Early American 2010

Page last updated: 11/18/09, 4:22 PM Central

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Demographics:
ABD (early):

ABD (will finish this academic year): 7

Ph.D. in hand (one-year, VAP, Lecturer): 8

Assistant Professor: 5

Associate Professor:

Full Professor:

Lurker:

Total: 18

Baylor U
Deadline: 11/1

Acknowledgment received: 10/26; 11/2; 11/4; 11/7

request for dossier (by e-mail): 11/12; 11/15

MLA interview scheduled: N/A

Campus interview scheduled: N/A

Offer made: N/A

Offer accepted: N/A

Notes and Questions
"personal data sheet" received and asked to identify church membership and religious affiliation 10/26; 11/2 (x2); 11/4; 11/1; 11/10 11/14

''Question: Anyone have any sense as to whether this "personal data sheet" is required? Or can it be treated similar to an affirmative action request, preferred, but not required?''

Looks like it's required to me, although I'm not clear on whether it's to be used in making initial dossier request decisions or just in making interview decisions. Incidentally, anyone receive a dossier request?

I too inferred that it is required. Since they are sending it now, as opposed to along with dossier requests, I would assume that is going to be an aid in making dossier request decisions. However, I think it is also a way for them to say very explicitly early in the process that they are serious about the school's religious mission and that if you are uncomfortable with it, then this might not be the job for you. That's how I take it, at least.

I also believe that the request for "personal data" is required, for the reasons given by the post above; and I've not yet been asked for a dossier, though I've noticed that someone on the 20/21c. Americanist page has been contacted (11/08). Good luck to all--and quote scripture, if you must.

I think what I am "uncomfortable" about is less the religious mission and instead how personal the question is. I don't even talk about my spirituality with my friends, why would I share this with complete strangers.

I'm not sure if this will help people make the decision to fill these forms out or not, but I came across this article when researching Baylor: it discusses the high number of tenure denials (candidates were often advanced by their departments and then declined at levels higher up in part because tenure requirements had been changed multiple times without alerting faculty to those changes) and how these denial maybe a part of the school's attempts to refocus its identity to be more Christian, while maintaining its research focus. [] -- important to note that this tenure debacle, IHE states that of the 9 women up for review, 6 were rejected.

I'm a tenured faculty member in English at Baylor and to answer your questions above, yes, we are serious about the school's Judeo-Christian mission and the personal data sheet is required if you're a serious candidate. As for the previous poster's information about past tenure denials, I am happy to report that nearly all of those denials were reversed on appeal and that the president who originally denied them is no longer with us.

Fair enough. Thank you for your candor.

Boston U
Deadline: 10/30

Acknowledgment received: by mail 11/14 (x4)'' I found the wording a little confusing. . ? Anyone else? ''(x2)

My letter listed the position as "modern Early American Literature" rather than "19th-C"(???).

Dossier request by email (11/16) (11/17)

MLA interview scheduled: N/A

Campus interview scheduled: N/A

Offer made: N/A

Offer accepted: N/A

Notes and Questions
Anyone have insight on this job? I'm not sure of the search for EITHER a 19th-century Americanist OR a specialist in American drama/film.

They've canceled the American drama/film component of this search, narrowing it solely to 19thC American literature. http://www.bu.edu/english/DeptJobListing.html

I find it surprising that this converted solely to 19th-century American and dropped the drama portion. They seem to have decent faculty representation in 19th century, especially fiction. I wonder if they are looking for a poetry specialist.

I doubt it. It seems pretty clear that they want someone in hemispheric or ethnic studies; there's also always a chance they're anticipating a faculty departure (though that seems less likely).

Actually, it's now clear that they want someone in "modern Early American literature." Had I known, I would have written a different letter.

umm, what is "modern early american"?

A. Before the interview, you should acquaint yourself with R. T. Firefly's (Inter)Ventions in Modern Early American Literature (SUNY-Fredonia). It is the most important work in this emergent/residual field. --Also see Margaret Dumont's "Pimpin' Hobomok."

Hilarious. Anyway, I'm regular old 19th century American lit and got a request for more materials. And I don't read Spanish.

It gets better: I got a letter today saying that they have received my application for the position in "modern British Romaniticism"! (I applied for the 19th c. American position). I emailed the chair (since it was his name on the letter) and got an apologetic email from an assistant, who says she "made a few mistakes with the letters at the beginning."

Wow -- and now an email to all applicants with all email addresses visible apologizing for the screw up. Seriously priceless.

I didn't even get this "oops" e-mail, though I did get the confirmation letter. I can just picture my application packet for the 19th C. position sitting in a disorganized pile on someone's desk marked as "early modern British drama." Yikes. (x2)

VISIBLE? Wow, wonderful, especially for anyone with a TT position applying for this job under the radar. Thankfully, I did not receive this email, so I must have applied for the Romanticism position too. ..

Care to share the number of emails on that list?

Looks to be about 50. Obviously not all-inclusive. Wonder how they selected us...

added after above & below comments: my non-BCC list had only about 20 names. Maybe they just sent them out in disorganized, inept batches.

Wow. almost glad I didn't get this email b/c if I had, I would probably abandon all attempts at work in an effort to use those .edu's to discern a pattern in answer to the Q "wonder how they selected us..."

I too wasn't among those selected to be exposed. Should I feel bad?

Ackn. by snail mail - received my application for modern Early American Literature - ok, sure, why not? (11/19)

11/19 rec'd email of apology from chair of dept blaming, among other things "a young and inexperienced secretary who only started in Sept"

And was this secretary also responsible for the cheap plain paper on which the letter was printed? This has become unpleasant.

Franklin and Marshall College - Lancaster, PA
Deadline: 11/16

Acknowledgment received: N/A

Request for further materials:

MLA interview scheduled: N/A

Campus interview scheduled: N/A

Offer made: N/A

Offer accepted: N/A

Notes and Questions
Please correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't there an early Americanist at assistant prof rank at F & M now? Why is this search being conducted? Does it have anything to do with their tenuring process? Or is a small English dept really looking to have two untenured early Am specialists?

It seems likely he didn't get tenure.

Georgia College and State University
Deadline: 11/1

Acknowledgment received:

Request for further materials:

MLA interview scheduled: N/A

Campus interview scheduled: N/A

Offer made: N/A

Offer accepted: N/A

Notes and Questions
references were contacted (11/12)

received notice that I'd "made a first cut" (11/16)

Hendrix
Deadline: 11/6

Acknowledgment received: N/A

Request for further materials:

MLA interview scheduled: N/A

Campus interview scheduled: N/A

Offer made: N/A

Offer accepted: N/A

Ohio State University
Deadline: 11/1

Acknowledgment received: 10/29; 11/3; 11/10 (x2)

Request for further materials: 11/18 (x4)

MLA interview scheduled: N/A

Campus interview scheduled: N/A

Offer made: N/A

Offer accepted: N/A

Simpson College
Deadline: 11/9

Acknowledgment received: 11/13 (x4)

Request for further materials:

MLA interview scheduled: N/A

Campus interview scheduled: N/A

Offer made: N/A

Offer accepted: N/A

Union College - Schenectady, NY
Link

Deadline: 11/2

Acknowledgment received: 10/28 x2

Request for further materials:

MLA interview scheduled: N/A

Campus interview scheduled: N/A

Offer made: N/A

Offer accepted: N/A

Notes and Questions
AA form sent as e-mail attachment 10/28 x2 ; 11/2

UMass Dartmouth
Deadline: 11/15

Acknowledgment: 11/12; Received a link to the EEO page, but the position has not been added as an option to select yet.

Request for further materials:

MLA interview scheduled: N/A

Campus interview scheduled: N/A

Offer made: N/A

Offer accepted: N/A

University of Rochester
Deadline: 11/20

Acknowledgment: N/A

Request for further materials:

MLA interview scheduled: N/A

Campus interview scheduled: N/A

Offer made: N/A

Offer accepted: N/A

Wayne State
1865-1910 Deadline: 11/2

Request for more materials:

10/28, 11/06: request by email
 * Was this the request to post the materials online, or were you asked for additional materials? If so, what? (11/11)
 * They asked for a writing sample and a dossier, or 3 reference letters if I didn't have a dossier. This was in addition to the job letter/cv/abstract I had already submitted. (x2)
 * Request for more materials (writing sample & dossier) by email (11/16) (x3)
 * Rejection by email 11/20 (x3)

MLA interview scheduled: N/A

Campus interview scheduled: N/A

Offer made: N/A

Offer accepted: N/A

A fairly reliable source (my adviser) tells me that this search has an inside spousal candidate. 11/16

Winona State
Link

Deadline: 11/9

Acknowledgment received: 11/3

Request for further materials:

MLA interview scheduled: N/A

Campus interview scheduled: N/A

Offer made: N/A

Offer accepted: N/A