Spanish 2009-2010

Good luck to everybody with their search!

 * Visitor Type:


 * ABD, not defending soon: 7
 * ABD, defending within 4-6 months: 19
 * ABD, I have a set date for my defense: 2
 * ABD, no defense at my U: 5
 * Ph.D. in hand: 13
 * Visiting Professor, Lecturer: 8
 * Assistant Professor: 11
 * Member of a Search Committee: 1
 * Just browsing: 2
 * Native speakers: 3
 * Heritage speakers: 2
 * non-native speakers: 4
 * Muleteer: 11


 * Specialty:


 * Latin American: 19
 * Colonial: 2
 * Independence era: 2
 * Modern/Contemporary: 10
 * Southern Cone: 1
 * Caribbean: 2
 * Brazilian: 2


 * Peninsular: 31
 * Medieval: 11 (This number still surprises me...are there really 11 medievalists self-identifying on this Wiki? More medievalists than modern Latin Americanists?  Curious.) Only curious??? (Yes, as in "that's curious."  I made the comment because every department I've ever been in has been dominated by modern Latin Americanists, and medievalists have been few and far between.  I'm guessing there aren't really 11 medievalists on this site and that it's an error.  Curious!)
 * Siglo de Oro/Colonial: 8
 * XVIII-XIX:
 * XIX- XX: 10
 * XX-XXI: 3
 * US Hispanic:1
 * Linguistics: 4
 * Consider yourself a Generalist: 8


 * How many applications have you sent out?


 * 1-10: 14
 * 10-20: 13
 * 21-30: 5
 * 31-40: 5
 * 41 and above: 3

MLA interviews scheduled:
[NOTE: Please add the school at the bottom of the list and put the date in parenthesis. Thanks. **The date you received the call/email, not the date of the interview!**]

Did anyone else have problems with their referees not receiving the automated email requesting letters for U Penn? 3 of mine received it a week ago and uploaded their letter, but my advisor says she never got the email. And the website gives no contact info for technical help- just the provost's office. Ay ay ay.//Yes, I am having the same problem, only 2/3 of my letters are up on their internal HR site. SAME HERE... (2x).// Me too, problems with referees not receiving automated email requesting letters. If you ask your referees to send letters directly to dept., they (clerks) do not upload letters in your file Q: Qhat does "2x" mean?
 * Dominican University (11/10)
 * Washington College (in Maryland), (11/23). Q. For which position? The tenure-track or the visiting? (11/30) (TT position)
 * College of Charleston (11/24)
 * American University (11/30) Q: Which position? Q: How did they contact you, phone or email? Thanx! Emai, 11/‚
 * Columbia (Peninsular): anyone received phone call/email to schedule interview at MLA?
 * Dartmouth (XIX C): anyone received phone call/email to schedule interview at MLA?
 * U of Michigan (Peninsular) : anyone received phone call/email to schedule interview at MLA?
 * USC (Peninsular) : anyone received phone call/email to schedule interview at MLA?
 * Monmouth College (12/1) email
 * Indiana U (not sure when--second hand)
 * Trinity U (12/1) phone
 * Bethel College (11/24) email
 * Manhattan College (11/18) email
 * Brandeis University (12/2) email -no one else has heard from Brandeis? (2x)
 * Grinnell College (12/3 x2) phone (be prepared, Grinnell asks some intense questions) (I second that: Make sure to have examples of books for all the courses they teach, that's what they asked me last year, It didn't went well for me, good luck, yeah and be prepared to have 5 seconds to recite random 50 minute class plans)
 * North Carolina, Greensboro. (Phone, 12/02)
 * U of San Diego (Phone 12/4) (2x)
 * U Penn (email, 12/4). Q: The Latin American or Peninsular position?   A: Lat Am. (2x) A: Peninsular (1)

Phone interviews scheduled:
[NOTE: Please add the school at the bottom of the list and put the date in parenthesis. Thanks. **The date you received the call/email, not the date of the interview!**]


 * Albright College - Phone Interview (11/5), Phone Interview (11/6)
 * Susquehanna University - Phone Interview (11/7), they will do campus interviews on first week of Dec., and make an offer before the MLA, Phone Interview (11/8).
 * Hastings College - phone interview scheduled for 11/18 (11/16)
 * University of West Georgia- phone interview scheduled for 12/8 (2)  Q. When they sent the notice? by email or phone? A. Phone Q For which position? Latin American or Peninsular? Latin American A. And Peninsular   Q: When were you called to schedule foracademicjobs.wikia.com verdad, el dia exacto ne se' pero seri'a hace una semana.
 * Westminster College - phone interview scheduled for 12/4
 * Wake Forest University (11/26)
 * Berry College (12/1)
 * Albion College (12/3) (12/4)
 * University of Alabama (12/4 x2)
 * U Penn (Latin American position) 12/4 (anyone else?) No one has heard anything for the Peninsular position? // I was wondering the same thing about the Peninsular position, as I've heard nothing so far. // a phone interview? not in the MLA? // They are probably just doing some initial scouting before deciding on finalists to interview at MLA. But who knows? The position was also open to 'exceptional senior candidates,' so there could be some informal discussions going on. An email for an MLA interview was received on 12/4 (see above).
 * Auburn University (12/4)
 * Illinois State University (12/4)

Video interviews scheduled:
[NOTE: Please add the school at the bottom of the list and put the date in parenthesis. Thanks. **The date you received the call/email, not the date of the interview!**]


 * University of Wisconsin-LaCrosse (12/3) (x2) Wow! this should be interesting (techie and all!) good luck!
 * University of Missouri (12/4) (2x)

Campus Visits Scheduled:
[NOTE: Please add the school at the bottom of the list and put the date in parenthesis. Thanks. **The date you received the call/email, not the date of the interview!**]


 * University of Western Ontario (Oct- Nov '09)


 * Albright College (Nov'09)
 * Susquehanna U. - (Nov '09) (2)
 * Morningside College (Nov '09)

Offers Made:

 * Western Ontario (Nov. 25)


 * Morningside College (Nov. 25) - Accepted [CONGRATULATIONS! x4] Parabéns!

Canceled Searches

 * Highpoint U
 * Virginia Tech Q. Which position? The tenure-track or the instructor?


 * A: I believe the tenure-track search was canceled and changed to an "Instructor" position instead (ugh).


 * Illinois Wesleyan position "transformed" into a 2-year non-tenure position

Rejections:
[NOTE: Please add the school at the bottom of the list and put the date in parenthesis. Thanks.]


 * Benedictine College (e-mail, 11/3)
 * Wofford College (letter, 10/20)
 * American University (e-mail, 12/4)
 * Middle Tenneessee SU (e-mail 12/4)

Submitted Application Status:
(this seems entirely useless to me'; maybe once MLA interviews start kicking in we can delete this??? please do not erase anything, what is useless for you is useful for others / ditto! This is not useless information for some. Please do not erase. // Q: Has anyone recieve writing sample or other documents request so far beyond Vanderbilt and Indiana U? (23/11)//  //A: Warren Wilson, Amherst have requested more materials.

Albion College-letter with AA 09/11, 11/16, phone call scheduled to talk about the position (12/3)

Albright College - letter with AA form 10/1

Amherst College - letter requesting more materials 11/23

Angelo State University - Ackn. e-mail 9/25

Augustana College - Ackn. e-mail 10/26

Bates College - Mail ackn. with AA form, Ackn. mail 12/3

Berry College - letter with AA form 10/07

Birmingham-Southern College - Ackn. e-mail 10/5, 10/27, 11/17

Brandeis University - Ackn. e-mail 10/22; Ackn. e-mail 11/9; Ackn. e-mail 11/24 (2)

Clemson U - Ack. letter and AA form 11/16

College of Charleston - Ackn. e-mail 11/16

Colorado College - Ackn. email 9/30, 10/30 (3)

Emory and Henry College - letter with AA form 10/14

Franklin College - letter with AA form 10/27, 10/28, letter 11/18

Georgia State University - Ackn. email 11/16

Georgia Gwinnett College Q: any news? A. This is a very weird place because they want several people for next year, some at different ranks, and they did not post any deadline. After that, they said they also wanted people for January. Plus, being a new university founded in 2005 you never know what their plan is. We will have to keep on waiting.// Thanks, is good to know this.

Grinnell- Ackn. email 11/11 (2); Ackn. e-mail; candidates who will be interviewed at MLA will be notified in early December (11/19);

Hamilton College - Ackn. email 10/23, 11/10

Harvard email 12/1

Hastings College - letter with AA form 9/28

Illinois Wesleyan University - Ackn. email and confirming that the position has been transformed into a 2-year visiting 11/3 (X2)
 * new version of job add says 1-year

Indiana University - request of writing sample 11/13, ackn. email 11/19

Jacksonville U: ??

John Carroll University: Ackn email, 12/1

Kennesaw State U - letter with AA form 10/7

King's College - Mail ackn. 11/5, letter with AA form 10/12

Middle Tennessee SU (MTSU) - Ackn.email 10/27

Missouri Southern State University - Ackn. e-mail 10/16

Monmouth College - Ackn. e-mail 11/2  (3)

Morningside College - Ackn. e-mail 11/5

Mount Royal University (Canada) - Ackn. e-mail 11/17

MMSU - Ackn. e-mail 11/11

Northern Kentucky U - letter with AA form 10/15

Portland State University - ackn. email and AA form 11/17 (2)

Penn State at Berks - Ackn. e-mail 10/16 (2)

Rice - Ackn. e-mail 11/02 (2)

Sam Houston State University - Ackn. letter 12/2

Southern Methodist University - Ackn. e-mail 11/05

Southeast Missouri State U- letter 11/13

St. Ambrose U- email with AA 11/17

St. Bonaventure U - Ackn. e-mail 11/9

Stony Brook, SUNY: ??

SUNY New Paltz - Mail ackn. with AA form 11/5 (3)

The College of Wooster - Ackn. e-mail 11/13

The University of British Columbia - Ackn. letter 11/17

Towson University - letter with AA form 10/23

U of Alabama: Ackn letter with AA 11/18

U of British Columbia - Ackn. letter 11/23

U of Colorado Boulder - Ackn. e-mail 10/30

U of Delaware - Mail ackn. with AA form 10/29, 10/20, 10/23

U of Evansville letter 11/4

U of Kansas - Ackn. e-mail 11/2; Ackn. e-mail 10/19, Ackn. e-mail 11/10; Ack. e-mail 11/23

U of Kentucky - Ackn. e-mail 10/27

U of Massachusetts Dartmouth - Ack. e-mail with AA form (12/4 x2)

U of Michigan Ann Arbor - Ackn. e-mail 10/20 (3)

U of Missouri at Columbia - Ackn. email w.AA form (11/13)

U of Oregon - Ackn. email will AA form 11/17

U of San Diego - Mail ackn. 11/5; Ackn. e-mail 11/13

U of Southern California - Ackn. email 11/10 (2)

U of Wisconsin-La Crosse, Q: any news?

Vanderbilt - email requesting more documents 11/11

Virginia Tech instructor - Ackn. e-mail 10/9

Warren Wilson College - Ackn. e-mail 11/9, AA 16/10, 10/29; email requesting more information (11/30)

Washington College - Ackn. e-mail 10/3, 10/29

Williams College - letter with AA form 10/06, letter 11/3

WPI - Ackn. e-mail 10/12, ackn. email 12/4, ackn. email 12/4 also

Q&A or comments:
1. Can we try keeping this alphabetical...

A. Es mas facil ubicar la informacion si esta ordenada cronologicamente, que por orden alfabetico...

A. No sé por qué sería más fácil cronológicamente...parece que lo estamos haciendo por orden alfabético.

A. Look at other disciplines in past years. The ones that do it alphabetically AND have a lot of activity, it gets to be difficult to monitor different positions. When you apply to 30/40/50 places, it's easier to keep track of MLA and campus interviews by the date they get placed here.

A. The "Submitted applications" section should definitely be kept in alphabetical order. Anything else would be best kept in chronological order.

A. I applied to 100 jobs last year, and the chronological order didn't help me.

A. 100 jobs? The help you need dependeth not on the order of the Wiki. :)

A. LOL. Just keep the alphabetical as usual. Chronological makes no sense.

A. As usual??? Makes no sense??? take a look at last year's wiki. It was chronological http://academicjobs.wikia.com/wiki/Spanish_2008-2009 as well as the year before http://academicjobs.wikia.com/wiki/SpanishPositions

A. Change can be good. Let's embrace the changes.

A. SOOOOOOO... "Submitted Application Status" in alphabetical (this category will be compressed and/or disappear anyway as more significant news starts to arise), and everything else in chronological order? That sounds good to me, even though I was initially one of the above voices of support for alphabetical order.

A. Great! Gotta love some consensus!

A. Why some people is deleting comments? Censorship here? OH, PLEASE! Lets go by the chronological order.


 * PLEASE BE RESPECTFUL AND PROFESSIONAL.*

A. 1) 100 positions? I applied to 10 last year, and still got a t-t position. This year I am part of a search committee in Spanish, and reading all materials we can easily discard those that "apply to everything" because they have no clue what this position is about; they did not spend time personalizing their dossiers because they were too busy applying to 100 positions. Get some help, as someone said.

A.) According to your "logic" then you should have only applied to one! What a braggart!

A) The problem, at least for me, is that many job descriptions are really vague, and it is not really clear what do they want in concrete. Sometimes, it seems, that is because even the insitution is not really defined and are differences among people. Other it is because they are not really clear in what they want.
 * 2) Some people is talking the way our kids is learning (Bush dixit).

2. ¿Qué significa AA?

A. AA es la forma de "Affirmative Action."

A. Alternate meaning: Alcoholics Anonymous. You may need their help after a year on the job market...

A. Thanks. Yes, I recently learned about the high incidence of AA and NA in academia.....note to self....

A. Anxious Academics. I do not know if it is me or the universities are taking much more time to contact people this year. By this time last year, I had 2 interviews scheduled for the MLA.

A. Anxious Academics is right! I have 2 MLA interviews as of now, but so many schools are still completely MIA...no ackn. letters, nothing, nada. I guess next week we will all be overloaded with responses? Maybe not.

A. I agree that things seem to be going a little slower (and of course lower). Thanksgiving was late this year--that could be part of it, and also a higher number than usual had their deadlines between the 20th of November and the 1st of December.

3. What about including open positions for Spanish language/literature in European universities?

A. If you have some news on them, go ahead and put it up! There is nobody moderating this Wiki, just add it yourself.

A. Here's one: &nbsp http://www.jobs.ac.uk/job/AAG219/college-lecturership-in-spanish/ &nbsp; And you may be able to find more in days to come at www.jobs.ac.uk.

4. Anyone know what happened to the "MLA interviews scheduled" information from last year's Wiki? Or have some record of it? Although I remember more or less, I would be interested to know when interviews really started to come along.

A. They started appearing right after thanksgiving, if I am not mistaken... That part got deleted after a while in last year's wiki. But check the year before last (someone already posted the link above) you'll see it's after thanksgiving that things start moving quickly.

A. Yes, after thanksgiving is the usual. Dont get so anxious... yet...

5.Any advise as to possible answers for the question&gt; How would you teach X or Y course? (first timer here!)

A: If you have already an interview, and know which classes they teach usually and might want you to teach, you should prepare a short class description, with readings and some activities that may help you to give concrete examples. If you want to go further you can always prepare a full syllabus, but that may be too much. Hope it helps.

A: It is impossible to prepare possible syllabi for all courses being taught in every university you apply. But have at least 2 or 3 syllabi ready for courses you would "ideally" teach. Now, have you taught anything at all? If yes, then you're fine. Think of activities that worked really well, lesson plans that you were proud of, and modify them accordingly to the question they pose. Explain 1) methodology to prepare the class and syllabus (language/literature: what is the main drive force behind the course?) and 2) exemplify how a typical class would work with examples of things that worked in your classes. Important always: specific examples: that will keep them asking you more

6. Why am i checking this website obsessively?

A. The same reason I am, it gives you a sense of control over something you have no control over. LOL. Good luck on your job hunt! :) This must be AM.

7. nothing much on this wiki this year... besides a reduced market, maybe not enough people know about it

A. Nothing has happened yet, hence nothing on the Wiki. (11/29)

8. Someone deleted an exchange about postdoc. Please don't do that. In any case, here goes again the link http://academicjobs.wikia.com/wiki/Humanities_and_Social_Science_Postdocs_2009-2010

9. *Colleges scheduling MLA interviews by e-mail? What a lack of glamour...

A.Seems pretty reasonable to me--it's just a first round interview, not a campus visit. Search committees don't want to spend their time playing phone tag with a dozen people.

A. Lack of glamour? why? A. There's nothing glamorous about a job search process, i think.

R. Well, if you're one of the 8-10 people who made the cut (among 80, 100 candidates?) I assume you deserve a phone call. We're worth more than a few cents, I think...

A. Don't take it so personally. Think of it from an administrative standpoint: you have to schedule a day and time with all of these people...if you're lucky, maybe you get some of them on the first ring...you leave a message with the available times with the rest...then play phone tag and try to sort out their preferences one by one. Or, you just email everyone, get their preferences in writing, plug them into your document, and it's a done deal. Basically, I'd get over the idea that you "deserve" anything as a candidate in this market, or that menial administrative tasks are any indication of your "worth" as a candidate. As you'll soon be painfully aware, you're not the one calling the shots! Good luck regardless, but I'd recommend getting over the desire to be some kind of sought after gem; it's only going to make you seem like a prima donna. And BTW, 80-100 might be a low estimate; I'm aware of positions that got 250+ applications last year. May we all be thankful to get an email scheduling an interview!!!

R. I agree with you: candidates should not take the process personally. On the other hand, I don't consider myself a "sought after gem," so that's not the issue here. My point was that all candidates (not just myself) deserve at least a phone call instead of an email that says "ok, see ya in a crowded hotel, good luck, and don't get stuck in the elevator."

10. What is a muleteer? (see visitor type section above). Is this a Quijote reference or do you mean that you travel between various part-time teaching gigs and get paid next to nothing? (If it is a Quijote reference, then at my current job I feel as exploited as la pobre Maritornes, but this year hope to "marry up" or move up professionally-speaking and become more like the astute Dorotea!)

A. I took it as a bit of sarcasm regarding the over-the-top specificity of the "self-identification" section with regard to seemingly irrelevant factors...for example, native speaker vs. non-native speaker vs. heritage speaker. But perhaps that was just my reading. And by the way, how many of us have green eyes? Brown eyes? Blue?

Q. Does anybody know about Fairfield University?