VACANCIES IN COLLEGE AND UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENTS OF ENGLISH 5 FOR 1965-1966 REPORTED BY CHAIRMEN IN APRIL 1965 DEPARTMENTS OF ENGLISH Chairmen of Departments of English in American Colleges and Universities 4 Washington Place, New York, Y. 10003 NOTE In December 1964, the Association of Departments of English amended its con? stitution to include the following objective: "To publish one or more times eaCh year a list of vacancies in college and university departments of English. This list shall be distributed free of charge to all who request it.? Ordinarily, we plan to issue the lists in November (before the NCTE, MLA, and CEA meetings), in March (before the meeting), and in May (before the end of the academic year). This May 1965 list is a test run that will cover the reduced number of vacancies for September 1965. These ADE listings are designed to supplement rather than supplant the 'eXisting placement services provided by MLA, CEA, and AAUP. (The rationale is simple but, we assume, profoundly important. With increased numbers of students, it is imperative to staff the departments of English in all colleges and universities with the best candidates, and yet with the inevitable limitations of openings in well?known institutions, it is imperative that candidates knOw Of the variety of attractive Opportunities that may be available across the country - in less familiar colleges and universities. Grateful for the responSe from department chairmen to the ADE_proposal, we now look forward to practical use Of the listings by job candidates on all levels. For those Candidates who lack extensive experience in applying.for p0sitions we append some helpful suggestions, further reminding candidates that it may not be possible fOr all department chairmen to properly acknowledge all the applications they receive. To save space the entries supplied by department chairmen have Been edited for conSistency of abbreviation. A.B.D. means all but dissertation completed. F.L.G. ADE AdminiStrative Committee fOr 1965 Leonard F. Dean (Connecticut), Chairman R. C. Simonini (Longwood), Vice4Chairman ., Frederick L. (Trinity), Secretary-Treasurer C. L. Barber (Indiana) Robert B. Heilman (Washington) Phillip Damon (Santa Barbara) Lewis Leary (Columbia) George H. Ford (Rochester) Warner.G. Rice (Michigan) John C. Gerber (Iowa) Henry W. Sams (Penn State) John S. Gerrietts (Loyola) . Kester Svendsen (Oregon) From A Placement Guide for Graduate Students by Professor George L. Anderson, Associate Executive Secretary, Modern Language Associatidn. Students who have the or are near it should begin job hunting with the expectation that they will settle down and spend a number of years at the place they first select. They may not do this, of course. There is considerable mobility in the teaching profession today. But they will be happier if they go with the intention of creating courses which will be a-permanent part of their lives, of participating fully in faculty and student affairs, of producing the kind and amount of research that the institution demands (if any), and of making a home in the community. In general, a moderate amount of money will not make up the difference between an institution in which the beginninggteacher wishes to stay and one which seems alien to him. With this in mind, the best position is the one that offers the best opportunity for advancement considering the talents and interests of the new faculty member regardless of its geographical location. If the conditions of employment seem good, the job candidate should not be afraid to move about the country. All good institutions have social as well as intellectual resources. Though it is not true in all cases, job candi? dates who must for family or other reasons limit themselves to a single area are handicapped. The job candidate should consider very carefully the institution to which he applies. What are his talents or ambitions-?to do historical research, criticism, administration, creative writing, basic composition or beginning foreign language teaching, or what combinations of these, besides teaching in general? What will be expected of him over a period-of perhaps three years at the institution? In what ways will his performance be evaluated? Rules for tenure vary somewhat, but in general a new appointee at the assistant professor rank may be expected to be assessed at the end of three years and considered for permanent tenure and/or promotion at the end of six. Find out what the institution wants and don't go unless you expect to deliver it. _There is much 'variety in colleges and universities. You can find one that suits your parti- cular abilities if you ignore geography and free yourself of false notions of prestige. Ask around. Every member of your graduate department presumably went to college and graduate school. So did every faculty member who remembers you from your undergraduate days. Where did they go to college and to graduate school? Do some reSearch on this. The institution bulletins-will usually tell you. If .you get an offer, try to find some one who has taught at the institution or been a student there. His views may be prejudiced by various things including especially nostalgia, but you will learn something from the man who has been on the scene. How to apply for a position. If your college or university has a placement service, register there before you write letters of inquiry about jobs and be sure all the required documents are filed. The moment you write, a department chairman may telephone the placement bureau for your documents without asking you. He will be very annoyed if they are not available. Private, commercial ii placement bureaus also list appointments, though many larger colleges and univer? sities do not use them. Placement services may prOvide special forms which can be reproduced photographically for letters of recommendation. Do not ask a faculty member to write several c0pies of a recommendation if gng_in the place- ment bureau will suffice. The placement bureau will generally duplicate your entire docket?~transcripts, letters, and other materials??and send it to any chairman who requests it. But it will insist that the docket be requested. No chairman wants an unsolicited stack of credentials. What to include in the letter of inquiry. Make the letter brief--one page. Attach to it a vita in outline form.. In the letter do the following things: 1. Announce that you are a candidate for a position. If you are seeking a higher rank than instructor make this clear. 2. List briefly the highlights of your previous teaching experience--? where and what courses taught. 3. If you are especially interested in or qualified in such fields as -creative writing, teaching English to foreigners, linguistics, or English composition make this clear. However, do exaggerate your qualifications here. (A creative writer is someone who has'published some creative writing.) The department will assume that all beginning teachers are willing to teach Freshman English but it may be especially interested in candidates who have been directors of programs.. 4. Mention your subject of specialization on the doctoral dissertation or what it will probably be, if you know this. And, if you have published anything, mention it here. 5. Give the names of three people who will recommend you and whose letters are in your docket if you are registered at a plaCement service. Give the address of the placement service. 6. Express your willingness to be interviewed at the annual meeting of the Modern Language Association and at any other meeting to which the department chairman is likely to go. On the vita sheet list in summary fashion: Your name, academic address, home address, and telephone number. Your age. Whether you are married or single, and if married, how many children. Dates, places, and areas of concentration of your degrees. Teaching appointments from the most recent, including courses taught. Other relevant employment. Publications. Names and addresses of recommenders. oouoxtnwaH You will note that there is some duplication here, but don't worry about this. In the letter you are trying to present yourself attractively. In the vita you are giving the chairman some quickly available data.