20-21 c. American 2010

Demographics:
PAGE UPDATED: 2/25 9:30 AM EST

(Please update when you make any changes)

ABD (early):

ABD (will finish this academic year): 26

Ph.D. in hand (one-year (1), in hand &lt; 1 year (3) VAP (9), Lecturer (4) Postdoc (4)): 16

Assistant Professor: 9

Associate Professor: 1

Full Professor:

Lurker: 1

Total: 51

Job Offers (Q. Any job offers yet? Anything officially announced or through the grapevine?)
Bard College (3/10) -- based on rejection email

Baylor (3/2)

Case Western (2/11)

Colgate (3/05) -- based on rejection letter which stated that a hire has been made.

Drew University (3/05)

Manhattan College (2/11)

Miami U (OH): late Jan.

MIT Contemporary Lit and Media--offer made and accepted, according to the rejection phone call; went to a film Ph.D., methinks :(

Saint Louis University: 2/10

Texas A&M International: 3/10- based on rejection email

University of Chicago (3/1) (x1)

University of Idaho (3/11) -- based on rejection letter

'''University of Maine at Farmington (2/12)---congrats! will you take it?'''

Westminster College (Utah) (per letter?)

Campus Visits:
Bard C 1/13

Baylor

Case Western 1/5 

Drew U

QUESTION: Has anyone who made a campus visit received an offer yet? It would help to know.

Florida Atlantic 1/14

Manhattan C 12/31

Manhattanville C 1/5

MIT 1/4

St. Louis University 1/13

Texas A & M International U 2/5

U. of Chicago 1/13

U of Idaho 12/29

U Maine Farmington 1/15

QUESTION: When a chair says after a campus visit that I will hear in a couple weeks, is it rude or disadvantageous to write to her/him exactly at two weeks? Or should I just wait to hear? At what point is it okay to contact the chair? Thanks!

RESPONSE: There is no reason to contact the chair (except with a thank-you note after your visit, of course) until you have something substantive to say--that is, until you announce that you have another offer in hand and you are still interested in the position, or that you have decided to withdraw from the search. If the chair doesn't get back to you, it's because she has nothing to tell you yet. Sending the signal that you're someone who will start dunning people once they deviate a little from what you perceive as a promise doesn't make you look like a very tempting colleague-to-be.

QUESTION: Has anyone heard anything about the Texas A&M International University job?

A: See listing below

Q: Has anyone heard anything from Baylor? There's something on the 19th c. page about them contacting finalists during MLA. Anyone know about this position? A: I have a campus visit scheduled with Baylor. They did call during the MLA.


 * I thought people might appreciate this article about the job market: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/18/education/18professor.html?_r=1&emc=eta1 . Check out the line in particular about how difficult things are for 20th c. Americanists.

Bard College
Link to CHE ad   Link to HR job posting

Deadline: Dec. 1

Acknowledgment received: Day after applying received generic form letter acknowledgment over e-mail

Request for additional materials: Email request for writing sample (12/15) x3

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

Campus visit scheduled: 1/13 via email (invitation, visit dates to be scheduled)

Offer Made: 3/10 (per rejection email, an offer has been made and sounds as if it's been accepted)

Offer Accepted:

Notes and Questions

 * The ad specifies that we should have letters of recommendation emailed. Is this common? Do we just ask people writing us letters to email them in directly? Seems a bit weird. (11/15) A: Not too uncommon. If you're using Interfolio, it's quite easy to have it emailed; if not, and if your department's dossier service can't do it, you might be stuck asking your recommenders to email it.
 * 11/17; I sent a separate email and asked for a physical address to mail letters. The HR people replied quickly and sent me the following: Human Resources, Bard College, PO Box 5000, Annandale-on-Hudson, NY 12504 Attention 20th Cent American Lit 09086
 * Thank you for passing this on! (X2!)
 * I have a related query: I use Interfolio, and did not receive a acknowledgment email.... I'm wondering if this is because the application did not come from me directly. Is anyone else in this boat?
 * A: I sent mine directly, so I'm not in the same boat. But the acknowledgement email does appear to be an automated response to anyone emailing to that address. So my guess is that the Interfolio service got the ack. email.
 * FYI:Universities to Fear Discussion of Bard is a wiki classic.
 * Q. Has anyone received a request for an interview?
 * A: I haven't heard anything beyond the robo-email, but they did have a pretty late deadline. Also, and this is purely speculation and please set me straight if I'm wrong, I seem to recall Bard running the same sorts of searches every year I've been on the market (this is my 3rd) and nothing ever coming of them. It's possible funding was pulled out or that candidates they chose took other positions. Or it is possible that they are a mess. (12/14)
 * Does anyone know whether they'll be interviewing at MLA?
 * Is it really the case that they emailed out requests for writing samples and 2 days later scheduled interviews?
 * A: Yes, I was surprised, but I sent in my writing sample the day it was requested (12/15) and then received an interview request at the end of the day 12/17.

Baylor University
Deadline:

Acknowledgment received: 10/12


 * request for more materials 11/5 (x6)

Q: snail mail, e-mail, or phone?

request for letters, transcripts and "Personal Response" sheet via email (11/16)

MLA interview scheduled: 12/4 via email (X2)

Campus interview scheduled: at MLA (see above)

Offer made: N/A

Offer accepted: 3/2

Notes and Questions
Q: Did everyone receive an email requesting the personal response sheet and letters/ transcripts request?

Q just curious: did all applicants receive, along with the initial acknowledgement of receipt, the request for a more personal response concerning values, long term goals, church affiliation, etc.?

A. Yes, but I still haven't decided whether/how to fill it out.

A. Yes, and I put it in the trash. (x1)

can't speak to this, but several years ago had a friend whose job offer here was rescinded by the dean when he learned about some comments my friend made about Jesus and Marxis

A. Yes, and noticed that the hard copy they sent by snail mail and the soft copy they attached to the e-mail weren't identical. The e-mail copy had an additional question about courses.

C: I thought it was assumed that when one adds details, one adds a new date as well. Were all of these materials requested on 11/5, even though it took some individuals two weeks to dial it in? If so, then that's great; if not, then can we get some accurate dates here?

A: You might check the Baylor listing on the 19th C list as well--more folks have updated info. there. I received a request for personal data via snail mail on 11/13 (letter inside dated 11/4). Returned the form to them on 11/16. Have not heard anything back yet.

Q: I saw on the 19th c. page that people were told at MLA that they were chosen for a campus visit, can anyone confirm this? Thanks! (1/22)

Offer made and accepted: March 2 (I'm tenured faculty in English at Baylor.)

Case Western
Not sure of protocols here, especially the general and obviously useful anonymity on this wiki, but I'm the chair of the search committee on this job (gary lee stonum, you can find me on google or just email to [mailto:gary.stonum@case.edu gary.stonum@case.edu ]) and I both stand behind what we at Case have done and want to know how we might do better. You folks out there are looking for jobs; we folks over here are looking for good colleagues and wanting to contribute as best we can to the profession.

As reported we have made an offer and had it accepted. So this is all after the fact. My concern is about what in this even more direst of many dire job markets all you eager and qualified applicants expect. I am a bit stung by the response that our mass mail rejections were cold. Do applicants expect that, from among the 550+, we or anyone could be more personal? Is there some way to say "sorry, no," without being rude. I actually felt good that we got these rejections out reasonably, so that folks wouldn't be in limbo.

Inquiring minds want to know.


 * Not sure if the OP is still looking at responses here or not, but I just got an incredibly gracious rejection letter from a top tier program that I thought might be informative to share. It left me with a really positive impression of the school. It was addressed using my first and last name and I never made it past the first round: "Dear [first name last name], Thank you for your impressive application and interest in teaching at [University Name]. The search committee invested a great deal of time and thought in choosing, among several hundred applicants, those we could invite to join us for interviews at the MLA convention. I am sorry to tell you that we will not be able to pursue your candidacy any further this year. We appreciate your scholarly accomplishment. I hope you'll convey our thanks, as well, to the teachers and colleagues who provided letters of recommendation for you. This is a hard time in our profession, and I wish you the best in your career. Sincerely [SC chair]" Sure, it's a form letter rejection, but sending the right kind matters in terms of not alienating hundreds of applicants (as the poster below notes).


 * I think it was nice that you sent out an early rejection notice, but I do remember thinking it read as particularly icy. In the end, a rejection is a rejection, as you suggest. But, I think that the Case Western letter was the shortest rejection letter (at one sentence long) that I'd ever seen, and somehow this terseness read as dismissive. Of course, the issue is one of rhetoric and not substance, but it does leave a better taste in the mouth to get a well-written and kind letter after putting so much of yourself out there in a job application. The University of Chicago, for instance, sent out some really masterful rejection letters to those candidates asked for writing samples; they nodded to the terrible job market and mentioned the writing samples and their careful reading of them. The result of the rejection is the same, but a well-crafted letter leaves you with a better sense of the institution sending out the rejection. It's not too dissimilar, if you think about it, from the application process as a whole, where self-presentation matters above all.

I think that most of us appreciated the earlier notice. My objection was to the casual salutation, the "Good afternoon," followed not by a name, but by the bad news. As the poster below notes, "Dear [Candidate's Name]" is much more appropriate and respectful--less of a sting, for those of us who are most stung by this process.


 * Well, I actually have no memory of this specific rejection email, so it probably wasn't much worse than any of the others. But since you asked, yes, there is such a thing as a polite rejection letter. These usually thank the applicant for their interest in the position mention how the committee appreciated the opportunity to learn about the applicant's scholarship and teaching interests. Some of these also wish the applicant well in their future endeavors. An example from another page: "We hope that you will find--or already have found--a position elsewhere that both takes advantage of your strengths and fosters your continued development as a scholar and a teacher." It's classy and shows respect for the human being on the other end of a brutal process. On a more positive note, people do tend to post right after receiving rejections and are unlikely to still care at this point, but if you're serious about wanting suggestions about running searches, the Academic Jobs Wiki has a whole "Dear Search Committees" page with nothing but (click on the Academic Jobs Wiki link on the left and scroll down to the Interview Experiences section).


 * I can't respond to your specific rejection letter either, as I was interested in this search only because friends were applying for it (outside my field). And obviously you're right that the rejection letter is, by its nature, a thankless genre. But I do think (though again, I know it's a delicate balance) that you can be human about it. The over-compensating letter is almost worse, IMHO ("ALL 600 of our applicants were absolutely brilliant and we know you'll find great jobs"), but at the very least, I think the courtesy of addressing candidates by name (don't know whether you did this or not?) is a no-brainer. Nobody wants a "Dear Applicant letter". One example that sticks with me is pasted below. This was a rejection post-materials request, so perhaps a bit different. [And more important, I think--I actually don't care much what my generic "we threw your letter and CV in the trash" letter looks like. But at the point where you've moved me on and made me start thinking about what my life would be like in your dept...Well, then you could be a little thoughtful.] Anyhow, for what it's worth, I remember this, and how it made me feel like the person writing it had tuned in in some way to what this all meant to the people on the other side of his letter.

Dear [Individual Candidate's name], The Personnel Committee met late last week to review dossiers. It was a real pleasure to read your work and to look in on your career. We have set our short list for interviews; I am sorry to say that we will not be moving forward with your application. These are always difficult decisions, particularly at this stage of the process, where we are working with a remarkable pool of extremely accomplished, highly regarded teachers and scholars. We often find, as in this case, that we have to exclude individuals whom we would love to have as colleagues. I appreciate your interest in our department, and we wish you all the best with your search.

Sincerely,

David Bartholomae Professor and Chair University of Pittsburgh 526 CL Pittsburgh, PA 15260 412-624-6509

Deadline: November 15

Acknowledgment received: 10/28, 11/6, 11/17 (x2)


 * request for more materials 11/19 (x5)
 * cold rejection received 12/21. "Of the more than 500 applications we have received for the American Literature position yours is not among the ones we are pursuing further." --Yes, right off the lake, that rejection, all cold and yet so breezy ("Good afternoon," anonymous supplicant).

MLA interview scheduled: 12/09 (by email with phone call to follow) (x2)
 * Congrats to those of you who got interviews! This is a job to be coveted, especially in this market. And as a native Clevelander, I have a soft spot for the city, especially the area the campus is in. Good luck!

Campus interview scheduled: 1/5 Rejection received 2/03

Offer made: 2/11

Offer accepted: 2/16

Notes and Questions
They have around 450 applicants for this position. (11/13)

^ Awesome!

Given that it's open field (and almost open rank), that number even seems a bit low.

Has anyone who applied right at the deadline received a request?

Are those who received requests for more materials applying as Asst or Assoc?

Assistant (x5)

They have narrowed the field to semi-finalists and are whittling that list down for MLA interviews. (12/1)

^ Is this inside information or did you receive notification of some kind?

Coastal Carolina
Deadline: November 15

Acknowledgment received: N/A

MLA interview scheduled: N/A

Campus interview scheduled: N/A

Offer made: N/A

Offer accepted: N/A

Notes and Questions
Has anyone heard anything from CCU? Radio silence out here...

They're also hiring in Rhet/Comp., and there's been a bunch of activity reported on that Wiki. I'm not sure what that means, if anything, for this search.

I haven't heard anything at all, either--not even acknowledgment of application. They had several searches and the Rhet/Comp is the only one that appears to have any activity.

MLA interviews were scheduled for the Renaissance position on 12/15.

They have indeed scheduled interviews for this position for MLA. (Not me, though.) (12/17)  '''Can the person that offered this information elaborate? Thanks! I haven't heard a peep from this university's end--not even a rejection or confirmation/AA form. (12/30)'''

I am not the earlier poster, and also haven't heard anything from CCU, but they did conduct interviews at MLA. (12/30)

Does anyone have any more concrete information about this search? The silence is frustrating. (1/14)

Someone with whom I spoke at MLA had an interview scheduled with CCU, that's the only source I have. (1/22, I posted on12/30 above)

Email rejection (2/4)--said they had over 800 applicants for 6 advertised positions (6 advertised positions?!?)

Colgate U
Deadline: November 20

Acknowledgment received: 12/7; 12/8, 12/14, 12/17 (EOC form in mail--no acknowledgment letter, just a form to fill out)(x2)

MLA interview scheduled: N/A

Campus interview scheduled: N/A

Offer made: N/A

Offer accepted: yes, per 3/5 letter.

Notes and Questions
Q1: Anyone know what "modern fiction" means in this posting? Are they looking for a modernist or just 20c in general?

Q2: Are they strictly looking for an Americanist?

Not-really-an-A-but-an-observation: Based on the faculty interests online, it is a slightly weird, though interesting-looking, department: lots and lots of theater folks (they seem to have an institutional connection to the theater program) but from what i can see, almost no one who specializes in fiction of any period, particularly in the 19th and 20th centuries. So I'd guess this one is a pretty open search--Brit or American, and with "modern" fairly broadly defined. That's just my guess.

Q3: Anyone not receive any word from Colgate? I haven't heard a thing. (12/11) (x4)


 * I *just* got the affirmative action survey in the mail yesterday, 12/12.


 * Because they defined the search so broadly, they are probably now overwhelmed with applications. I wouldn't worry if you haven't yet heard something.


 * The British Modernist page is reporting MLA interviews scheduled on 12/14. Any Americanists with good news?


 * It seems like this job might be the reverse of the Dickinson job (both gave a broad job description, but Dickinson only wants Americanists and Colgate only wants British...ists). (12/15)

Dickinson College
Deadline: November 6

Acknowledgment received: N/A


 * Request for more materials: 11/12 (x5)
 * I am wondering, since many of us in Anglophone and Brit Lit applied for this job too, was there any reason Dickinson didn't specify American Lit in their job description? They'd have saved hundreds of us well over a thousand cumulative hours spent reading about their school, their department, looking at their faculty profiles, their courses, their mission, then composing a custom application letter. Big congratulations to those of you interviewing. Good luck!
 * Have the interviews been schedule yet? The above congratulations confused me.

MLA interview scheduled: 12/9 (x3)

Campus interview scheduled: N/A

Offer made: N/A

Offer accepted: 3/8 (actually, I have no idea whether the offer was accepted or not, but I did receive notice from them on 3/8 that they've concluded their hiring for this year)

Notes and Questions

 * I heard from an excellent source that 650+ applied. I'm prepared to deal with 4, even 500, but at that #, there seems little point in taking a rejection personally. The number was so high because the job description was so broad, but even so: 650+?
 * You have to realize a good chunk of those were in Anglophone or Modern British. No one on either of those wikis got a request for more materials. Looks like they only want Americanists and you're dealing with a more normal-sized pool in that field.
 * I don't think anyone is taking it personally. But those of us in Anglophone and British could have been spared the time and trouble if Dickinson was looking for Americanists. Being on a search committee with 650+ applications can't have been fun either.
 * Can anyone confirm if they have made callbacks? They said it would happen before the end of the MLA.
 * I can't confirm anything, but they told me they weren't sure they would be making callbacks before the end of the MLA - seemed as though it might not be till next week.
 * I know someone who got a call for a campus visit during the MLA.

Drew University
Deadline: November 17

Acknowledgment received: Oct 22 (email asked for letters of rec from those who applied before Oct 20); email ack. received 10/29 (this one, too, pointing out that the original ad failed to state that we need to send letters of rec.--so if you've applied but haven't sent letters, be aware that you need to do it before the deadline); same notification 11/6; (new user) received notification that they received my materials and my "file is complete." 11/3; 11/18 (sent letter right at deadline) (x3); 11/20  12/2 request for letters of rec. Rec letters were supposed to be part of the initial application... (new user, 12/2)

MLA interview scheduled: 12/12; email notification, scheduling to come (12/12)
 * Can someone clarify these comments? Were you emailed and they told you that you were chosen for an interview but they were going to call to schedule later? Thanks! (12/14)
 * Yes, we were emailed on Saturday about being chosen for an interview, and then told that we would be contacted to schedule the interview today. (12/14) Congrats! I had a wonderful interview with them last year (search was canceled), and they are a great, enthusiastic, and very smart group. Good luck to all! (12/14)
 * Thanks for the clarification. I'm just wondering: Did anyone who got an interview this year also have one last year? [I interviewed with them last year, but I'm not so lucky this time around.] I agree that the committee was warm and enthusiastic--seem like great colleagues. (12/14) A: Yes, like you, I interviewed with them last year and have not been so lucky this year. (12/14) A: I interviewed with them last year and again this year (1/13)

Campus interview scheduled: yes (1/14)
 * Congrats! Seems like a great job--would you mind sharing details about when/how you were contacted (date, phone or email?).
 * yes: what day were interviews scheduled? congratulations.
 * Contact was by phone. (1/14)

QUESTION: Any news from those receiving campus invites?

-Lovely people. Seems like a nice place to work. (2/25)

-Did they say if/when they'd be making an offer? (2/26)

-I think this week or next, but all the snow in the Northeast shouldn't be underestimated as an additional obstacle to finalization of the search and job offer! (2/26)

-They seem really bad about contacting people. I interviewed with them at MLA and never got a rejection, even though they'd brought people to campus. I never like to rely on the Wiki for such important information. Maybe they are negotiating with a hire...?

-You are probably right that some negotiations must be going on. In any case, many universities don't notify people brought to campus even after a job offer has been accepted, so the delay could mean anything! (3/11)

-I just got my travel reimbursement from Drew in the mail today, and I have to say that in comparison to other places I've had campus visits, Drew is pretty on top of things, which my wallet much appreciates. The fact that I didn't have to harass them for it is just heavenly. (3/17)

Offer made: N/A

Offer accepted: N/A

Notes and Questions
Q. Has anyone heard any news about the Drew U. position?

I wonder if all of the interview requests have gone out or if more are still to come. Anyone have a clue?

As a general rule, I give it one day at most before I assume that I just didn't get an interview -- and I think even that's pushing it. Committees all seem pretty intent on making all the requests at the same time.
 * Very impersonal rejection letter. Signed "Human Resources." Kind of lame.

Florida Atlantic University (Assistant Professor of Science Fiction)
Deadline: November 2

Requests for more materials: 13/11 (2), 11/16 (1)
 * Have not heard anything since 11/16, but they said they would be reviewing materials after Nov 20

MLA interview scheduled: 12/4 (x3)

Campus interview scheduled: Yes. (1/14)

Offer made: Yes. (3/1)

Congratulations. What sort of sf do you work on?

Offer accepted: Yes by word of mouth. (3/17)

Notes and Questions
Has anyone received an application acknowledgment? (11/12)

No--just the confirmation number that the online system offers. (11/13)

To those who received requests, what did they ask for? Thanks. ''A: Writing sample and 1p custom description of courses you'd teach. ''

To those who received requests, when did you submit your application? Thanks! A: Oct 26 via the electronic application & snail mail.

Rejection via email (11/24) I rescind this previous comment. The rejection was actually for a Brit / American Modernism job I applied to LAST YEAR. Sorry for any confusion. I was wondering why I didn't remember applying for this one, and simultaneously wondering why I had applied to a Sci-Fi job (something I have no expertise in)

--Same thing happened to me. WTF.

I have not received a rejection or a request for more materials. What might that mean? (11/24) --see note above.

Manhattan College
Link

Deadline: Nov. 13

Acknowledgment received: By post, 11/21; 11/23 (x2)

Request for more materials: N/A

MLA interview scheduled: 12/11 (by phone) (x5)

Campus interview scheduled: 12/31 (by email) (X2)

Offer made: 2/11

Offer accepted: 2/18

Notes and Questions
A brief question: not having received any acknowledgment, I wonder if those who were asked to interview did? Were others acknowledged and not asked to interview? It is a pity that such questions even arise.

I received an acknowledgment by post prior to Thanksgiving, and was not selected for an interview. 12/14 I was asked for an interview and also received an ack. card. (12/14)

So this means they scheduled some interviews 12/11 and another one 12/14? Is this usual? I'm still holding out hope.

A. The two responses to my inquiry (about acknowledgments) are dated 12/14 (and thank you to both persons for the information). The interview dates are clearly 12/11. A. Yes, sorry for the confusion. I'm the one who posted on 12/14 to say I have and interview AND had gotten the card. But my interview was set up on 12/11 (I'm one of those 5). Unfortunately, if you haven't heard, I wouldn't keep hoping. As a general rule, if interviews have been set up and a day passes (esp. when they're set up by email), I begin the grieving process. Best of luck to you.

I was contacted on Friday, 12/11 for an interview, but had received an earlier acknowledgment indicating that only those with interviews would be contacted.

For what it's worth, my application was never acknowledged by this department. Perhaps it will at least have the courtesy to send a rejection.

Manhattanville College
Deadline: Nov. 1

Acknowledgment:  (11/11)
 * Did you receive ack. by snail mail or email?

Request for more materials: N/A

MLA Interview: Interview request (as well as letters of rec and additional materials) by email, 12/3 (x5)
 * I'm just curious. Did those of you who received interview requests--congrats!--also get an earlier confirmation of application?
 * The interview request was my first contact from them. (x2, and thanks!)

Campus Interview: request by email, 1/5

Offer made:  N/A

Offer accepted:  N/A

Notes and Questions
Was this job advertised with MLA? I completely missed it. Curious to know the teaching load. [Thanks for the reply and good luck.]
 * I don't think it was advertised with MLA. I found it on HigherEdJobs. The course load isn't listed. It just says, "Teaching duties will include introductory courses in literature as well as survey and upper-level courses in modern and contemporary American and British literature; the successful candidate will also develop seminars in areas of his/her expertise and interest..."
 * Does anybody have any inside info on this job? (ie, inside candidate? I'm trying to figure out why the interview request specified no job talk and no teaching demo...)
 * Has an offer been made/accepted?

Marquette University
Deadline:

Acknowledgment received: Acknowledgment and request for additional materials 10/26; May I ask what additional materials they asked for? Thanks! (10/27). I'm not the original poster, but they requested a writing sample of me (10/28) (x6). Writing sample requested (11/2) and (11/10).


 * Rejection via email 12/10, 12/14 (x2)
 * me too - and after a ws request, too! (ouch) (same here - big ouch)
 * It hurts when you've been asked for more materials and nothing comes of it. But you guys should feel really good that such a great program took an interest in you and your work. That should provide some consolation. :) [Meanwhile, I never was asked for anything and didn't even get the courtesy of a rejection!]
 * Rejection via email 12/10 (x5)
 * Rejection via email 12/11, 12/15, 12/16, 12/17, 12/18 (x2), 12/21

MLA interview scheduled: 12/10 (by phone). 12/11 (by phone)

Campus interview scheduled: I know these already happened (though I am not one of them)

Offer made: N/A

Offer accepted: N/A

Notes and Questions
Q: Those who got a request, when did you send your letter (looked from the listing like they were reading apps as soon as received, but the deadline hasn't passed yet...)

A. I got the request a week or so after I sent in the app. I think you are likely right that they are reading through them as the receive them.

A. I got the request about 5 days later so I agree, they seem to be screening as they come in. (x3)

Q. Have people who applied right at the deadline (11/1) received acknowledgements? Thanks!

A. I applied 10/29 and have heard nothing. (X3) Not expecting to hear anything (X2), either, as someone received a writing sample request 11/10.

Q. Are there some who received requests for writing samples but no rejection email? A. Yes. (x5) I'm one of the x4 and I just received a rejection via email. Best of luck to everyone else!

Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
Deadline: October 20th

Acknowledgment received: 10/30 Request for writing sample (x4): 11/13

MLA interview scheduled: 12/15 (x2)

Campus interview scheduled: 1/4

Offer made: 2/1

Offer accepted: 2/1 (not by me...this is according to rejection phone convo)

Comments: WTF?

WTFWTF? It was on the JIL--gone now (expired 10/30). Listing said: "Assistant Professor Contemporary Literature and Media. The Literature Faculty at MIT is seeking to hire a beginning tenure track assistant professor specializing in contemporary literature and media. Strength in film study strongly desired. The successful applicant will participate extensively in both Literature and MIT’s Comparative Media Studies Program." Dunno why it didn't show up here till now (unless it was erased...??). (10/31)

Well, jobs only appear here if people who are using the wiki choose to put them up. (It's not as though there is some outside source creating these pages--we can't expect it to be comprehensive.) So perhaps someone who applied for the job just stumbled across the wiki and decided to add this entry. (11/1)

Miami University (Ohio):
TT Asst Prof. American Modernism (1900-1950) Link

Deadline: 11/2

Acknowledgment received:

Request for dossier + writing sample 11/20 (x4)

MLA interview scheduled: via phone 12/15 (X2)

Campus interview scheduled: N/A

Offer made: late January.

Offer accepted: late January.

Notes and Questions
This is purely gossip; someone can delete it if it seems inappropriate: at a conference that shall not be named I overheard a faculty member from this department mentioning that they received -- I believe I heard -- 380 applicants. I hope I misheard...  Hey, I know that conference--I'm here myself. And I know which faculty member you're talking about--and I would put a lot of faith in what she says. Geez, 380 applications. I guess it could be worse.
 * That is a lot, but not too surprising. Also, keep in mind that a good chunk of those 380 will be set aside b/c the applicants don't really specialize in American Modernism. [You'd be shocked at how many candidates apply for jobs outside their field.] (11/9)
 * To the people who have recently added themselves to the "materials request" count: did you all receive requests in november? Or did your requests for more materials come in more recently? A: November. Just a delayed addition to the wiki. (12/14)

Muskingum University
Deadline: Rolling, until filled

Acknowledgment received: N/A

MLA interview scheduled: 10/15 (by email) X2

Campus interview scheduled: 1/8 (by email)

Offer made: N/A

Offer accepted: N/A

Notes and Questions
This is/was a broad Am Lit search. Any news? (12/10)

Over on the Renaissance wiki, there have been some postings about this school. --Awesome, thanks! (the wiki search function leaves something to be desired)

Thanks for posting. Was this position advertised?

It's on their website: http://muskingum.edu/home/academicaffairs/FacultyOpenPositions.html. Ad says they plan to interview at MLA.

It was new to me as well, but it appears they are not accepting new apps at this point (12/11)

I had found the departmental listing, but out of curiosity, did anyone see this advertised anywhere else? I don't recall having seen it on MLA, The Chronicle, or HigherEdJobs. To the above poster, why does it appear they are not accepting new applications? Is it because they have scheduled interviews for their Shakespeare position, or just due to the late date? (12/11)

I found the posting on The Chronicle. It was early -- before the JIL came out -- and stated that Muskingum would be doing an "immediate review." I didn't see it anywhere else, to include the MLA.

Is this unusual, scheduling an MLA interview in mid-October, especially with no deadline given for applications? Did only one person on this wiki schedule an interview?

Well, it looks like I sent in my app several days after they had scheduled this interview, which would have been nice to know. . . I guess the lesson is to inquire first on ads without dates, even if the job is still posted on the school website.

C: Does this smell like an inside hire to anyone else? "Immediate review" followed by an MLA request in mid-October? Weird, no? (12/16)

The smell, you mean, of Muskingum?

Indeed. And well played, by the way. Deftness in daftness is key in this market.

I just had an interview with them and it went well. The chair was the only person interviewing candidates for both the Americanist and SHakespeare positions. I'm a 19th century Americanist who also does 20th c. The university will only be bringing 2 people back to campus for each position, she said.

Q: Any word yet on Campus visits for this position. I saw that they have contacted people for the Rennaissance job.

Interviews were conducted and announcements should be made this week (Feb 1 - 5) or early the week after. CORRECTION: Decisions regarding this position may not come until the end of February.

Saint Louis University
LINK

Deadline: Review of applications begins 11/18; open until filled.

Acknowledgment Received: 11/4, 11/11 (x2), 11/21

Request for dossier via e-mail: 12/5. They said they hope to make their MLA decisions "soon." (x7)

MLA Interview: 12/9, scheduled by phone. (x7)

Campus Interview: 1/13, by phone

Anybody else here invited?

Offer Made: 2/10

Offer Accepted: 2/10

Notes and Questions
Late Job Posting: Position authorized in late Oct.

I got a personal email confirmation from the chair of the department the evening i uploaded my app (11-11)--this seems crazy! did anyone else? I assume it was a robo-response of some kind, but i don't recall that kind of confirmation from other electronic app systems. (x3)

I'm the first poster above, and I also received a personal e-mail from the chair almost immediately. Someone's on the ball!

well over 200 applicants, I heard .....


 * GAAH I'm going nuts waiting for them to notify for campus visits! (1-11). Any news?
 * A: Campus visits (3) will be scheduled following fac meeting on 1/12.

Stevenson University (MD)
Link

Acknowledgment received:

Interview scheduled: N/A

Campus interview scheduled: N/A

Offer made: N/A

Offer accepted: N/A

Notes and Questions
Did anyone hear anything at all, even an acknowlegment?

Nary a peep.

Texas A&M
Deadline: 1 Nov

Acknowledgment received: 11/9, 12/24 (with letter saying this is going to be a lengthy process), 1/11 (with same letter about lengthy process--dated 12/03)

MLA interview scheduled: N/A

Campus interview scheduled: N/A

Offer made: N/A

Offer accepted: N/A

Notes and Questions
Spoke with a faculty member about what the "English Without Borders" initiative is; essentially, at their most recent external review, the department was told by administrators to "re-brand" to emphasize some kind of specialty. Since they didn't want to claim to specialize in a period, they went for "English Without Borders" because it gave them flexibility in hiring, and because transnational studies are growing so rapidly. I get the sense that they are really looking to hire in the listed fields, and the "English Without Borders" rubric is just how they'll sell their candidates to the dean.

C: I'm not sure the above comment is useful, especially since it acknowledges that "they are really looking to hire in the listed fields"--i.e. this provides no more explanation than the original listing, which in fact listed the fields.

C: I found it very helpful. It helped me realize I didn't want to apply for the job. Those everything-under-the-sun listings can be confusing and the above post tells us that 1) you don't need to be everything, jut one of those things (but you do need to be one of those things, which I'm not, so I'm not applying) and 2) this is a department subject to university spin. Yick. Good info to have. 12/12

C: I also found it helpful. Likewise, do we need readings of one another's postings? Turn it off once in a while. [X2--pretty annoying, actually. the more info we all have the better, and the original post could really help people who get to the on-campus stage.] (12/13)

Texas A & M International University
Deadline: Rolling

Acknowledgment received: 1/11 (snail mail)

Phone interview scheduled: 1/11 (email) X 2

Campus interview scheduled: 2/5 (email)

Offer made:

Offer accepted:

Notes and Questions
This is the 20th C. American Lit. position at the University of Texas A & M International in Laredo.

I'm pretty sure it's distinct from the Texas A&M U "English without Borders" job. Any news?? Not quite an A, but: Yes, these are distinct jobs; and it is, perhaps, easier to imagine "English without Borders" in College Station than, say, in Laredo! Good luck with both, or either. A: No, have not heard yet.

A: Just received ack and EOE via snail mail on 1/11/10.

Q: Also, anybody know how many applicants for this Asst.Prof of English at Texas A&M International, Laredo?

University of Chicago, 1880-1950
Deadline:

Acknowledgment received: N/A

Request for writing sample via email 11/23 (x5), 11/30 (x6), 12/1 (x2), 12/2 (x2)

MLA interview scheduled by phone: 12/17 (x2)

[note: I applied to both this and the contemporary job, and the single interview will cover both positions.]

Are you the one who marked the first interview for the contemporary job on 12/17? A: Yes

Are we to assume that all calls have been made for interviews? I still haven't received a rejection for my Chicago writing sample request.

No rejection is quite common in general, unfortunately. The only point of confusion here for me is WHICH positions have received calls. Bracketing the person being interviewed for both, which is exceptional, has Chicago made calls for post-1950? I can't quite tell from here, but the academic wiki is hardly the best place to collect faithful information.

The requests for the 1880-1950 job were made a good week or two earlier than for the contemporary job, so it looks to me like maybe interviews haven't been scheduled for the latter, excepting Mr/Ms Double Interview. They're sure cutting it close, but so it goes...

12/21 Rejection via email after writing sample request (x1)

Campus interview scheduled: 1/8 (x1), 1/13 (x1)

Offer made: 3/1 (x1)

Offer accepted: N/A

Notes and Questions
has anyone heard anything from UC about this search?
 * Nope. Well, I did get an email from an administrator b/c I accidentally mailed in my application instead of sending it electronically. So there is life out there... Last year they did a search, and I seem to remember that they took a long time to start contacting people. (11/19)


 * The Universities to fear page notes that this is pretty much a fake search run yearly. Doesn't hurt to apply but it doesn't sound too promising either. (11/19)
 * Does post-1950 American lit. really count as a 'pancosmic' broad search, a la the Universities to Fear post? Seems reasonably specific to me.
 * Except that it's post-1950 literature in English (American, British or Anglophone), but keep on believin'.
 * Shite. Well—a friend's on the committee, and didn't suggest any BS when I asked her about it, so... who knows.
 * UofC reads every application thoroughly. Why would anyone run a fake search when they require so much work?
 * Hope, then. But can anyone point to any hires from last year's seach(es) - I remember "as many as three" people to be hired in twentieth century literature, and blah blah blah.
 * Plus, they also have searches in "anglophone" 1900-50 AND in 19th c. Brit. I call fakery, friends.
 * "But why?", as the man from Kazakhstan says. Somebody with knowledge of this institution must have an explanation for this.
 * The department did in fact make a hire last year, to someone currently completing a postdoc. The other two of the anticipated three lines were cut due to budget issues. The idea of a fake search seems paranoid.
 * They've had a couple of recent departures in twentieth-century lit, so it seems reasonable that they're looking for replacement
 * For those who received requests, were they for the 1880-1950 listing, or the 1950-present listing? Thanks!
 * A: 1880-1950 job (x7)
 * Regarding the writing samples requested on 11/30, were those for the 1950-present listing?
 * A: Yes, 1950-present writing sample request (x4).


 * Any word about campus visits for the Chicago jobs? (Some have been scheduled)

University of Chicago, 1950-present
Deadline:

Acknowledgment received: N/A

Request for writing sample via email 11/23 (x4), 11/30 (x6), 11/30 (x1)? 12/1 (x3), 12/2 (x3), 12/3

MLA interview scheduled by phone: 12/17 (x1)

Email rejection (very kind) after writing sample request 12/21 (x4)

Campus interview scheduled: N/A

Offer made: N/A

Offer accepted: N/A

Notes and Questions
[see above for discussion from before 12/3. hope splitting the 2 chicago jobs up will help prevent confusion]


 * request for materials states interview requests will be made just before MLA.

Has anyone received requests for both Chicago positions? (Yes, I rec'd separate WS requests, one for each position.)


 * Does anyone know if 1950-present campus visits have been scheduled, too?

University of Idaho
Deadline:

Acknowledgment received: 11/4 (x6)

MLA interview scheduled: 12/8 (by phone) (x3) - by email (x1)

Campus interview scheduled: 12/29 (by phone; will call to schedule a specific date next week)

Offer made: 3/2

Offer accepted: 3/12

Notes and Questions
10/30- Received email that my cv file was corrupted and needed to be re-sent - screening has begun

11/4--nice informational e-mail about the city/school and process--decisions in early December expected

For those granted interviews, a quick question (and, of course, a congratulations!): would you consider your work and experience tangentially concerned with environmental humanities, or centrally concerned?

I would say centrally concerned. Most of my publications are, broadly speaking, American studies projects but with a definite "green" emphasis.

Yes, congrats to you all, as this position seems rather ideal! Let's hope that, for all of those ecocritics who didn't get interviews, we can continue to market our teaching and research as timely, as well as relevant, to local and global concerns....Best of luck to those interviewing at Idaho....

To the invitee(s): would you be willing to share your sex and how far along you are in your course of study?

If I understood why this information was relevant--especially my sex--then I might share it.

3/11 -- super heartfelt and kindly rejection letter

yeah--that was probably the nicest rejection letter i've received yet. somehow it felt actually *sincere.* kudos, idaho--seriously.

- Agreed (X2).

University of Maine, Farmington
Deadline: 11/9

Acknowledgment received: by mail 10/5 (with bonus pamphlet on crime statistics in Farmington!) (x5)

Acknowledgment received by mail: 11/19 (ditto pamphlet).

--Is it a safe place? Not sure if I'm actually going to apply for this one.

--Crazy safe! I think there was once a robbery there, several years ago. Yeah. Not much to fear in Farmington, besides snow I'd imagine.

MLA interview scheduled: 12/14 (by phone) (x2)

--They said they had over 400 applications. I cannot believe that this has become the norm.
 * I agree. This whole market is so effed up, insane, and JUST PLAIN WRONG. Best of luck to those of you who got interviews: you have defeated the odds! :)
 * Having come from Maine, I was really hoping for an interview! Oh well, for those being interviewed, best of luck, Maine's a great place! And yes, 400 applicants to Maine-Farmington?? That's just insane!
 * I agree that the market is deeply messed up, but I suspect it's worse this year because of the economy. That is, I suspect that some people who might have left the academy after they realized how bad the market is returned.  I'd heard that 400 applicants was pretty normal in the mid-90s but less common, say, five years ago.

Campus interview scheduled: 1/15 (by phone)

Offer made: 2/12

Offer accepted: N/A

Notes and Questions
Has anyone heard anything about this one?

Not a peep since the ack.

Um, so if I never even got THAT much, should I send a friendly email asking if they at least got my app?

Not trying to be snippy, but I think you can probably answer your own question there.

Question answered: Rejection via mail 12/20

Westminster College (Missouri)
Deadline: Nov. 13

Acknowledgment received: Acknowledgment with diversity survey 11/9 (x2), 11/23, 12/11

MLA interview scheduled: N/A

Campus interview scheduled: Yes, per Modern British 2010

Offer made: N/A

Offer accepted: N/A

Notes and Questions
Dear Theresa Adams, Ph.D.: I'm happy to complete your Affirmative Action survey. Really I am. But not at my own expense. What's $0.44 you say? What's a trip to the post office? Well, when you've spent several HUNDRED dollars on job apps and made several DOZEN trips to the P.O., and you get NO offers--well, it just adds insult to injury.


 * Word. What a mutha-flippin insult.


 * Good stuff: a deeply problematic market, a deeply problematic system, and the object of contumely becomes a stamp. Next, we can subject the survey itself to a wicked close reading

Q: Any Americanists receive a phone-interview request with Westminster? There's a report from 12/18 of a request for a phone interview, made via phone, on the Anglophone page. Anyone here? (12/23) I looked at that request on the Anglophone page, and I wonder if it is not for Westminster in Utah? (See below.) Any insight? I have not heard a word from these folks yet. (12/30)

C: I thought of that too -- that the request might relate to the "other" Westminster, as it were. Yet the Utah version did MLA interviews, no? (12/31) Yes. (1/3)


 * I'm the OP on the Anglophone page and I'm sorry it's the MO one. My friend says the phone interview is mid-Jan.

Westminster College (Utah)
Deadline: Review begins Oct. 21

Acknowledgment received: 10/7, 10/17 (x3), 11/6 (x2)

Request for additional materials (writing sample, teaching statement, recs): 11/11 (x2); 11/16 (x2)

MLA interview scheduled: 12/8 (by phone) (x2)

Campus interview scheduled: N/A

Offer made: N/A

Offer accepted: N/A

Notes and Questions
Sounds like they aren't doing MLA interviews - just inviting finalists to campus.

Where did you hear this? Their ad says they are interviewing at MLA.

Acknowledgement of receipt of materials was very nice and included a timeline. It says that "[f]inalists will be invited to campus for interviews." There's no mention of MLA interviews, although I suppose that doesn't necessarily mean there won't be any. But I could see a late budget cut or some such resulting in a sudden decision to forgo MLA.

Their request for additional materials (writing sample, teaching philosophy, recs) states that they will contact applicants "in early December should we wish to request an interview at the MLA Convention in Philadelphia." (11/11)

I received a request for more material "as soon as possible." They're extremely nice, and seem like a pretty humane group of academics! --Agreed.

Q: was the request via email? (11/13) A: yes

But still...Utah. And yes, and yes, and yes...but still. Utah. My boyfriend has told me that our relationship is over if I take this job. A: LOL. Easy enough--don't take it!

Huh?

Or just dump your ignorant boyfriend. Jobs are scarce and you could do a lot worse than Salt Lake City.

Must be your 1st year on the market; there's no need for conversations like that one before an interview has been scheduled.

Unless it's part of BDSM play. If I'm not going to get hired, at least I'm going to get my frisson on, damn it!

That would have to be the least sexy play ever.


 * I want to know if the boyfriend got dumped!
 * Q: Any news on campus visits? (1/12)
 * I have not heard anything either, but I am assuming they have probably made decisions by now. Anyone know for sure? (x2)
 * I received the letter of rejection yesterday, in which the Dean very kindly expressed her regrets about their decision to choose another candidate. I share these regrets! but wish the chosen one well.