hemingways_abs

Some of them are in MLA fields (not just English but other MLA fields too), some in the natural sciences, some in the social sciences. I'm lucky enough to have a diverse group of PhD-holding friends that I associate with. The difference between us and you is that we're all employed and you, as you admit, are not. I'm fighting what you say because you keep acting like most of the SLACs in the top 100 are doing what you say. And they aren't. Trust me. They really are not. You can spend your time doing research at your peril because, even if as you say the newer hires are hiring people with a higher research profile, those newer hires aren't the ones making decisions about tenure and promotion (or at least they won't be for another 5-15 years).
 
Outside of the elite (top 15) SLACs, increases in sabbaticals aren't coming down the pipeline because it's not financially possible or sustainable. Start-up funds are limited. You'll never be competitive for major sources of funding, whether that's NSF, NEH, or NIH. That makes it harder to produce top-notch or cutting-edge research, which people recognize. For those of us who work at SLACs outside the top 25, we all know that we're looking for a colleague that will do some research with students, excel in the classroom, and do service on campus. If they want to be well-known as a researcher and/or can't figure out how to work with undergraduate students, then they need to find another job ASAP.

This thread, like every other damn thread on here, has become the same sort of circle twerk about privilege and abuse. Yes, it sucks (if you aren't the lucky one) that some people have multiple offers and opportunities, but, once you are on the market, it's too late to do anything to overcome those situations. Personally, I'm all for people grabbing any opportunities they can, though obviously the system unfairly benefits students from "name" programs.
 
Here's the thing though, people from those programs aren't just coasting by on the name, but are often the ones producing the major work in the field. Yes, there are a lot of reasons behind that (institutional support, financial security, connections) but don't deny that people are getting jobs based on the work they are doing just because you didn't get the same job. Look at the programs for major conferences, and you see the same schools, over and over, being the top contributors. We can talk about structural inequality all we want, and we should, but there is a difference between saying "the system is broken and we need to fix it" to "people who get the best jobs/most opportunities do so regardless of their merit." Lets address the first while acknowledging that some people will have advantages at different stages of their careers. Is it easier for the kid who goes from Philip Andover to Harvard to Yale to find a job than the kid who goes from public HS to a state school to a public R1? Sure, but let's not dismiss the accomplishments of the first group out of hand. It may have been easier (and likely was) for them to create an outstanding CV, but stop pretending that the only reason they got a job was the name on their degree.
 
It should also be mentioned that maybe, just maybe, people should consider that when deciding whether to even pursue a degree. If you truly believe that only Ivies ect. graduates are getting the jobs you want, than maybe you shouldn't spend seven years working on a PhD at (regional state school). That conversation, however, quickly becomes classist (and racist and sexist in smaller portions), so we won't have it. Maybe I'm just naive, coming from a field where most of the work is done at land grant universities, but if you truly believe that your institute can't get you a job, why are you there?


I also want to address the person who was, for some idiotic reason, resentful that assistant and associate professors were on the market for lateral moves. Lots of us won't get our dream job right out of school. Some will wind up VAP or NTT, or even adjuncting, while others will receive TT offers from small, regional or teaching colleges, even if they want to be research focused. I have no problem with people jumping positions, as those moves rarely change the number of jobs on the market in any year. I have an acquaintance who is an advance assistant, that, at one point this season, was sitting on a half dozen job offers. Once she accepted an offer that matched everything she wanted, those other five positions opened up, as did a TT line opening at her current institution. Yes, some people had to wait a little longer to find a place, but she did what was best for her career, and I can't fault her for it. Another friend decided not to move, after her current institution raised her pay to be competitive with the offers she was receiving. Academia is the only career I can think of where staying in one place for your entire professional career is considered an option. And how dare anyone criticize internal hires while bitching about NTT and PT jobs, since those are usually the only way that someone stuck in the VAP-cycle can find a TT job after a few years (and completely dismisses the people who have worked full time as NTT faculty while finishing a PhD elsewhere).

On point post! 

^ RE the stuff on 'whitey' above - this is off the subject of men in women's groups and probably opening a whole can of worms, but I'd've thought that we'd all now pretty much acknowledged that there's racial slurs and racial slurs. The difference between a term like 'blacky', which targets a group who are still the subject of widespread institutionalised discrimination and have a long history of oppression based on the colour of their skin, and a term like 'whitey', which targets a group who, by and large (I know there are exceptions, I'm talking generally here) aren't and haven't, is enormous. Both terms are insults, and insults aren't cool - but the weight of those insults is entirely different. If, in say Europe or the US, you insult a white person based on their skin colour you're definitely being a dick, but you're not oppressing them and you're not contributing to massive institutionalised discrimination. If you use racial slurs against a POC then you pretty much are. The two things just aren't comparable. 

This term is absolutely derogatory in nature. How would you feel if I said “blacky” was slang, not a slur?
 
Racism works both ways. Speaking in a pejorative manner about any group is unacceptable--even those who you feel like are privileged.  
 
PS: I absolutely welcome male voices in Women’s Studies and Gender Studies. Anyone who doesn’t clearly doesn’t understand the intention of the field. 

2520 is slang, not a slur. The fact that you are comparing a WOC calling someone "whitey" to white supremacy or nazis, what?

I am incredibly skeptical of cis men in my women's studies courses, but have been won over by some. Same as 2520s in Africa American studies, or any other person who is part of the supremacy entering into subjugated spaces. Talking about masculinism as if it were equatable to feminism is how you'll get some side-eye though. That shows you don't have a true understanding of the patriarchy or oppression, and also that you're stuck in a gender dichotomy. Understand your privileges (esp. when it comes to dominating classroom discussions) and make sure you know what your endgame really is in taking the course. Susan Bordo does some work on critical masculinities, and may be a great starting place for allies. 

This is a bit of a rant piece but also an attempt to get other's experiences and insight.
 
During my UG and while getting my MDiv, I took a fair deal of coursework in Women's Studies and LOVED it, did exceptionally well, and received encouragement that I had a future in the field if I was so inclined. The problem came, as more than one professor and student put it, is the fact that I'm a heterosexual male and professors and students simply found it odd that I was interested in the material, let alone interested enough to do well.
 
My first couple of courses in WS in UG, until my name got around, was that I was a confused jock who thought the class would be talking about sex all day. By my third course that reputation was shed and it was known that I was serious about the material but people still told me they found it weird I was so into the material. Perhaps weird like your atypical white male student studying African American Lit? I never asked why people found it so weird to begin with, partially because I always felt constantly being challenged and forced to prove myself. That said, I think such experiences help me relate to others in a similar boat.
 
Anyway, my question is really - Just how rare was it for some of you to have non-typical students in your WS classes? For example, heterosexual white males. In all of UG, I was the only known one (it was a very small program to begin with) and while doing my MDiv, I had one class that had two others.
 
Going further, is there a place for heterosexual males in the field of Women's Studies? Academically (grad. student/professor) but also as far as 'meaningful' contribution to the field itself. I would compain about constantly being tested and doubted until I proved otherwise, but I know many of my female friends went through the same in science programs.
 
Well, that's my late night rant while I work a 3rd shift at the hospital. Take care everyone.

My stats: 4.0 cumulative, 700V/abysmal math, 710 subject,

Um, okay

multiple TA positions,

irrelevant--no one cares about your ability to "TA," especially not as an undergrad

multiple poetry publications,

For PhD in English programs, no one cares

three articles under review for publication,

But not accepted? Ouch.

and I won every writing award at my undergraduate university.

No one will look closely at your CV to even know.

I've also already presented at a conference,

Whoopee. So has everyone else.

where my paper was selected as Best Critical Paper out of two dozen universities presenting.

Oh, was this an undergrad conference? Then it didn't matter.

I'm fluent in French and speak passable Hellenic.

???

Yet, I am still unsure that I'll be accepted anywhere. Looking at the acceptances coming in on this website is terrifying.

I'm sure you'll get in somewhere.

Test is fucking hard, go back in time and do competition math that seems to correlate best with high scores. Nah, but really that test is killer on time; no time to figure things out / rederive things so you really need to have your whole calc sequence committed to memory. Linear algebra too; and know your first courses in group theory, analysis, topology, and combinatorics. Besides that the practice tests available are complete shit but really all you have so do all of those but don't trust your scores on them. GL

As a current student from McGill, and having heard from my advisor himself (I'm an undergraduate honors student), they're behind in reviewing applications and completing their selection process. As we're on reading week this week, I wouldn't expect extremely fast response times. I would expect them to review apps and meet after the break (March 11th) so you might here within the next week to two weeks max. I believe they're aiming to let everyone know by March 15th but I could be wrong.

Being left on the side of the road by your girlfriend for what you insist was only "playful flirting".


ETA: now ex-girlfriend.

I won't list schools I've applied to to prevent (perhaps unfair) comparisons, but I haven't had any special experiences during application processes to other schools besides Teachers College. Most so far have told me financial aid, as advisors of the program, isn't their responsibility; I'd need to contact the financial aid office for aid. That attitude was common and off-putting, so if all the programs cost generally the same (besides in-state schools), then I'd prefer to take out loans for Columbia. If I decide five or ten years later after teaching that I want to obtain a PhD in education or something else, I think Columbia would help with such ventures. While the difference between a 5k$ vs. 50k$ tuition is substantial, I feel like Teachers College is worth it. Perhaps I'm misinformed, but that's the impression I have. 
 
On that note, I was happily accepted to Columbia today Where can I ask about housing and student life? Need to figure out where I'm going to live and how much it'll cost asap.

TakeruK's summary on this is very well written. Just adding that this would not be against policies at my current school, although it would have been at my past school (not reporting). 
 
It's well possible the graduate student came from a school with no reporting policy, and doesn't realize that's the policy at the current school? 
 
Perhaps instead of reporting them, you should give him/her a heads up?
 
Also, how does this effect you? Are you in the class? Did someone report it to you, and you feel like you should now do something about it?
 
With the description of "creepy train-wreck", it personally comes across to me like you're nosing into someone else's personal life. This isn't an obvious case of a TA taking advantage of a student in their class for grades/perks, what with it being an existing relationship and them living together. You assume they met in a previous class, but they could have just as easily met through mutual friends, through a hobby, or out around town. 

I agree: you need to look inward. Obviously, no one here can comment on your chances, so looking here for affirmation is generally a bad idea. Additionally, your application is what it is. It's already in. No point in second-guessing it now.

And you might also want to drop the "I did it all with three kids" mantra before you get to grad school. It gets really old.

Because I've lurked here for a while and some of us are tired of compliment-fishing posts.

And also? It was a very honest appraisal of this person's application. Writing samples, statements of purpose, and, to a much lesser (but still crucial) extent, numbers are going to make or break this applicant--not TA positions, poetry, conferences, awards, or Hellenic speaking ability. All of that stuff is so ridiculously irrelevant to this process, and it's clear that the poster just needed to read the advice posts from last fall and years past before making such an embarrassing grab for affirmation.

My stats: 4.0 cumulative, 700V/abysmal math, 710 subject,

Um, okay

multiple TA positions,

irrelevant--no one cares about your ability to "TA," especially not as an undergrad

multiple poetry publications,

For PhD in English programs, no one cares

three articles under review for publication,

But not accepted? Ouch.

and I won every writing award at my undergraduate university.

No one will look closely at your CV to even know.

I've also already presented at a conference,

Whoopee. So has everyone else.

where my paper was selected as Best Critical Paper out of two dozen universities presenting.

Oh, was this an undergrad conference? Then it didn't matter.

I'm fluent in French and speak passable Hellenic.

???

Yet, I am still unsure that I'll be accepted anywhere. Looking at the acceptances coming in on this website is terrifying.

I'm sure you'll get in somewhere.

My stats: 4.0 cumulative, 700V/abysmal math, 710 subject,

Um, okay

multiple TA positions,

irrelevant--no one cares about your ability to "TA," especially not as an undergrad

multiple poetry publications,

For PhD in English programs, no one cares

three articles under review for publication,

But not accepted? Ouch.

and I won every writing award at my undergraduate university.

No one will look closely at your CV to even know.

I've also already presented at a conference,

Whoopee. So has everyone else.

where my paper was selected as Best Critical Paper out of two dozen universities presenting.

Oh, was this an undergrad conference? Then it didn't matter.

I'm fluent in French and speak passable Hellenic.

???

Yet, I am still unsure that I'll be accepted anywhere. Looking at the acceptances coming in on this website is terrifying.

I'm sure you'll get in somewhere.

My stats: 4.0 cumulative, 700V/abysmal math, 710 subject,

Um, okay

multiple TA positions,

irrelevant--no one cares about your ability to "TA," especially not as an undergrad

multiple poetry publications,

For PhD in English programs, no one cares

three articles under review for publication,

But not accepted? Ouch.

and I won every writing award at my undergraduate university.

No one will look closely at your CV to even know.

I've also already presented at a conference,

Whoopee. So has everyone else.

where my paper was selected as Best Critical Paper out of two dozen universities presenting.

Oh, was this an undergrad conference? Then it didn't matter.

I'm fluent in French and speak passable Hellenic.

???

Yet, I am still unsure that I'll be accepted anywhere. Looking at the acceptances coming in on this website is terrifying.

I'm sure you'll get in somewhere.

My stats: 4.0 cumulative, 700V/abysmal math, 710 subject,

Um, okay

multiple TA positions,

irrelevant--no one cares about your ability to "TA," especially not as an undergrad

multiple poetry publications,

For PhD in English programs, no one cares

three articles under review for publication,

But not accepted? Ouch.

and I won every writing award at my undergraduate university.

No one will look closely at your CV to even know.

I've also already presented at a conference,

Whoopee. So has everyone else.

where my paper was selected as Best Critical Paper out of two dozen universities presenting.

Oh, was this an undergrad conference? Then it didn't matter.

I'm fluent in French and speak passable Hellenic.

???

Yet, I am still unsure that I'll be accepted anywhere. Looking at the acceptances coming in on this website is terrifying.

I'm sure you'll get in somewhere.

Because I've lurked here for a while and some of us are tired of compliment-fishing posts.

And also? It was a very honest appraisal of this person's application. Writing samples, statements of purpose, and, to a much lesser (but still crucial) extent, numbers are going to make or break this applicant--not TA positions, poetry, conferences, awards, or Hellenic speaking ability. All of that stuff is so ridiculously irrelevant to this process, and it's clear that the poster just needed to read the advice posts from last fall and years past before making such an embarrassing grab for affirmation.

Because I've lurked here for a while and some of us are tired of compliment-fishing posts.

And also? It was a very honest appraisal of this person's application. Writing samples, statements of purpose, and, to a much lesser (but still crucial) extent, numbers are going to make or break this applicant--not TA positions, poetry, conferences, awards, or Hellenic speaking ability. All of that stuff is so ridiculously irrelevant to this process, and it's clear that the poster just needed to read the advice posts from last fall and years past before making such an embarrassing grab for affirmation.

My stats: 4.0 cumulative, 700V/abysmal math, 710 subject,

Um, okay

multiple TA positions,

irrelevant--no one cares about your ability to "TA," especially not as an undergrad

multiple poetry publications,

For PhD in English programs, no one cares

three articles under review for publication,

But not accepted? Ouch.

and I won every writing award at my undergraduate university.

No one will look closely at your CV to even know.

I've also already presented at a conference,

Whoopee. So has everyone else.

where my paper was selected as Best Critical Paper out of two dozen universities presenting.

Oh, was this an undergrad conference? Then it didn't matter.

I'm fluent in French and speak passable Hellenic.

???

Yet, I am still unsure that I'll be accepted anywhere. Looking at the acceptances coming in on this website is terrifying.

I'm sure you'll get in somewhere.

I agree: you need to look inward. Obviously, no one here can comment on your chances, so looking here for affirmation is generally a bad idea. Additionally, your application is what it is. It's already in. No point in second-guessing it now.

And you might also want to drop the "I did it all with three kids" mantra before you get to grad school. It gets really old.

My stats: 4.0 cumulative, 700V/abysmal math, 710 subject,

Um, okay

multiple TA positions,

irrelevant--no one cares about your ability to "TA," especially not as an undergrad

multiple poetry publications,

For PhD in English programs, no one cares

three articles under review for publication,

But not accepted? Ouch.

and I won every writing award at my undergraduate university.

No one will look closely at your CV to even know.

I've also already presented at a conference,

Whoopee. So has everyone else.

where my paper was selected as Best Critical Paper out of two dozen universities presenting.

Oh, was this an undergrad conference? Then it didn't matter.

I'm fluent in French and speak passable Hellenic.

???

Yet, I am still unsure that I'll be accepted anywhere. Looking at the acceptances coming in on this website is terrifying.

I'm sure you'll get in somewhere.