IMPORTANT NOTE TO VISITORS (Jan 28, 2010)
This is the raw data retrieved from wikihost.org which until about Jan 26 or 27, 2010, hosted Music Theory/Composition jobs. Inexplicably the wikihost.org server went down and shows no signs of returning. I retrieved the data below by accessing the cached site on Google, updated on Jan 25, 2010, so data loss is minimal.
However, we need to do two things to proceed:
1) Reformat everything to make this readable and editable; and, 2) Inform the community of the new site location, e.g. via a message on the SMT listserv etc.
MUSIC THEORY/COMPOSITION JOBS 2010-11
Archive of 09-10 theory/comp job wiki Archive of 08-09 theory/comp job wiki
CMS Music Vacancy List CHE Music Job List Higher Ed Jobs Music Theory Online job list Current Musicology WIKI
Current Wiki Time: 2010-01-25 13:56 Last Page Update: 2010-01-25 02:42
THE JOBS
Theory Only
Jobs that have been accepted
Northwestern University (Vasili Byros, PhD, YALE [2009], Indiana University Post-Doc)
Ohio State University (Anna Gawboy, PhD, YALE [expected 2010])
Jobs that have made an offer
Brooklyn College (11/16 email sent stating that "a candidate has been selected"; email of 12/7 "now in its final stages"; next they'll be "accepting applications"; and following that they'll be announcing the job opening.)
University at Buffalo
Jobs that have had or are having onsite interviews University of Oklahoma (campus visits requested) University of Kansas (campus visits requested) University of New Mexico [theory] (scheduling interviews for Feb.)
Jobs that are conducting phone interviews
Jobs that have requested additional materials (see below for specifics)
Michigan State University (12/4, recommendation letters, sample of scholarly work, teaching video "if available")
University of Utah (1/13): two research papers
Sam Houston State University (11/20): Transcripts, letters, syllabi, scholarship
Jobs that have acknowledged applications (see below for specifics)
University of North Carolina, Asheville (snail mail received 1/09)
Gettysburg College: one year position (VAP) (snail mail received 1/22)
Jobs that have been announced with no updates Ithaca College: one year position (VAP), deadline: Feb. 5 Jackson State University Oklahoma Baptist University Puerto Rico Conservatory of Music, deadline: Feb. 1 SUNY Potsdam (Crane School of Music): tenure-track, review begins Jan. 25 University of Northern Colorado (one year, renewable)
Job Search Cancellations/Suspensions Illinois Wesleyan University
Theory/Composition Jobs that have been accepted
Jobs that have made an offer
Jobs that have had or are having onsite interviews
Jobs that are conducting phone interviews
New School (NY) (tenure track: jazz theory and composition): phone interviews underway or completed as of 12-8. As of 1/12 they are beginning the campus interview process.
University of Missouri-St. Louis: holding phone interviews on 1/19
North Central College: scheduling phone interviews for week of 1/18
Jobs that have requested additional materials
Wheaton College (11/27): selected a smaller number of candidates for further consideration. The committee requested additional application materials.
University of New Mexico [composition-theory] (deadline: Nov. 25): TT, "teach composition, composition-related courses, and occasional elective courses in music theory"
Jobs that have acknowledged applications Midwestern State University, Wichita Falls, TX (12/21: received letter stating application complete; screening began 12/15) University of Miami (tenure track): open until filled. Acknowledeging applications on rolling basis New Jersey City University - Sent affirmative action survey via snail mail. [Q: When?]
Jobs that have been announced with no updates College of Charleston, Charleston, SC (deadline: Nov. 15): tenure track position, "successfully and enthusiastically teach undergraduate theory and, guide and inspire young composers" Dalhousie University (deadline: Mar. 1): VAP, composition lessons, theory classes Florida Gulf Coast University (deadline: Jan. 13) Mississippi College (deadline: Dec. 15): tenure-track position.
Southern Methodist University: deadline, Dec. 28
Jobs that have been canceled
Theory/Etc . . .
Jobs that have been accepted
New York Univerity (Anna Zayaruznaya, ABD, HARVARD)
Jobs that have made an offer
Jobs that have had or are having onsite interviews
Cornell University (asst or assoc prof; deadline: Nov. 30): "seeks a music historian or theorist specializing in Western music of the 19th or 20th century"
Jobs that are conducting phone interviews
Jobs that have acknowledged applications
Western Connecticut State University (tenure track, review begins Nov. 23), "The successful candidate will teach courses in Music Theory, Sight-Singing/Ear Training and Music Industry (Music Technology/Audio Recording); coordinate audio recording within the department..."
Jobs that have been announced with no updates
sBroward College (asst prof: choral/theory) deadline: Jan. 4
Indiana University, Purdue University at Fort Wayne (Sweetwater Chair in Music Theory and Technology. Full-time, non-tenure-track appointment beginning August 16, 2010, re-newable on a yearly basis. Screening begins Dec. 1)
Indiana University, South Bend (tenure track), theory and manage music tech programs, see ad at http://www.iusb.edu/~acadaff/chronicle2009.htm#MusicTheory
Mars Hill College (North Carolina), theory and music tech
St. Olaf College, Northfield, MN (Tenure track), flute and theory
St. Norbert College, De Pere, WI (tenure track: theory, history, composition) deadline: Feb. 3
Western Kentucky University, (tenure track), double reeds and theory
University of Utah, classical guitar, jazz guitar and theory: Jan. 4
Jobs that have been canceled
Composition
Jobs that have been accepted
Jobs that have made an offer
Jobs that have had or are having onsite interviews
Jobs that are conducting phone interviews
Jobs that have requested additional materials
Harvard University (email with link to HR diversity form, 12/1) via the rumor mill
[What does "via the rumor mill" mean? Did nobody else get this email?]
R: I believe it is the request for additional materials that is "via the rumor mill", not the HR form email.
R2: I posted "via the rumor mill" I know of someone senior who was asked to submit a portfolio.
Jobs that have acknowledged applications Longy School of Music (deadline, Jan. 25): 1/19, acknowledging on rolling basis but learned this is PART-TIME! (see below)
Jobs that have been announced with no updates
The Master's College (Santa Clarita, CA)(pagans need not apply)
University of Massachusetts, Dartmouth (lecturer in Electronic Music): deadline, Feb. 10
University of Nebraska, Lincoln (digital arts and composition): deadline, Jan. 15
University of North Texas, Denton, TX (Jazz arranging and composition), tenure track, deadline Nov. 18
Jobs that have been canceled
Who's on the Market . . . DEMOGRAPHICS I am a theorist / my degree is in theory: 16 I am a composer / my degree is in composition: 7 I am a composer/theorist: 2 I am a theorist/composer: 3 I am a composer/technologist: 1
CLASSIFICATION I am ABD (finishing this year) on the market: 10 I am a new PhD in my first year on the market: 2 I am searching from a current TT position: 4 I am searching from a post-doc position: 5 I am searching from a VAP position: 6 I am searching from an adjunct position: 6 I am searching from a position of unemployment: 1 I am just following this to get ready for my own job search in a year: 1 I'm a member of a search committee: 1
ADDITIONAL INFO The continuation of my VAP/Lecturer position is in doubt: 3 My adjunct position has been eliminated: I am returning to the job market after a hiatus from academia: I am currently an adjunct: 5 I am currently in a TT position: 3
APPLICATIONS SENT I have sent 0-2 applications this year: 1 I have sent 3-5 applications this year: 4 I have sent 6-8 applications this year: 0 I have sent 9-11 applications this year: 1 I have sent 12-14 applications this year: 1 I have sent 15+ applications this year: 4
Are the people who are "searching from a current TT position" in the Classification section the same as the ones who are "currently in a TT position" in the Additional Info section? Is there a difference? (Ditto for adjuncts)
DISCUSSION
First bad news of the year: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/10/arts/10cuts.html?hpw BUT, critiques of these negative NY Times articles, like this one are still relevant and important for us to keep in mind. Things don't seem to be looking good. By this time last year jobs were starting to stack up. There was a version of this page devoted to administrative jobs in existence once upon a time. Where did it go? 9/7: (Let's start using date stamps again.) By 9/5 last year, I recorded at least 11 job postings. This could be a very arid year. The hiring freeze that began last year might have become systemic. 9/7: Yes, I've spoken to HR people at my school - a big Research I - and they suggest that we're looking at at least 2-3 years before serious hiring starts up again. I'd suggest building up alternate parts of your resumes for the time being, and looking for non-academic work if you can get it. I'm no cynic, but we've got to be realistic about this. 9/10: Probably so. I'm not ready to say it's "back to normal," but I am encouraged to see five theory/comp tt jobs go up here this week alone! 9/13: Chronicle lists a music theory job at UI, South Bend, but the academic affairs page lists nothing. Does anybody have information about this? 9/16: No comp jobs anywhere, eh? 9/21: re: UI, South Bend, see website above under theory etc. 9/26: Still no comp jobs... 10/7: Yikes! Seems like the comp jobs are on ice this year... 10/8: Due to the financial mess, some institutions may not get approval for job searches until later in the semester. The timing when we usually see a rash of jobs (late Sept through Oct) may be pushed back one or two months. 1/14: I got a very kind rejection email from Indiana-South Bend today. They haven't concluded their search, they simply wanted to let me know that they were proceeding on to the next round without me. While I am bummed (I really liked the job description) I very much appreciate the thoughtfulness of letting me know the status of their search. Why don't more schools do this? Many schools won't send out rejections until the end of the search while some don't ever get around to it. Meanwhile I rely on rumor websites (like this one) to keep up with search committee progress. With all of the pretense and professionalism of carefully articulated cover letters and CVs on fancy paper, what has happened to common courtesy? Kuddos, IUSB, for acknowleding the time, effort and emotional investment that goes into each of these applications! 1/14: Not ever having been a member of a search committee, I'm just speculating, but my guesses are as follows. If a school sends out rejection letters, they probably typically do that after the search is completed so that, in case they have to dip back into the pool again, they haven't drained the entire pool. As for why some schools send any acknowledgment at all, and others send none whatsoever, my guess is that it has to do with the time requirements involved in sending those letters. While it's easier than ever with email, it still requires the search chair (or perhaps a department secretary) to type up the letter, and enter in everyone's email addresses. Yes, it might only be a matter of 15 minutes, but, since I don't imagine that all search chairs necessarily volunteered for the position, that may be 15 minutes that they can spend preparing for tomorrow's classes. They're all full-time teachers, after all. 1/14: This is also speculation, but from my experience I find sending out early rejections risky unless the SC is reasonably sure that it has enough qualified reserve candidates it can come back to if the next rounds of selection don't result in a hire. (Maybe that's one way of saying that I saw enough botched searches at one of my former institutions to make me wary of this practice.) However, I don't understand why some institutions can't manage to provide some minimum levels of communication, e.g. initial acknowledgments of applications and final rejection notices. These are professional courtesies that shouldn't be too difficult to figure into the process.
Institution-Specific Discussion I: Ongoing Searches Brooklyn College (Status: offer reportedly made: "Now in its final stages" (12/7)) 10/10: "Dear Applicant" e-mail indicating recepit of application 10/18: Did anyone send their application via email? I haven't received confirmation that it has been received and am wondering if I should mail a hard copy. 10/19: I sent my application by email and received confirmation two days later. 10/19: I wrote the address provided in the ad and they confirmed that email applications are acceptable. 11/9: I missed this one. Can someone provide a link to the job description? Thanks! 11/17: The selection of a candidate for this job seems superfast. The deadline was 10/26. Does anybody know if they did on-campus interviews? 11/17: My guess is that they hired someone from the adjunct pool. 11/17: I received the email today stating that the candidate was chosen. This seems like it was a mock search where they knew from the start who they would hire but had to abide by policy and go through the motions of a search. Ugh. 11/19: It was poorly advertised, and rumor has it that the list was narrowed to three people: two were already adjuncts at BC and the other was a graduate.
College of Charleston (Status: Announced) (9/18/2009)Q: Where is this job posted? 9/20/2009 A: CMS Music Vacancy List 01/21: Has anyone heard anything about this job? Not a peep here.
Cornell University (Status: Interviewing) "The successful candidate will have the doctorate (or equivalent professional accomplishment) in music history or music theory, and outstanding scholarly potential with the promise of establishing an international reputation. The successful candidate will also have training and experience such as to qualify him or her to teach in the theory program for undergraduate music majors." Q (11/29): Has anyone heard anything about this position? Acknowledgment of application, even? A (12/1): Nothing. It's been a few days since I checked, but the musicology wiki seems to indicate the same situation from that pool of potential applicants. A2 (12/2): Their ad said the final deadline for applications was Nov. 30, so maybe they only just started looking at materials. A3 (12/8): Got an email from James Webster today saying that my application was complete. C (12/22): Wow, two weeks after acknowledging applications and they're holding interviews already? C2 (12/22): Well, they already had a shortlist last year... C3 (1/21): Just received an email from Cornell stating that the process has moved to an "advanced phase" and that my application is no longer under consideration. While I'm fine with this (have known that much from the wiki for several weeks), I'm concerned that this is at least the 2nd email I've received from a school that includes the email address of ALL 119 (rejected) APPLICANTS in the "to:" field. Don't people at Cornell know how "Bcc:" works?? I find myself particularly bothered by this one (more so than the same situation at UMSL), because this is a position at a big name school...and as such, there are many untenured faculty at other schools who apparently are considering a move. I'm a new PhD, so I don't care if everyone under the sun knows what jobs I'm applying for (hint: I'm applying for all of them...duh), but if I were a junior faculty member at a university, I'm not sure how thrilled I'd be to have it become common knowledge that I'm applying for jobs. Good move, Cornell. C4 (1/21): I'm one of those junior faculty who was just "outed" as being on the job market by that cc list, and I'm pretty pissed off about it. Almost enough to take the sting out of the rejection itself. C5 (1/21): ca. 120 names on the list! Go Cornell. On the other hand I found addresses for several friends that have been out of touch... C6 (1/21): Cornell Music Department, where competence reigns! This wasn't the first time that administrative assistant NICOLE EASTON screwed up. Sources tell me she had a problem misplacing reference letters of applicants. I'm glad she had enough sense to apologize, but it makes you wonder... C7 (1/21): Second time in one season. Over at the Chronicle there's even a report about how common this breach of privacy is becoming. It may be wise in the future to apply to job using an email address that does not reveal one's identity. Not professional, perhaps, but a small compromise to pay considering the consequences for some. An alias with initials at a gmail account would look reasonable without being identifiable to third parties, for instance.
Florida Gulf Coast University (Status: Announced) Announced on the SMT list. See description at http://jobs.fgcu.edu/ Q [12/8]: One required application document is listed as "Stmt of exp w/students in research/scholarshp as fits discip". I asked HR for clarification. HR: "To clarify, an aspirational goal of the undergraduate degree programs at FGCU is to engage students in the academic discipline of their major. For this document, please indicate how you might work with students so that they better understand the creative scholarship of the discipline of music." Does anyone know what this means? A (12/8): Just a guess, but it sounds like they want to know what kinds of research-based work you do with your undergrad students. (I assume this would also include composition, as that is a form of "scholarship" of the discipline, since this is a theory/comp job. My guess is they want to see that you're a teacher who will ask your students to do reading/writing/composing assignments and projects as opposed to only assigning exercises from a workbook. But again, that's just a guess. I'd be curious to hear how others interpret this.
Gettysburg College (Status: Announced, screening begins Feb. 1) Does anyone know anything about the Sunderman Conservatory? Is it accredited?
Harvard University (Status: Announced, deadline Dec. 1) "seeks to appoint a tenured professor in composition." Q [10/17]: Are we sure this is for a senior faculty? I'm assuming this conclusion was based off of the "tenured professor" wording as this implies not tenure track, but rather tenure status at start of professorship. But, does anyone have confirmation from the department that it is, indeed, a search for a senior faculty? A [10/18]: I'm the one who wrote "senior faculty," and I have no information directly from the committee about that. You're right - I made that assumption because it says they are looking to hire a "tenured professor" Bad assumption? I'll change it. C [10/19]: Fairly certain it's a senior position. I believe I know who they're aiming the call at, a tenured person currently in another major composition program. The call is definitely not tenure-track, but for someone already tenured. 10/22: Too bad I'm not eligible to receive a Harvard rejection letter. 11/6: While I'm certainly not eligible to receive a Harvard job offer, I'll bet that if I send in my application, I'll get a rejection letter. You could too! :-) 12/4: Nah; it'll just be a freakin' bulk e-mail. 12/6: I got rejected from the theory job last year. They sent a letter. It was printed on nice, heavy paper. 12/8: Damn! I knew I should have applied. Probably printed on better paper than my degree.
Illinois Wesleyan University (Status: Search suspended) 9/9: Is there an internal candidate for this job? The description seems to match one current untenured faculty bio. 9/9: I guess that's possible. Or perhaps that person is leaving and they're searching for someone to fill very specific shoes?
http://www.iwu.edu/iwujobs/MusicTheory.shtml
12/20: Someone posted above that the job is canceled. When? How do you know? I applied and have yet to receive an acknowledgment. 12/20: I was wondering the same thing. I applied in September and still haven't even heard so much as an acknowledgment. (Though, if USPS tracking is to be trusted, they did receive it). I was also wondering why this qualifies as an "act of cosmic cruelty." 12/20: I never received an acknowledgment of materials, however I just received a letter in the mail (Saturday) about the cancelation of the search. It also stated they would hold on to materials in case the university reopened the search in the future.
Longy School of Music (Status: Acknowledged, deadline Jan. 25) 1/19: Acknowledging on rolling basis. Already reviewing applications. But informed that this is a PART-TIME position. Not mentioned in the MVL ad (Jan. 1). But a visit to their website suggests it's the same job: http://www.longy.edu/about/job_opps.htm Anyone know what part-time at Longy means? Workload, pay etc. 1/20: From what I know, all faculty at Longy are officially part-time though some workloads can be near full-time.
Michigan State University (Status: Requested more material) 1/23: Have any of the semifinalists for this job heard anything since submitting their round 2 materials?
Midwestern State University (Status: Acknowledged, deadline Dec. 15) Wichita Falls, TX. Tenure track position. Primary areas: theory/aural skills; Secondary area: composition.
Mississippi College (Status: Announced, deadline Nov. 15) Application: send "cover letter; faculty application; three letters of professional recommendation; copy of the transcript from the last degree; curriculum vita; scores and recordings of two representative compositions."
New Jersey City University (Status: Acknowledged, (deadline: Dec. 15, 2009)) Tenure track position. "The candidate would teach undergraduate Harmony, Ear Training, Music History, Composition, Computer Music classes as well as a Graduate Musicianship class, and fulfill other responsibilities as required by the department." 1/23: When did you receive acknowledgment? By mail? I haven't received anything yet.
North Central College (Status: Announced, deadline Dec. 1) [01/10/10]: Has anyone received a confirmation form them? 1/11: I haven't. But I'm starting to think this is the new norm. Of my 15 applications so far this year only 5 were acknowledged. (And I doubt this has to do with recent deadlines since 3 of my LAST 4 have indeed acknowledged.) 1/15: I didn't receive confirmation of application, either, but they have now contacted a small pool of applicants for phone interviews.
Puerto Rico Conservatory of Music (Status: Announced, deadline Feb. 1) Tenure-track position. Announced in MVL Jan. 22. Q1 (1/23): The ad states "Bilingual candidates preferred (Spanish & English)". Does anyone know if the language of instruction is exclusively Spanish? The school's website is only in Spanish. Does "preferred" in this case really mean "required", i.e. if one's Spanish is weak is there any point in applying?
Sam Houston State University (Status: Announced tenure track position, review begins Oct. 19) 11/1: receipt of materials confirmed by email. 11/20: Top 15 selected asked for additional materials: Transcripts, letters, syllabi, scholarship 1/20: Does anyone know where they are in the search process? Have they moved on to phone or on-sight interviews? 1/21: I am one of their "top 15"and have not been contacted since they received my materials. 1/22: Same here. 1/22: C'mon, you other twelve: fess up. 1/22: I'm one of the 15 and have heard nothing. Maybe this is good news and they haven't moved on. Or maybe we're in the bottom of the famous 15. :)
Southern Methodist University (Status: Announced, deadline Dec. 28) [01/10/10]: Has anyone received a confirmation form them?
SUNY Potsdam (Status: Announced, review begins Jan. 25) 1/18: ABDs need not apply, per email rec'd 1/17. The online application requires a yes or no answer to the question, "Do you have a doctorate?" When I answered no, as an ABD, the system rejected my application as "not qualified." Yesterday's email confirmed: "We are not accepting applications from people who have not yet completed the doctorate." 1/19: I only wish more schools prized complete degrees and experience. All-too-often it seems jobs go to the cheaper-to-hire ABDs, or those fresh out of grad school. 1/20: It would also be nice if those complete degree jobs would hire at a higher pay rate. This job starts at $45,000. I was making more than that teaching high school with only a master's. Frustrating to think that I went back for my PhD to take a pay cut. ;-) 1/20: Does anybody have an address to submit the three letters of recommendation to this job (since all my letters are mailed from a credentials service or directly from the person)? I emailed them last Thursday without a reply. Am I just out of luck because I don't have PDF copies of all my letters? Do most people have these? 1/20: I do! I had to get in contact with my credentials service and have them email the PDFs for me to the head of the search committee (and they made me pay for this service). I got in contact with the head of the search committee beforehand as well, so that she had an idea of what was going on. I can assure you that you wouldn't be the first to let her know you will be doing the same. 1/20: My dossier service does not send out letters electronically, only by mail. And my letters are confidential. When I explained this to the search committee I was given a mailing address at the school. If they haven't answered your email, then call them asap to get the address.
University at Buffalo, SUNY (Status: Offer made) 9/16: Does anyone have further information about this job? I can't find the advertisement using the link above. 9/16: Not looking hard enough: https://www.ubjobs.buffalo.edu/applicants/jsp/shared/position/JobDetails_css.jsp?postingId=153950 9/18: Doing my application online. Ummm. Is there a difference between a "Cover Letter" and a "Letter of Interest?" They want me to upload one of each. 9/19: Charles Smith said in a message to SMT-list that you only need to upload one. Most important things are CV and contact info for references. It's some kind of computer SNAFU. 9/20: Just got the email, and your response. Thanks, 9/19 poster! 9/24: mail received indicating references contacted by online application system 10/15: When I tried completing my application on 9/30, the system would not let me submit it unless I attached something under both "Cover Letter" and "Letter of Interest." I simply reattached the Cover Letter and shot Charles Smith an email, letting him know of the problem. 11/1: Additional materials requested by email; several interviews were held at SMT. 11/3: Were these "real" interviews? What additional materials did they request? 11/5: On 10/21, they asked for research materials and asked whether applicants would be attending SMT. I wasn't at the conference, so I don't know how the interviews went. 11/9: Have heard through the grapevine that there is a short list, but don't know when interviews are. 11/17: I have a contact who is traveling to Buffalo this week for an interview.
University of Kansas (Status: References contacts) 9/29: Email from committee chair about somewhat confusing instructions for supplementary materials to online application: "We would like to have all supplementary materials submitted to our committee in hard copy. We also need a second, hard copy of the cover letter and CV for our application files." 9/29: Yes, that's what they asked for in the job advertisement. "Apply on-line at https://jobs.ku.edu . IN ADDITION, please send a letter of application, curriculum vita...[etc]..." If I had to guess, I'd suspect that the University requires them to use the online system, but they as a department are happier with hard copies of the application materials. 1/5: Someone said they've contacted references, and I'm curious whether the school told you directly about this, or if your references did. Thanks in advance for the info! 1/6: One of my references told me. 1/8: Thanks! 1/22: Have interviews actually been scheduled?
University of Missouri-St. Louis (Status: Holding phone interviews) Q [12/7]: Where is this job advertised? Can't seem to find it anywhere... A [12/8]: CMS MVL Nov. 6 (check the archives). 12/9: Looks like 80 people have applied for this, since there are 80 email addresses in the "to" field of the email they just sent me (which was a request to fill out an EEO profile). Someone needs to learn how to use "BCC." 1/13: Interesting. I sent them an application toward the end of November and never received any confirmation from them whatsoever. 1/18: To 12/9 Poster: this is too funny! I just found that email from UMSL and was able to search through the "to:" list to check out every single person applying for the job! Ooops! Smooth move, UMSL.
University of New Mexico [theory] (Status: Scheduling campus interviews) 11/4: Does anyone have knowledge of what happened with the UNM search last year? I heard through the grapevine that the search melted down, and that there appeared to have been some unethical things going on. 11/5: I don't know any specifics, other than that there were indeed finalists brought to campus to interview. I do not believe that any of the finalists were offered the job. 1/23: Have any of the semifinalists heard from them since submitting writings/teaching video? I sent mine out about a month ago and haven't heard anything. 1/23: I have heard nothing. I feel like an prolonged suspension with no hope of resolution! 1/24: Phone call today regarding the scheduling of interviews for various dates in Feb.
University of New Mexico [composition-theory] (Status: Announced tenure track position, deadline Nov. 25) 10/21: New posting (MVL Oct. 16 or see university website), not the same as the theory position above. Q: If you are qualified for both, do you submit two separate applications, or pick the "best fit", or will the hiring committee(s) share candidate info? [R] 10/21: Apply to both. They'll almost certainly have different - maybe completely different - committees. What one group might reject, the other might like. This is especially true since this job is basically composition - and will probably have mostly comp people on the committee - while the other is all theory, and will therefore have a theory-centric committee. 1/18: When were materials requested? By email or tel? What was requested? [R] 1/18: Requested via email on 1/15. They asked for three pieces and scores, and example of scholarly writing, a video of teaching, and official transcripts.
University of Northern Colorado (Status: Announced) 1/23: Anything from these guys? Acknowledgment? Etc? 1/24: Nada.
University of Utah (Status: Requested more materials) Q [11/29/09]: Job description says "full-time, non-tenure-track faculty position. Rank: Assistant Professor." What is the protocol for non-TT positions? Does that mean there is no possibility of remaining at the school for more than a year? Or are these appointments renewable, based on evaluations, research, etc, etc? Is there any chance that a job like this might "roll over" into a TT position? (Sorry if these are stupid questions - I have no idea how this stuff works) A [11/30]: NTT jobs are often renewable, sometimes for a fixed number of years. This is often indicated in the job description, i.e. "renewable for up to three years." NTT jobs make no promises about the possibility of becoming tenure-track, but they do at times convert; however, the person holding the NTT job is not automatically awarded the TT position. There will be another search, for which the holder of the NTT job is usually invited to apply. A2 [12/2]: I think there are faculty at Utah who have been NTT for several years. 1/2: What happened? There was an exchange on here about this job actually being a TT position (not non-TT, as the description here says), but it's gone. And the Wiki page claims that it hasn't been updated since 12/24, even though I'm certain I saw this exchange on the 26th or so. Am I losing it? Or did the Wiki lose something? A [1/2]: Your brain is fine. The wiki was down for a few days last week and lost a few entries. To recap: someone asked about the application process. The answer: submit by email to theorysearch@music.utah.edu (as indicated in the MVL Nov 27 ad). One applicant reported receiving an acknowledgment from this email address. R [1/5]: [sigh of relief] Thanks! I thought I was going nuts. C [1/15]: Boy, this school is really moving. Deadline was Jan. 4, they emailed on Jan. 12 to request writing samples and asked that they be emailed by Jan. 15. It would be great if all searches moved this fast! (Of course, now that I've said that, they'll probably stall out and not do phone interviews until March...)
Wheaton College (Status: Announced) 12/16 "Our theory search committee has been meeting over the past months carefully to consider the large number of applications for the position - over 120 - and, without exception, all the applications were impressive: this decision was difficult for us. After weighing your application materials carefully, regretfully the committee has decided not to pursue your candidacy for this search. For those who have sent supporting materials, we will send those back to you shortly." From the job ad: "a highly selective Evangelical Protestant Christian liberal arts college, whose faculty members affirm a Statement of Faith and adhere to lifestyle expectations of our Community Covenant."
http://www.wheaton.edu/HR/employment/openings_fac.php?id=104)
Wheaton College: Statement of Faith and Community Covenant sent, presupposing receipt of application (e-mail,9/6) (theory & aural skills, secondary area in comp, CAI competence)
Institution-Specific Discussion II: Completed Searches. Northwestern University (Status: offer accepted) 9/25: Online HR info requested (tenure track position in "Theory and Cognition," screening to begin Nov. 1) 10/10: Did everyone that sent in materials receive acknowledgment via this online HR form? 11/20: Articles and recommendation letters requested on 11/9
Ohio State University (Status: offer accepted)
9/9: Nu, so where has it been announced? It's not on any of the listed search sites, nor is there anything about it at OSU's job listings page...
9/10: Email from David Clampitt came through on the SMT list yesterday.
9/15: Email confirming application receipt
PRIVACY CONCERNS 1/22/10: I am becoming very concerned about privacy due to the administrative debacles at Cornell and UMSL. This also happened to me last year. What do the senior lurkers here think about using an "anonymous" e-mail and explaining the situation (succinctly) in the cover letter. I know "016@gmail.com" might only "out" you as a Viennese trichord enthusiast but it will be harder for an outsider to discern your identity. 1/23: Regarding the UMSL and Cornell situations, I feel like there are probably privacy laws that have been broken. While I don't have any ambitions of suing a potential employer, does anyone know if the sharing of applicant contact information (intentional or otherwise) is legal? 1/23: Which laws would those be? 1/24: I guess my question should have been "ARE there laws governing this kind of thing?" With the ridiculous amount of privacy laws of various types out there, it surprises me that there's nothing dealing with sharing one's personal contact information with 100+ other people, without obtaining permission.
STATE OF THE JOB MARKET 1/10: By my count, there are now 48 jobs posted on this wiki. Some VAPs may appear in the spring but the vast majority of positions are probably now up. By comparison, I count about 100 jobs (not including canceled searches) on last year's wiki. If these numbers are are reasonably accurate, then we're witnessing a 50% drop in job postings this season. This is in line (or worse) than what I've heard is the situation in other humanities disciplines. My impression is also that we're seeing more non-TT positions, proportionally. According to an analysis of the job market in the Chronicle, it's not going to get better: http://chronicle.com/article/Dodging-the-Anvil/63274/ This is my second year on the market and I'm starting to seriously consider alternative career paths. Adjunct teaching is simply not sustainable and hoping for a TT position seems increasingly like playing the lottery. I just read an interesting and optimistic book by two Princeton PhDs who opted to work in the "post-academic" world: "So What Are You Going to Do with That?": Finding Careers Outside Academia (Basalla and Deblius, U Chicago Press 2007). Worth a read if only to realize that there's a whole other (real) world out there. 1/10: The numbers seem to be reasonably accurate, but I'm assuming you're comparing the 48 jobs as of January with the 100-ish jobs as of last August. I'm not saying it's any better or worse than last year, just that I don't think those numbers tell the whole story. But thanks for the Princeton book info. Worth a look-see! 1/10: I'm (at least marginally) pleased that there seem to be fewer canceled/suspended searches thusfar this year. 1/12: I'm also marginally pleased so far. I have applied to 30% more positions this year (compared with last year). But they are spread between three areas of expertise. For what it's worth I've been shortlisted and have done telephone interviews in all three areas. 1/13: I'll dissent here: I've watched the job market for the better part of 7 years now, and this is by far the worst year I've seen. Last year wasn't exactly a bumper year, but if memory serves me correctly there were considerably more positions advertised last year at this point than there are this year. Anecdotally, I could also say that I haven't had a single bite on any of my applications thus far, despite having a CV that both truly competitive as well as better than it has ever been, and despite having made numerous shortlists and having had a number of campus interviews over the last two years with a lesser CV. I'd bet that the few jobs that are open right now will likely move quickly to fill those positions before university administrations decide to yank the funding for those faculty lines; even after offers are tendered there's still no guarantee that these might not get rescinded. I'd further urge everyone reading this wiki to be looking for work outside academia, as it makes absolutely no sense to put all your eggs into one basket, especially in the current economic climate. 1/14: Alas, I must dissent with the dissent. I've been watching our job scene since 1994, more or less. Last year was BY FAR the worst year. Looks like things are getting a little bit better so far. Stay the course friends; follow your academic dreams. And most importnatly don't forget to pick up your degree from the Ivory League. 1/14: Since when do academics get away with making mere assertions? One's impression of the how the job market is doing is irrelevant. And whether any individual is applying to more jobs, or getting more interviews or even getting offers is besides the point. This is called self-interested argumentation. A Yale PhD who lands a job ABD might conclude the job market is fine. You'll get a different answer from Big State PhD who has failed on the fifth attempt. Can we cite more actual evidence (the first poster at least attempts to do this)? And a word of caution from Upton Sinclair: "It is difficult to get a man to understand something when his salary depends on his not understanding it." 1/14: Wait a second here, folks. This wiki is primarily for informational purposes only, and it's an informal source of information at that: posting is done on an anonymous basis, and there are no explicit controls that would ensure the accuracy of any of the information that is posted here. It's not an academic forum requiring rigorous academic precision in every entry that gets made - the various ventings and rants posted on this wiki and those of years past should make that eminently clear. If someone wants to go back and examine the data from last year, i.e. to figure out which jobs were posted and when, so as to determine whether, at any given point, there were more jobs last year than this, then by all means please do so. There's certainly no harm in that. But quibbling (and that includes this entry) about the intentions of the posters above, or to prejudge the value of the information offered to those who might read it is, in my opinion, both speculative and unproductive. While it's true that the state of the market can be empirically measured in some ways, there is also a direct and personal impact on many of the people affected by that job market, and this impact cannot be expected to be wholly rational. As participants in this informal clearing house, I think we can afford to be tolerant of the various types of information that get posted here, so long as none if it is malicious. 1/19: I agree with the 1..2..3..4..Ah: fifth comment (let's number our comments again, eh?) It's abyssmal. Far fewer jobs, plus with a resume that's better than two years ago (I didn't get a job last year) I'm still getting very few bites. Been shortlisted here and there, but nothing further. Still playing the waiting game and the flow of jobs has slowed to a trickle. Sill, I'm hopeful. That's all you have when the change (from unemployment insurance) runs out. 1/19: Well said by "Wait a second here, folks."! Your comments are insightful, accurate and clearly articulated. If I were on a search committee or otherwise had a job to offer you, it would be yours! Unfortunately, I'm searching like everyone else so all I can offer is my thanks for keeping the conversation appropriately focused.
JOB SEARCH BASICS 10/23: Any thoughts on applying for jobs for which one is partially qualified? (I'm thinking, e.g., a theory/aural person applying for the Western CT job, even though it also includes Music Industry.) Is this generally the type of situation where the SC might be flexible, and there could be possibilities of rearranging other faculty, or should we not even bother sending in material. 10/23: Despite what the job posting may say, you never know for certain what the school and/or search committee is looking for. So yes, you should apply to any job for which you are even remotely qualified. 1/18: I have talked with a number of my friends who are now on the other side of the application process (i.e. now committee members) and they of course are overwhelmed by the sheer number of apps that they get for any given job. All 3 of them said that the cover letter was the most important item of the application, for them, as it helped them eliminate anyone who didn't fit the criteria of the job search. After learning this, I simply stopped applying to positions where I didn't qualify for at least 80% of the job description. For the others that aren't an exact fit, I try to emphasize what I would make me the best choice for the position despite my deficiencies elsewhere. Of course, I don't have a job yet so maybe this isn't the best advice! All committee members do things their own way after all. 1/18: I had a similar conversation with a colleague who has been on the faculty of a R1 university for nearly 30 years; this person's pet peeve is a cover letter that is anything longer than 1 page, since it is "the least scrutinized document" in an application. 1/22: No offense, but your colleague sounds like a crank. There are many roads to Dublin, and clearly many other senior faculty disagree with him/her. 1/23: I have to agree with 1/18's colleague. I have been on (too) many search committees and I can honestly say that the cover letter is the least important component of any application (since they all say basically the same things). If there are no published or forthcoming articles (and none of this "under review" stuff) listed on your CV or reference letters from reputable scholars, composers, or performers then I don't care how good (or long) the cover letter may be. 1/23: Thank you for your insight. I understand that submitting an article to a journal is not, in itself, an accompliishment, but how would you respond to an article accepted "pending revision" or, a book under contract listed as "forthcoming publications?"
RUMOR MILL
9/11: When I was starting out, I applied for a VAP. I didn't get it. But the next year, they called me to offer me the position. It is absolutely true that a rejection is about "fit." You can be too far removed from what the department needs or too close to another faculty member's area. I see very often that non-tenured search committee members try to eliminate applicants that they feel are too close to their own field. This kind of positioning often takes place in the job description, where junior people try to write it so that people close to that research area do not fit well.
9/11: Of the few jobs open last year, it seems to me that many of them were 1-year positions. Has anyone heard any rumblings about any of those jobs being re-advertised as TT positions? Furthermore, if this DOES happen anywhere, does it necessarily mean I shouldn't apply if I was already rejected for the one-year position?
9/17: Absolutely not! I'm not splitting hairs, but "rejections" are often not what they seem to be. Bottom line, of course, is that you did not get the job and someone else did. Typically only the top two to (possibly) five are interviewed, and coming in five out of one hundred applicants is not too shabby. A rejection is not a referendum on your own excellence; remember that vague and nebulous idea of "fit." And so, as we say in England, "keep your pecker up." You puritanical Yankees might want to substitute "chin."
9/21: Plus, we don't all have peckers.
9/21: Supporting evidence to the question above: search committees are seldom the same from year to year. Apply!
10/27: Also, being an inside candidate means nothing. I was a VAP a few years ago - inside candidate for the TT version of the job. It was heavily intimated to me that the TT job was mine for the taking, but then, boom, they got an Ivy league guy with two books applying for "my" position. They just couldn't justify hiring me, and I totally understood (though it sucked). At any rate, don't give up on those positions that look like they might be aimed at one person in particular.
11/1: I'll echo the above: I was an inside candidate for a TT position a while back, and was passed over in favor of 2 candidates with lesser qualifications and experience than myself. The candidate hired had fewer accomplishments and less experience than the other finalist under consideration, and further did not actually meet all of the required job qualifications. This was not totally surprising, as the search was compromised from a standpoint of both ethics and professionalism (according to other faculty members). There was also pressure from the dean not to run another "rigged" search, as they had had 2 the preceding year for which internal candidates were groomed and subsequently hired.
11/6: I'll third this. I too was passed over after being "promised" the job.
CONFERENCES 10/22: U New Mexico interviewing at SMT in Montreal. 10/23: What actually happens at these interviews? Obviously, this is a different type of interview than what we're all hoping to get when we mail in our CV to a school. But I'm new to this, so what happens at an SMT interview? 10/24: I've gotten two very different opinions of the SMT interview process. Some people believe that these interviews can only hurt and not at all help your chances of getting a real interview. They certainly aren't going to hire anyone based on a ten minute conversation, so if you don't interview at SMT, it isn't the end of the world. On the other hand, if you have more personality than a door-stop, an SMT interview could be helpful. Keep in mind that the committee isn't just hiring a good theorist/composer, they're also hiring a colleague they will have to work with for a year or more. 1/23: I am happy to be a semifinalist, although I was not able to be in Montreal for SMT.
VIDEO
11/7: Is it appropriate to send an edited (cut) video/dvd of one's teaching? The New Mexico search wants a dvd, and my classes are 75 minutes long. I can't imagine a search committee is going to want to watch a video that long.
11/7: I would assume it's appropriate to send a shorter video. When they ask you for one, they'll probably tell you how long it should be. But a question first - did the UNM people ask you for a DVD? In the job description it mentions that they will be asking for a teaching DVD (and writing samples, etc) from SEMI-FINALISTS. So, if you're just submitting your application initially, you don't have to worry about it. I'm hoping they haven't already selected semifinalists, since I just applied yesterday, and their ad says they're not going to START reviewing until Nov. 16. Are they moving ahead with their search already?
11/7: No, I was just getting my materials together. I wasn't assuming I'd be a semifinalist, I just hadn't read the posting carefully enough. Even so, thanks for the answer. It seems like the question could be relevant for some of us, at some time, anyway.
REFERENCE LETTERS 11/10: I recently defended my dissertation. I was wondering if it is common to request a reference letter from one's external dissertation examiner? Does it matter that the external can only speak to your thesis itself if he did not know you or your work before? In my case, the external, whose appraisal was positive, has a stature in the field that surpasses that of my other references. So a letter from him could add substantial weight to my job applications. And though he only just met me, having ploughed through my dissertation surely counts as getting to know a substantial facet of my work. On the other hand, I don't want to burn bridges with him by coming across as opportunistic. Would it be better to request to list him as secondary reference, i.e. listed in one's CV but without asking for a letter for one's dossier? Any advice would be appreciated. 11/10: Ask if he/she (well, okay, he) is comfortable writing for you, or if they might be willing to serve as a secondary reference. If you're polite about it, there's no harm in asking. If they're not comfortable serving as any sort of reference, they'll let you know. That seems unlikely, if they think the diss. has merit. Good luck!
COMPLETENESS? 12/21: Raise your hand if you know about an open theory and/or comp job and have made a conscious decision NOT to list it here. [raising my own hand] I find myself wondering if this actually improves my chances at all of getting those mystery jobs, or if I should just put up what I know. (I'm an infrequent user of this site, if it makes any difference) 12/23: I'll anonomously admit to doing this once also. I don't remember which job it was, but it eventually made it onto the wiki anyway. 12/24: Chances are that any job that you think only you know about, 80% of wiki users already know about. We're all scanning the same limited sources. And any search committee worth its salt will advertise in at least one major venue. Word spreads rapidly. Given the huge oversupply of qualified candidates, why wouldn't every committee seek out the best? So in my view, the advantage of sharing up-to-date info on all job searches outweighs any perceived benefit of "withholding" job ads. Besides, you're deluding yourself if you think that just because it's not on the wiki that the pool of candidates is significantly smaller.
TERMINOLOGY 1/15: Perhaps a silly question, but I'm curious about two terms I've run across. "Shortlist" and "Semifinal round." I know what these words mean, of course, but I'm wondering if there is a common point in the search process when these terms get applied. Is a "shortlist" the list made after the initial review of applications? Cutting down the 100+ applications to something less than 20? And I assume that, if a school lists their "semifinal round" as the "requesting more material" stage, that means tha t there is only one round following it? Either a phone interview or campus interview (probably depending on budget)? Just curious. Thanks for your help! 1/16: In my experience, these terms are pretty much interchangeable: you usually progress from a shortlist of about 10-12 semifinalists to a final list of 3-5. Normally, additional information requests are made of the semifinalists, although some institutions cut to the chase at the outset and ask for work samples with the initial application process. Just exactly how the process works isn't uniform, and may vary from one institution from the next: most departments will ask for work samples at the shortlist phase, while a few will request these with the initial application. Phone interviews normally occur between formulating the shortlist and inviting finalists to campus. Some institutions, however, do phone interviews on a more informal or informational basis prior to formulating a shotlist; a few will do phone interviews as the final interview when there the time and/or funds for campus interviews is lacking. Reference checks are typically done between the shortlist and phone interview phase, but this too can vary; some institutions ask for permission to contact references (on or off the list supplied), others do not, and so on. My informal impression is that there is a 5-10% chance of making a shortlist (assuming a shortlist of about 10 individuals coming from an initial pool of 100-200 candidates), and then about a 30-50% chance of landing a campus interview from having made the shortlist. But then that's just an informal impression. I have seen searches in other areas (choral, etc.) that have yielded much smaller initial pools; moreover the institution's location, reputation, and other factors may also affect the size of the pool.
1/19: Thanks to whomoever deleted the "Holiday Message." It was undoubtedly one of the most hateful things I've seen on this wiki, and I'm otherwise proud of the friendly, professional tone on this page compared to others. 1/19: Agreed. Maybe better suited to the musicology wiki ;). Still, I wonder if a truly level playing field might only be had when we stop trying to atone for past injustices and simply move forward in applying the same standard to all candidates with no regard to race, sex, religion, ethnicity, and the like. 1/21: I'm sorry, but the notion that there is some absolute standard that we simply have to apply blindly in searches seems more or less naive to me. Instead, it seems that there are relative standards that are highly conditioned by the perceptions of the people who are constructing and applying them. If those people all look alike, are similarly gendered, have the same cultural and educational background etc., then they seem to find it easier to agree on what that absolute standard consists of, IOW, of their own shared values. 1/22: Don't we all have shared values, namely (1) teaching potential colleagues and professional musicians how to create, perform, and understand music; and (2) continuing our own creative activity? Sure people are biased, some explicitly so; let's just accept that, present our credentials, and let the chips fall as they may.
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