Bleg (Signifying Nothing: how does saying nothing at all become so loud?)

Wednesday, 2 November 2005

Bleg

First off… a semi-apology to those of you who are getting bored with the “inside baseball” academe stuff.

On to the point of this post. Assume for the sake of argument that my “dream job” is to teach at a liberal arts college (which may or may not appear on the Wikipedia list), and also assume that by the time I have to decide on a job offer, I won’t have any offers from liberal arts colleges.

Question 1: Would accepting a tenure-track offer at a different sort of college or university improve or diminish the chances of landing a tenure-track job at a liberal arts college in the future?

Question 2: Would another year here at Duke (which is by no means guaranteed as of yet), teaching more-or-less what I am teaching now (two sections of undergraduate methods a year and two other courses), getting a bit more research done, and potentially getting a publication or two, improve or diminish the chances of landing a job at a tenure-track liberal arts college in the future?

Question 3: Would a second non-tenure-track job at a liberal arts college improve or diminish the chances of landing a tenure-track job at a liberal arts college in the future?

Question 4: Assuming I don’t get a job at a liberal arts college this year, is there anything in particular that is under my control that would improve my prospects of getting a job at a liberal arts college? Things that are under my control: research, teaching evaluations, future course selection, attending the APSA Teaching & Learning Conference, etc.; things not/no longer under my control: whatever my letters say about me, where I went to school (i.e. not at a liberal arts college), my past experience, etc.

Anyway, I know at least some of my readers are at liberal arts colleges, so I’d appreciate their feedback in particular—informed speculation from folks at other types of institutions may also be helpful, though.

Last but not least: if you are on a hiring committee at a liberal arts college that happens to have my file, you should also be aware that a tenure-track offer at a liberal arts college would “win” any competition with another offer, ceteris peribus.

2 comments:

Any views expressed in these comments are solely those of their authors; they do not reflect the views of the authors of Signifying Nothing, unless attributed to one of us.

1. Scott wrote @ Thu, 3 Nov 2005, 8:42 am CST:

My $.02 ($.0192 with inflation)

1) No if, a) you are applying for the hypothetical lib arts job BEFORE you go up for tenure…otherwise, people speculate that you were denied and don’t “really” WANT to come work there and b) you aren’t leaving a Research 1 (I know…old terminology…) for the lib arts. Even thought there are those among us for whom a lib arts college is preferable to a Research 1, the suspicion to your motives MIGHT remove you from the applicant pile before you get to show your sparkling personality.

2) I am not sure it would have a strong and significant impact either way (beyond the minimal but accumulating negative impact of adjuncting “too long,” and like obscenity, “too long” depends on community standards [i.e. the opinion of that particular hiring committee]...yeah, it’s stupid, but that makes it no less real…however, one more year at Duke isn’t likely to be a tipping point). Potential negative impact: another year of a reduced teaching load may make lib arts colleges think, “He won’t take this 4/4 [3/3 (if you’re lucky); 4/3; whatever] and stay here after doing that.” Potential positive impact: it may let you get one more pub…which will put you on more radar screens.

3) see first part of previous answer. Potential positive impact: he [more] has experience with a higher teaching load and lib arts students. Potential negative impact: you can kiss another pub goodbye…which MAY keep you off a few radar screens (lib arts colleges, as you know, want someone who can balance SOME research with teaching)

4) Research: how about doing something that would be presented on a teaching poli sci panel…and might get published in a related outlet?

Teaching evals/ Course design: continue to be innovative…integrating web components and interesting real life learning…throw in a group project…you DON‘T want phrases like, “He should do something other than just lecture,” to appear on your evals.

Teaching and Learning Conf: normally I am against nomenclature laden ego-stroking exercises, but this would a) look good to lib arts colleges [that you even attended] and, b) God help me, you might ACTUALLY get some tips and techniques that would make students more appreciative of the incredible opportunity to bask in your brilliance.

2. Chris Lawrence wrote @ Fri, 4 Nov 2005, 2:44 pm CST:

See, this is why I love Scott (platonically, of course)... he usually completely reinforces what I was already thinking.

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