Academic Jobs Wiki
Academic Jobs Wiki
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Our Numbers?[]

Out of curiosity - how many people have we got active on this thing? Change the number below if you're here: 59 (Moved from the bottom of the page. This is just an imperfect measure of our numbers and perhaps overall accuracy . . .) Although - now obsessively checking TWO webpages instead of one! NOT anymore, alas, the deleting has begun again -how frustrating! (12/7) The other site has been moved but is working again, see link at bottom of this page. (12/8)


PLEASE KEEP UPDATING THIS SITE: I FIND IT HARD TO BELIEVE THAT 2/3 OF AHA INTERVIEWS HAVE NOT LED TO ON-CAMPUS INVITES. DON'T KEEP YOUR FELLOW JOB-SEARCHERS IN THE DARK-SHARE YOUR GOOD NEWS SO THAT WE MAY MOVE FORWARD (1/30)

Yea, what's the deal people? We've got the lamest wiki in the humanities. In other disciplines, people actually contribute.

African American History[]

Let's all use this page as it has the most AFAM Jobs on it. I hope everyone is having better luck than I am, but let's really use this thing to help everyone out. 12/12 →Agreed. Anyone have info on the "repeat searches" from previous years? Places like Iowa State, Missouri, and Green Bay that had similar searches last year? 12/16 Green Bay is a replacement, Iowa State never even conducted a search, Missouri is an unkown. 12/18

Are folks still updating this page? Surely more than four of these jobs have scheduled on-campus interviews. Got info? Share! 1/28

  • CUNY - Hunter College
  • Location: New York, NY
  • application deadline is 1 Oct 2008
  • received ack 10/10/2008

–Any Word? 12/15

  • AHA interview scheduled on 8 Dec 2008 (12/19) x2
  • rejection 01/09/09
  • If you don't mind me asking, were you interviewed at the AHA? (1/14)
  • Interviewed at AHA but have not heard anything yet.
  • I was also interviewed at the AHA, but haven't heard anything. I wonder if the job is about to fall under the budget ax? (2/9) X2
  • According to an email I received from a member of the search committee, the search is "still moving forward." (2/9)
  • campus interview scheduled (2/17)
  • Carnegie Mellon
  • Location: Pittsburgh, PA
  • application deadline is December 1, 2008
  • Approx. 120 applications received; committee currently reviewing folders (12/11)
  • "The search committee will be reviewing applications at the beginning of the year" (email 12/12)x2
  • Campus visit scheduled 1-6 (1/10)

When were phone interviews conducted?

  • They weren't. Went straight to three campus interviews (2/6)
  • Received standard rejection letter (3/28)
  • Dayton
  • On campus interview scheduled (x2)
  • Didn't even now AHA or phone interviews were scheduled.
  • Job already offered and accepted (2/10)
  • Florida Atlantic University
  • Location: Boca Raton, Florida
  • application deadline is 1 Nov 2008
  • average salary for assistant professors in 2007-2008 was $62,600
  • assistant professor of history should earn at least $52,663 annually
  • student/faculty ratio - 18:1
  • median SAT score: 1015 to 1020
  • Phone interviews scheduled - they say they will bring finalists on campus before AHA
  • Invitation for campus interview 11/23

-Any idea why they were listed as conducting interviews at the AHA for this job then?

  • I saw that too, but the corrections board in the job center stated that FAU had cancelled their interviewing space. As far as I know, they didn't interview anyone else there. In other words, I think FAU was trying to be prepared to interview more candidates in case the ones they brought to campus in December didn't work out.
  • Has anyone heard if they have made an offer? I was one of the on-campus people and have not heard anything...
  • A baby-announcement style rejection letter received today states the job went to Howard ABD Talitha LeFlouria.
  • Did everyone who applied/phone interviewed receive this letter?
  • George Washington University
  • Location: Washington, D.C.
  • application deadline is December 1, 2008
  • Received Ack 11/5
  • Received Ack 12/13

–Any Word? 12/15

  • AHA interview scheduled week of 12/18 by email X2
  • Any updates? On-campus interviews scheduled? 1/28
  • Haven't heard anything since I interviewed at AHA
  • Haverford
  • receipt of materials confirmation (with notations of missing documentation) (11/2)
  • Any updates? 1/27
  • Further updates? (2/27)
  • Hobart & William Smith Colleges Geneva, NY
  • ack letter:"will be reviewing applications at least until November 23"
  • AHA interview scheduled (12/15) X3
  • Any updates? On-campus interviews scheduled? 1/28
  • Have not heard anything after my AHA interview. X4

-- Rejection letter received by mail after AHA interview. 3/3

  • Indiana University - Bloomington
  • application deadline is 15 Oct 2008
  • average salary for assistant professors in 2007-2008 was $68,400
  • assistant professor of history should earn at least $57,524 annually
  • student/faculty ratio - 18:1
  • median SAT score: 1145 to 1165
  • Iowa State University

They had a search last year-what happened? Has anyone rec'd anything? Heard Anything?

♠I applied this year and last-never heard a word.x3 I also applied last year and this year and they (director and dean) never responded to emails of inquiry. I say we all send emails or make phone calls until SOMEONE acknowledges us. Candidates spend real time and money on these applications and deserve some small measure of respect.

  • They invited three or four candidates for campus interviews in December. However, Iowa State might impose a hiring freeze pending a Jan. 9, 2009 decision by its president. The search last year stalled after the top candidate rejected the offer. The SC was/is really looking for very late assistants or early associates (1/1).
  • Not sure how this jibes with the previous statement, but today I received email indicating that the search committee is currently reviewing apps, and asked me to "confirm at this point your continued interest in being a candidate for this position." (1/13).

-Wow. Can it get any worse than this? I'll take ten to one odds on another failed search.

  • We may be talking about two different positions here. Iowa State originally advertised two openings in African American Studies. For one position, candidates were invited for interviews in December and an offer has been made. For the other, campus interviews will likely take place in Feb. or March (1/16).
  • Any news? 1/25
  • I know someone who was recently invited for an on campus interview.
  • Just to clarify, or perhaps further confuse, Iowa State has had a number of searches this year - two history searches, two Af-Am studies searches, and a search in their US Latino Studies program. One history position in environmental/ag has been filled, the other in science/tech is just beginning. One Af-Am Studies search is complete and they hired an associate level prof (which was what they were looking for) in anthropology (I think). The other Af-Am Studies search is just beginning. They'll probably hire a historian for the second Af-Am Studies job. The Latino Studies search is nearly completed and my info is they'll probably hire a historian.
  • Just beginning? Applications were due 4 months ago!
  • Just beginning...as in on-campus interviews.
  • Hired Brian Behnken, UC Davis PhD
  • Not sure about this hire, I heard the Af Am Studies search failed.
  • Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge
  • application deadline is 15 December 2008
  • receipt of materials acknowledgment (11/3)

Any Word? 12/15

  • acknowledgment email (12/17)x3
  • request for more info (12/10)/ AHA Interview
  • Any updates? On-campus interviews scheduled?
  • Search put on hold (budget concerns)
  • Marshall University
  • Location: Huntington, West Virginia
  • receipt of materials confirmation (11/3)
  • AHA interview scheduled (12/5)
  • AHA interview scheduled (also 12/5)x4
  • On-campus interview scheduled (1/21)
  • Offer made and accepted.
  • Received standard rejection letter (3/26)
  • Misericordia

- AHA interview arranged (12/16)

  • Rejections sent out to non-AHA finalists
  • Any updates? On-campus interviews scheduled?
  • Don't know if they invited people to campus, but I received a rejection letter after my AHA interview.
  • Muhlenberg College

-Rejection letter rec'd in November if I remember correct. Anyone got any other news?

  • Roanoke College
  • Location: Roanoke, Virginia
  • application deadline - none given "review of applications will begin as they are received."

- AHA interview scheduled (12/18)x2

  • how did they contact you? email or phone? (12/18)
  • phone then e-mail
  • I gave them a c.v. at the AHA but never heard back from them. I would have appreciated even the automated "we are unable to meet with you at the AHA" generic e-mail. For those who have gotten interviews with Roanoke, what time period does your research cover?

-Mine is antebellum, but I have a friend who also interviewed and does twentieth century. - anybody know what is going on here? Have heard nothing since AHA.

  • They told me at the AHA that it might be "a while," maybe longer than a month, before they invited people to campus, so I'm not surprised we have not heard anything.
  • Still nothing (2-14)
  • I know someone who had a job talk scheduled recently.
  • Received impersonal email stating that "Roanoke College has decided to suspend its African American job search at this time." (3/30)
  • Southern Illinois

Has ANYONE heard ANYTHING?

  • Nope, not yet.
  • Interviewed 12-15 candidates at the AHA
  • Any updates? On-campus interviews scheduled? 1/28
  • are in the process of conducting campus interviews (2/7)
  • SUNY Oneonta
  • Had Phone interview today-very cordial and professional. 12/15
  • Any updates? On-campus interviews scheduled? 1/28
  • Still nothing (2-14)
  • Texas Tech University
  • Location: Lubbock, Texas
  • application deadline is 14 Nov 2008
  • average salary for assistant professors in 2007-2008 was $60,900
  • assistant professor of history should earn at least $51,217 annually
  • student/faculty ratio - 18:1
  • median SAT score: 1085 to 1090
  • received request for more writing 11/21
that number of $51,000 is almost 10% higher than my sources tell me. Where did you get that number?
  • search committee still deliberating (12/11); request for dissertation copy
  • phone interview scheduled 12/1
  • any news? (1/16)
  • Still nothing (2-14)
  • job offered and accepted
  • Received standard rejection letter (3/26)
  • University of Kentucky

Has ANYONE heard ANYTHING?

  • ack and aa survey rec'd (November)
  • Just crickets....
  • They must have already had interviews because their top candidate turned down an offer back in December (1/19).
  • University of Massachusetts - Amherst
  • application deadline is 10 Oct 2008
  • average salary for assistant professors in 2007-2008 was $66,800
  • assistant professor of history should earn at least $56,179 annually
  • student/faculty ratio - 17:1
  • median SAT score: 1135
  • called department on 11/10, department administrator said Af Am search is canceled
  • Do you know if this includes both the Civil Rights Movement position and the Social Theory and Historiography position?
  • the civil rights search has been canceled because of budget cuts (11/15)
  • received letter from search chair confirming search cancellation (11/21)
  • received letter from chair of Social Theory and Historiographical search confirming search cancellation (12/13)
  • University of Missouri - Columbia
  • application deadline is 1 Nov 2008
  • average salary for assistant professors in 2007-2008 was $58,200
  • assistant professor of history should earn at least $48,946 annually
  • student/faculty ratio - 17:1
  • median SAT score: 1165 to 1185

ALL UM system searches for ALL faculty, staff and student positions are canceled due to President imposed system wide hiring freeze.

  • University of Nebraska-Lincoln

—Has ANYONE heard ANYTHING? Search Cancelled-try again next year perhaps?

  • University of New Mexico

Has ANYONE heard ANYTHING?

  • e-mail ack and aa rec'd (x2)
  • Contacted for on campus interview in January (12/16)
  • SC called tonight to tell me there was a snafu. The committee has to meet again in late Jan. and resubmit the candidate list to the dean. Then interviews will be scheduled. I hope this one doesn't get cancelled. (12/17)
  • Any updates? On-campus interviews scheduled?
  • E-mailed the chair to get an update. She informed me that the search is being cancelled. They will be looking for visiting professors to teach classes in African-American history. (1/30)
  • University of North Texas

Phone interview today (12/15) Very cordial and professional-a real plessure to talk with and whoever gets this job will be quite fortunate x2 Phone interview scheduled by email (12/18) Any news? (1/14) campus interview offered 1/26

Position offered and accepted 3/2***

  • University of Oregon
  • Location: Eugene, Oregon
  • application deadline is 31 Oct 2008
  • average salary for assistant professors in 2007-2008 was $61,900
  • assistant professor of history should earn at least $52,058 annually
  • student/faculty ratio - 18:1
  • median SAT score: 1105
  • Contacted by e-mail for interview via video conferencing next week. (12/3)
  • rejection via e-mail (1/3) x2
  • University of Southern Maine

Has ANYONE heard ANYTHING?

  • AHA interview scheduled by phone (12/17)x3
  • Interviewed 15 candidates at AHA. Very nice people.
  • Any updates? On-campus interviews scheduled?
  • Search cancelled. (2-14)
  • University of Wisconsin at Green Bay

Contacted for phone interview, 12/7 x2 Contacted for on-campus interview, 1-14

  • On campus interviews being conducted (2-14)
  • University of Wisconsin at Madison

Has ANYONE heard ANYTHING?

  • Ack received via snail mail (12/11)x 3
  • Two candidates' job talks announced for 1st wk in Feb (1/30)
  • Received snail mail rejection that said that offer has been made and accepted, but doesn't say by whom. (3/10)
  • Tufts University
  • Location: Medford, Massachusetts
  • application deadline is November 1, 2008
  • received e-mail ack (11/05)
  • rec'd email indicating that their search process is going on longer than expected. Despite 'deepening financial crisis,' they are still proceeding, but won't be notifying people until "well into the new year." They will not interview at AHA. (12/5)x 5

What does (12/5)x 4 mean? What is this x 4 mean?

  • x4 means that four people have received the same information
I disagree. As any elementary school math teacher can tell you, (12/5)x 4 = (2.4)x4 = 9.6
  • I disagree with the math teacher. This is history. Numbers and their relationship to each other are re-evaluated as necessary.

Has anyone heard anything more from Tufts since the above information?? Thanks. (1/14/09)

  • Received pleasant email from chair indicating that they have hired a "full professor." (2/1)
  • Glad to see that those with jobs already are getting jobs.
  • University of Wyoming
  • application deadline is 1 Oct 2008

Any Word? 12/15

  • Was told that phone interviews were to be scheduled by the end of December but have heard nothing since.
  • Do you mean the joint position in American Studies & African-American Studies? If so, they already had on campus interviews and are on the verge of making an offer.
  • Washington University - St. Louis
  • application deadline is 1 Oct 2008
  • average salary for assistant professors in 2007-2008 was $80,000
  • assistant professor of history should earn at least $72,560 annually
  • student/faculty ratio - 7:1
  • median SAT score: 1405 to 1450
  • received request for writing sample (10/20)
  • received request for more writing samples (11/05)
  • received request for more writing samples (11/17)
  • AHA interview scheduled (12/9)x2
  • Update? (1/29)
  • Still nothing (2-14)
  • Rejection letter received (2/17)
  • Wesleyan University
  • application deadline is Nov. 15
  • joint appointment with African American Studies
  • This looks like it might be an inside hire situation. Does anyone have any info on this?
  • Apparently, there is a hiring freeze here - anybody hear about that?
  • (11/21)To clarify, on the Wesleyan Administration website, under FAQ, there is a question about "hiring freezes." The response is: "We are reviewing all positions currently open, and determining which need to be filled immediately, and which can be put on hold for the time being." A quick call to AAS confirmed that the hiring freeze will not affect this search.
  • Remember that Af-Am is conducting this search, not history. I received an e-mail from the admin today (in response to a call from me) that my application is complete. She didn't say anything about a freeze. (11/21)
  • will interview at AHA
  • AHA interview scheduled (12/9)x2
  • Any updates? (1/29)
  • campus visit invite (2/3)x2
  • job has been offered (2/16) - how is this possible if all job talks haven't been given yet?
  • Sorry, bad info (2/20)
  • Job offered and accepted - (3/04)
  • West Virginia University
  • Application deadline is Nov. 15
  • contacted for AHA interview (12/9) X2
  • how did they contact you? Email or phone? (12/18)
  • on-campus have already been scheduled (1/20)
  • When/how did they contact people?

Asian American History[]

  • University of California, Los Angeles
  • application deadline is 10 Oct 2008
  • University of Chicago
  • application deadline is 1 Oct 2008
  • average salary for assistant professors in 2007-2008 was $90,700
  • assistant professor of history should earn at least $82,265 annually
The salary numbers on this page are ludicrous. Asst. professors in the history dept. at Chicago start at about $20,000 less than this.
  • student/faculty ratio - 6:1
  • median SAT score: 1360 to 1430
  • requested eoc/aa via email (10/17)
  • Any news? (12/9)
  • Job talks scheduled (January 14 and 23).
  • Was this an open rank search? One of the candidates is an assoc. prof. at a major R1 school, the other an assistant prof (ironically, at the same major R1--go figure).
  • Yes, it is open rank.
  • Wesleyan University
  • Location: Middletown, Connecticut
  • application deadline is 1 Oct 2008
  • average salary for assistant professors in 2007-2008 was $68,400
  • assistant professor of history should earn at least $62,039 annually
  • student/faculty ratio - 9:1
  • median SAT score: 1315 to 1395
  • Here's a quick heads up from the search committee chair: This is not a job in a history department, although we need someone who can work historically. Although it is not impossible that we would hire a candidate with a Ph.D. in history for this position, because of the mandate that we appoint jointly with English, you will need to be an interdisciplinary scholar who is a plausible candidate in literary studies. Hence it is far more likely that finalists for the position will have a degree in American Studies, Ethnic Studies, Comp Lit, or English. You are invited to contact me (cpotter01@wesleyan.edu) -- I am the search co-chair, and Director of American Studies -- if you are a historian and want some guidance. Best, Claire Potter, Professor of History and American Studies, Wesleyan University.
  • two points to Wesleyan for directness and information! way to embrace the wiki! (though Dr. Potter, some of us with history Ph.D.s actually DO cultural/lit work, so please read our cover letters and don't dismiss us out of hand!)

Chicano/Latino History[]

  • Arizona State University
  • application deadline is 15 Nov 2008

Any news? 12/19

  • received email 12/22 noting search cancelled due to university "undergoing a severe budget crisis owing to present economic conditions." Bah humbug.
  • Case Western Reserve University
  • application deadline is 11 Nov 2008
  • AHA interview scheduled (12/11)

does anyone know how many people they're interviewing???


  • Offer made and accepted. (date please) --> And, please verify: this offer is for Case Western?
  • this is correct, offer made and accepted. (5/31)
  • CUNY - Hunter College (Latino History)
  • Has anybody heard anything regarding this search? Did they conduct AHA interviews? (1/19)
  • Texas A&M University - College Station
  • application deadline is 7 Nov 2008
  • student/faculty ratio - 19:1
  • median SAT score: 1165 to 1190
  • Offer made and accepted in Feb. (3/27)

Interviews scheduled mid-November

  • The University of Texas at San Antonio
  • application deadline is 17 Oct 2008
  • average salary for assistant professors in 2007-2008 was $67,000
  • assistant professor of history should earn at least $56,347 annually
  • student/faculty ratio - 24:1
  • median SAT score: 975 to 1010
  • phone interview (mid Nov)
  • surely they've brought people to campus by now...?
  • Campus interviews are scheduled for January.

Native American History[]

  • University of Utah
  • Location: Salt Lake City, Utah
  • application deadline is 7 Nov 2008
  • average salary for assistant professors in 2007-2008 was $68,700
  • assistant professor of history should earn at least $57,777 annually
  • student/faculty ratio - 13:1
  • median SAT score: 1105 to 1120
  • AHA interview scheduled (12/12)
  • Anyone hear about on campus visits? (1/15)
  • In holding pattern until budget clears the legislature. (2/7)
  • Any news? I'm losing hope they'll get it together this year (3/10)
  • Search on hiatus until Fall, when budgetary problems are supposed to be worked out (4/16)
  • University of Massachusetts, Boston
  • application deadline is 1 Dec 2008
  • Posting
I know a person who has an AHA interview for this job, but that person does not participate on this wiki. (12/15)
  • AHA interview scheduled (12/15)
  • offer made and accepted
  • Hired Josh Reid, UC Davis PhD
  • Arizona State University
  • Location: Tempe, Arizona
  • changed to one year position, non TT
  • salary for position is approximately $40,000
  • Any news? (3/18)

U.S. and World[]

  • let's fill in these jobs as they come due?
  • US & WORLD NOW CANCELLED TOTALS (7): Ohio University, University of Illinois-Chicago, University of Maryland-Baltimore County, University of Washington (2 searches) . . . You can also count the Brandeis position since it was transnational. SUNY-Oswego has cancelled their internatinal history search. Does a failed search count? See: Yale
it is fascinating that during an economic crisis - albeit based on the limited data presented here - the first type of job to go is of the "US & World" variety. My future article: "Epistemological Isolationism: History Job Cuts During the 2008 Economic Crisis." Needs a more catchy title...
  • Feel free to be in touch if you want to do any oral histories - and now, the perspective of a sad sap who actually thought US & World was a viable, long-term field.
  • The question is, was the field singled out or were these cancellations part of broad hiring freezes at these institutions. As far as I can tell the latter is the case. Can anyone point to other searches in these places that were not canceled?
  • Ohio U search is not canceled. They're conducting AHA interviews. (12/18)
  • What does "US and the World" mean anyway? Is it some sort of politically correct version of military/diplomatic history to get the job past the social and cultural historians who run 95% of the departments in the US?
  • Actually, I do think that's part of it. Old-fashioned diplomatic, state-to-state history is "out." So, this is a nod to the social and cultural historians. NGOs, multi-national corporations, and popular initiatives fit under this new rubric in a way that they wouldn't have under the traditional "diplomatic history" rubric. (Think about the all the young-ish U.S. and the World historians who do "cultural imperialism," military-industrial complex, or multinational corporations' involvement in foreign policy.)
  • "'Bucknell University U.S. in the world, 1945-present'"
deadline: November 3
anyone know if this is an inside hire? (11/22)
  • No, I do not know. Why? I only know that they confirmed their receipt of my letters of recommendation. I do not believe they would go to this trouble if it were. It would be a shame if it were an inside hire, though.
  • I would hope not, too. According to the dept's website they have a VAP there now whose field of specialization is an exact fit with how the job was posted. That always makes me wonder. (12/1)
  • Good point. I imagine that that person will receive an interview. However, my experience on hiring committees (restricted to grad school, sadly) has shown that such advantages are no guarantee. Indeed, such experience might raise the department's expectations of that person to an impossible level.(2 Dec.)
  • email invitation for AHA interview (12/3)
  • campus invite (1/13)
  • Any news on this one?
  • three candidates were brought to campus. dept. was hoping to be able to make an offer by the end of the month, or thereabouts (2/15)
  • Has an offer been made? (3/9)
  • "'The College of New Jersey, U.S. in a World Context'"
deadline: November 15, 2008 e-mail ack (14 November) will interview at AHA - anyone know timeline for decisions?
anyone? Bueller?
Nothing at all in terms of direct communication from them, except an ack. eons ago. A friend related a rumor that this search is under review and might not proceed due to budget cuts, but I have no idea how reliable that info is. job ad stated "Interviews may be held at the American Historical Association meeting in early January"-so who knows?
AHA interview scheduled. email invitation for AHA interview (12/10)
ditto - email invitation for AHA (12/10) d
campus invite (1/10)
Any word?
No word at all (2/27)
Offer made and accepted

"Ohio State University - US International History/Middle East"

deadline: November 1, 2008
any idea if there is an inside candidate for this one?
Cancelled Search...again.
  • "Ohio University, U.S. in the World since WWI"
deadline: November 15, 2008
anybody hear from them, anything at all?
search canceled due to hiring freeze
AHA interview scheduled (12/15)
  • was the search reinstated?
Email this AM. Doing AHA interviews, but don't have go-ahead to bring on campus or make a hire. Revisiting status post-January. (12/22)
finalists on campus all during Feb
offer made and accepted
By whom? (3/6)
  • "University of Illinois-Chicago, U.S. in the World"
deadline: November 17, 2008
  • Search is likely to be suspended (11/7)
  • Search officially cancelled, letters will go out shortly (11/20)
  • Rec'd letter confirming that the search is cancelled. Strangely, it also included an EEO form. . . (11/29)
  • AND the EEO form didn't even have a stamp attached to mail it back -- I wonder how many they'll get back?!
  • I refuse to mail back one of those racial/gender profiling.... eeerrrr... EEO cards when the school does not include a self-addressed, stamped envelope...
  • "University of Maryland-Baltimore County, U.S. in the Modern World"
deadline: November 15, 2008
Received ack 11/07
Search canceled according to letter from chair (11/28)x3
  • "University of Sheffield, America and the Wider World"
no deadline given
  • "University of Tulsa, U.S. Relations with the Wider World"
deadline: November 1, 2008
any word on this search beyond the initial ack?
no word here. Has anybody heard from them? (12/6)
  • Phone call to schedule AHA interview (12/10)
  • Campus invites x2 (candidates from AHA interviews) Gossip says one of 2 finalists is ABD only but from big name school.
  • Other site says offer made.
  • "University of Washington-Seattle, U.S. in the World"
deadline: app. review begins November 14, 2008
asked for writing samples, 10/30
asked for writing samples, 10/17
they will interview at AHA, and invite finalists to campus in Feb. or March
Has anyone not been asked for writing samples? I think they are requesting this from all the applicants.
What makes you think that?
Because it was part of my ack letter and because they have asked several people for writing samples before the due date - just assumed that. I hope I'm wrong.
  • I received a snail mail letter acknowledgment and a separate email request for writing several days later... hope for both of us your hunch is wrong.
  • I received a snail mail letter of ack and then a sep. email requesting writing samples several weeks later. I also know someone who applied and hasn't been contacted for materials. Why do we would think they would ask ALL of us for materials (that is a LOT to read/skim)? I sure hope not . . .
  • Any news on whether there is a hiring freeze going on at U. Washington?
  • Just heard from the other America and the World position at the Jackson School at U of W. They are cancelling their search - I imagine this will also be the case in the history dept.
  • Email from chair of search - search has been canceled.
  • Was this for the Jackson search or the History Department? (12/2)
  • Both searches have been cancelled - I received emails from both confirming the cancellation.
  • 3 US & the World searches cancelled -- so sad.
  • Confirmed by history search chair, all over.
  • "Vanderbilt University, U.S. and the World (open rank search)"
deadline: November 3, 2008
rcd. ack (5 nov.)
request extra material (11/19)
any news about this search and when they'll schedule interviews? AHA?
possible news and decisions to come next week (12/6)
has there been any news on this? I didn't hear anything last week (12/15)
rumored to be finalizing a short list, not sure if it is for on-campus or rush AHA interviews (12/29)
received letter informing me that a short list has been compiled, and that I am not on it (rec'd 1/6)
on-campus visits are happening now (in Jan.)
candidate selected, (senior) offer in the works


  • Wake Forest University, U.S. as a World Power since 1898
deadline: November 1, 2008
any news about this position and timeframe? will they interview at AHA?
several colleagues have applied for europe jobs at WF in the past 3-years. they never received acknowledgments, or even rejection letters after the aha. WF also has a vap who conforms somewhat closely to the ad, which makes me think (pure speculation) that we will not be hearing from them.
Received ack letter - indicates they will interview at AHA. 11/24
AHA interview scheduled x3 (12/3).
Q: When did the int. req. happen? Any sense of timeline and numbers?
This morning (12/3) by email. No sense of numbers or timeline, though ack letter said they would be getting in touch this week.
Letter rec'd today (12/13) that application is no longer under consideration. Dept is to be commended for being so straightforward with this info. It is a huge relief to at least know where your application stands.
Post-AHA rejection via email; campus short-list of 3 made (1/8)
  • When did that email arrive? Did you interview with them?
  • Did interview with them; email arrived (1.8) - they made decisions this AM apparently.
  • Thanks for the prompt reply.
  • Offer made
  • Offer accepted (2/21)
  • "Yale University, U.S. and the World"
deadline: November 25, 2008
received ack and diversity postcard (11/17)
no postage on the Yale postcard. I know times are tough, but seriously, Yale?
we assume they are doing AHA, is that right?
they've gone straight to campus in the past, but i don't know what the plan is for this one
campus invite (1/10)
any information on how many invited, specialties, etc.? (1/13)
emphasis on cold war and diplomacy
All job talks wrapped up ~2 weeks ago. (3/11)
What can an incoming assistant professor historian expect to make at Yale?
The search has been canceled and postponed to next year due to departmental infighting. Many of the people objecting to the search showed their commitment to open-minded intellectual inquiry by boycotting each and every job talk. Word to the wise: this department is a snake pit.
So, they couldn't find one good candidate? It is truly unbelievable that they have had a failed search in this job market, particularly in this year of staggering numbers of applicants for positions. I would think they could easily have hired two or three great scholars. The good news (?): most likely they will re-run the search next year.

U.S. History[]

Has anyone gotten a callback from Lake Forest College after the AHA? (x2, 1/26)


very nice - if disappointing - snail mail rejection letter (1/28)

Has anyone heard anything from UC Riverside? Asst Prof, 19th Century U.S. history- review of Apps started Nov. 1.


rejection letter (2/14)

Has anyone heard anything about the College of Charleston?

  • are you asking about the US women's history job? Just received a request for an AHA interview from them, 12/14. BTW, why is there not a category for US women's history?

Has anyone heard anything about the US History job at Yeshiva University?


  • Yeshiva search was suspended in November.
  • Please post all jobs in the appropriate category and then list questions below.
  • Ashland University (Ohio)
  • application deadline 15 Dec 2008
  • phone interview scheduled (1/9)
  • rejection letter received via e-mail (3/6)
  • Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo
  • application deadline Jan 5, 2009
  • anyone know anything about this job post?
  • CSU Chancellor announced system-wide hiring freeze 1/9
  • hiring freeze or not, I got a call today to schedule a phone interview later in the month (1/16)
  • ditto above - perhaps this is part of an elaborate plan to torture us with phone interviews, even as they know there is a hiring freeze. I hope this is not the case.
  • Has anyone been contacted for campus interviews?
  • I had a phone interview, and as of 2/7 have not heard anything one way or the other. If I remember correctly I thought they said that they would begin inviting people after the 2/11, but my word is not bond.
  • I also had a phone interview, an:d they said that it might take up to two weeks to contact people, so that would mean later this week. I've heard nothing so far (2/9)
  • Still nothing (2-14)x 3.
  • I need some closure here.
  • I wonder if it got canceled - saw this today: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/17/us/17cali.html. I wonder where hiring a 19th century US historian ranks in terms of budget priorities. Probably lower than running the DMV, and other things the state is struggling to fund.
  • I have not heard back from these folks either, but I can say that the state budget's effect is indirect, that is, the governor cannot furlough or lay off Cal State employees directly. CSU central offices have each of the 24 campuses jumping through hoops (no travel money, maybe no assigned time, etc). Permission for searches to proceed had to be granted on a case-by-case basis, so it pretty much would depend on their provost and her/his priorities for the campus. The fact that this position proceeded in the first place made me think it was the power of a popular campus. They also have stayed on quarters when everyone else had to switch to semesters! (2/19)
  • Still nothing here. (2/20) x 3 - Is it possible we three didn't make the cut?
  • It is certainly within the realm of possibility. If this is the case, this dialogue more and more resembles a Beckett play...
  • Still no word (3/18)
  • Rejection letter (at least some word, finally!) (3/26)
  • Colgate University
  • application deadline is 14 Nov 2008
  • Does anyone know what this Colgate job is? Where was it listed?
  • It's on H-net, and elsewhere. Broad description "North American"
  • rec'd ack letter Nov. 28
  • phone invitation for AHA interview (12/6)X 3
  • has anyone heard anything on this one since the AHA? (2/4)
  • I know of someone who received a post-AHA rejection a week or two ago (2/9)
  • I had an AHA interview and have heard nothing so far but I'm assuming the worst(2/9)
  • Campus visits already scheduled (2/9)
  • any idea how many candidates they are bringing? or timeline? (2/15)
  • Any word on this one? (3/18)
  • Rejection letter (3/30)
  • Columbia College
  • Location: Columbia, Missouri
  • application deadline is 1 Dec 2008
  • Rec'd ack letter, 2 Dec.
  • Phone interviews scheduled (no AHA), 20 Dec.
  • Davidson College
  • Just added this, though it's a postdoc, it seems like it belongs on this page. Anyone apply or hear anything? (2/27)
  • any word? (3/15)
  • Drury University
  • Location: Springfield, Missouri
  • application deadline is 14 Nov 2008
  • average salary for assistant professors in 2007-2008 was $48,400
  • assistant professor of history should earn at least $43,904 annually
  • student/faculty ratio - 13:1
  • median SAT score: 1130 to 1160
  • Any news here???
  • Rejection letter received last week (2/10)
  • campus interview
  • offer made
  • offer accepted
  • East Carolina University
  • application deadline is 15 Oct 2008
  • received ack via mail 20 Oct 2008
  • phone invitation for AHA interview (12/6)x2
  • Gonzaga University
  • surprised this was not up already
  • Colonial America through Reconstruction
  • application deadline is 10 Nov 2008
  • received notification of phone interview 24 Nov 2008 X2
  • Also received notification of a phone interview to be scheduled, and request for reflection on mission, but no follow up contact since.
  • To the person above: Does that mean your phone interview has happened? I am in the same boat as the person above you: I was told I would have a phone interview, I sent in my reflection on Jesuit education, and the interview has yet to be scheduled, let alone happen. Also, did they give any indication whether the next stage (for the successful) will be an AHA interview or straight to an on-campus interview? (Edit: the comment to which I replied disappeared at some point for some reason.)
  • It seems that SOME scheduled interviews have taken place, and some not, and with everyone gone for the break, trying to do it now seems very odd. They are not doing AHA.
  • I had a phone interview (12/11)--the process seemed organized. [I'm not one of the above posters] (12/15)
  • Well, if they are not going to AHA, then maybe they are putting off further interviews until January. It would be nice of them to tell us this, though, instead of leaving us in the dark. (12/15)
  • Perhaps my hearing absolutely nothing is better than the confusion, but I doubt it
  • Interview scheduled. Apparently the adminstration attempted to institute a hiring freeze and it was unclear whether it would apply to this job or not, but it has now been decided that the hiring freeze will not cover this job and the search will move ahead as scheduled. (12/17)
  • Was told that the current telephone interviews (a dozen or so) are preliminary, with another round to come, those making the cut to expect email informing them so today (12/19)
  • Received letter (dated 12/12) stating offer had been made! The most personalized rejection letter I have seen, but contradicts the info above. (12/18)
  • Wonder if that was a clerical slip.
  • Anyone else getting rejection letters? (12/19)
  • I also received a rejection letter today (12/20) - letter dated 12/12. Letter states that offer has been made. I agree with the above poster-it was a very nice, most personalized rejection letter I've received.
  • Two questions for everyone then: (1) was there an inside person, (2) more generally, wonder what the point is to 'continue' the process? (12/20)
  • I'm not entirely sure they offered the job to anyone yet. Has anyone who had a phone interview received a rejection letter? As to one of the above posts, did anyone hear from the SC yesterday (12/19)? Their website indicates campus was closed Friday due to inclement weather so perhaps the SC didn't meet. (12/20)
  • I was interviewed by phone back on 12/18 and have, as of today, received neither an invitation to a further interview nor a rejection notice. I am therefore surprised by the claims made above, although I don't doubt their veracity. (12/31)
  • I also received the (very nice, personalized) rejection letter, but no phone interview. I do not think that the letter means to say that an offer was made. I would interpret the phrase "...decided to offer the Americanist position to another candidate" as saying "someone other than you." In other words, if you had a phone interview and have not gotten this letter, I think that you are still in the running. Good luck!
  • Has anyone who had a phone interview heard anything in the past few weeks? (1/13)
  • Nothing but silence -I think they just went back this week, but still . . . .
  • Anyone get called for new round of telephone or on campus interviews? (1/29)
  • I haven't heard anything. They said they would get back to me "very soon" after the initial phone interview. That was in early December. (1/29)
  • Ditto. Have been invited to campus for one job and had follow up interview for schools that interviewed well after this one. Makes you wonder. (1/30)
  • I was told I would hear from them "shortly after Christmas." I'm starting to think that the job has been cancelled or at least is in danger of being cancelled, hence a delay. (2/3)
  • my understanding is that the offer has been extended
  • that is my understanding too. This was a sham search from the start, inside person so no surprise, but how this was handled, told I would hear back, either way, before next semester started
  • no idea about search being over or if so that it was inside person (there were two and at least one had no previous experience and had just finished) just a mess regardless (2/25)
  • inside person was NOT hired
  • How, exactly, is it understood that someone was hired? Were notifications sent? (3/1)
  • Good question; how many who were telephone interviewed have had rejections -I never heard anything again, one way or the other, which I took to mean they asked others to campus.
  • source regarding hire: personal correspondence with faculty member
  • Had phone interview; yet to receive rejection letter (3/9)
  • Still no rejection letter; does anyone know for sure what has happened? (3/30)
  • Suggest anyone/everyone contact the chair and force an answer since doing the right thing is not a priority here (4/6)
  • Confirmation that the job has been filled has been received after I followed the advice above. The letter was dated and supposedly originally sent in February. It was a very gracious and personalized letter. Although I did not raise the matter directly, the tone of the chair's response seemed to indicate that he was unaware that others besides me had not received the letter. Perhaps a secretary bumbled something? (4/9)
  • Well, I have not heard a word, but do believe the above post regarding it being filled, which says a great deal about the institution, the department, or the chair. I wonder just how many of those interviewed never heard another word. Blaming the secretary was the best they could come up with, really? (4/16)
  • The secretary line was just my theory. (4/21)
  • Harvard University Business School
U.S.-open field: "public policy, economic history, political history, international history, legal history, or environmental history" esp. interdisciplinary interests
  • application deadline is 21 Nov 2008
  • transcript request (12/4) x2
  • Additional material requested (12/8)
  • Is that in addition to the samples requested in the original job ad? Deadline was only Friday 12/5 (according to H-net).
  • Apparently - they asked for list of publications and job talk paper.
  • Invitation to interview at the AHA, via email (12/8)
  • Job talk invitation, via phone, 1/5. 4 invitations to campus extended.
  • Any word here? (3/6)
  • Loyola University Chicago
  • application deadline is 15 Sept 2008
  • requested AHA interview, 11/10
  • campus invites were extended for this back in early-Jan (I was not one of them)
  • Northampton Community College
  • Location: Bethlehem, Pennsylvania
  • application deadline is 12 Sept 2008
  • student/faculty ratio - 22:1
  • link doesn't work; does anyone know the status of this one?
  • Pepperdine - VAP
  • interviewed and accepted, 12/20
  • Rutgers University - Camden
  • application deadline is 24 Oct 2008
  • St. Thomas Aquinas College
  • Location: Sparkill, New York
  • application deadline is 1 Dec. 2008
  • received ack via mail on 10/16/08
  • Other wiki notes "Scheduled AHA interview, 12/9"
  • Southern New Hampshire University
  • ack postmarked 10/3
  • anyone hear anything?
  • phone interview (12/22)
  • campus invite (1/23)
  • Any resolution? (3/18)
  • Rejection e-mail (4/16)
  • Stetson University
  • one year position in American history, specialization and period open
  • application deadline is 1 Feb 2009
  • Anyone hear anything? Anyone apply?
  • Yes, I applied. And I'm very interested. But haven't heard a word. 2/28
  • did anything happen with this position? 6/19
  • e-mailed the search chair in early May and was told that they had singled out a candidate. No further word so I assume that they made a hire.
  • Texas A&M University - Corpus Christi
  • application deadline is 7 Nov 2008
  • AHA interview. Waiting.
  • Campus visits scheduled x3
  • University of California in San Diego - La Jolla
  • application deadline is 29 Oct 2008
  • request for writing samples 11/14
  • is there any news on this one? AHA interviews? suspended search? (12/4)
  • the search is still on-going from ive been told
  • AHA interview scheduled by e-mail 12/17
  • Rejection by e-mail, 3 invited for campus visits 1/13
  • Offer made (2/12)
  • University of California Riverside
  • application deadline Nov. 5
  • is there any news on this one? AHA interviews? suspended search?
  • I talked to someone interviewing for this position at the AHA (1/11)
  • Wake Forest University
  • Location: Winston-Salem, North Carolina
  • application deadline is 1 Nov 2008
  • average salary for assistant professors in 2007-2008 was $57,900
  • assistant professor of history should earn at least $52,522 annually
  • student/faculty ratio - 10:1
  • median SAT score: 1295 to 1325
  • Rec'd letter of rejection 12/15. Said AHA interviews had already been scheduled.
  • AHA interview scheduled (1st week of Dec.)
  • Not invited for on-campus (letter) 2/1
  • For both the U.S. West and U.S. and the World jobs - offers have been made
  • University of Michigan
  • Location: Ann Arbor, Michigan
  • application deadline is 1 Nov 2008
  • job in North American Religion, jointly with Program in American Culture
  • has anyone heard anything about the status of this search?
  • nothing at all except for ack.
  • AHA interview scheduled by phone (12/12)
  • All AHA interviews have been scheduled (12/16)
  • any news about campus interviews yet? (1/12)
  • campus visits have already been scheduled (1/22)
  • Has anyone heard anything about this search? Has it been cancelled or has an offer been made?

4 campus talks; 1 or 2 job offers made (3/21)

  • Westminster College
  • Location: Fulton, Missouri
  • application deadline is 5 Nov. 2008
  • Assistant Professor of 19th & 20th Century political, economic, and/or social U.S. History
  • Other wiki indicates that phone interviews took place last week (1/18)

U.S. Colonial[]

  • Anyone know anything about College of Staten Island?
  • They interviewed a bunch of people at the AHA and have apparently asked some candidates for on campus interviews as of 1/17.
  • they had it posted at the AHA so I'm wondering if the on-campus invitees are somehow different from the original batch.
  • FWIW they did interview at AHA for an environ history position, and those folks have been moved onto the on-campus.
  • On H-net it was US colonial, but a friend said it was British colonial at AHA: try checking Atlantic World.
  • Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania
  • application deadline is 1 Dec 2008
  • request for phone interview (12/22)
  • on-campus interview invitation (1/09)
  • Boston College
  • application deadline is 14 November 2008
  • Could someone please post the link? I haven't seen this ad anywhere.
http://www.h-net.org/jobs/display_job.php?jobID=37123
  • additional materials and AHA interview requested
  • on-campus interviews occurred late January (see other Scratchpad site)
offer pending, 2/7

position filled

. . . by? 2/21

  • Brown University
  • application deadline is 1 Dec 2008

additional materials/ dissertation chapter requested 9 December 2008

:*Conducting Interviews
  • Princeton University
  • application deadline is 13 Oct 2008
  • Writing sample requested 24 October 2008
  • Interviews scheduled
  • Offer accepted.
  • Skidmore College
  • application deadline is 1 Nov 2008
  • offer accepted
  • Southeastern Louisiana University
  • application deadline is 1 Nov 2008
  • Invitation to meet at the AHA
  • Position canceled (6/16)
  • Syracuse University
  • application deadline is 15 Oct 2008
  • They did this search last year for an advanced assistant or associate professor. Anyone know why the search failed?
  • e-mail acknowledgment received, 10-16
    • Has anyone been interviewed or contacted in any way beyond the email acknowledgment? (1/16)
  • A friend who spoke to an SC member (who is a friend of hers) said they interviewed at the AHA. (1/19)
  • Any news on this search?
  • The search failed. Heard rumor it's likely to be continued next year.
  • Two years in a row (in an extreme buyers' market) and they can't make a hire? What's wrong with this department?
  • It's a good place; they completed two other searches successfully this year. Not sure why the U.S. Colonial failed; maybe because open rank meant higher bar?
  • It is a good place, but a friend of mine works there and she says that the search failed because of insane and ugly infighting on the search committee.  They couldn't agree on anything.  It is a different committee this year, so here's hoping for a better outcome.
  • University of Alberta
  • application deadline is 15 Oct 2008

Has anybody heard from them regarding interviews? I have heard nothing from them - rejection letter via snail mail (12-15)(X2) -They are starting to interview at the end of January. (12-15)

  • University of Iowa
  • application deadline is 1 Oct 2008
  • on-campus interviews scheduled for late January (there was no preliminary round of interviews). (12/15)
dept has chosen a finalist; offer will go out soon (2/7)
Who got this job? (3/16)
  • University of Southern Mississippi early America

- Any word?

  • I got a letter saying that they had a moratorium on hiring. Very nice letter though.
  • Er, not exactly. They interviewed at AHA and have since scheduled on-campus interviews. Don't know how many, but I have a very close friend who will be interviewing there in late January. (1/11)
  • All USM history searches have been suspended. (2/5)
  • To correct the above, this position has been filled. Only the European search was frozen.
  • University of Victoria
  • application deadline is 30 Sept 2008

- offer accepted, job filled.

  • University of Virginia
  • application deadline is 15 Nov 2008
  • rumor is that this search will be cancelled

yes, UVA searches are cancelled

  • According to the other wiki, someone called the department and was told that this search is still on (only the 19th-century search got canceled).
  • Notification of AHA interviews to finalists 12.9.08
  • This is strange. I was not contacted for an interview on 12/9 (that's not the strange part), but today, I received an e-mail from the search committee (addressed to "candidate," not to me) to notify me that all materials must be in before they can interview any candidate. I submitted all of my materials before the deadline, though there were some conflicting directions as to what should be submitted electronically versus through snail mail. Anyway, is it possible that they have not extended all their AHA invites yet, or is this just a poorly timed acknowledgment? Did anyone else get this e-mail?
  • Yes, I also got it (and also have an interview)--the search chair explained it as being just a strange element of UVA bureaucracy. For some reason, they cannot legally inform us if our files aren't complete without calling all the applicants, so they recommend we check with the secretary ourselves. Nothing to worry about, just email her.
  • I did e-mail her, but got no response, which leads me to conclude that I'm not getting an interview (as I had assumed after the 12/9 posting). Did anyone get this e-mail who DIDN'T get an interview?
  • Rumor is this will be a senior hire (2/3)
Official notification that search has concluded (3/31); it *was* a senior hire
  • University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
  • colonial, revolutionary, Atlantic world
  • application deadline is 11-1 (online application)
  • received request for additional materials 11-14
  • campus visits scheduled
  • offer accepted
  • by whom?
  • Katie Paugh, UPenn PhD
  • Wellesley College
  • application deadline is 7 November 2008
  • AHA interview scheduled (12/12)
  • On-campus interview invitation made (1/5)
  • Any news on this one? (2/18)
  • Offer made and accepted (3/11)

U.S. Revolutionary/Early Republic[]

  • Auburn University
  • TWO Assistant Professors in US History, 1800-1850 (at least 1/2 in Old South)
  • application deadline November 1, 2008
  • invitation for on-campus interview 12/14
  • job offer 2/6
  • Berea College
  • pre-1865 (preferred subfields in Gender, Latin American, or Appalachian)
  • application deadline November 1.
  • AHA interview scheduled (12/8)
  • Letter of rejection via snail mail
  • invitation for on-campus interview (1/7)
  • Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania
  • application deadline is 1 Dec 2008
  • see above
  • Coe College
  • application deadline 1 Dec 2008
  • Any news?
  • AHA interview scheduled by phone on 11-13
* Letter of rejection
  • Princeton University
  • application deadline is 13 Oct 2008
  • Salem College
  • Location: Winston-Salem, North Carolina
  • Deadline: None given, "review of applications begins immediately/continues until position is filled"
  • Early ad says preliminary interviews may be conducted at the AHA - has anyone heard from them? (12/15)
  • Phone interviews scheduled today (1/30)
  • Southeastern Louisiana University
  • application deadline is 1 Nov 2008
  • University of Alberta
  • application deadline is 15 Oct 2008
  • nothing but the sound of silence (12.17)
  • rejection letter received via snail mail last week (12.20)
  • University of Massachusetts - Amherst
  • application deadline is 3 Nov 2008



    • called Wednesday and asked if a hiring freeze in place. Departmental assistant said no and they are conducting a job search despite chancellor's announcement(10/22)**
    • received snail mail notice from SC that the early national search is canceled due to budget conditions, 20 November 2008.
  • University of North Carolina-Charlotte
  • Surprised this one is not listed --it had a Nov. 1 deadline and I got a writing sample request about a month ago. Anyone heard anthing else?

- AHA interviews scheduled last week (Dec 15) - Email to announce that the job search has been postponed/cancelled due to budgetary constraints. Sigh. (Dec 20th)

  • University of Victoria
  • application deadline is 30 Sept 2008

- position filled.

  • University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh
  • application deadline 14 November 2008
  • Any news here?
  • request for AHA interview last week (12/15)
* Letter of rejection
Job offered and accepted. Best of luck to you all! (1/31)
  • Wofford College (colonial through early republic)
  • application deadline is October 1.
  • quick, friendly response from search chair after submitting c.v. and cover letter online.(9-19)
  • request for AHA interview via e-mail Dec. 9

U.S. Nineteenth Century[]

  • Brandeis University SEARCH CANCELLED
  • application deadline is 15 Oct 2008
  • received ack via email and note that the committee will be interviewing at the AHA
  • AHA page notes search suspended
  • does anyone know why? (10/9)
  • "a result of the current economic crisis"--email notification of suspended search.
  • called today, the Academic Administrator confirmed that this is suspended. (10/14)
  • they state that the search will not be conducted for at least this academic year.
  • This (and possibly the 20th century position listed below) is Jacqueline Jones's old position; she went to UT Austin.
  • Brigham Young University
  • Location: Provo, Utah
  • application deadline is 15 Sept 2008
  • student/faculty ratio - 21:1
  • median SAT score: 1235 to 1240
  • Have sent rejection letters out to non-finalists.
  • DePaul University
  • application deadline in 1 Dec 2008
  • received confirmation that they received application
  • Other site says telephoned to schedule an interview for AHA (12/10)
  • Interview scheduled for AHA by phone (12/10) x 2
  • rejection letter by mail, late December (1/14)
  • Indiana University Northwest
  • U.S. history, 1865-present
  • application deadline is 1 Dec 2008
  • recvd Affirmative Action materials - letter stated that screening process will continue through Jan (12/27)
  • Rcvd email notice of possible phone interview (i.e. if we choose to interview you, are you still interested?). Phone interviews to take place last week of Jan & first week of Feb. (1/9)
  • Someone posted that they had had a job talk. Why was this erased? Does anyone know what is going on with this search?
  • It's posted under 20th century
  • McKendree University
  • U.S. history, 1865-present
  • application deadline is 15 Nov 2008
  • phone interview scheduled for 12-9
  • Misericoridia University
  • application deadline 12/1
  • anyone hear anything yet?
  • Ack postmarked 12/2; letter from chair postmarked 12/11 says will contact AHA interviewees by email or phone
  • Notified by letter that AHA interviewees have been selected (12/20)
  • Ditto (i.e., rejection letter) (12/22)
  • Here's a little Catholic college that managed to post 1) a clear deadline 2) acknowledge in a timely fashion and 3) notify AHA/non AHA in timely fashion. So with their resources, it is possible to run this preliminary cull smoothly. Just an observation.
  • Agreed. I've only received 3 rejections so far and they've all been from schools with late dates, who had my docs for only 6 weeks or so. Meanwhile silence from those who've had my letters since early October. You can really tell who's on the ball.
  • New York University
  • application deadline is 30 Nov 2008
  • any word?
  • Niagara University
  • U.S. history, 1877-present
  • application deadline is 14 Nov 2008
  • AHA invites out. I didn't get one. (12/12/08)
  • Old Dominion SEARCH CANCELLED
  • application deadline in 15 Oct 2008
  • Received letter - Search suspended due to cutbacks in state budget (12/5/08)
  • Pittsburg State University
  • application deadline in 1 Nov 2008
  • Contacted for phone interview 12/11
  • Any updates? 28 JAN 2009
  • Still nothing (2-14) I am guessing the search is cancelled, but have no real insight.
  • (3/6) - They called me a few days ago to ask if I was still interested in the position. Apparently, the search had been placed on hold because of budget issues, but they are now moving forward again. I had a phone interview with them back in December. They called my references yesterday. Still no word on on-campus invites though.
  • Received letter stating that Dr. Kirstin Lawson of Westminster College had been hired for this position (4/13)
  • Rutgers University-Newark
  • application deadline is 1 Nov 2008
  • writing sample requested 11/14
  • AHA interview scheduled
  • anybody know if they have invited on-campus invitees? (1/20)
  • On-campus interview scheduled
  • Hired Gautham Rao, Chicago PhD
  • Salisbury University SEARCH CANCELLED
  • Location: Salisbury, Maryland
  • application deadline is 15 Nov 2008
  • average salary for assistant professors in 2007-2008 was $60,200
  • assistant professor of history should earn at least $50,628 annually
  • student/faculty ratio - 18:1
  • median SAT score: 1035 to 1115
  • email notice - search canceled 11/10 x2 Note was much nicer than the one I received from Brandeis.
  • Slippery Rock University
  • Deadline 12/15
  • Phone interviews conducted, short list narrowed. (12/22)
  • Really, ONE week after the deadline -inside job?
  • Anyone confirm from their own experience if they have interviewed? (1/21)
  • Southeastern Louisiana University
  • application deadline is 1 Nov 2008
  • Trinity College
  • application deadline is unknown
  • was told search committee will begin to look at applications in mid-late September
  • received ack via email
  • committee review of applications will begin on or around Nov. 15
  • other webiste indicates AHA interview scheduled x2
  • on campus scheduled
  • appointment made
  • University of Alberta
  • application deadline is 15 Oct 2008
  • University of California - Riverside
  • application deadline is 1 Nov 2008
  • Email invitation for AHA interview (12/5) X3
  • Just out of curiosity, what is your specialty?
  • Mine is antebellum South/slavery
  • Any updates? On-campus interviews scheduled?
  • Haven't heard anything since my AHA interview 2/6
  • just received rejection letter dated 6 Feb indicating that campus visits have been scheduled (2/11)
  • University of Colorado - Boulder
  • application deadline is 1 Dec 2008
see below for more information
  • University of Idaho SEARCH CANCELLED
  • deadline: Jan 10 2009
  • Late 19th century/Modern U.S.
  • Received letter today (01/08) that search has been canceled due to budgetary issues.
  • University of Massachusetts - Amherst SEARCH CANCELLED
    • UMass chancellor announced hiring freeze 10/18 due to economic situation**
    • called Wednesday and asked if a hiring freeze in place. Departmental assistant said no and they are conducting a job search despite chancellor's announcement(10/22)**
  • application deadline is 3 Nov 2008
rec'd letter last week (11/24) that search is off.
  • Sources said this one is back on. True?
  • Not true. The fact that they were able to keep their 20th-century search alive in the midst of a $45 million deficit is amazing enough.
  • University of Southern Mississippi Civil War/Reconstruction
  • This one was not on the wiki until now (1/11). Any word?
  • Search is still on. They have invited two candidates to campus.
  • Offer made and accepted (4/16)
  • University of Texas - Arlington, US Social, Cultural, Political, 1880-1930
  • application deadline is 1 Dec 2008
  • Ack. received in mid-October (sent in application very early), nothing since then
  • anyone know if this search is suspended?
  • received notification last week that my file was incomplete; I assume search is moving forward (12/5)
  • AHA interview scheduled (12/9) (x3)
  • Any updates? On-campus interviews scheduled?
  • 2 candidates for on-campus, interviewed last week and this week (2/5).
  • inquiry re: continuing interest in position (I assume this signals that the on-campus interviews did not result in a hire) (2/17)
  • offer made and accepted (2/26)
  • Weber State University NOW ONE-YEAR POSITION
  • application deadline is 1 Nov 2008
  • Email from chair; the two advertised TT positions in 19th & 20th c. have been turned into one non-TT position (19th or 20th c.) on yearly contract due to state budget cuts. Recipients of email are asked to respond by Dec. 20 if they're still interested in being considered; those not responding won't be considered. (12/2)
  • Phone interviews scheduled 1/27
  • On campus interviews underway (2-14)
  • Webster University
  • AHA interview scheduled 12/11
  • AHA interview scheduled 12/12 X2
  • Any updates? On-campus interviews scheduled? (1/28)
  • 4 candidates invited to campus 2/6
  • Wesleyan University
  • application deadline is 15 Nov 2008
  • Has anybody heard anything from them? ack? Any signs of life?
  • Did hear file complete from admin. asst. in mid-October, nothing since then (11/19)
  • Is this search still going on, or is it cancelled?
  • Emailed with dept. admin. and the search is still on, no other details though (12/4)
  • Anything going on there? (12/9)
  • Other site notes phone call for AHA interview (12/11).
  • AHA interview scheduled by phone (12/15)
  • rejection via email (1/14)
  • Offer made (2/28)
  • University of Victoria
  • application deadline is 30 Sept 2008
  • request from search chair for reference letters (application instructions just called for contact info for referees)(10-10)
  • preliminary telephone interview (late Oct.)
  • any progress on this search? (11/20)
  • on-campus interviews scheduled (12/12 email)
  • huh? the other blog says this position has already been offered and accepted (12/12)
  • Let me clarify the above. Received email stating that on-campus interviews had already been scheduled: "has shortlisted and interviewed candidates" and that I was not one of them. I had not recalled what exactly it said. Sorry for the confusion. It was a brief, professional thanks for applying & good luck. No indication the offers had been made or accepted, but the interviews have been completed. (12/12)
  • University of Virginia SEARCH CANCELLED
  • application deadline is 15 Nov 2008
  • search suspended

U.S. Twentieth Century[]

How many cancelled/suspended 20th Century searches so far?

11: both U Toledo searches; Let\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s take out the .5 since both Weber jobs are gone - add in UNC Wilmington + Cornell = 9? (1/8 Make it 7.5, UIdaho just cancelled) (Brandeis; Salisbury; Long Island U; Hopkins; N. Kentucky; one Weber State job, I would count this as 1.5 as  the other is now a vap; UMass Amherst reauthorized 12/17)
  • Brandeis University[1] SEARCH CANCELLED
  • Location: Waltham, MA
  • application deadline is 15 Oct 2008
  • average salary for assistant professors in 2007-2008 was $74,600
  • assistant professor of history should earn at least $67,671 annually
  • student/faculty ratio - 8:1
  • median SAT score: 1335 to 1370
  • AHA page notes search suspended
  • Brigham Young University
  • Location: Provo, UT
  • application deadline is 15 Sept 2008
  • student/faculty ratio - 21:1
  • median SAT score: 1235 to 1240
  • Notified finalists chosen.
  • Cornell University [2] SEARCH CANCELLED
  • Location: Ithaca, NY
  • application deadline is 8 Oct 2008
  • average salary for assistant professors in 2007-2008 was $89,800
  • assistant professor of history should earn at least $81,459 annually
  • student/faculty ratio - 9:1
  • median SAT score: 1335 to 1395
  • the description for this position was so vague - anybody know what they are really looking for?
  • my advisor told me they are telling faculty they're interested in gender historians (???- so not what I would have expected from the ad. I'm wondering if *they* know what they want...)
  • received ack via mail (10/13)
  • rec'd ack and aa survey (10/17)
  • received ack and aa survey (10/18)
  • received request for writing samples, teaching materials, and publications (10/24) x 3
  • since the deadline was quite early, anyone know what is going on/why Cornell seems to be going so slowly?
  • I'm under the impression that they have a longer than usual short list and a lot of writing, teaching statements, and sample syllabi to get through. Either that, or they already culled a shorter short list I didn't make and am just comforting my delusional self.
  • simply out of curiosity (from someone who obvi did NOT make the short list) did this end up being a gender position? is there any rhyme or reason to the requests for writing samples and teaching materials?
  • I do not work on gender. x 2
  • Nor do I, and I was asked for a writing sample. But not for teaching materials, weirdly enough.
  • I was asked for pretty much everything I've ever written & all my teaching materials. For what it's worth, I do work on gender.
  • Three people have given/will soon give job talks. Two political history candidates, one civil rights historian. (12/4)
  • received request for written materials (not teaching materials) today (12/11) (x2)
  • Does anyone know what is going on with this search?
  • Additional candidates will be invited after three unimpressive job talks
  • received letter stating that due to budget cuts, the job search was cancelled (2/4/)
  • CW Post University[3] SEARCH CANCELLED
  • Location: Brookville, NY
  • application deadline is November 14, 2008
  • The other wiki says this job search is canceled? 12/5
  • Received a very nice cancellation letter from the chair yesterday.
  • Dalton State College
  • Location: Dalton, GA
  • application deadline is January 9, 2009
  • confirmation of application (1/27)
  • on campus interview scheduled via phone (2/19)
  • has anyone heard anything? It's been nearly a month since on-campus interviews took place. (4/2)
  • Hire made. (4/4)
  • To whom?? (4/7)
  • Dartmouth College
  • Location: Hanover, NH
  • application deadline is November 1, 2008
  • 20th Century United States History, preference to long civil rights movement, comparative/transnational race, social movements
  • received ack via mail approximating mid-Feb for final decision (11/14)x4
  • received phone ack from dept assistant (called to confirm on 11/12)
  • AHA interview scheduled by e-mail. E-mail was sent to all candidates, so we all know each other's names and institutions. So tacky. (12/8)
  • agreed! one can only hope this was an administrative error
  • invitation to campus interview (1/6)
  • offer extended and accepted
  • DePaul University
  • application deadline is 1 Dec 2008
  • received confirmation that they received application
  • see above, AHA interview scheduled by phone (12/10)
  • campus visits on-going (late Jan-early Feb/09)
  • Offer made (2/23)
  • Offer accepted? Any news? (2/27)
  • Offer accepted last week, acc. to other wiki (3/6)
  • East Carolina University [4]
  • application deadline is 15 Oct 2008
  • received ack via mail (10/13)
  • rec'd ack via mail (10/25)
  • *anyone heard anything here (beyond ack), e.g., request for materials? (11/8)
  • not a peep (11/22)
  • phone invitation for AHA interview (12/6)x2
  • invitation to campus (1/9)
  • Eastern Kentucky University [5]
  • review of applications begins 12 Dec 2008
  • invite for phone interview (12/15)
  • campus interview invitation 1/6
  • Received very impersonal email rejection..."Dear Applicant" (2/26) Note states position has been filled by applicant who most closely matched the job.
  • University of Florida
  • Location: Gainesville, Florida
  • application deadline is postmarked 10 Nov 2008
  • US History since 1920
  • rec'd ack via mail (11/19)
  • rec'd ack via email (11/20)x5
  • requested writing sample and said would contact soon re: date/times for AHA interview. which i took as an invite, but . . . (12/8) x3
  • (from author of above post): def AHA invite. Apparently my voicemail was acting up yesterday . . . (12/9)
  • received follow-up email yesterday scheduling the AHA interview (12/10)x2
  • campus interview scheduled by phone on 1/8
  • Received extremely gracious and supportive phone call from the search chair informing me that I was not one of the four people (all associate-level) invited to campus. Very prompt, offered detailed and encouraging feedback. So much of this process involves dealing with minimal information or no information at all, I think it's important to offer some kudos to a search committee treating its candidates with respect and transparency (1/14) (x2, 1/15)
  • FWIW Those invited to campus were not "all associate-level"
  • Offer made (2/26)
  • FWIW: I was an AHA interviewee not invited to campus, & was told by the search chair that all those who received campus invites were associate-level. I later discovered at OAH that this was not in fact the case. I regret that I posted incorrect information; I can only say that I reported in good faith what I was told. (4/22)
  • Haverford College[6]
  • Location: Haverford, PA
  • application deadline is October 31, 2008
  • average salary for assistant professors in 2007-2008 was $67,700
  • student/faculty ratio - 8:1
  • median SAT score: 1290-1490
  • rec'd aa survey and ack via mail (11/3). Spoke with receptionist about items listed as missing in my file. She said they have rec'd hundreds of applications and haven't bex2en able to get all files in order.
  • received ack and aa survey, file complete (11/6) x3
  • received ack and aa survey, missing recommendations (despite sending them 2x!) 11/8
  • anyone heard anything on this one? search still on? doing AHA interviews?
  • received AHA invite via phone (12/17)x2
  • do you mind sharing your specialty?
  • I know of one person who received a campus invite (1/30)
  • Any more updates? (2/27)
  • High Point University
  • Location: NC
  • application deadline 10.15
  • received ack vial email (10.16)
  • received request for syllabi (11/5)
  • phone interview scheduled (11.6) x3
  • AHA interview scheduled via email (12.8)
  • To the above poster: did you have a phone interview? Or are they talking to a new group of people at the AHA? (12/8)
  • Had a phone interview; then AHA invite.
  • Will be scheduling campus interviews late January.
  • Campus interview scheduled last week (1.27)
  • Indiana University Northwest
  • U.S. history, 1865-present
  • application deadline is 1 Dec 2008
  • rec'd ack letter and affirmative action form (12/26)
  • Rcvd email notice of possible phone interview (i.e. if we choose to interview you, are you still interested?). Phone interviews to take place last week of Jan & first week of Feb. (1/9)
  • Has anyone else received a similar email? (1/15)
  • Yes, received email and have phone interview on Feb. 6
  • Had on campus interview (2/13)
  • Johns Hopkins University SEARCH CANCELLED
  • Location: Baltimore, Maryland
  • application deadline is 1 Oct 2008
  • student/faculty ratio - 10:1
  • median SAT score: 1360 to 1395
  • Is this to replace Dorothy Ross or is it a new line?
  • anybody know if this is a replacement or a new position?
  • probably, odd as it sounds, a combo. They've lost most of their young 20th cen (leaving or denied tenure), and Dorothy Ross who was the intell. historian there retired. This sounds a bit like Ross' position.
  • rec'd ack email and link to online aa survey (10/22)
* Four finalists invited for on-campus talks (11/07)
  • Great. At least a few of these depts. are moving fwd! Any news on how finalists were contacted, time frame, etc.? (11/07)
  • Search cancelled 12/19
  • Rejection letter received... dated 1/23 (1/29)
  • Loyola Marymount University[7]
  • Location: Los Angeles, California
  • application deadline is 5 Nov 2008
  • average salary for assistant professors in 2007-2008 was $66,400
  • assistant professor of history should earn at least $60,232 annually
  • student/faculty ratio - 13:1
  • median SAT score: 1165
  • Anyone know what they mean by "evidence of teaching diverse groups of students"? Do they just want some sense of the student pop at colleges we've taught at?
  • Re evidence of teaching diverse students: yes, I think they want commentary on your instructional technique with diverse student populations. I asked for clarification and that was my takeaway.
  • received ack email (11/03)
  • AHA interview scheduled (11/25)x2
  • what do you work on? (12/2)
  • African American politics (12/19)
  • snail mail rejection letter received (1/27)
  • Has anyone gotten news of campus visits? (2/10)
  • I emailed the Dept. Monday to inquire as to the status of the search, but no reply yet. (2/11)
  • Finally received a reply - the search is still on, but alas I am not who they are searching for. (2/13)
  • McKendree University
  • U.S. history, 1865-present
  • application deadline is 15 Nov 2008
  • Phone interview scheduled for 12-9
  • I assume an offer has been made?
  • Miami University - Hamilton Campus
  • Location: Hamilton, Ohio
  • U.S. history, 20th century
  • application deadline is 1 Nov 2008
  • Other wiki notes AHA invite issued 12/11
  • Four candidates invited for campus visit 2/1
  • Offer made and accepted (2/10)
  • The College of New Jersey
  • U.S. history, since 1877
Deadline: November 15, 2009
Interview invitation by email (12/10)
campus visits occurring now (late Jan/early Feb)
  • New School, Eugene Lang College
Deadline: January 15, 2009
Rumor is that there is an inside candidate for this position.
any word on this?? They said they "might" interview at the AHA.
I saw (on the screen at the job center) that they were interviewing at AHA on Sunday. I don't know anything further, though.
Did anyone have an interview with them at the AHA?
Yes, I know from an interviewed colleague that they held interviews at AHA but can not/could not close the search until after the 1/15 deadline. Not sure what that means regarding a second round of interviews? (1/13)
My outsider assessment: AHA interview before deadline closure= unprofessional

On-campus interviews scheduled

  • Niagara University
  • U.S. history, 1877-present
  • application deadline is 14 Nov 2008
  • AHA invite 12/9
  • 1/26 thoughtful rejection received, 175 applicants, 15 interviews at AHA, 3 campus visits to come
  • I second the above. Normally I don't care too much about the politeness of rejection letters, but this one stood out. The search chair is to be commended for taking an extra few minutes and demonstrating such sympathy. Congratulations to the finalists, if the chair is representative of the department, this looks like a particularly collegial department to work in.
  • Northern Kentucky University
  • Location: Highland Heights, KY
  • Post-WWII U.S. History
  • application deadline is 27 Oct. 2008
  • Ohio State University
  • Gender History
  • Any news here?
  • Rec request for more materials 11/17
  • Any news??
  • AHA interviews scheduled (12/8)
  • Ohio University[8] SEARCH CANCELLED
  • application deadline is 15 Nov 2008
if this is "US and wider world" received notice that the search is cancelled . . . (see above)
  • Providence College[9]
  • Location - Providence, RI
  • application deadline is October 22, 2008
  • received acknowledgment letter and request to notify on AHA attendance plans (10/23)
  • received same acknowledgment (11/3)
  • notified for AHA interview by email (12/16)
  • heard from reliable source that on campus interviews were scheduled early this week (1/27)
  • Rutgers University, New Brunswick
  • Location: New Brunswick, NJ
  • application deadline is 30 Nov 2008
  • 20th Century U.S. Political History
  • Anyone know what is going with this search? Presumably they will interview at the AHA?
  • AHA invite (12/12)
  • Q: invite by email or phone? Thanks.
  • Email.

Any news on campus visits yet?

  • Campus invites were sent 2 wks ago; visits happening now. (2/6)
  • Any news? (2/27)
  • Email rejection arrived 4/21. I'd forgotten that I had applied for this job.
  • Salisbury University[10] SEARCH CANCELLED
  • Location: Salisbury, Maryland
  • application deadline is 15 Nov 2008
  • average salary for assistant professors in 2007-2008 was $60,200
  • assistant professor of history should earn at least $50,628 annually
  • student/faculty ratio - 18:1
  • median SAT score: 1035 to 1115
  • Still conducting searches but has a hiring freeze in place...(all of Maryland, it seems?)
  • It's official! Email from chair announcing cancellation. Formal letters to follow.

I applied and didn't receive anything. Good thing this board exists.

  • San Francisco State University
  • Location: San Francisco, CA
  • application deadline is 1 Nov 2008
  • 20th Century U.S Political
  • the other board says they called for AHA interviews on 11/20
  • I only got my ack via mail w/AffAct survey today stating that they would be in contact mid-Dec re: AHA interviews (11/21) x2
  • any info on this? (12/3)
  • 11 AHA interviews scheduled from pool of around 200 total applicants (12/3)
  • Thank you. Q: Are the interviews already scheduled? (12/3)
  • I scheduled my interview via email. In addition, another person posted on the other board saying she/he had scheduled as well. So, my guess is that most of the scheduling has been done. (12/3)
  • CSU Chancellor announced system-wide hiring freeze 1/9
  • Contacted for on-campus interview on 1/10, which suggests freeze doesn't affect this job somehow
  • Have all on-campus interviews been scheduled?
heard they were all scheduled (2/5)
Hired Charles Postel from CSU Sacramento
  • Shepherd University
  • Location: Shepherdstown, West Virginia
  • application deadline is 15 Nov 2008
  • student/faculty ratio - 19:1
  • median SAT score: 1005 to 1015
  • will be conducting first-round phone interviews not AHA (11/18)
  • Anyone heard anything further here?
  • Offer accepted (2/4)
  • Impersonal rejection email sent by HR. (2/13)
  • Southern New Hampshire University
  • Location: Manchester, NH
  • Duplicate listing above notes "Phone interview (12/22)"
  • Tennessee State University
  • Location: Nashville, TN
  • Application Deadline January 15, 2009
  • Appointment in History at the rank of assistant or associate professor.
  • Specialization open, but desired teaching and research fields include colonial, early U.S., African-American, and Public History.
  • Responsibilities include the teaching of the sophomore American history survey, instruction in upper-level U.S. history, and the supervision of internships for majors.
  • University of Colorado - Boulder[11]
  • Location: Boulder, Colorado
  • application deadline is 1 Dec 2008
  • average salary for assistant professors in 2007-2008 was $72,300
  • assistant professor of history should earn at least $60,824 annually
  • student/faculty ratio - 16:1
  • median SAT score: 1125 to 1170
  • they are requiring that you have your letters of rec uploaded electronically--I emailed the hr people and then the chair of search to see if I could have them sent via mail and was politely but firmly rebuffed. Don't try. Interfolio will do this for you, however.
  • if your recommender is having problems uploading a letter, get in touch with the HR people - jobsatcu@cu.edu - they are exceedingly nice and will accept emails and upload letters from references
  • there has been talk that this search may be suspended due to UC's budget cuts, anyone know about that?
  • According to the other wiki they asked for writing samples as recently as 11/1. I, too, am paranoid that every search will be canceled
  • Nervous here too, have heard UC-Boulder is slashing budgets across the board, but will this search survive?
  • UC-Boulder is not suspending the search, nor were they ever considering suspending it.
  • Writing sample requested recently
  • A friend on the faculty told me that hiring freeze does not extent (at present) to searches already in process
  • Contacted via email to schedule an interview at the AHA (12/3)
  • Q: Any idea about total numbers and timing? Have all the interviews been scheduled?

Rec'd official notification today. All appointments made. (12/18)

How many focus on labor?
  • Post-AHA rejection email. Good news for the three interviewees that have not received said email. (1/9)
  • I heard they'd made an offer. Associate level. (2/17)
  • Hired Phoebe Kropp from UPenn.
  • This is odd -- I had heard from a very reliable source that someone else (an associate professor) was hired (no, I am not the poster from 2/17). By "reliable source," I mean that the candidate in question told a very good friend that s/he had gotten the CU-Boulder offer and planned to accept it. There did not seem to be any sticky points of negotiating the contract. Any inside information on what happened here? The person I'm thinking of was definitely a candidate for this position -- I'm not mistaking this for a different search. (4/27)
  • University of Massachusetts - Amherst[12]
    • hiring freeze announced by chancellor 10/18**
  • application deadline is 3 Nov 2008



    • called Wednesday and asked if a hiring freeze in place. Departmental assistant said no and they are conducting a job search despite chancellor's announcement(10/22)**
  • rec'd ack via mail (10/25)
  • called dept today (11/10) and administrator said 20th C US search is still on; Af Am history is canceled.
received ack (11/17) x 2
  • any news on this one?
I never even got an ack letter (12/10) x2
I only got my acknowledgement two days ago, sent my file back in early October, I think they're moving at a snails pace.
  • any idea if they are interviewing at the AHA? (update 12/17 - yes)
Spoke to dept on 12/10. They will be interviewing at the AHA. The committee is narrowing the list down at the end of this week/beginning of next.
  • Invite to AHA on 12/12 followed by phone call that dean has 'suspended' search (not cancelled, but likely there will be no hire this year)
  • Ditto. It was disheartening.
  • Search was just reauthorized by dean and provost; AHA interviews will be rescheduled (12/17) x2
  • Interviews at AHA scheduled (12/22).
  • On campus interview scheduled (1/14)
  • Received rejection letter post-AHA interview. Five candidates invited to campus. (1/23) x2
  • Any news? Has an offer been made? (2/27)
  • campus visits finished up this week with decision to follow soon after that. (2/28)
  • anyone know if an offer has been made yet? (3/3)
  • offer made, acc. to other wiki (3/7)
  • Has offer been accepted? Candidates have still not been notified!!
  • yes
  • University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
  • Location: Chapel Hill, North Carolina
  • application deadline is 1 Dec 2008
  • US History, 1930-present day, emphasis on political history
  • Apply online
  • SO easy to apply online//they should all do it this way
  • Will they be interviewing at the AHA? Anyone get a response from them AFTER submitting online?
  • Nope, but I was told they would be at the AHA.
  • Received AHA interview invitation via email (12/12). x4
  • Those of you who got interviews, do you mind sharing your focus? (12/22)
  • ANY NEWS ON THIS ONE?? (1/20)
  • Invitation for campus visit by email (1/23)
  • Congrats. Did the email come on the 23rd or earlier? (1/23)

I was invited to campus via email on 1-24.

  • Really nice rejection letter received (2/17)
-were you a campus visit or an AHA interviewee?
  • Offer extended and accepted (3/11)
  • University of North Carolina, Wilmington SEARCH CANCELLED
  • Location: Wilmington, North Carolina
  • application deadline is 30 Nov 2008
  • US Political History, 1933-present day
  • Apply online
  • AHA interview arranged by phone (12/10)x 2
  • Search suspended after the AHA
  • University of Toledo - SEARCH CANCELLED
  • Location: Toledo, Ohio
  • application deadline is 1 Dec 2008
  • US Political History
  • received ack via mail (11/17)
  • Response from department secretary after I sent an email asking if AHA interviews had been conducted: "The timetable for the search was delayed due to the large number of applications. We are hoping to contact candidates for phone interviews before the end of January." (1/8/09)
  • Phone interviews scheduled this week (1/27). Email says a short list is compiled.
  • Are you saying all phone interview invites have gone out?
  • I don't know if all interview invites have gone out. But when contact was made with me it seemed that the hope on UT's part is that the search will move really fast with campus invites following hard on the heels of the phone interviews--like the day after the last phone interview. So, my assumption is that the phone interviews are essentially set. It is a depressing year and I am sorry if this was your first choice and they didn't call. I hold my breath every time I look at this wiki.
  • Thanks for the info -- I posted the last question. It wasn't my first choice, just thought I was really qualified given the way it was written. Another year of making no sense -- get AHA interviews for ones I think are long shots and hear nothing from others which I think I have a good shot at. What are you going to do? Thanks again for the updates.
  • Rejection letter received (2/9)
  • Has anyone heard anything since the phone interviews? (2/13)
  • University of Toledo - SEARCH CANCELLED
  • US Social and Cultural History
  • received ack (11/29)
  • Anyone heard from them about this other US job at Toledo? Job ad said they'd be interviewing at AHA.
  • Poster on the other wiki notes the following: "Spoke with department secretary, she confirmed that the department did not conduct interviews at AHA due to the volume of applicants, position is still open, committee will likely meet next week to determine candidates for phone interviews. (1/9/09)"
  • Contacted by phone to arrange for a phone interview. Caller indicated 10 people will be interviewed for this position. Also indicated that ~200 applications received. (1/27)
  • Notified by phone that both U.S. history searches were cancelled due to budgetary cutbacks (2/16)
  • University of Wyoming[13]
  • application deadline is October 31, 2008
  • 10/8/08 received ack via email that they will begin reviewing in early November, will conduct telephone interviews in late November, and invite two candidates to campus in January.
  • received same prompt, courteous email ack (10/27/08)
  • writing samples requested (10/27) x3
  • submitted app via email on 10/28--no ack as of 11/7--perhaps too late for consideration? Early bird?
  • That doesn't seem right.. two days ahead of the deadline makes you early bird? Want to send another email making sure the chair received the first?
  • Has anyone heard anything more? I thought they would be setting up phone interviews by now?
  • They requested writing samples from me and I haven't heard anything more.
  • I suspect that this is an inside hire since they have a VAP who fits the ad. Can anyone confirm?
  • Well, that's the rumor on the other wiki but I can't confirm that it's more than a rumor.
  • Phone interview scheduled via e-mail. (12/1) x2
  • On campus interviews have been scheduled.
  • Weber State University[14] NOW ONE-YEAR POSITION
  • Location: Ogden, UT
  • application deadline is 1 Nov 2008
  • received ack via email with a request for missing materials (11/7) X2
  • Email from chair; the two advertised TT positions in 19th & 20th c. have been turned into one non-TT position (19th or 20th c.) on yearly contract due to state budget cuts. Recipients of email are asked to respond by Dec. 20 if they're still interested in being considered; those not responding won't be considered. (12/2)
  • Received request for phone interview. Characterizing position as one-year with potential for TT. (1/27) x2
  • Did anyone get a sense of when they might begin to contact finalists? (2/2)

On campus interviews in progress (2/17)

  • Warren Wilson College [15]
  • application deadline is 1 Nov 2008
  • ack letter rec'd (11/10)
  • rec'd letter stating committee's interest and requesting additional materials (12/12)
  • campus interviews completed; timeline has decision by the end of March (3/16)
  • job offered & accepted (3/19)
  • Whitman College
  • Location: Walla Walla, WA
  • application deadline: December 5, 2008
  • one-year VAP contemporary US
  • AHA invite (phone; 12/12)
  • Any word on this? I sent in my application months ago and have not received an acknowledgment or rejection notice.
  • Conducted AHA interviews. Told that on-campus visits would occur in late February.
  • Thanks for the update. It would have been nice if they would have contacted applicants, but I suppose that this is more the norm these days.
  • Anybody heard anything since the AHA?
  • Nope, not a word. (3/15)
  • hire made (3/17)
  • Williams College
  • Any info/news here?
  • Received ack 11/17 x2
  • 140 apps received. 20 will be passed on to the entire dept in early Dec.:
  • any idea if they are interviewing at the AHA?
  • Received email offering telephone interview for next week (and explaining that because of the financial crisis, they are doing so instead of holding interviews at AHA; on-campus talks to follow in the week after AHA). (12/10)
  • If you don't mind disclosing - what were the areas/research topics of interviewees? Just curious. Thanks.

Spring Jobs[]

  • Drexel University
  • Due: March 1
  • Philadelphia, PA
  • Great Works Symposium Visiting Fellow
  • Theme: Energy
  • got an email in March that short list has been compiled
  • Lakeland College
  • Sheboygan, WI
  • Assistant Professor, tenure track
  • no specialization listed
  • Mars Hill College




    • Deadline June 22
    • American History, 19th or 20th century, permanent position
  • Stetson University
  • DeLand, FL
  • VAP US History
  • SUNY-Plattsburgh
  • lecturer of US History
  • Offer made and accepted, 7/09
  • University of Pennsylvania
  • Philadelphia, PA
  • visiting lecturer/instructor of modern US History
  • Phone interview held week of 3/09
  • University of Montana
  • Visiting Postion - Has cancelled their search
  • Urbana University
  • Urbana, OH
  • assistant professor of US history
  • on-campus interview and teaching presentation (4/14)
  • offer made and accepted (4/28)

Discussion[]

  • Fair enough that we don't post the names of finalists, but why don't I see any names of the people hired? It's useful to know who got the jobs listed.
  • Is it verboten to put in names and topics of finalists before visits and offers?
  • YES!
  • It is verboten to put names before offers are accepted, and then you should share only the names of the person who got the job (not other finalists).
  • Agreed -- please no names of finalists, unless it's your own and you want to share.
  • Why all the secrecy about finalists? Have we all become Dick Cheney? I don't agree and plan on reporting the name of every finalist for every job I hear about. If its wrong, people can correct it.
  • Reporting such information is HIGHLY FROWNED UPON by search committees. To do so is not is not only unethical, but will also reflect poorly upon you as a potential colleague.
  • You assume everyone whose name you post would be stalking this site to correct you.
  • That's just plain nasty. You have no right to post information about anyone but yourself. You could seriously damage someone's career with this vindictiveness.
  • It's not secrecy, it's privacy - something Cheney doesn't respect.
  • The Search Committes should be the ones updating this wiki with the status of the search (but no names, of course). It is a humane end run around the HR dromes. I have done exactly that with our last few searches.

Seriously, anyone who thinks the job market is "private" is naive beyond belief. Job talk, for one, are often promoted with undergrads and grad students often invited.

  • Fair enough, but topics or areas could be instructive as to what the search committee was looking for. For example, Hopkins had a fair number of historians of conservatism.
  • If you want to know about the specializations of the finalists for a certain job, just post a query under that job -- at least some of the folks with interviews will probably respond with that information, without getting too specific of course.
  • those who value their privacy can be glad you are not an economist [16] where it seems to be standard practice to list everyone who is invited to campus. Naming names aside, do others think that implementing a similar table of relevant dates, etc. would be an improvement over our current scheme?
  • the table is an interesting idea, but it doesn't seem to offer more information than we have here, albeit in a different format. Again, I strongly caution against naming names. Those in positions already could be penalized; those with multiple campus visits could stand to gain no offers if a committee decides they'd rather not deal with negotiations & etc.
  • I think the point of the table is not to increase information as making it easier to check for updates...rather than scrolling through thirty pages of stuff. You could always put the table on the top of the page and then have more detailed info below it in our current style. And I'm still flummoxed that the names of those who accepted offers are not posted...it's just silly.

Civility and decency are critical to the success of these wikis. Posting personal information, threatening to track down the source of posters, or hijacking the wiki with crazy rants turns off lots of people who have good intelligence. Recall last year, when crazy drama caused the wiki to degenerate and someone to delete the whole thing. I definitely stopped posting information last year because the wiki culture turned creepy. Please, let's all be mellow and reasonable and make this system work for everyone.

-Also, plenty of finalists may be semi-secretly, or at least, below the radar on the market (i.e. leaving one t-t job for another). In those cases there are important professional reasons why secrecy should be maintained, despite many of our desires(my own included) to know who our *competition* is, so to speak.

- Agreed. Some of us could very likely lose our jobs if discovered to be on the market. The wiki should maintain everyone's privacy until the job offer has been accepted.

-Moreover, I have known colleagues at my R1 public university that have lost their research accounts following rumors of their market exploits. It is unethical to post the names of potential candidates.

- what few search chairs/committee members who were willing to post informative tidbits to this wiki would likely be scared away by the prospect of another poster tossing out names.

  • the polisci version of this includes names at all stages, but they actually get jobs.

- I'm sorry, but I don't see how you can have a reasonable expectation of "privacy" when you give a public, advertised job talk on a particular campus.

- well, most job talks aren't public or advertised outside of the hosting department, which pretty well shoots the above argument.

- As of 11:20 am on 11/26 the other wiki is down. Error says "object not found" when I tried to load it. Hopefully it is just a temporary thing. Anyone know anything? (12/1) Working fine now...

Complaints/Venting re: history searches: http://scratchpad.wikia.com/wiki/History_2008-2009#Status_of_Job_Searches

  • Looks like the deleting has begun again . . . the complaints/venting section has been removed (12/6)

Damn this wiki and all other wikis.

NEW Complaints/Venting site: http://scratchpad.wikia.com/wiki/Talk:History_2008-2009

OTHER WIKI-http://wikihost.org/wikis/academe/wiki/u.s._north_america_2008-2009 :: *the content is empty on this other wiki now too. Why would anyone delete them?? For some reason, it has been moved: http://www.wikihost.org/w/academe/u.s._north_america_2008-2009*The deleting has got to stop. Why do we even do this when a few bad apples can really spoil the whole thing?!

  • When it has worked – and it has worked very well in past years – the wikis have really helped to open up a very secretive process. This deleting business makes me very sad. I just don't get it. Maybe something is just technically wrong with the other page???
  • A Modest Proposal in RE: Damning all Wikis. Perhaps, next year of course (it would be far too confusing to implement this in the middle of the year), we could, indeed, damn all wikis. Hear me out: Perhaps the wiki technology is NOT what we want; perhaps, what we want is a blog. So, some one person volunteers to maintain a blog that consists of individual blog entries for each listed job; the blog is created once, each job receive its own entry, and all new pieces of information related to that specific job are then posted, anonymously of course, in the comments to the original blog entry. So individual anonymous users cannot delete the entire blog entry, and they can't delete bits of information posted in the other user's comments. They can only add, never delete. Advantages: No deletions. Disadvantages: Requires the hard work of one generous, perhaps non-anonymous soul to set up and maintain the blog itself.
  • I like it...a lot
  • This may just be my own technological ignorance but is it possible to have posts to a blog be truly anonymous? Or would contributors be anonymous to the world but known to the person maintaining the blog? If there is a way to keep contributions truly anonymous, this would be really appealing...
  • Yes, it is possible for a person to be anonymous to the blog creator (unless that person is tech savvy enough to search for IP addresses).  The blog idea is a much more organized way to share information.
  • Just for fun, from someone who is experiencing the first job search year and finding it incredibly disappointing, I would be interested in knowing from those of you with prearranged AHA interviews:

1)Is this your first year on the market? 2)How many interviews do you have?

The reason I ask is because everyone keeps assuring me that my 2nd year on the market will be completely different from this year as far as employer echo...anyone care to comment (without being too specific, of course)?

-It gets better over time but it is a disappointing process no matter what, as you have experienced already. In my opinion that is largely due to the nature of going hat in hand seeking jobs, even just interviews, combined with the lack of transparency and general unprofessionalism of so many search committees/university bureaucracies. Having PhD in hand is perhaps the biggest difference between history and other humanities/social science fields. That is, it is a MAJOR advantage to have completed your degree, as most history searches are so competitive, with pools so large, that non-PhDs tend to be "recycled" as one of the very first sort criteria, no matter their accomplishments/pedigree/etc. Based on limited experience from past years, this is a bad year to judge from. I think any information you gather re: "years on market" and "total interviews" will not be generalizable. The inordinate number of cancelled searches this year has been staggering . . . for job-seekers, committees, old-hat profs, you name it. That said, it is clearly a multi-year market process for virtually all of us. My numbers of interviews have increased every year, even this one; so there may be room for a touch of hope? Or perhaps not.

-well, last year I was ABD and this year I'm a fresh Ph.D., and I had much more interest last year. I chalk it up to this being a bad year, plus last year being a particularly good year for my specialties. The point is, don't assume you will be have better luck once you finish, it all depends on the specific jobs and committees each year.

-I'm in my fourth year, and I think it's true, if you're ABD, you will get more interest once you have PhD in hand in most fields. That said, it's never predictable... I had zero my first year (20th cen, ABD), 4 my 2nd with PhD in hand (no offers), 1 last year, 6 this year. I've been working adjunct, so it's not like my profile's gotten all that exciting. What makes it completely different each year is just the luck of the market, I think... and if you do go to the 4th year, may I recommend Prozac? Works for me...

-This was my first year on the market and I was surprised to learn not only how rare it is for someone ABD to get a job, let alone a good job. But I was shocked, given the oversupply of PhDs, how unprofessional some job searches are. Academics are terrible bureaucrats, and frequently lack basic social skills. If they were any good with deadlines, common courtesy, and professionalism based in collegiality rather than self-aggrandizement, there would be no need for these wikis whatsoever. If search committees have problems with wikis, they only have themselves to blame.

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