European History Jobs 2008-09

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European History Jobs 2008-09

Where in the hell did the discussion page go???

British History

How many British Historians are here? Change the number below if you're here:

27

I deleted the discussion since it seems to be leading nowhere

How many French?:

2

You're probably better off starting a French count under Modern Europe or Other, since there is no French category per se.

The Knoxville job is British or French Empire -- I believe that's what the original poster was referring to.

Northwestern University

application deadline is 1 Oct 2008
asked for more material (10/14)
asked for more material (10/19)
Did anyone else hear from them lately? What is going on with them?
Know of someone who had an on-campus there last week.
Committee has made an offer. (12/9)
to a junior or senior scholar?
junior, I believe
metropolitan / empire?
It was to a senior person

Princeton University

application deadline is 15 Oct 2008
See "Early Modern Europe" section for more information.
According to the "EME" section below the committee has now moved to the candidates for the British history position. I have a question for those "in the know" - are they going junior or senior with this one? And are they going to narrow down the (presumably) very large pile of applicants to campus visits with no intermediate phone interview step in between? If so, I don't envy their task...
Yeah, I can't think of anything worse than being at Princeton.
I apologize if I'm being naive, but is this comment sarcastic? (I honestly cannot tell by the context here and am curious).

American University

applications accepted immediately
Email from search coordinator acknowledging receipt, 11/7. Review began mid-October (but was still ongoing as of 11/7)
Asked for more material, around 11/1. Sorry, I should have told you...
requested phone interview 11/14
on-campus interview scheduled 11/26
There were, apparently, more than 160 apps for this job. Crazy.
brief, but pleasant rejection email 1/7

Middle Tennessee State University

Review of applications begins October 6, 2008
Phone interview scheduled for 10/23
Phone interview (10/28)
On-campus interview scheduled (11/3)
emailed on 1/7 that position was accepted by another candidate

congrats to whom?

Central Michigan University (Modern England)

Review of applications begins November 21, 2008
Received acknowledgment letter 11/15
No word from Central as of yet? Anyone?
AHA interview scheduled (phone 12/16) x5
I work on metropolitan Britain, 20th century. What do the rest of the candidates work on?
Intellectual/religious history of England, also 20th century
19th c metropole/empire connections
19th century metropolitan, social/cultural history
Any news from Central yet?
No. They did say that they will write back by the 19th though...
They told me after the AHA that they would meet the 15th and get back to the candidates this week, 19-23, so . . .
Email to set up campus visit! 1/24. Wooh-hoo!
Me too. 1/24
To their credit, the search committee also notified the seven AHA interviewees who were not offered campus visits. Shoulders slumped a little further towards the floor, but it was nice to hear it from them.
UCM should definitely be commended for the way they handle the search.
Sorry to be pedantic, but it's CMU, not UCM.

University of North Alabama

Review of applications will begin immediately, and will be accepted until the position is filled
Phone Interview scheduled (11/19)
On-Campus interview scheduled (12/10)
Care to share (field, experience, years on market)?
Medievalist, 4(ish) years on market.
Has anyone heard if an offer has been made yet?
Just got a phone call that they made an offer (not to me). I did not get a campus interview either - but I just want to say major props to the committee chair for calling me personally to tell me that they made an offer. It is not an easy call to make, I know, but this process is often so impersonal - it's nice to get the news first hand.

University of North Carolina Chapel Hill (British or British Imperial since 1750)

Applications must be received by October 15, 2008

Has anyone heard of anyone getting an interview for this job?

At least one on-campus interview scheduled but the search has been suspended. 1/16

University of North Carolina Greensboro (Britain/British Empire, 1500-1800) SEARCH CANCELLED

Applications must be received by December 1, 2008
11/24 Letter received saying SEARCH CANCELLED
11/24 Likewise. Due to "the dire economic condition of the state of North Carolina"

University of South Carolina Aiken SUSPENDED DUE TO HIRING FREEZE

Review of applications begins November 15, 2009
They mean 2008, of course, since the job is "to begin August 16, 2009."
Emailed (11/6) - the search has been suspended because of a hiring freeze, but might be renewed next year.

University of Tennessee Knoxville (Empire)

Review of applications will begin on November 1st
AHA interview scheduled 11/21
Asked for the dissertation (British history) 01/08
Same 01/09
Make that 3. 1/09. No word since.
Under this job in 'other fields' section, someone posted 'on-campus scheduled'.

Friend of a friend (who's on the faculty) remarked that the applicant pool this year was "disproportionately large and remarkably well-qualified". I don't know whether to feel flattered or flattened by this kind of observation.
I was asked for the diss, but no campus visit. Britain's my field. I thought their AHA interview was as close to a conversation rather than quiz as these things get. It would be good of them to send rejection emails, though. Seriously, Tennessee, I liked you. Let me down easy.

New York University

Review of applications will begin on October 20, 2008
anyone knows anything about this job and what they are looking for?
writing sample requested 11/18
How many people heard back from them? Is it more than one?
Additional writing sample requested from me too on 11/18, so that makes at least two.
Expletive deleted
Make that three on the writing sample, also requested 11/18. Sorry, trying not to check this site obsessively...
People who got contacted by NYU- would you mind stating your field/period/how advanced you are (for example Modern Metropolitan Britain, 20th Century, just out of grad school)? Thank you

19th Century Metropolitan Britain: Fourth year on market.
19th c. Empire: advanced asst. prof. w/book
19th c. metropolitan/empire w/book contract

Holy Crap! AHA interview (12/12)
Ditto that! Hooray!
Is anyone working on 20th Century metropolitan Britain?
Question: for those who got the interview - did they ask for the whole dissertation or were happy with the two chapters sent beforehand?
Just the two article-length samples.
AHA interview scheduled 12/16
Same here. And again.
Any gossip as to what they are looking for?
Does anyone remember what the committee said their schedule was for the decision on on-campus interview invitations?
On-campus visits set. All candidates work on 18th century Britain
It is really OK to search a for someone who works on the 18th century, but they could have done it with a little more honesty and dignity (and not pretending to have such a broad search...)
In this desparate market when the stakes are so high I think search committees should try to limit the search and not waste our time and money.
It's hard for me to get exercised about this. It's hardly a surprise that a committee in a department with a strength in Atlantic history picked an 18th century person. Sure I applied as a 20th century specialist, but I had no illusions -- besides who wants to live in NYC as a junior prof, dining on beans and toast and living in a crawl space.
Who wants to be a junior professor in NY? ME!!!!
A friend there says above information is inaccurate. Should be one 17th, one 18th, one 18th/19th.
Not true. All the job talks titles have "18th century" in them.
It really makes you wonder about how departments work. Why is it automatically assumed that departments should/will pick someone who reminds them of themselves?
Titles of job talks might not tell you much. Someone who works on 17th, but ended the thesis/book manuscript in the early 18th might choose to give some version of last chapter/conclusion as job talk. Ditto someone who spans late 18th and into 19th might have opted to give a talk from early part of thesis/book manuscript. Unless you know who the finalists are and what they wrote/are writing their dissertations on, you are just guessing. Maybe the candidates are doing the same kind of projecting/guessing you are, and telling themselves that they have to give an 18th-Century talk because that's what a department with a strength in the Atlantic World would want to hear.
I know the work of two of the candidates and they are indeed entirely 18th-century focused. there is no guessing involved then in establishing the fact that NYU was looking for an 18th C. person; the only guess-work that is required is to find out why the committee felt the need to create a facade of a broad search.
I still disagree. I interviewed at the AHA, but did not get a campus interview. I also have the luxury of being in a tt job where I am almost certain of tenure. So my disappointment cannot match that of the jobless people who seem to be taking this so hard. It took me four years on the market to land the job I have now. I have sat through probably thirty AHA interviews as a candidate, and close to that many as a search committee member at my current institution. I have been on eight campus visits over the years. I have been in interviews where it was abundantly clear that I had been invited simply to fill out the proverbial dance card. To be honest, this did not strike me that way. They seemed serious, and I got no whiff of game-playing from them. There were moments were it was clear that we disagreed on some point, but always in a legitimate way. Now I did find it odd that the modernist on the committee was not a Europeanist, but it is often really hard to get people to agree to serve on searches, so I do not see that as a sign of malfeasance. Nor do I think the broad search was necessarily a facade, as you put it. I take your word for it on the two candidates you say you know, even though I am pretty suspicious of a lot of what passes for fact on this wiki. In my experience on the department side of the job process, fishing expedition searches like this one come about when a department agrees on a field but lacks a clear sense of where the most interesting work is going on at the moment. Then what inevitably happens is that after reading files (and I do not even want to think about how many files they got for this search) the committee starts to form a consensus about where the action is in a given field. So they seem to have decided that the action in British currently lies in the early modern period, and more specifically in the 17th/18th century period. But I think it is a serious leap to go from there to the idea that this was preordained. Maybe the composition of the committee tilted the odds towards early modern, but that kind of thing always happens in every search however narrowly or broadly defined. In a department the size of theirs, it would be almost impossible to form a committee that represented everyone's priorities or interests. More importantly, you'll have to do a lot better than that to convince me that they sat around in a department meeting last Spring and said "well we really want an 18th-century British historian, but why don't we post an ad that will force the unfortunate committee members to wade through an extra 200 applications just for the fun of it." Nobody in their right mind would have agreed to serve on that committee. Truth be told, I am way more suspicious of the narrow ad than I am of the broad one. In my experience the more specific the ad, the more likely the outcome is preordained. Plus the previous holder of this position was a Victorianist who I understand was very popular there. That would suggest that if anything the priority going in would have been to get someone just like him. Apparently they decided they couldn't find someone they liked quite as much as him, so they moved back into the early modern period. Mine is only an educated guess, but it seems far more likely than some bizarre plot involving a fake job ad that forced three people to do a crapload of extra work for nothing.
To the poster above, congratulations on the coming tenure, and a few notes on the politics of a history department: (1) there is never a departmental 'plot'; it is decided at the level of the committee and those affiliated with them. Sometimes, by the way, departments go on search even if they really know who they want because there is no guarantee that that person will indeed come (this was not the case here of course) (2) the fact that they had a wonderful Victorianist does not mean they were looking to replace him. Once an appointment is announced it is up for grabs, and it has nothing to do with the person who had been there previously. This is especially true in a department like NYU which is well known for the rift between the Europeanists and the non-Europeanists. An imperial project is one way to satisfy both. (3)No search committee is looking for where the 'action' is, because this is not how any serious scholar views the profession at large. I doubt it that it is possible to define, in such a broad search, where the action is (as you put it). Is there no 'action' in Tudor Britain? 19th century? You get the idea. (4) It will take a great deal to convince me that a serious review of 200 applicants working on a period that spans five centuries ended up with three 18th-century scholars. Those selected are terrific scholars who do exciting work, and I wish them the best, but this is really not the point. (4) I understand that all interviews were half-hour long and were based on two article-length papers. It seems that we might hold different opinions as to what constitutes a serious search.

College of William and Mary (1500-1700)

Application materials expected by by 31 October 2008
Received Acknowledgment 11/05
Received request for additional materials 11/18
Received request for additional materials 11/18
AHA interview scheduled 12/13 (x3)
campus interview invite 1/17
Has the department made an offer?
Offer Made and Accepted 2/20

congrats to whom?

Christopher Newport University Early Modern Britain - Email (1/8): Search Canceled

Review of Applications Begins 31 October 2008
Received Acknowledgment 11/07
Any news here? Worried about budget constraints.
Phone interview scheduled by email - 12/6
Like the person above with NYU, I'm curious as to what kind of credentials the people who got phone interviews have? Anyone feel like sharing?
I know two people who got interviews. Both early modern Britain (duh), one with several years on the tenure track and a book, the other with a lot of adjunct work and a book under contract.
Thanks for posting this. This year has brought it home to me just what a career in academia is - an endurance test. Perhaps I should post this on the "discussion" page.
More like the Stephen King short story, "The Long Walk."
Now it's just like "The Long Walk."

Murray State University

Review of applications begins November 15, 2008
Rejection letter, 11/28
Rejection via snail mail, 12/1 - any inside info on what they were looking for here?
Rejection letter, 12/2. I emailed the search chair (whom I know personally) and got this response: "We had 68 applicants. Many of these had their Ph.D.'s in hand and had taught British history, British Commonwealth-Empire history, World Civilization (both semesters) and other courses. Also, many had a dozen or more conference papers presented, published articles and some even had their first books already published."
(12/18) I haven't heard anything about this search since my letter of acknowledgment dated Nov 12 - no rejection letter, no noth'n. Has anyone landed interviews, or otherwise know anything else about the state of the search?
Aha - disregard the above - should have waited 30 minutes for today's mail to arrive. Received rejected letter dated 12/12.
Campus interview scheduled in Feb.

Brandeis University (Britain and the World, esp. South Asia) SEARCH SUSPENDED

Application deadline November 1, 2008
Email saying that the search is canceled, 10/23.

Oxford University, St Hilda's College

2 year fixed-term post
Early Modern Britain, espec. 1660-1700
Rcvd query about reference, 2/27

Ancient

State University of New York - Cortland (ancient/medieval Europe)

application deadline is 15 Oct 2008
according to e-mail of 23 Oct, phone interviews have been delayed until after the New Year "due to budgetary constraints".
Presumably phone rates will decline in 2009?
They're hoping the governor finds a long-lost Dutch treasure chest buried in the Hudson, solving all of the state's budget woes...
Any news?
This job remains on the HR website, which frankly is absurd. SUNY-Cortland's president announced a hiring freeze back in the fall, which applied to every unit of the university (according to a news report late last year, 20% of their janitorial staff hasn't been replaced--they're asking students to help pick up the trash, if you can believe that). I'd suggest declaring this search CANCELLED, regardless of what the official HR line might be.

Emory University

application deadline is until an appointment is made.

Florida Gulf Coast University (Ancient and/or Medieval -- the H-Net job listing has expired)

Deadline Jan. 11
Approximately 50 applicants.

Care to say how you know this? Hearsay? Little birdie?

Ancient history jobs are listed on the Classics wiki. See http://famaevolent.blogspot.com/

Hey smarter folks than me - the login for the classics wiki is supposed to be the two word phrase from Austin's commentary on book six. I thought it was "arma virumque cano." Sue me, I'm a medievalist. Help?

Right author, wrong book. arma virumque cano is from book one!
Ah! Eureka! I'm in - thanks!

Medieval

*****discussion moved to the Discussion page - take it over there please * * * * *

Where is the discussion page?

Go to the very top of this page and look in the upper right-hand corner for the Article and Discussion tabs.

NB: There are some additional ancient/medieval jobs posted on the Ancient jobs page.

Arizona State University, West Campus (Medieval History)

application deadline is 12 Dec 2008
received acknowledgment letter by email, plus HR survey 12/7
AHA interview scheduled by phone 12/18
On Campus taking place

Caltech Ahmanson postdoc in Medieval History

Request for writing sample

College of Charleston

12/13 AHA interview requested by email
1/13 On-campus interviews are being scheduled
Was an offer made?
Yes. The candidate (not me) is said to be currently considering the offer (2/19).
- 1st candidate (my colleague) declined the offer.
- 2nd candidate accepted offer made 2/18. Congrats!!

Duke University 1000-1300

application deadline 15 Nov 2008
11/17 received acknowledgment letter
11/17 received request for writing samples
out of curiosity: how many out there were asked for writing samples? 6
were the requests for writing samples sent via snail or email?
e-mail
12/16 AHA interview scheduled by phone
how many total have received a request for an interview? 1
oddly enough, request for writing samples received via e-mail this evening (18 December).
Any idea what's up with this search? Duke didn't appear on the tv screen o' employers at the AHA job center--does this mean they didn't actually do AHA interviews?
No, they interviewed at the AHA (just not me)...
Huh. Wonder why they weren't listed.
Any news on this one? I'd be surprised if they hadn't invited people down. Does anyone know anything? (1/22)
Haven't heard anything yet (1/23). Please share if you do.
I just found out they have invited three candidates to campus about a week ago(1/24)(not me... this is where despair sets in...)
fields or specializations?
no idea
rejection letter received via snail mail 3/2
- Did the letter announce who was hired
- Nope. Just let me know that the department had decided not to proceed with my candidacy. I was flabbergasted to receive that bit of information.

Emory University SEARCH HAS BEEN FROZEN

application deadline is 1 Dec 2008
11/21: Search has been frozen because of budgetary concerns
What a great time to be alive. How were you notified?
- Via e-mail.
I did not get the email saying it was frozen and it is still posted - did more than one person get the notice?
- I got the email and I was not the one who posted the information, so that's at least two. But perhaps we should keep a count. Received the email: 7
- SC says all candidates whose applications were processed before Thanksgiving holiday were sent email re: "delay" (12/15)
Received letter that it was frozen, and asked to complete HR survey 11/25
- Did not receive e-mail: 2
- (For what it's worth, Emory's HR website still lists this position: [1])
- That's because the search hasn't officially been cancelled, only delayed; the position will remain on the HR page until it's no longer available (either because someone has been hired, or the position has been eliminated)...
- Received snail mail acknowledgment letter, 1/2. Declares that the search process is on "hold." They have no sense of the the delay, but if they are able to continue, they will contact to ask if you still want application to be considered.
- I received the same snail mail.
- There is a search for a colonial Latin Americanist that seems to be moving forward with AHA interviews.
- No, I have it on good authority that both jobs (colonial LA and medieval) have been delayed pending budgetary approval. (12/15)
- I still haven't received any notice of the frozen search (12/14). Anyone else?
  - Me either, and I sent my app in more than a week before the deadline. No acknowledgment of my application either.
Any scuttlebutt on Emory's intentions with this search? The HR web page continues to list the position as active; the department web page says nothing at all about it. I can't believe the administration would let things dangle this late in the game... (1/31)

Before Christmas, the administration insisted that it hadn't frozen faculty searches; at the same time, though, it cut funding for lecturers by half. Anyone know if they've decided to cut bait at this point?? (2/10)

King's College London, Lecturer in Medieval European History

application deadline 30 January 2009, interviews to be conducted 13 February

McGill University - Postdoctoral Fellow, Transmission, Translation and Transformation in Medieval Textual Cultures Research Group

application deadline is 12 Dec 2008

Mount Holyoke College

application deadline is 21 Nov 2008 (deadline from AHA online, not listed on H-Net)
12/12 AHA interview requested by email
((well, drat.)) x2 . I agree, such a bummer. Really wanted this one.
and after all the time I put into making that syllabus!
Those two syllabi will be useful for other interviews anyway, so it's not time wasted.
How many others have received interview requests? 5
The search committee will meet in early Feb. to discuss campus invitations.
1/24 The committee told me the same thing, but I heard someone was invited to campus last week.
1/23 Rejection letter received by snail-mail (x3)
- Did they announce who was hired?
  - Was someone hired? I never heard anything after the AHA.

Muskingum College (ancient/medieval)

application deadline is 1 Nov 2008
10/20 received acknowledgment letter
12/5 AHA interview requested by email

Oberlin College (Religion in the Medieval Mediterranean World)

application deadline is 17 Oct 2008

Smith College

application deadline is 1 Nov 2008
11/5 received acknowledgment letter
snail mail or e-mail, just out of curiosity?
snail mail
how many people have received acknowledgment letters? Or, more to the point I guess, how many people haven't?

Received snail-mail acknowledgment: 17

12/10 AHA interview requested by email
How many were contacted for interviews? 5
I enjoyed receiving the revised EEO form today (18 December)--a week after interviews had already been scheduled with the privileged few. Hmm, I wonder if I'll fill it out?
If it makes anyone feel any better, Smith received nearly 160 applications for this position. Yeesh.
Any news on this one yet? I'm thinking they must've invited candidates to campus by now....
The committee has met already. I am not one of those chosen...
Candidates on Campus.

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville

application deadline is 1 Dec 2008
10/15 received acknowledgment letter
12/6 AHA interview requested by email
Any news on this one? (The interviewers at the AHA were so lovely; I'd love to have them as colleagues!)
Department-wide they are hiring for three positions, and have had candidates in over the past week and coming week (last week of Jan./first week of Feb). Campus interviews have been scheduled for the medieval position.

Trinity University

application deadline is 26 Nov 2008
09/25 received acknowledgment letter
12/2 AHA interview scheduled. Anyone from overseas invited for interview (or is money too tight at the moment)?

contacted by phone or e-mail? Phone.
has more than one person here been invited to interview?
yes

12/9 rejection letter
In response to question about money at the university, I interviewed with them at the AHA and they told me that they currently have a lot of searches running and none have been cancelled. I don't think this is an issue. They also told me that on-campus interviews will move quickly, wrapping up by late January/early February. Good luck to all! It seems like a great department.
On-campus interviews have been scheduled (01/12).
The position has been filled (02/09).

Has it been announced (i.e., who is it)?

University of St Andrews

Two positions, deadline 20 February 2009

University of Wisconsin-Madison (Byzantine history)

application deadline is 31 Oct 2008
Rejection letter 12/8

Wheaton College (ancient/medieval)

application deadline is 15 Nov 2008
10/20 received acknowledgment letter
10/25 received acknowledgment letter
AHA interview scheduled by phone 12/15
How many have been asked to interview?
12/19 Received rejection letter x3 (12/20) (Horrible year.)

Over 160 applications--ugh. I enjoyed the department chair assuring us that it wasn't about our qualifications, but about the department's special needs--needs that couldn't adequately be described in a "Perspectives" advertisement. In other words, just because your qualifications matched those specified in the ad didn't mean that you were actually qualified for the job. Kind of the professional equivalent of "guess what's in my pocket".
Would you have preferred it if the chair had pointed out that, in fact, it *was* your qualifications, which simply weren't as strong or as desirable as those held by the candidates asked to interview at AHA? Would that have made you feel better? Assuring a rejected candidate that he or she has strong qualifications, but does not fit programmatic needs, strikes me as a kind and tactful way to ease the blow. It also has the virtue of often being true. But if you would like the astringent honesty of "your non-Ivy diploma isn't good enough," or "your dissertation topic is an unsexy bore," or "your obscure adviser isn't very enthusiastic about you," then I'm sure someone can oblige you. Good Lord. There's enough chilliness and disappointment and rudeness in this process that you shouldn't search for a reason to kick a polite letdown out of bed.
With respect to all involved, I think the previous poster's point was that the rejection letter suggested that there were requirements for the position that were unstated in the advertisement and impossible for potential applicants to guess. While that is understandable considering the limitations of the ads, it is nonetheless frustrating (because I might have just spent my time applying for a job I could not possibly get). I absolutely agree that any kindness is welcome in this process, however knowing I might never have even had a chance at the job from the start makes my angst over the application feel a little wasted. Good wishes to all-

Campus visit scheduled by phone 1/7

Interviewed at AHA, assume I am not getting a campus interview, but have also not got a rejection, which is kinda uncool (unless they are waiting to see how the campus interviews go?). FWIW, I gathered that the pool had a broad range of experience levels, and this might have given the committee options they hadn't thought about when they posted the ad.
Actually, that's unfortunately how it normally works in the academic job market (which is why this wiki is so helpful). Most schools will wait until the final candidate has accepted the job before notifying everyone else.

Position has been filled (2/23)
any word on the successful candidate's specialization?

Medieval/Early Modern

Ursinus College

Medieval/Early Modern Europe, Iberian Peninsula, or France, or Italy.
Posted ~14 August 2008; applications due 1 December 2008
11/18 received acknowledgment letter, indicating they would contact people for further material in early December
Posting
12/5 AHA interview scheduled by email
More than one?
Yes.
Letter said that almost 150 people applied!!!
Pretty normal for a job that encompasses two fields.
Rejected by email 12/12 (nice letter though); I have heard that modernist were applying to this early modern position.
Great, now I can't check my email...
Campus invites are being extended (1/12)

rejection letter by snail mail.

Has an offer been made for this one?

Yes. Candidate (not me) is considering offer.

1st candidate (also not me, unfortunately...) declined offer.

Kalamazoo College

Medieval/Early Modern Europe.
Applications due 31 October 2008
Posting
Received Acknowledgment 10/31
SC contacted some candidates to ask whether they would attend AHA. During the course of this conversation, SC indicated that they would contact short-list for interviews on or before December 5th.

[I deleted confusion over what the above-mentioned contact was about.]

Email rejection on 11/26. Thanksgiving a day early!
Me too, rejection on the 26th. Hurray.
So wait - has anyone actually been invited to interview?
From what I understand, there have been no invites yet. They narrowed the application pool prior to Thanksgiving (hence the emails either inquiring about applicants' continued interest or giving the bad news). By the end of this week, they will be deciding on who they will interview and they will then contact applicants shortly after that (so perhaps end of this week or early next week?).
12/5 - AHA interview scheduled by phone
1/8 On-campus interview scheduled by phone
2/25 An offer has been made.

Cornell College

Medieval/Early Modern Europe.
Applications due 14 November 2008
Posting
Department website and this tidbit from the advertisement makes it look a bit like a current VAP has something of an edge: "we welcome candidates who are also able to teach courses in the history of the Ottoman Empire or the early modern Islamic world"
Received acknowledgment letter 11/22

BTW, nicest acknowledgment letter EVER.
I agree! Could make you want to live in IA!
Oh, yes. I'd sell my mom for parts for this job. (No offense, mom!)

AHA interview scheduled by phone (12/11) x2
Does anyone think this is worth the scheduling for an interview - or are they just going for inside candidate?

Of course it's worth interviewing! The current VAP may be interviewing elsewhere, may not really be an inside candidate, etc. Plus, inside candidates often don't get hired.
The above is terrible advice. It's not worth interviewing. In fact, you should email them and withdraw your application immediately. Also, be sure to throw around some expletives so they know you're serious about not wanting the job.
Totally worth interviewing. The inside candidate could be a complete jerk, could get the job at Princeton, could have decided he hates Iowa. I'd have loved to get an interview. That said, at SLACs, the insider has a much greater advantage than at R1s.
Rejection by snail mail. I'm not sure what to make of the fact that the letter described the position as being in "Medieval Europe." Were they really not interested in early modernists, or just being efficient?
So, any early modernists land interviews? Or is it earlier folks?

Any news on this one?

Still nothing? (1/23)

Nothing here. Sigh. (1/24)

Block system may be slowing things down. Or they decided to go with the inside candidate...

On-campus interview scheduled for mid-February

Marlboro College

Europe prior to the 20th century
Review of applications begins November 24
Received acknowledgment letter 11/22
Is there any reason this is listed as Medieval/ Early Modern? It's listed as "pre-20th century" which seems like modern to me unless someone knows something beyond the posting.
Marlboro is a tiny college (under 400 students, under 40 faculty), so "pre-20th century" means exactly that. Medieval/Early Modern is as good as any other classification, it would appear...
Received a very thoughtful e-mail with details about the position, more or less asking, "be sure you want this," saying that a first cut has been made. 12/8
Number of Recipients of e-mail: 5
Scheduled AHA interview (12/9) x5 and (12/10) x3
Gracious snail mail rejection (12/23) appreciative of the 'time and effort" involved in applying to Marlboro.
Anyone hear anything about on campus interviews?
Was told end of January at the AHA, no other information.

Marlboro is still in its winter break at the moment. Classes don't begin until after the MLK holiday. So, I wouldn't expect to hear anything until after the new semester begins.

On-CAMPUS interview scheduled via email 1/22 (x2)
Has anyone received an offer from Marlboro yet? No(2/25)
Well, how many candidates had on-campus interviews?
There were four candidates, and the last interview was on Feb 20.
How do you know that was the last interview?

Davidson College (VAP)

Applications due 31 January 2009

Has anyone received an acknowledgment?
Bueller?

Denison University (VAP)

Applications due 30 January 2009
Phone Interview Scheduled, 2/23

Columbus State University

Applications due 31 January 2009
Someone mistakenly listed this as a VAP, but it is an assistant-level TT position.

Phone interview requested 2/16/09 Campus interview scheduled 3/2

Early Modern Europe

Out of curiosity - how many people have we got active on this thing? Change the number below if you're here:

36

Q: But this seems like a poor measure--how many people bother?
Probably not many. A: I'm just trying to assess how complete the information here is because I had no idea whether there were two people or two hundred. If there are 100 people posting, silence on any given job says that the committee has not yet contacted candidates because someone in that group would have gotten an interview. If there were just two people, it would be less helpful as a source of information. With sixteen posters (as I write) I think this is probably pretty accurate, at least for the AHA stage of things. (That said, I'm only applying for two jobs, so I'll be no help at all!)

From the medievalists: Is anyone interested in breaking down our numbers by our current status, e.g. ABD, Defended, VAP, postdoc, in a TT job, etc...

ABD: 4
ABD & VAP:
Postdoc: 2
TT: 3
Unemployed Ph.D.: 1
VAP: 1

What does VAP stand for? It stands for "visiting assistant professor", almost always a non-tenure track position to my limited knowledge. I don't know why academia is acronym hell (AH) but it is very annoying (VA). LOL

Active Postings for 2008-2009 (Archive of 2007-2008 wiki)

Adelphi University

Associate Professor Position
Deadline: Immediately
Contacted for AHA Interview by e-mail Nov. 26
Contacted for on campus interview

Durham University

Deadline February 6, 2009
Continental Europe from 1500 to 1815
Contacted for campus interview (Feb 19)

Michigan State University

Early Modern Europe, c. 1500- c. 1800
Application Deadline is December 1
Rank Open
AHA interview scheduled (12/10 email)
Junior or senior?
Junior
Has anyone else heard anything on this position?
And what are the subfields of the person(s) who have heard? Country? Period?
Early modern Europe and the world, for me (I heard this week)
Has anyone heard about this posting since the AHA?
I know (third-hand) that on-campuses were progressing in January. Sorry not to be of greater service.
Offer to senior candidate has been made (2/8)

Oxford University, St Hilda's College

2 year fixed-term post
Early Modern Britain, espec. 1660-1700
This should have been posted under British History

Princeton University

2 Early Modern Europe (1400-1800)
1 early modern Britain (1400-1700)
Positions are open rank.
Posted 11 July 2008; applications due 15 October 2008
Requested additional materials, 10-22
I imagine they'll decide that the assistant-professor level position will be in either early modern Europe or early modern Britain; does anyone know which way they're going?
A friend of mine was told by someone in their department that the early modern Britain position will be at the assistant professor level.
Email from SC indicates that they will not contact Early Modern British applicants until short-list is complete.
They have invited one senior Reformation historian to campus and are pursuing another senior eighteenth-century French historian. The British search is being delayed for a few weeks as they have decided to concentrate on filling the continental positions first.
So are you saying that they ARE NOT looking for any continental people at the assistant professor level?
I was the one who posted that a friend of mine had been told that the early modern Britain position would be at the assistant professor level. But I recently heard that a senior British historian had been invited to campus. Go figure. Certainly it's not impossible that they could fail to get the senior people that they want, which would mean that they might end up going junior with one or more of these searches.
And I was the one of those who posted that they weren't going to move on the British position just yet. As you say, go figure.
I recently heard that they wanted to fill the senior position (undecided which) before moving to the junior searches, so that the senior faculty could have input on the hiring process. So, junior people might not hear until winter or next year.
This makes sense. This department is famous for long, drawn out searches, so it might be a while before they turn to the junior slot.
I applied for the continental Europe positions, and I just received a letter saying they would speak to short-listed candidates in early December
Just got a letter from Princeton: concentrating on continental European posts in the fall, will move on to the British post in the spring, we should expect to hear about the next stage of the competition toward the end of February 2009.
Inside information says that they have six junior European candidates that they have requested materials from. Two senior candidates (one Reformation, one French Rev) have been on campus, but there will also be junior candidates invited, probably early next month.
Anyone know the subfields of the junior candidates whose materials they requested? Just curious.
Writing samples requested by e-mail (12/5)

Which position? Senior or junior?

Junior (Continental Europe)
Two senior people have interviewed, the rest likely scheduled for January. Subfields were either 18th century Europe (Enlightenment, France and Germany), or Catholic women, the Italian wars, or Atlantic world. It appears they have no idea what they want.
They have scheduled three on-campus interviews for junior scholars of early modern Europe
In which fields?
Junior offer made
Senior offer made in early modern French
Junior offer accepted (early modern Germany and France)
They have only now moved to the early modern Britain search. Inside information that candidates should hear about campus interviews very soon. (2/23)
Additional materials requested. (2/27)

St. Andrews University

Lectureship in the Religious History of Continental Europe, 1450-1750
Closing date: 17 October 2008
Interviews set for December 1, shortlist set.
Interviews held, decision made on Dec. 1. Offer made, awaiting acceptance.
Offer made, accepted. Reformation-influenced Italy.

Texas A&M University - College Station

Renaissance and Reformation
Search chair studies Britain, so they probably mean Continental Europe
Posted 17 June 2008; applications due 7 November 2008
AHA interview scheduled 11/14
Rejection letter, snail mail, received 12/06

Texas A&M University - College Station

Iberia & Iberian World, post-1400
Posted 17 June 2008; applications due 7 November 2008
AHA interview scheduled, 11/14 (x2)
Rejection letter received 11/30 (snail mail)
12/17 Instructions for AHA interview (email)
1/5 On-campus scheduled

University of Chicago

Early Modern Europe (1350-1650)
Posted 18 July 2008; applications due 7 November 2008
Posting
Received email confirmation asking for online application - 13 November 2008
Anyone hear anything from Chicago yet?
just got invited to an AHA interview with them
Date of invitation? Were you notified by e-mail or phone?
Two on-campus interviews scheduled (last week of January and first week of February). Both candidates are recent Harvard Ph.D.s, working on southern Europe.

University of Massachusetts, Boston

Early Modern Europe (Excluding Britain)
applications due 1 Dec 2008
Posting
got an email acknowleging app and asking to sign waiver for them to contact references (11/26)
Any news here? Are rumors of state hiring freeze true?
Called for AHA interview, 12/17
Has anyone else heard?
Ditto on AHA interview, 12/17
What are the fields of the people who have been called? Country? Intellectual history? Cultural?
Campus Interviews Scheduled 01/08
Offer made and accepted

The University of Southern California

Application Deadline is November 1
Has anyone heard anything from these folks?
I have it on reliable authority that they're still reading files... all 300+ of them.
Contacted for AHA interview, 12/9
On-campus interview scheduled, 1/17'
Any news here? (2/23)

Williams College SEARCH POSTPONED TO 2009

Early Modern Europe
Posted 11 July 2008; applications due 17 November 2008
Posting
10/20 - Received letter of acknowledgment! Whoo hoo!
10/29 - Second-hand source says that the search has been canceled. See this article for some measure of confirmation. "any vacancies will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis. For those deemed essential, a search will begin to fill the opening. Any others will remain unfilled."
11/3 - Update: Email from search chair says that the search is up in the air. They are asking the Administration for permission to go ahead with it, but have not yet received a response.
Bah - Email from search chair says that the job has been postponed to next year.
Sigh - The one job whose qualifications I actually fulfilled.
Two things to cheer you up: 1) The chair was very clear that the job will be back next year. 2) I would have gotten it this year, and if all goes well I will not be on the market next. :)
Letter notifying about situation; applications held over in-stasis, must be revived by Oct 1, 2009. (12/10)

European Modern

OK, the Early Modern guys have a good idea up above. In order to see how many of us are active on this page, change the number below if you're here.
65

Just out of curiosity, would those of you invited to interviews for broad European positions mind to tell the rest of us your regional specializations under the individual listings?

[moved post AHA discussion to the discussion page section on the AHA -- to find that, go to the top-right corner of this whole page and click the "discussion" tab]

American University

Applications accepted immediately
Application acknowledgment, email 10/31
American not interested in German specialists
That would have been nice to know about a month ago! What a waste of time.
What specialization are they interested in?
The ad is a bit broad, but my contacts tell me that the department may lean toward French specialists or specialists in Eastern European history.
Two on-campus interviews have been scheduled.
Anyone know the specialties of the finalists?
12/28-- they're done, hire is an associate specializing in modern france
Wait a minute.. an associate? That means someone is vacating a position for a French historian, somewhere. Now if only we knew where...
Email notification that search is being concluded. (1/15/09)

American University of Cairo

AHA interview scheduled (email) 11-19
Just saw a "repost" of this job on the Chronicle's website. Thought I'd pass it along.
Hmm - wonder if this means they didn't get enough applicants?
I held this job for two years. It was a complete waste of my time. The history department is toxic. My colleagues throughout the university were unbelievably unprofessional, resentful, bitter, hostile, and in one case I personally experienced even violent. A few also interfered heavily in my private life with the knowledge and acquiescence of the administration, which in that case and many others was/is incompetent, uncaring, and corrupt. AUC has moved to a new, isolated campus far outside Cairo (60-90 minute commute each way). It has been a total disaster (see 10/31/2008 Chronicle of Higher Education article and various Facebook groups/postings). AUC is consequently in tough financial shape. It pays abnormally low salaries and can't support research at realistic levels. I got another academic job and gleefully resigned (mercifully before the campus move), but at age 30, would have preferred private sector work or law school to staying there. I'm unsurprised that they don't seem to be getting many applicants. I deeply regret ever having accepted the position and would never recommend working there to anyone. If you get the offer, don't go.
Wow...I wonder if AUC is doing anything to improve their reputation...
The violent (non-departmental) colleague I encountered subsequently became termimally ill and left the university; the cowardly provost who refused to deal with the situation in any responsible way has since retired to much popular relief. These, however, are more symptoms of AUC's general problems than solutions. The remaining administrators are as clueless as it gets and several colleagues still there count among the very worst people I have ever encountered in any aspect of professional life. To give you a broader idea of what it's like, 5 of the 9 full-time professors working in the history department when I arrived in 2005 have since left the university while another came and went within that time after experiencing a great deal of harassment for political reasons - thus an attrition rate of 60% over three years. Of course no improvement in the atmosphere could ever erase the enormous distance between Cairo and the new campus.
Isn't cost of living in Cairo really low (which is possibly why pay is lower than at most places in the US) - how low are the salaries?
Cost of living is pretty low and there is a tax advantage to working outside the US, but Egypt has a relatively high inflation rate across the board, especially in better neighborhoods like Zamalek. I didn't feel that my annual increases went that far. Domestic and regional air travel, the few good restaurants, Western-quality food, booze, electronics, gym memberships, and other commodities/services a professional would want were either as or more expensive than they are in the US. The administration appeals to the cost of living and tax advantage to justify the abnormally low salaries (and tries in a pretty cheesy way to sell going to Egypt as an "experience"), but when I arrived in 2005 it nevertheless admitted that compensation packages at all ranks were at about the 40th percentile when rated among academic institutions in the US. This eventually struck me as shameless because the faculty have to relocate far abroad and make serious personal and professional sacrifices to be there. My involvement in my field became minimal, I felt bored a lot of the time, and I missed a lot of opportunities as a direct result of being at AUC, which really didn't seem to care when I expressed my dismay. The low salaries certainly did not respond to standing expenses people have in the US. My colleagues with kids in college, sick relatives, or homes they maintained were in tough financial shape, even when well along in their careers. AUC was also dishonest about hidden salary deductions. The health insurance premium for a pretty low-grade plan with high deductibles was an outrageous 50%, or about $2200/year for a married couple, and was supposed to go up after I left. No dental insurance is included. Relocation costs and annual home leave are subject to social security deductions from salary payments. A serious portion of salaries (30% when I left) is paid in local currency, the real value of which steadily eroded when the dollar was falling (this may have changed). The now retired provost categorically refused in any of the many cases I'm aware of to negotiate with anyone who got another job offer and seemed blithely unconcerned with the disastrous faculty retention rate. There was even a rumor that they wanted to replace tenure with non-renewable 5-year contracts. AUC did introduce merit-based salary increases in my second year, but I was denied one because a book I had in production with a university press had not appeared in print by the time the committee met. That all being said, the salary was the least of my motivations for leaving. It was the foul people, the unprofessional ethos of the place, the incompetent administration, the complete disaster that is the new campus, the oppressive bureaucracy, the woeful lack of respect for privacy, and the episode of violence (and its appalling handling) that counted far, far more. My new job is a lot better and, though it came with a compensation boost of about 25%, I would have gladly taken a pay cut to get out of AUC or done something else with my life.
"on-campus" (via video-conference) scheduled

Aquinas College

Review of applications will begin November 1, 2008
Received acknowledgment letter, 11/7
Will be interviewing at AHA; plan to contact interviewees "in early December"
AHA Interview scheduled by phone, 12/7 x2
AHA Interview scheduled by phone, 12/8
Telephone call to schedule on-campus visit, 1/17
An offer has been made and accepted

Armstrong Atlantic State University

Application review begins December 1
11/26 - receipt of application acknowledged (snail mail)
phone interview scheduled (by phone) 12-17 x2
Has anyone heard from them since the phone interview?
Campus interview scheduled 1-26

Canisius College

Applications due December 15 2008
See "Russian/Soviet history" section below

Castleton State College

Review of applications begins on November 1, 2008
Received acknowledgment letter, 11/7
Any news here?
12/10 AHA interview requested by email
12/11 AHA interview scheduled (phone)
1/23 campus interview scheduled (phone) X2
only one on-campus so far?
Offer made and accepted

Centenary College

Review of applications beginning November 14, 2008
Received acknowledgment letter, 11/10
Written request for more materials, 11/20
Phone interview scheduled by email, 12/18

Coastal Carolina University SEARCH RESUMED

Application materials must be received by December 1, 2008
search cancelled, 11/14
would have been nice if they let us know....no info sent 11/18
letter stating "delaying the search", dated 12/18, received 12/24
1/20: Snail mail stating that the search has resumed, all applications reactivated. Phone interviews planned for late Feb.
1/22: Snail mail letter search resumed. Glad to see maybe some schools are weathering economy.
2/23 has anyone been contacted for a phone interview?
3/2 email requesting letters of reference

Coe College

Application materials must be received by December 1, 2008
Acknowledgement received via email 10/30
Acknowledgement received via email 11/04
12/12 AHA interview requested by phone (X3)
Rejected by snail mail 12/20
On-campus interview scheduled 1/6 by phone
Offer made and accepted

Colby-Sawyer College

Deadline November 1, 2008
This job was advertised as African OR Asian OR European. It is on the World History Wiki http://scratchpad.wikia.com/wiki/World_History

Colorado College

One-year VAP, late modern Europe
Application materials due February 1
Received confirmation of application receipt (02/04).
Contacted regarding phone interview (02/09).

C. W. Post Campus of Long Island University SEARCH CANCELLED

Applications must be received by November 14, 2008
12/6 Received snail mail informing that search cancelled for financial reasons
It was a pleasantly apologetic letter saying also that the search may be re-activated "as soon as the hiring freeze lifts." I'm reading this as perhaps sometime in the spring, unless anyone else out there knows better?

Dowling College

Application deadline is 1 Oct 2008
Phone Interview set up
Phone Interview (10/22)
Has there been any further development regarding the Dowling position?
On-campus interview scheduled by e-mail (11/22)
I had a phone interview in October as well...has anyone else heard about an on-campus?

Elizabethtown College

Application deadline is unknown
They will be interviewing at the AHA, however, so get those apps in this fall.
11/6 - receipt of application acknowledged (e-mail)
12/5 - AHA interview scheduled
Campus interviews are in progress. 1/29/09

According to what they told me when I was there, they should be done by now. Has anybody received an offer? At this point, no news is bad news; some schools wait until a candidate has accepted in writing before notifying the also-rans. 2/24

Grinnell College (Excluding Britain and Russia)

Application materials should be received by November 3, 2008
11/6 - receipt of application acknowledged (e-mail)
have any interviews been scheduled for this position?
12/6 - AHA interview scheduled by phone
Beat me to the edit by a minute! Good luck and congrats! (x2!)
Congratulations to those invited to interview! -- Just out of curiosity, what are your specialties?
Modern France here, and thanks! Good luck to everyone.
12/23 - Rejection e-mail. According to this e-mail, 14 candidates have been selected for interviews at or before the AHA conference.
according to Grinnell's website they have already scheduled 3 modern Euro job talks for the end of Jan/begin Feb.

Hiram College

Review of applications will begin in early December
Has anyone heard anything from Hiram College (acknowledgment letter, EO form, interview request, &c)?
Not a word. I mailed in my materials in mid Nov., but I have not received any sort of confirmation that they got them.

I am in the same situation as the previous poster. Mailed everything mid-Nov. and haven't heard anything since.
Me, too! I've not heard a word, not even acknowledgement of the application! Do you think that there is a hiring freeze in the works?

My theory (so much for avoiding wild speculation) is that when the search committee stated that 'Review of applications will begin in early December,' they meant it literally and didn't even look at them until just recently. (Maybe this is too optimistic, but that is what I'm trying to believe these days).
Okay, so I am not the only one. I assumed that the lack of communication owed itself to their being a small department and possibly overwhelmed with applications.
If none of us hear from the SC by Dec. 17th, one of us will call to inquire. The advert does not say anything about interviewing at the AHA, so the SC members may be taking their careful time reading applications. Who knows--maybe they are reading apps through the winter break.
Did anyone make the call? If they don't decide by Dec. 19th, they couldn't possibly be going to AHA. As the post above suggests, maybe the SC hadn't planned to go anyway.
I will call them later today (12/19). Don't we all already have plenty of AHA interviews anyway? I hope they skip the AHA and move to campus visits.

One would certainly hope this is sarcasm.....
Live from the AHA. It doesn't look like they are interviewing here. At least they do not show up on the lists displayed at the Job Register.
Did anyone ever follow up with these guys? Looks like this search just fell into quicksand...
Phone interview request 1/20/09
Phone interview request 1/22/09
phone interview 1/30
Campus Interview scheduled for 2/19

Indiana University Southeast

Applicants should submit materials by December 3rd, 2008
- does anyone know if they just didn't make a selection last year, or if they just forgot to delete their job ad? The ad is identical to last years...
-There is no job according to departmental secretary (11/4)

Louisiana Tech University

Review of credentials will begin on November 15, 2008
11/12 - receipt of application acknowledged (snail mail)
11/7 - AHA Interview scheduled (phone)
11/7 - AHA interview scheduled (phone)
11/7-AHA interview scheduled (email)
(11/21) Is it odd to anyone that supposedly "review of credentials will begin on Nov 15", but AHA interviews were already set up on Nov 7? Now, I made sure my app would arrive before Nov 15, but I'm wondering if this all wasn't just a waste of time. Would a SC assume that all the best apps arrive at least 2 weeks before the due date? Anyone have any suggestions/speculations?
I also thought this was very odd and I'm not sure what to make of it. I sent my materials off after 7 November, but I have yet to hear anything from them outside of the standard acknowledgement letter. Maybe they already had several candidates in mind? (11/21)
As a sympathetic but senior observer: send your applications in before the deadline! It is unfair, even irrational, but every job search committee I have been on has had at least one member who would not look at applications that arrived just before (a week; a couple of days; it depends) the deadline.
As an unsympathetic junior observer: that is one of the most asinine things I have ever read, regardless of its veracity, which I do not doubt. As if this process were not already ridiculous beyond imagination: it takes nearly an entire academic year, involves multiple interviews, campus visits, etc., the hiring committees occasionally deign to respond to applications they have rejected, often months late...and now we are to understand that some of the people on those committees take the few rules there are and throw them out the window? Makes one rethink this entire industry.
Bravo to the above poster. The situation described by the "senior observer" is truly appalling, if not criminal. I know that sometimes the AHA administration reads this site; they should take note.
11/25 AHA interview scheduled (phone) (X2)
LA Tech is now on an accelerated hiring schedule and is conducting phone interviews 12/3 and 12/4.
Where did you get this information? I'm scheduled for an AHA interview and I've heard nothing from them to suggest that they are not doing the AHA.
(12/3) Is it too early to submit nominations for the most F-ed up, screwball search of the year? My guess: probably.
Search has been accelerated as a result of possible statewide hiring freeze. Committee assumes candidates would prefer this to lack of a job opportunity. ALL applications have been properly and thoroughly reviewed by search committee (even those received after 11/15). NO interviews have been canceled at AHA and may still proceed if suitable candidate is not found prior to AHA. ALL candidacies are still under consideration. Rather than wild speculation on Wiki, candidates are advised to seek information directly from committee.
Perhaps it would behoove search committees to communicate more openly with candidates and thus such so-called "wild speculation" would not be necessary. Ironic that this communication occurs in the very media it disdains!
I don't think the "senior observer" was talking specifically about this search - so it may just be one of, instead of the, most f-ed up
Senior observer again: I was in no way referring to this search, which I know nothing about. The general point remains, despite it being wrong-headed and a bad thing.
I would have to agree with the above regarding the lack of communication by the search committee. Much angst (or at least some) would have been avoided if the search committee had been more open with the applicants, instead of choosing to adopt (apparently) this Politburo-type condescension -- you know the type that says we should thank our lucky stars that we even have the honor of supplicating our pathetic-desperate selves to their magnanimity. Is it at all inappropriate to to expect the search committee to inform those persons who previously arranged an AHA interview, but now are scratching their perplexed heads, that their interview might be canceled at some undefined moment? (And no - I am not one of those poor souls.) Further, I'm still not encouraged by the tone of the committee member that this attempt to accelerate the search (it comes off as rather panicky, doesn't it?) does not mean that applications received close to the deadline are anything other than accelerated toward the reject bin. But... we just have to trust them. Any objections? Well, NO SOUP FOR YOU! Would I prefer being condescended to in preference to lack of a job opportunity? Let me think about that.
Received an e-mail from the SC explaining why they have gone into 'accelerated' search mode, which also says they will keep all AHA interviews scheduled - unless an offer is made and accepted. The e-mail, though, also said the SC would not object should I cancel the appointment to free up time for other interviews. Sigh...
How tacky is it to schedule interviews with candidates only to let them subsequently know they are mere second tier! I think that may indeed qualify this search as most f-up.
Campus interview scheduled 12/5. Had phone interview first before being invited to campus. The SC was very communicative and explained the situation at the time of the phone interview and was very apologetic. I think the comments here are somewhat uncalled for. They felt it was better to accelerate the search than have the position cancelled.
Good luck with the campus interview
Hey interviewee: way to toady-up! It is obvious to all of us (isn't it?) that the SC knows exactly who you are. Not surprising to hear that you find this arrangement perfectly acceptable. But you have a chance to redeem yourself: If the comments here are "somewhat uncalled for," then I suppose you believe they are "somewhat called for." Would you care to share with us, and the carefully attentive SC, what has been out-of-place and disingenuous about its conduct?
I applied for this job, was really interested in it, never heard from them, and am really disappointed. Have said that, the above comment was written by a total idiot. wtf?
Considering that the economy is 'cratering', the governor is imposing hiring freezes, suspending them, and then imposing them again (see the job below), we might want to at least admit that the current situation presents a challenge to conducting an effective and orderly search. This is frustrating for us as well as them (and no, I don't have an interview either...).

Understandable, but not offering a phone interview to all who have been extended an AHA invitation reeks of inappropriate favoritism. Once certain individuals have been recognised all candidates need to be treated equally or it compromises the entire legitimacy of the search process...and makes it much less humane.

Have campus interviews been canceled due to the state-wide freeze?

No, campus interviews were held. Right now, position is on hold as of 12/18/08.
AHA Interviews are still taking place in NY
as of 1/23/09, position still on hold

Louisiana State University Shreveport (Excluding Russia, Britain and France)

Review of applications begins November 15, 2008
Confirmation
12/10 - Phone interview set up (LSU-S is also trying to beat the state-wide hiring freeze in Louisiana, but they never intended to schedule AHA interviews)
Good luck, there. You should know, however, that a state-wide hiring freeze has been in effect in LA since about Nov 21. Has the SC said anything about how they are approaching the process in light of this?
SC has been up front about the hiring freeze (see my post above, I reference it). All I know is that they want to "move quickly," perhaps to get someone in place before there's no turning back? Or maybe they are hoping the freeze will be lifted? Not sure, but it will be #1 on my list of questions, of course.
Soooo, state-wide hiring freeze was confirmed yesterday afternoon, before my phone interview this morning. SC now has to wait; no real timeline. Bummer.
Did they proceed with the interview?
Whoops - disregard the previous post...

[2] Metropolitan State College of Denver SEARCH ON HOLD

2/6 deadline
email from HR stating that all vacancies being reviewed (1/29)

Middlebury College 1 year 19/20c Europe-Spanish/Italian specialization

12/5 deadline
any word on this one?

Missouri State University (Continental Europe excluding France)

Date of First Consideration is 11/19/2007
-Here, again, is this last year's ad reused, or what?
This University's Human Resources webpage does not list this job vacancy, so I think we can assume that this search was completed last year.

Missouri University of Science and Technology

Application must be received by by December 1, 2008

Penn State University Altoona

Deadline was 15 October.
Ad says that they will be conducting AHA interviews.
Has anyone heard anything about this position?
I emailed the administrative person and asked for an update and she replied to say that applications were still being "collected and reviewed."
I wonder if this means they are still receiving applications.
AHA Interview scheduled by phone, 12/15
AHA Interview scheduled by email 12/17
On-campus scheduled by phone, 1/21
Offer extended & accepted, 2/16

Saint Michael's College (Modern Europe)

Review of applications will begin November 1, 2008.
11/7- Email acknowledging receipt of application
Any news on this search since early November?
12/11 - AHA interview request via email
12/11 AHA interview scheduled by phone
Congratulations to those invited to interview! -- Just out of curiosity, what are your specialties?
It appears that there is something of an inside candidate here--the VAP teaching there.
Rejection email (12-19). (x2--misery loves company).
Anyone get an on-campus yet?
at least one on-campus has been scheduled, b/c I know person in question
The position has been filled according to the letter I recently received. My guess is that they hired the VAP who is already there.

Salisbury University (20th Century Europe) Hiring freeze now in effect for this position

Applications postmarked by November 15, 2008 will be given first consideration
Acknowledgment letter received 13 November. Included EEOE Form. They appear to be reviewing candidates and hoping for budgetary approval.
The University's Human Resource site indicates the status of this position will not be clarified until early January.
As per an email sent by the department chair on 25 November, the university has suspended their search for this position due to budget shortfalls. They hope to reinitiate the search in the next AY.
I just want to point out that they were very nice about the whole thing. I don't expect to be treated humanely in this process, and I appreciated that they sent such a detailed explanation of what's going on. Too bad the search is cancelled.
I agree with the above posting. Clearly, this is a very thoughtful department and it is a shame that they fell subject to this year's financial curses.
Indeed, their handling of a rather unfortunate situation is to be commended.
i saw salisbury at the job center - was the job un-frozen? or did they have another position as well?
I received confirmation from the department chair on 2/10 that the search is definitely off for this year.

Simpson College

All application materials should be received by November 3, 2008
11/3 - receipt of application acknowledged (snail mail)
11/24 - AHA interview scheduled (phone)
12/1 - AHA interview scheduled (phone)
AHA interview scheduled just before Thanksgiving (phone)
AHA interview scheduled via phone (12-19)
On-campus scheduled via phone 1/9(X2)
Good luck. The teaching load can be kind of tough, but if you want a good SLAC with genuinely nice students and colleagues, this is an awfully good place.
2/23 Rejection letter stated that an offer has been made to someone else

Tennessee Tech University

Application Deadline December 1
I'm not sure why this hasn't made it to the wiki, but I thought I'd put it up. I haven't heard anything - no ack., no nothing.

I'm right with you. I submitted my materials around 20 November, not a peep from them.

University of Alabama Tuscaloosa (Excluding Britain)

Review of applications will begin November 15, 2008
Asked for more material (11/20) (x2)
Asked for dissertation (11/20)
AHA interview scheduled 12/3 (X2)
Rejection letter via e-mail 12/16
On campus interviews scheduled

University of Cincinnati (Excluding Britain, Russia and Germany)

Applications must be received by November 15
11/26: asked for more material (x3)
AHA interview scheduled by phone, 12/4

12/18 Mass rejection email received that didn't bother to blind carbon copy its recipients. It also neglected to mention what university it was from. It did mention, however, that there are eight of you who will be receiving AHA interviews. So congrats! You're nearly there.
12/18 Just opened my mass rejection email, and had to look closely at the address to figure out from whom. But I second the congrats to those of you who got the interviews--good job!
It took me a while to figure out who it was from too - I thought maybe I was getting so many rejections that even schools I hadn't applied to were joining in! Bravo to the person who emailed them pointing out how unprofessional the mass email with everyones emails (and I know at least one person on that list who didn't want their job searches going public b/c of their current position). And congrats to the lucky 8! Good luck!

on campus interview scheduled.
offer extended and accepted (02/19).

University of Maine Farmington SEARCH SUSPENDED

Review of applications will begin November 15, 2008
11/3 - receipt of application acknowledged (snail mail)
11/3 - receipt of application acknowledged (snail mail)
Will be interviewing at the AHA
Someone on the World History page claims this search is frozen. It is listed as "Open" on the university's website. Has anyone heard anything?
12/8 - Received letter via USPS stating that the search has been suspended
Funny I've been waiting for this letter on the search--but haven't heard a thing (12/19)

University of North Dakota (Continental Europe)

Deadline for ensuring full consideration is November 14, 2008
11/12 - receipt of application acknowledged (snail mail)
12/15 - phone interview scheduled for this week
Congratulations to those invited to interview! -- Just out of curiosity, what are your specialties?
Candidates have been invited for campus visits in mid-January
Snail-mail rejection letter rec'd (dated 2/9); states that position has been filled and search concluded.

University of Puget Sound

Application materials postmarked no later than November 15, 2008 to ensure consideration.
-does anyone know if this position is a replacement for a retiring faculty member? Their Russian historian appears to be of retirement age...
11/10 - receipt of application materials acknowledged (snail mail)
11/14 - receipt of application materials acknowledged (snail mail)
12/5 - AHA interview scheduled
How did they contact you?
12/5 - AHA interview scheduled as well (Contact by phone)
Congratulations to those invited to interview! -- Just out of curiosity, what are your specialties?
1/16 - any news from UPS?
1/27 - I know of at least 3 of us who interviewed at the AHA who haven't heard anything yet, is there any other news out there?
1/27 - Make that 4 of us. I too have heard nothing.
1/27 - On campus scheduled (two weeks ago--I didn't know about this wiki)
2/21 - Rejection letter stating that the job had been offered, and accepted.

University of Redlands (Modern Western Continental Europe - Assistant/Associate Professor)

Review of applications will begin November 15, 2008
Confirmation / EEOForm rec'd (snail mail, dated 11/03)
Confirmation / EEOForm rec'd (snail mail, dated 11/13)
AHA interview scheduled 12/10 (X5)
AHA interview scheduled by phone 12/11
Call for on-campus, 1/9.
1/19: snail mail stating "position has been closed without filling." Huh? (x2)

University of Scranton

Application deadline is 1 Dec 2008
assistant professor of history should earn at least $49,000 annually
confirmation of application material 11-7
preliminary screening of applications finished by approximately 12/10
Will Michael Scott be conducting the interviews (or are they leaving it to Dwight)?
My U-Haul broke down in Scranton a while back. I found a shockingly good place for Mexican food.
Correct me if I am wrong, but I believe Dwight is a Cornell man. Or was that Andy...?
There were over 100 applications for this position. The committee met this morning and will contact candidates for AHA interviews by phone over the next few days. 12/11

Thanks so much for providing this information!

12/11 AHA scheduled via phone (x3) (you folks above watch too much television!)

Rejection letter via snail mail--2 in one day! 12/18. Must say that the actual letter was nice, as well.

on-campus scheduled

Wabash College - 1 year visiting Modern Europe

Application deadline December 1
AHA interview scheduled 12/15
Campus interview scheduled 1/20/09

U. of Warwick - Modern Western Continental European History

Application deadline January 20
Long-list drawn up and candidates asked to send additional materials by Feb. 16
Rejection letter via snail mail 2/17

German History

Assumption College

application deadline is 1 Nov 2008
Selection Committee will meet in 'late November.'
AHA Interview Scheduled (12-3 X 3) - via phone
Pleasant rejection letter rec'd on 12/12 (dated 12/4)
Campus Interviews Scheduled.

Syracuse University

October 15, 2008
early november request for additional writing sample
do you have a date for the early November request?
was the request made in writing or by e-mail?
i got an email request for 'complete dissertation' (which I don't yet have) on Halloween, I think they are checking ABD applicants
email request for AHA interview on 12/8
any movement since the AHA?

University of Cincinnati

November 15, 2008
Hiring freeze----very sorry. found this info on the university's website, but it was an old page.
Where did you get this info.? I just spoke with the History Dept. at the U of Cincinnati and they assured me that they were unaware of any freeze that was going to impact the status of the German history search. As of right now, it's on.
There is no hiring freeze at the University of Cincinnati at this time. The Dean of Arts and Sciences has assured the Department of History that this search - and the other for Modern European History - is still on. Interviews will take place at the AHA.
11/25: writing sample request (e-mail)
Do you know if they contacted your references? I had rec letters sent as part of my original application. To my knowledge, they have not contacted my referees further.
I got an email from the SCC stating that they were interested in my application, but had not received my letters (I was under the impression they would contact the references if they wanted letters)
Right---the online application instructions said not to send letters, just to list the referees and their contact info. I wonder if there's been some kind of mistake.
This was/ is confusing. The H-Net listing for this job had different instructions than those from the University of Cincinnati's Human Resources page. From H-Net I understood that applicants should have three letters of recommendation sent to the search committee chair. I actually called him up in September and he said to send the recommendations along. Maybe, in the end, it didn't matter.
Told on 12/2 that the search committee is in the process of selecting those who will be interviewed at AHA. The selection may be complete by early next week.
Would you assume that one is out of the game if they have not received a request for a writing sample by this point?
12/4: AHA interview scheduled (phone) (x2)
On-campus interviews have been scheduled (3 candidates)
'Offer made' and Accepted

University of Notre Dame

Review of applications will begin on October 1, 2008
Asked for more material Oct 9
Anyone heard anything?
Have heard nothing, though I was also asked for material in October
I was also asked for more materials in mid October, but have heard nothing since.
After an early request for materials, I've heard nothing as of December 1st.
Told on 11/26 that they are working toward a short list of candidates.
AHA interview scheduled 12/4(x3)
Rejection letter (email)12/9 ---was asked for extra materials in Oct.
Are rejection letters being sent to all applicants who did not receive AHA interviews or just to those applicants who were not asked to send extra materials back in October?
Rejection letter via e-mail 12/16

Any new info here? I'm still waiting post-AHA for a sense if they are going to pursue a junior candidate or go for an Associate.
post-aha rejection email received

campus interview scheduled

University of Pittsburgh SEARCH SUSPENDED

application deadline is 14 Oct 2008
Anyone heard anything from Pittsburgh?
11/14: Rejection letter (snail mail)
I also got my rejection letter today (11/14)
That was fast. Does this letter say if they've already made an offer?
also rejection. no info about decisions made
Got my rejection letter today too. (11/14) The letter didn't state if they had hired someone, but it sounded like they had only settled on a short list and were now going to ask for additional materials. At least it was a classy letter.
I haven't heard anything at all as of 11/17; no rejection, no request for other materials
Got an email today (12/8) from the department; the search has been suspended. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news.

College of Staten Island CUNY

anyone heard anything since AHA interviews?
snail mail rejection 1/20 (x 2)
snail mail rejection with proviso that application not yet formally eliminated (ca. 1/20).

Other Fields

Boston College (Modern European Intellectual History)

Deadline: November 14, 2008
Asked for dissertation 12/1
Told today (12/2) that the search committee will be meeting this week to finalize its selections for interviews at the AHA. Those selected, will be contacted by the end of the week.
What is your dissertatin topic?
I was told 12/2 that "it will be probably another 10 days or so before we can finalize our AHA list but you should hear from us shortly thereafter."
AHA interview scheduled 12/12 (x2)
Email rejection received 12/18
AHA interviewer said it might take 3 weeks to produce a short list. Anyone receive an on-campus invite?
No, I haven't received an invite.
I was assuming they'd call people next week (post MLK day).
Rejection received today (1/20). Will change profession soon.
I second that emotion.

California State University - Sacramento (Central Europe)

application deadline is 20 Oct 2008
contacted for phone interview 11/5
references contacted 11/11
phone conversation (11/6) and references contacted by phone
it seems like a while since any news here - has anyone heard anything about campus interviews or did Sac State run out of money, again.
The CSU system recently announced an "impaction" for student enrollment, but no word on the status of searches.
I heard (at the AHA) that they had invited people to campus back in the fall. Anyone have the scoop?
They invited candidates for on-campus interviews in December.
Email that search and hiring process is completed (1/22).

City University of New York (Eastern Europe)

Closing Date: November 15, 2008
Deleted confusion---there is no hiring freeze at CUNY
Has anyone heard anything at all from City College?
AHA interview scheduled 17 Dec. 2008
Campus interviews offered; rejection letter received by snail mail 1/16

Generic rejection letter by mail 1/24

Claremont Graduate University (History and Cultural Studies)

Applications must be postmarked by 1 November 2008
has anyone heard anything, even an acknowledgment, from Claremont?
telephone interview organized 12/2
same here
the job advert stipulated that applicants had to have a record of publications. Do you think they meant several publications?
Does anyone know if campus visits have been scheduled for this yet?
They've identified and contacted their finalists
snail mail rejection and request to fill out their EEO postcard... 1/28

Concordia University, Montreal (Irish, Irish diaspora)

Deadline 11/17.
Anyone, anywhere, know anything?
1/30 I heard that someone (not me) was invited to a campus interview about a week ago.

Hampden-Sydney College (Eastern/Central Europe after 1848)

Application deadline November 15, 2008
Acknowledgment received via snail mail, Nov. 10. They will be contacting candidates in early Dec. for interviews at the AHA
AHA interview scheduled (12/5) (x3)
By phone, e-mail, snail mail, carrier pigeon, etc.?
email to arrange phone conversation concerning interview specifics
campus interview scheduled
search has concluded [Acc. to my rejection letter they have made an offer and it was accepted.

Iowa State University (Western Civilization)

One-year Lecturer
Application deadline is 20 February 2009

Millersville University (Third Reich/Genocide Studies or Modern Russia)

Full consideration given to applications received by October 30, 2008
Application acknowledgment received 7 Nov. Will meet to discuss candidates in mid-November.
Told on 12/1 that they are arranging informal meetings with several candidates at the AHA. They will be making decisions about on-campus interviews after the AHA.
Anybody got an interview yet?
Article in local newspaper (12/20) regarding state-wide hiring freeze on administrative positions at university level (including at Millersville) but supposedly not academic positions

AHA interview; threat of a hiring freeze mentioned

as per the search committee, candidates and alternates selected for campus interviews, which begin March 9 (2/27)

Missouri University of Science and Technology (History of Science) SEARCH CANCELLED

application deadline is 1 Dec 2008
The entire University of Missouri system (consisting of the Columbia, Kansas City, St. Louis and Science and Tech campuses) is, as of 19 November, under a hiring freeze. This job may be affected. See [3]
Received rude email from them
Without going into unnecessary details, what was the context of the e-mail?
I also got an email, asking for EEO stuff. It was perfunctory, but not really "rude."
This search is cancelled due to above hiring freeze. Letters went out last week. 12/10

Northwest Missouri State University (Western Civilization)

The job search was temporarily suspended because of budgetary concerns (2/5/2009); however, it has subsequently been reinstated (2/10/2009).

Tufts University (France and the World from the French Revolution)

application deadline 10 Oct 2008
Has anyone out there even gotten a confirmation/receipt of application from Tufts?

Nothing yet.
I got nothing but heard from others that they're already bringing people in for campus visits, so this is on the fast-track
Person who claimed this: do you have more specific information?
To reply: I was told about 11/8 by a colleague at Harvard that she had recently seen a mock job talk delivered by a Harvard PhD candidate for their upcoming campus visit to Tufts. That's all I know.
Given the fact that every single Ph.D. they've hired in the last few years came from Harvard, should any of us be surprised? Even thought it's incredibly offensive.
Two of four Assistant Professors have Harvard degrees. The others are Virginia and Columbia. (I shared an airport cab with the latter of these when the AHA was last in Chicago. Nice to see one of us has succeeded.)
We have no idea if they are hiring a Harvard graduate, and frankly aren't the gratuitous bitter comments meant for the venting section? (I, like others commenting here, got no information from Tufts after applying and would also have loved this job, just saying...)
R'cvd rejection email, stating hire had been made. Funny, since Tufts never even bothered to acknowledge receipt of my app; was terribly tempted to write snarky email back
for the record, the hire was not a Harvard Ph.D.

University of Tennessee Knoxville (French or British Empire)

Review of applications will begin on November 1st
received acknowledgment letter 11/7
AHA interview scheduled 11/21
on-campus scheduled

University of Texas Austin (Eastern Europe)

Applications should be received by November 3, 2008
Confirmation
Has anyone heard anything from Austin?
Interview Requested 12/5
Finalists for campus interviews selected; received very kind rejection email 1/21

Wesleyan University (History of Spain before 1900)

Applications received by 28 November 2008 will receive full consideration
Anyone know what area of expertise they're looking for?
They are looking for expertise in Spanish history prior to 1900--not a huge field, so they don't need to put limitations
Has anyone heard anything from these guys? Are they interviewing at AHA?
Receipt of postcard of confirmation 12/11
Request for AHA interview, 12/18 (x2)

Congrats...how were you contacted? e-mail

Does anyone know the status of this search? Have they invited anyone on campus?
No post AHA news on this one. Anyone else?
I also interviewed at AHA and haven't heard a word.
On-campus invitations have gone out.
Congrats to the on-campus invitees! What were your specialties (if you don't mind answering)? Despite the comment about about it not being a huge field, "before 1900" takes into account early modernists as well as modernists.
Medieval (not invited on campus)
early modern (nada); seriously what they were looking for (other than some ivy-type, as per usual...)

West Virginia University (Western or Southern European history)

The screening process will begin on November 15, 2008
emailed letter 11/13 acknowledging receipt of application
AHA interview scheduled 12/3
AHA interview scheduled 12/4
AHA interview scheduled 12/4
AHA interview scheduled 12/5
AHA interview scheduled 12/9
1/13 received email: they've invited candidates for campus visits, although technically the search remains open until filled. Pleasantly prompt, at least.

European History Jobs 2008-09

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