Restoration 2009

= Restoration/18th c British =

LAST UPDATED: 2/13 7:41 CMT
 * Don't forget to update the time stamp if you make an addition.
 * Use the wiki ethically (no deleting others' comments)


 * tis the season: don't forget about the Universities to Fear wiki http://scratchpad.wikia.com/wiki/Universities_to_fear

Under the MLA Interviews Scheduled/Contacted Category, can we post the timelines that the SCs shared with us regarding when they expect to make their campus visit requests? I'm sure I'm not the only person who forgot to make a note of it after an interview or two!
 * Also, would people posting visit info under the Campus Interview/Offers Made sections also update in the larger discussion below, so there's a mini-timeline for each school?

NOTE-->I added a new section for "Spring Market Jobs," e.g., jobs listed since MLA. Info about campus visits and offers for these, when it comes to that, can be listed in the sections we already have for that kind of info.

NOTE-->Added a "Has Anyone Heard From" section under the Campus Visits section, just to keep track of the places no one seems to have heard from one way or another.

NOTE-->Great idea! Some of them do seem to have evaporated into silence.


 * General Comment: I have a plea. If you're using the Wiki to get info, kindly be a good citizen and update it with your own. :)

I am currently...
 * ABD (and finishing this year if I get a job): 10
 * In a temporary/VAP/postdoc position: 9
 * In a tenure-track position: 2
 * On a Restoration/C18 search committee: 2
 * Just lurking:

Offers Made
American University -- offer made and accepted (1/23)
 * Congratulations!!--one of the first offers/acceptances of the new year.
 * Nice!
 * Thank you very much! Best wishes to all in their searches and scholarship.

Macalester College -- offer made and accepted (2/12) Q: Is this something someone heard through the grapevine, or is it definite?

McMaster University
 * An offer was made to a U.S.-trained Ph.D. The position was also accepted.  This knowledge comes from the recipient's own blog.


 * Q: So, if it's public knowledge, who is the new assistant prof at McMaster?


 * A: Meh, you know it'll be on the dep't webpage soon enough.


 * A: A little detective work on Google reveals the answer easily enough anyway.


 * A The the above: you must be a Google genius :)
 * A: Search Google Blogs for "position mcmaster eighteenth-century" -- the aforementioned blog is the first result, at least when I did it *ahem*


 * A: Oh, funny. I didn't even know there was a Google Blogs tab. Yep, I see it--it is indeed the first one to come up with those search terms (sans quotes around the list of terms).

University of Colorado-Boulder
 * I met with the person who has unofficially been offered this position (at the Assoc. Prof. level) while at MLA. The only thing holding up a contract seems to be the formality of the on-campus visit of this person's spouse, which is taking place in the next couple of weeks.


 * Q: Did you happen to ask if the job this person will be vacating will be hiring for next year, either as a last-minute TT or even a VAP? :)


 * A: I'm not holding my breath for either of those options, as the university this person is coming from is under a hiring freeze (and other extensive budget cuts). Since two 18th century positions will be open, however, the department might be able to plead the case for at least one replacement next year, but this is my own speculation rather than any information the person leaving indicated.
 * A: There's an 18C VAP there now -- it's possible they'll renew the VAP's contract, or hire another VAP. TT hire seems remote.


 * A: This has changed now. I hear that the person who was offered the job ultimately had to turn it down because nothing could be done for the partner.  So now they're looking again.


 * A: You mean looking again for an advanced-asst-or-above hire? They weren't looking for a brand-new asst the first time around--has that changed? (And is my memory wrong, or didn't they send out rejections a couple months back?) do you know if they will they be listing an ad (either same or retooled)?

University of Ottawa
 * 2/2 offer made and accepted (per below)

Campus Visits
Auburn (1/4), (1/9) x 2

American University (1/6) - all campus visits have been completed (1/15)

Angelo State U

Bard College (1/9) -- e-mail saying 3 people have been asked to visit (x2); early modern wiki shows 2 flybacks scheduled

Colorado College (12/30)

Connecticut College (??; I can't absolutely confirm this but I heard a post-MLA rejection note was received)

Macalester College (1/6) x 2

Mississippi State (1/2) x 2

Northwest Missouri State U

Pacific Lutheran U (post-MLA visits did not result in a hire)

Roanoke College

Saint Anselm College (1/3)

Shepherd University (1/1)

University of California-Los Angeles (1/2)

University of Michigan (1/9)

University of Ottawa (x4; all campus visits completed, as per below)

University of Southern California (1/17)

Virginia Commonwealth University (1/12) x 2

Yale (12/30)

Has Anyone Heard From

 * If places find out their positions won't be funded this year, I hope they have the common sense/courtesy/professionalism to let candidates know. Email is free. Just because it's a "buyer's market" doesn't mean candidates don't have long memories.
 * Note: I removed the schools where someone came out of the woodwork with info, and moved that information to the main discussion for each school.

The Citadel

Colorado College

Connecticut College

Northwest Missouri State University

Spring Market Jobs, Jobs listed since MLA
University of Wisconsin-Madison (Asst. or Assoc.)


 * Application acknowledged by snail mail (rec'd 1/24)


 * Anyone know if they already have someone in mind for this position?
 * A: they have at least one person on the radar, but it's not a foregone conclusion.
 * Q: anyone know anything more about this search?  i.e. are they going to do phone interviews or go straight to on-campus interviews?  Why did they post the ad so late?
 * Allegedly have already made plans for a visit.
 * Argh! What is the source of the info, if you can say?  Thanks either way.
 * They definitely have someone in mind, and a visit set up. Not sure what else is happening.
 * This isn't surprising. I did my undergrad at Madison, and the campus is well known to people in the city for posting positions (faculty, administrative, etc.) as a formality while having candidates already lined up.
 * Nevertheless, an advertised search is an advertised search. Meaning, they are obligated by it to run a good-faith search. In the process, anything can happen. From what I understand, the search isn't just a formality nor is anything lined up other than a visit. Congrats to that person, though, for getting that visit.
 * Well, they're obligated to advertise, I guess. But good faith is something else again.
 * So long as they do bring more than 1 competent individual to campus, that is good faith. There are so many cases in which there's a candidate favored at the outset by one or more people on the committee who doesn't end up w/ an offer. Time will tell.
 * If only they would invite more people for campus visits!
 * The Chronicle ad for this position says that the deadline is March 15th.
 * If memory serves, some of the fall-season jobs assembled their MLA lists on/before their stated deadlines. (ex: Angelo State called people on the day of their deadline). I don't think deadlines count for much.
 * Sometimes deadlines are soft deadlines, but sometimes not--be careful.

Request for ws and references via email (2/2)

University of Louisiana - Monroe (18c w/some expertise in 19c) Deadline: Feb 27

MLA Interviews Scheduled/Contacted
[Discussion about searches moved below... it was getting confusing with several different sections of the wiki to check!]

American U (12/10 - by phone) x5

Angelo State U (12/5 - by email) x2

Auburn U (12/09 - by phone) x4

Bard (12/11 - by email) x2

The Citadel (12/4, by phone; 12/5, by phone) x4

Colorado College (12/13, MLA interview scheduled by phone, reported on Romanticism page)

Connecticut College (12/10, by phone)x2 (12/15, by phone)

Macalester (12/8, by phone) x5

McMaster U (11/28 - by phone)

Mississippi State U (12/3 - by email) x2

Nanyang Technological U (12/1 - by email for phone interview)

Northwest Missouri State University (11/30 - by phone)

Pacific Lutheran (12/8 -- just got a message from them on my phone re: scheduling MLA interview) x4

Roanoke College (12/8 - by phone) (x2), (12/11 - by phone)(x2), (12/12 - by phone)

Saint Anselm (11/19 - requested by email, 12/2 - scheduled (x3))

Shepherd U (12/3; 12/4; 12/7; 12/8- by phone) X4

U of Southern California (12/9 - by phone) x3

Virginia Commonwealth University (11/26 - by email) x2, (12/2 - by email)

Yale (12/17 - by phone) x3

Jobs
American U
 * just thought I'd note that this is the 2nd year of this search.
 * Q: Has ANYONE been asked for a WS? And/or can anyone verify that this search is still on?
 * A: They'll likely ask interviewees to bring a WS to the interview.  (See last year's wiki.)
 * A: Yes, that's exactly what happened.
 * 12/10 phone request for MLA interview. x4
 * Timeline:
 * 1/6: Campus interview scheduled (per above)
 * 1/19 all campus visits have taken place.


 * wow, they moved fast. Guess they didn't want to end in no hire this time around.
 * also, inauguration rate hotel rooms/airfares may have made travel to DC rather pricey if they'd waited.
 * 1/23 Offer made and accepted.

Angelo State U (Long 18th)
 * 12/5 MLA interview requested by email (x2)
 * Timeline: I'm afraid it's a little fuzzy, but I'm pretty sure they said they'd be meeting around Jan. 20th or so to make decisions re: campus visits.
 * Apparently campus visits were scheduled (moved from "Has Anyone Heard From" section)

Auburn
 * Additional materials requested November 3 (x6)
 * Acknowledgment letter 11/12
 * A: I got additional material request via email, then snail mail confirmation of application & demographic card came over a week later.
 * 12/09 phone request for MLA interview. (x2)
 * Timeline: they told me calls for campus visits would be rolling/protracted ("could be the 4th, or 8th, or 13th"); they have several searches on. They also said they interviewed 8 people at MLA for the C18 position.
 * Rumored that at least one campus visit has been scheduled.
 * Three visits were scheduled and all have been completed.

Bard College (17th/18th-c not including Romanticism)
 * got email acknowledgement
 * did you send your application very early? I haven't received any acknowlgt email yet
 * correction (to initial post): turns out I did not get an email ack. I thought I had, but upon searching my inbox, I see that I was wrong. Sorry for the confusion.
 * I got an e-mail auto-reply from "Bard Hrdept" when I sent my materials. It went into the spam folder and I had to dig around for it.
 * Oh, yes, I think that's what I was thinking of. And I think I deleted it. So, correction to my above correction is that I got that auto-reply.

Word of warning. This search has been going on for years and candidates (there have been many) have been smiled at during the interview, then not contacted--at all, ever, despite inquiries to the search chair about the application status. Just simply ignored after the MLA interview.
 * Note: in this respect they are, sadly, hardly unique. I've had quite amiable interviews with at least five SCs that did exactly the same thing. Unprofessional, but all too common.
 * 12/11 e-mail request for MLA interview (x2)
 * 1/9 gracious no-flyback e-mail
 * 2/11 e-mail rejection, for "the 69th and 18th century position"...congrats to the finalists, because 69th century studies is a tough field to crack.
 * Actually, mine was for "the 47th &18th century Literature position." Congrats, dixhuitiemistes. We are indeed the scholars of the future.  But at least they did write, this time.
 * Mine was for the 45th & 18th century! Too funny.  There's a hidden message in here somewhere, I think...
 * Most likely a macro/mail merge that grabbed the numbers from the wrong column of the excel spreadsheet and dumped them into the e-mails. Was it where we were ranked? Was it alphabetical? Who can say...
 * Mine also said 69th. The looooong 18th century.

 Calvin College  (Eighteenth-century and/or Romantic Literature of the British Isles)
 * (12/12) Snail mail saying the search has been called off

 College of St. Scholastica (MN)  (women's, 18th or 19th)
 * Review begins Oct. 15
 * (11/26) Snail mail saying the search has been called off (x2).

Colorado College (ability to teach core poetry classes-18thc and Romanticism)
 * 11/7: Application acknowledged by snail mail.
 * got email acknowledgment (x2)
 * 12/13: MLA interview scheduled by phone (see Romanticism page)

So depressing! I am a near-perfect fit for this job (at least according to the announcement). How many years do people go through these searches before they go stark raving mad from the disappointment and frustration? This is my second, and I'm ready to give up.
 * Hang in there.
 * A friend of mine just interviewed for this position at MLA, and the committee asked nothing about poetry and all about the novel. So if you felt like you were a good fit for the ad (as I did), don't worry.  They don't seem to want what they advertised.  *laugh*
 * Timeline:

Connecticut College (Concentration in Race and Ethnicity)
 * got email acknowledgment


 * Scheduled MLA interview 12/15
 * Timeline: Should hear from them around 1/16.


 * Anyone heard anything about campus visits?
 * Nothing here.

 Evergreen State College  (British/Anglophone Lit)
 * email that they will conduct phone interviews in January; not going to MLA
 * Main English wiki page mentions that this search is canceled

Macalester
 * 11/10: Application acknowledged via snail mail, letter dated 10/31 (x4)
 * 11/19: Request for teaching philosophy, evaluations, syllabi, writing sample, and letters of rec (x10)
 * 12/1: Note that they canceled the search in 20thc American.  (See 20thc American wiki and the JIL.)  But the 18th-c. search is (for now!) still on.
 * 12/2: I received an e-mail from them that they'd received all of my supplemental materials, will be in touch, etc. Looks like it's still on for now. (x9)
 * 12/2: Rejection (letter, dated 11/18)
 * 12/5: With trepidation, I ask: IS THE C18 SEARCH STILL ON?
 * A: See above, this has already been answered by the dept via email on 12/2.
 * 12/8 MLA interview set up by phone. <--not getting this broke my heart; I LOVED this school's approaches, location, etc. *sigh*
 * 12/13 rejection letter (dated 12/9): very kind, acknowledged that I'd sent extra materials in response to their request (x2)
 * Anyone else not hear anything either way? (12/16)
 * Timeline: Not immediate. Classes restart 1/26, and no campus visits will take place before that.
 * 1/5: Professional, very personalized rejection letter rec'd
 * Q: did you receive the letter by email or by regular mail?  Did you interview with them at MLA?  I interviewed but haven't heard anything.  Thanks for the info.  (1/8)
 * 1/6: Campus Interview scheduled
 * 1/9 I also received a professional, personalized rejection letter (today, 1/9) following MLA interview, dated 1/5. It's interesting that these were sent before the 1/6 campus interview was was requested.
 * Q: anyone know how many interviews they did at MLA?  The impression I got was that they did quite a number of them but I have no idea how many.
 * 2/12: Offer made and accepted.

McMaster U
 * Where is the blacklist link for this year's search? This school should be entered on it.  The department has hired 3 new junior faculty members with US degrees within the past 5 years.  All 3 hires have gone elsewhere--back to the States for other (and better) tenure track jobs.  There are similar scenarios in other departments.  The word on the street is that this is a miserable and demoralizing place to work, especially if you are a US citizen or US trained Ph.D.


 * I put a comment up here the other day, as a response to the above. I see someone has deleted it. Do NOT delete other people's comments. If you can't abide by the rules of the wiki, don't use it. Engaging in that sort of thing only inspires others to look up your IP address. Here's my comment, ONCE AGAIN: the blacklist is ongoing, not yearly. The wiki is called "Universities to Fear." Find it and enter McMaster English if you want to. That said, I myself am a US citizen and US-trained Ph.D. who would be thrilled to teach at McMaster and be involved with ECF. (x3!!!)


 * Timeline: Did not wait for MLA -- Have brought people to campus already
 * November 24: call for campus visit

Mississippi State
 * Application acknowledged via snail mail
 * 11/14 email request for more materials
 * 11/21 email request for more materials (x2)
 * 12/2 rejection email (x5)
 * 12/3 MLA interview request via email
 * email indicates that they are interviewing ten candidates
 * 1/2 campus interview scheduled (x2)

Nanyang Technological U (Singapore) (18th century)
 * Start looking at apps 11/20.
 * 12/1 email request for phone interview.
 * Decisions about campus visits will be made end of the first week in Jan.
 * Email rejection received on 2/10 (following Dec. phone interview).

Northwest Missouri State (18th or 19th)
 * Screening begins Nov. 1
 * Application acknowledged via snail mail
 * 11/30 MLA interview scheduled via phone

Pacific Lutheran (18th)
 * Application acknowledged via snail mail
 * Additional materials requested 11/12 (and 11/14)
 * Called to schedule MLA interview 12/8
 * Timeline: SC meets on Monday 1/6 and will contact candidates shortly thereafter.
 * Campus visit scheduled
 * they did 12 MLA interviews. Did not make an offer following campus visits. Contacted candidate for phone interview 2/13.

Roanoke College (Generalist with a specialty in 18th century British literature, TransAtlantic desireable)
 * 10/28 Received postcard saying app was rec'd. (x2)
 * Q: Has ANYONE been asked for a WS? And/or can anyone verify that this search is still on?
 * 12/8 MLA interview scheduled via phone
 * Timeline: Said they'd be contacting people around Jan. 9th.

Saint Anselm (18th)
 * got email acknowledgement (2)
 * MLA interview request by email, 11/19 (x5)
 * Interviews have now officially been scheduled (12/2)
 * 20 candidates interviewed at MLA
 * Timeline: early to mid-January for campus visits on 1/23, 1/30, 2/6 (pending Dean availability, these may shift some) Interviewed 20 candidates at MLA.
 * 1/3: Campus Interview scheduled (as per above)

St. Francis Xavier (British literature and culture between 1603 and 1860)
 * Consideration of applications will begin on 15 December
 * From above: Quote from Rom/Vic page: "I heard that they have completed their interview list and will be contacting people soon. (1/27)"
 * Received snailmail rejection letter on 2/10. It said they received "well over a hundred" apps. they had advertised two positions, but one of them was canceled because of the economy.

Shepherd U (18th)
 * Application acknowledged via email 10/30.
 * MLA interviews to be arranged "in early December"
 * 12/3 MLA interview request by phone (Also 12/4)
 * Timeline: Said they'd be making the decision right away and calling people for campus visits around 1/1 or 1/2.

(Has anyone heard from them?)
 * A: I haven't. I don't know if we've been passed over, or there is some sort of delay in their process. It's unfortunate that at this stage the wiki becomes so unreliable (either committees are inviting people who don't use it, or those who are invited are too paranoid to post).
 * A: No word here, from anyone I know -- does anyone even know how many people they interviewed at MLA? I got the impression it was lots, but that's just a feeling.  Just judging from intangibles, is that 1/1-2 decision was wishful thinking.
 * A: Not intending to give too much space to this discussion, I'd just add that they were interviewing for 2 positions (the other was in poetry and poetics), and no movement has been reported on the other position either.

Q: to above...too paranoid about what? I don't understand this mindset.
 * 2/2 All campus interviews for the 18th position have been concluded.

South Dakota State University (18th)
 * Deadline: Nov. 30
 * Anyone hear anything from them? (1/24)
 * Email request for phone interview (2/4)x2
 * Question for others who were asked for a phone interview. Have they followed up yet? I haven't heard back from them to set it up, and it's been 6 days after the email request.
 * A: Was this the e-mail you received? "Toward the end of last semester you applied for our position in 18th-century literature. We have now completed the second round of our evaluation process and are preparing to arrange phone interviews and to contact references for a select group of applicants. I am writing to ask if you are still seeking an academic position, or if you have accepted a position elsewhere. Would you please let me know if you are still interested in the position at South Dakota State University." That's the one I got, and I didn't think it was an actual request for a phone interview, just a note that I was long-listed and might get the call eventually. But if there were a couple of different e-mails then I'm not sure what's going on.
 * A: Yeah, that was the one. Funny that I didn't read it all that carefully until you pasted it into the Wiki. I had totally missed the "contacting refs" part.

Email request for phone interview (2/11) x3.

Texas A&M U, Kingsville (Restoration/18th Century British, with Linguistics and/or "Writing" preferred)
 * Review begins immediately until filled.
 * 1/20: E-mail from head of dept. saying that they did not conduct MLA interviews, and are now beginning their selection process. Did anyone else apply for this job? Receive any requests for further information?
 * R: I also applied and received the same e-mail you did. I think they were just checking to see whether the people who had applied were still interested/available.
 * From above: (2/4) I know TAMU-Kingsville was following up on recommendation letters as of Thursday & Friday of last week (1/29, 1/30).

The Citadel (18th)
 * Review begins Nov. 7
 * Letters requested Oct 27 (and Nov 3 (x2), Nov 10)
 * MLA Interview Scheduled (by phone) Dec 4 (with letters requested prior); Dec 5 (with no letters requested prior)x2
 * Timeline: early to mid-January for late Jan/early Feb campus visits

University of California-Los Angeles (transatlantic studies before 1900) Deadline: Nov. 3
 * 12/2: 19thc wiki shows that they scheduled an interview
 * 12/16: Rejection letter by email. (x1)
 * 1/2: Campus visit scheduled by phone

U of Colorado-Boulder Open rank, from Advanced Asst on up.
 * I imagine (although I do not know) that people may have been individually invited to apply (their initial search failed, 2 years ago). They said they wanted to do interviews in November...anyone have any news about this search?
 * A: My advisor, who is a distinguished professor and good friends/previous colleagues with one of the search committee members, indicated that they're looking for someone at the Assoc/Full Prof rank. I also know that she's provided letters of rec for at least two senior people for this position.
 * Maybe the senior-ish people won't work out, and then they'll dig into the untapped goldmine of more junior apps. Or so I am hoping!
 * It is indeed very likely that senior-ish people won't work out. As a lurking senior faculty member (from elsewhere), let me say that senior hiring is a mine field while junior hiring is relatively easy. UC has been turned down already, so it's entirely possible they will go junior, as Indiana did last year.
 * hope hope hope hope hope
 * Rejection email (11/20) (x4)
 * sad sad sad sad sad
 * Offer made 12/2008 (around MLA, as per above)

U Maryland--Baltimore County
 * Additional information requested October 28, October 30, November 5, and November 7th (x4)
 * Search cancelled (e-mail 11/25).
 * $&@!!!!! (X5!!!)

U of Michigan (1660-1900)
 * Is this job still open? It says "pending approval" on the jil listing and I couldn't find it on the UM HR website today (11/4)
 * A: yes, received a nice acknowledgement of application via email 11/6 with timeline of hiring process.
 * A: more info on timeline: MLA interviews to be arranged "second week of December (December 8-12)" Campus interviews to be conducted  "January and February"
 * A: I got this letter too -- it did say "pending final approval of the search at the College level, we will interview these candidates at the MLA (Modern Language Association) Convention." Hopefully that's just butt-covering language and it will all work out.
 * E-mail acknowledgment rec'd 11/13. Here's hoping!
 * Ditto!
 * Did anyone else not get this email??
 * On the 19th century page, two people have had requests for dossiers as of 11/24.
 * This is strange. I thought UM asked for everything up front. I know I sent them writing samples, syllabi, etc.
 * A: They asked for everything imaginable (samples, teaching, etc) EXCEPT for dossiers.
 * A: Don't give up hope; it seems likely that they would hire in 18thc (instead of or in addition to 19thc) because two of their 18th-c. people have left for other schools in recent years.
 * Dossier request by email 11/24, 11/26 (x2)
 * Q: I see on the 19th century page that a couple of interviews were requested. Does anyone know what is happening on our end?
 * Received kind rejection email on 12/19. *sniff* (x3)

U of Ottawa (Rest/18th)
 * Email acknowledgment, query of citizenship 11/21 (x8)
 * Are there any Canadians on here who are applying? Yes!


 * Q: What is the time line for Canadian Jobs? I know they don't usually do MLA?
 * A: Some Canadian schools interview at MLA (UofT, for instance), but most go straight to the short-list. What this means in practice is that a candidate has to look good enough on paper to make the top 3 to 5--there's no chance to win a committee over with your charming personality until the campus visit.
 * A: MLA or no MLA, the timeline for Canadian jobs varies. Generally, schools bring candidates in for campus visits in January or February. But as McMaster's early search this year suggests (they completed campus visits last week), Canadian schools are beginning to realize that they're missing out on good candidates by waiting too long.
 * A: Er, I'm not sure that's the reason McMcaster brought candidates early. I know for a fact that at least 2 of the 3 candidates McMaster brought were Canadian. I'm not sure about the 3rd, but looks like they were interested in seeing what native Canadian talent had to offer.
 * A. Certainly, Mac was interested in seeing what "native Canadian talent" had to offer (though I should add that 2 of the *5* short-listed candidates were Canadian and only one of those two candidates did their Ph.D. in Canada). But when I wrote that Canadian schools were missing out on good candidates, I meant good candidates in general. Because American schools generally run their searches earlier, many talented Canadians and Americans are snapped up (or offered jobs) before Canadian schools get around to making their short-lists.
 * A. That's funny. Has it not occured to McMaster that going the MLA route (rather than preempting MLA) would solve the problem?
 * Q: does anyone know whatever happened to the University of Ottawa position???????
 * A. Though it wasn't widely known, they made their short-list some time ago, and have now brought all four candidates in for their respective campus visits. For what it's worth, two of the candidates are Canadian citizens, though all four did (or are doing) their Ph.D.s in the States.
 * A: thanks for that information.
 * A: received pleasant rejection letter, snailmail (1/24) (x2) Mine was postmarked, interestingly, Buffalo, NY.

Job offered and accepted. 2/2

U of Southern California (Early Modern, 1600 - 1800)
 * Q: Has anybody heard anything about this job? I hear only silence.
 * A: Haven't heard anything either, though I know someone at USC and heard that this is one of those crazy searches that involves three departments, English, Art History, and History, so they're not even sure what they're looking for and have to organize a committee of committees. Each dept. is running its own search, and then they will compare top candidates from each.  It will probably take some time for them to sort through the whole mess.
 * MLA interview scheduled by phone 12/9 (x2)

Villanova
 * Search canceled? Applicants in some disciplines have been told that the College of A&S is postponing ALL hiring this year.
 * Response to above...I was told by a reliable source that the C18 search has been canceled.
 * The ad is still listed on their website.
 * Still listed? That's good to know. I'm feeling pessimistic, though.
 * Officially canceled; see JIL status update
 * FYI: Villanova is nevertheless mailing out letters with AA surveys attached (received 11/18)
 * Their letter said they were suspending their search and did not expect to make a hire for 2009. Is that the same as canceled?
 * Yes.

Virginia Commonwealth University (British Enlightenment, etc)
 * Q: I can't find a reference to this job on the JIL or on VCU's web site...can you tell me where to find some info? Thanks!
 * A: it was on the JIL, with a postmark deadline of 11/13. If it isn't there, it probably expired after the deadline (?). It was something like "Early English Colonialism with expertise in texts of the British Enlightenment."
 * A: Ah, that rings a bell. I probably by-passed it because it's not quite my area of focus.  Thanks so much for the clarification...I got nervous there for a second.
 * A: Also, "expertise in the slave-trade debate."
 * MLA Interview scheduled (11/26) (x2); (12/2)
 * Timeline: said they'd be meeting with the rest of the committee 1/5. Not sure what they said would happen next. Anyone?
 * 20th century British page says that c20 search is cancelled due to budget contstraints.

Yale
 * Received 2 postcards stapled together (1 AA survey) as acknowledgement of application (11/7).
 * Received the same 2 postcards (11/12) (ditto 11/17, 11/20)
 * Q: Am I the only one who never got these postcards?
 * A: I got mine, but wouldn't be surprised if others didn't. It was 2 postcards united with one staple, so it could very easily have stuck on another piece of mail and never been heard from again.
 * A: I haven't got one and I mailed my app 10/28. Scratch that, mine showed up this afternoon 11/20.
 * Me too, finally, on 11/24.


 * Is this search still active?
 * A: Yes -- the two people who got calls yesterday did not update this section, just the MLA section above:
 * 12/17 - MLA interview scheduled by phone (x2)


 * Lame postcard rejection (12/18; 12/19; 12/21)--don't tell me I'm "no longer under active consideration"--just tell me no! (x2)
 * What's with Yale and the postcards?
 * A: How else to break the Holiday news? "Yale: I bet you wish you were here!"

Discussion
Observation: I will let somebody list the jobs if they feel like it, but I will propose that, having tracked the eighteenth-century possibilities for four years, this is the second-best year. Only the preternatural selection of good positions two years ago (2007) was better. So enter the market with optimism!
 * A: I don't get it.  (Sorry!)  YOu're being sarcastic, right?  There don't seem to be many openings this year to me!
 * A: This is my 3rd year on the market in one capacity or another, and I have to agree with the answer above. A good many of the "18th-century" jobs out there this year are being marketed as some version of "the long 19th century."
 * A: It seems inevitable that after having coopted other centuries for so long, we c18s would experience the same thing. I'm just focusing on the fact that I'm prepared to teach a wide array of materials, from a couple of centuries.
 * A: The part of the initial observation that I find to be most bizarre is the first clause. There aren't even 20 solidly 18th-century jobs here. Optimism is good, but realism is also acceptable...
 * A: I'm not sure about how the overall number of jobs compares with previous years. There are always less eighteenth-century jobs than early-modern jobs or Victorian jobs, just as there are less of us applying for them. This is a good year for good jobs. There are seven good research schools hiring (including USC's open-discipline 1600-1800 position and Northwestern's "around 1800" position). There are four really good liberal-arts colleges hiring.
 * A: Are there really fewer people in our field? It's certainly true at my university, but are there numbers or findings on that?  Not that I don't enjoy the fact that we're a spectacular, unique, and very clubbable bunch!  This is my 3rd year, too, for what it's worth, and I thought it was a pretty decent year given the economic slump that's caused lots of places, especially state schools, to enact hiring freezes.
 * A: I think there are definitely fewer of us, at least where I am. All the people in my dept who say "your century is so boring" are now saying "how come there are so many eighteenth century jobs? waah!" I think it's a pretty good year in terms of what's posted, but I'm trying to be realistic and assume that at least a few will get canceled. Good luck to all!
 * A: But note how restrictive most of these jobs are!  USC's search is open discipline; there's not even a guarantee that they'll hire someone in English, let alone in 18th-c.  Similarly, Northwestern's is a Romanticist job.  And Bard excludes Romanticism and Conn College has a particular focus, etc.  And note how many small, religiously-affiliated jobs and/or jobs with 4-4 or 4-3 teaching loads there are.

This really isn't a great year for 18thc. Let's hope it gets better next year and that all of those schools with hiring freezes life them! :)
 * A: I agree that this isn't a great job list this year for 18th-C people. It's not awful, but there are fewer jobs, and fewer really desirable ones, than there were the last two years. And this is the third year in a row that Bard's running their search, which signals to me that there's something screwy at the institution (which, given Bard's reputation, isn't hard to believe).
 * A: Hi, I'm just stopped by because one of the adjuncts at my institution just recently told me about this page and I was curious. For what it's worth to anyone, this is not the first multi-year search at Bard. My partner was on the job market from 1999 to 2002, and if I am remembering correctly, Bard advertised and interviewed for the Romanticist position every single year. Good luck to everyone here!
 * A: 27 of the jobs advertised in the JIL still appear to be a go. That's actually pretty good, 

considering that there were as few as 9 listed in 2003 and 11 in 2005. The real difference this year seems to be the appallingly long waits and large number of cancelled jobs.

Re: the organization of this wiki:
 * I really think it's easier if we just post all interview info under each school below. That way you can look up a particular school and see any pertinent info without having to comb through multiple sections.
 * I didn't post this section, but was hoping someone would -- I like having the "quick glance" sections for these sorts of things (MLA interviews, campus interviews, etc.) -- in addition to the by-school info below, especially since the by-school info is thick with lengthy (though helpful) discussion. [feel free to delete/move this statement as needed]
 * I don't care either way, BUT in previous years (ha) I have found the quick-glance section at the top to be helpful.
 * I think the quick list at the top is really helpful, too; if you see the school listed, you can then look below for more info. And it prevents you from having to scroll through the whole list to find out about interviews...

Re: Cancelled Searches and the Job Outlook
 * At this point I'm beginning to think we should create a special section for canceled searches!
 * This is definitely getting scary. It seemed like things couldn't get much worse for humanists.... What is going to happen to academia with the huge oversurplus of jobseekers that the economic situation is sure to create over the next few years?
 * Let's all hope that this downturn follows previous patterns and enrollment surges over the next few years, making it impossible for these institutions to put off hiring any longer. I have to believe that at some point there will be a demand for the eighteenth century...

The best that new PhDs can hope for is that budget squeezes lead to an overall emphasis on junior rather than senior hiring. Some hiring will have to be done over the next five years as the generation hired during the glut years of the 60s start to retire en masse. Junior faculty are considerably cheaper than senior faculty. QED ...

Dahling, perhaps you haven't realized that many people's retirement savings have been WIPED OUT. Lots of people who were going to retire and indeed want to retire, now can't. But I'm with you on the hope.

Re: Immiment Interviews/General Comments Comment: As the Thanksgiving holiday ends, I can only assume that more committees will be meeting, and that we'll all start hearing news of interviews. I just wanted to wish everyone well -- there's always a lot of anxiety, but one comfort about the wiki is knowing that others are in the same spot, so thanks to all for information sharing. Good luck, compatriots!

Comment: Good luck to all from here as well! And good luck to the person with the flyback at McMaster!

Comment: I think this will be a big week. Good luck to everyone!

The silence of the small schools is ominous...
 * Of course cancellation is possible, but certainly there's a chance that the dreaded "Finalists aren't Wiki-ites" is in play (P.S. -- Thank you Shepherd updater!) And is it possible that some of the smaller places are waiting to see how January/early Feb shook out? (ie, we know of at least two offers accepted, and campus visits completed, yadda yadda)