, though he left the message 12/10. He said there are 8 phone interviews scheduled for next week, no MLA interviews, 2 or 3 for campus visits. They want to speed up their time frame. By the time I called back, there were only 2 slots for me to choose from--there must be only one left to schedule.
 * Phone interview scheduled (12/12)

Western New England College
 * Letter via snail mail announcing that search has been aborted 11/19 (x4)

Whitman College (modern and contemporary American) App. deadline: Oct. 31 Q: When did you get a sample request? A: No sample requested. (x2) Q: Is this common? Interviews based on cv, letter, and recs only?
 * Acknowledgment by email 11/18 (x22)
 * shoot! no acknowledgment here! anyone else?
 * I also didn't receive an acknowledgment (x4)
 * MLA interview scheduled (12/5) (x2)
 * MLA interview scheduled (12/8--email; no sample req)
 * I wouldn't say common, but I know a few other instances of it happening.

Wisconsin, Eau Claire Due 11/3
 * Acknowledgment via snail mail 11/6
 * MLA interview scheduled by phone 12/11 (x2)

Worcester Polytechnic Institute (modern American literature, film, and media) Review begins Nov. 15
 * MLA interview scheduled, 12/2 (x2)
 * Q: Just out of curiosity, how did you know about the job?
 * A: Higheredjobs.com.
 * Did anyone else notice that this was just re-posted on JIL? I wonder if it's even worth applying, since they've already started setting up interviews. Then again, why would they re-post it? Any ideas? (12/6) A: They also just posted it in the Chronicle this week. I'm confused, too. Not enough applicants for top-secret job?
 * This does sound very strange. I wonder if this is one of those, "well we have to make it public but actually we know exactly who our candidate is."

Yale University (Twentieth Century Literature) App. Deadline: Nov. 1
 * acknowledgement via snail mail 11/5 (x7)
 * no acknowledgement here 11/15 (x6)
 * acknowledgement via snail mail 11/15 (x3), 11/19, 11/21