1Q84

If you're looking for some info to share with students, this article has some great statistics: http://www.salon.com/2014/02/16/the_wal_mart_ization_of_higher_education_how_young_professors_are_getting_screwed/

That's great! Would love to see it when you get a chance. Sadly, my institution has not recognized it at all, from what I can see, which is a shame because I know some tenured faculty were very supportive of adjunct unionization attempts from last year.

I'm not sure I agree with your last statement. What was Appp's purpose of bringing up transphobic violence in relation to reputational hiring biases in academia aside from trying to derail the conversation or minimize the importance of what's being discussed in this thread? Being worried about getting a TT job and caring very deeply about stopping transphobic violence are not mutually exclusive. It's ridiculous to even suggest that if one cares about getting a TT job, they don't care about anything else. Unfortunately, Appp wasn't making the argument that you so eloquently expressed here. He/she is saying that the two concepts are separate while you're saying that they're intertwined, which is absolutely on the nose.

(crappy school computer erased original post, so this might be a little terse). I was dismayed to only find out about this event late last night, which prevented me from being able to adequately plan for any action today. As I understand it, NAWD is meant to be awareness-raising action only, so in that I think organizers have both failed (I didn't know about it until last night) and succeeded (main goals have been pushing us to inform undergraduates/general public). Here's what I did: I didn't tell students class was cancelled but when they arrived, I informed them that it was NAWD and talked for a bit about adjunct issues and how they affect higher education (and thus, their education). I fielded questions and allowed any pushback. Then I "refused to teach" and allowed them to leave (they were pretty happy about that last part). So kind of a half walkout. Most students, surprise surprise, didn't care much (most hadn't even ever seen the word adjunct before) but some came up afterwards and said they were glad to be made aware of the issue, which was comforting. Anyone else take action today? Some good examples here: http://nationaladjunct.tumblr.com/page/2/

Well, you're resorting to strawman arguments and fallacious comparisons ("Hey you can't complain about your broken down car because people are getting bombed in Syria!") now, so I'm not really sure where you want to head with this. I'll take it as a sign to drop the debate.

I think you kind of missed my point. Yes, all job candidates, regardless of alma mater, will have difficulty finding a TT job simply because of the shrinking number of positions. I don't think anyone is denying that and that's an obvious fact. Does that mean that we should ignore the inequalities that rank and reputation create? No. The point that upper-tier schools hire within themselves only is a real and concerning issue because it reinforces and reproduces the exact types of concerns that you find ridiculous. So I agree that the things that you point out are ridiculous in theory. They shouldn't exist as concerns for anyone. Nonetheless, they do exist because of real material conditions in the hierarchical, reputation, networking-based job market out there and I don't really get why you're so invested in flattening the distinction between all candidates when it's undeniable that those distinctions exist. I don't think it actually helps anyone, least of all in changing the system in some way, to simply declare, "NONE OF US WILL GET JOBS! HURRAY!" You seem to think that just ignoring these inequalities and "not worrying" about them will make them go away. This is stating the obvious and something that I'm pretty sure every single person in this thread would cosign. Talking about reputational hiring biases is not mutually exclusive to this statement. Again, it seems like you're hoping that that will become a performative statement--just by acknowledging that all universities do great work (which, I believe we all do already), and by stating that ANY TT job would be great, it shall be so. Unfortunately, that's not how systemic discrimination and inequality go about being fixed. Edit to add: And yes, in case this wall of text did not make it clear: I'm well-aware that candidates from Ivies and top-tier schools don't simply sweep gloriously into TT jobs. I, nor anyone in this thread, is making that ridiculous claim.

I don't recall reading such a simplistic point of view in this thread. It was pretty much established from the get-go that top-tier graduates tend to find TT jobs within those same top-tier schools (which generally bar graduates from outside that tier), whereas those from lower-tier schools have some success finding TT jobs in non-Top 20 schools (where top-tier graduates tend to have a little more difficulty because of so-called "anti-prestige bias"). You're right to call out the unjustified Ivy-hate flowing through some arguments here but that and the availability of TT jobs are two separate debates that you seem to be conflating. Yes. This.

Thanks for the update I have my fingers crossed!

A colleague of mine just emailed UCI English and received a response that they still haven't completed their review process. So strange that they sent out a spate of acceptances and then radio silence for two weeks. Anyone on the board here receive an acceptance? Was it because you got a fellowship that you heard back so early?

Tip for those flying to your destination: jam all of your really heavy stuff (for me it was records and a typewriter) into your carry-on. Some uptight staff might try and weigh your carry-on but mine was small enough that they didn't bother. I was able to get more into my check-in suitcases and still come in under the weight allowance. Also, laptop bags and purses/"murses" typically don't count as carry-ons either, so stuff some heavy items in there too! I got away with bringing a laptop bag and a big chunky murse with me, which essentially equaled another full luggage. I'm pretty sure most airlines charge for the first check-in bag now but I believe there are still one or two out there (names not coming to me at the moment) that give you one for free.

Neither do I...

I think there's a difference between the type of debt accrual I'm talking about and the type which you undertook. The advice I'm seeing around here is not based on making that one last shot to get out of a lifetime of manual labor, which, as others have said, is admirable, but is based on really wanting to go to a school. So sorry if I lumped you into that crowd but I wasn't getting any context for your previous comment of "If I get debt, I get debt." Anyway, I'm obviously not one to judge your situation because... who the hell tries to support a family by becoming an English professor? As for privilege, I guess it's not a groundbreaking observation to note that some folks think that having a safety net but not using it means that they're slumming it when it fact it is still insane privilege. hypervodka is right on the money. Not only must you distinguish between good debt and bad debt, you have to realize that debt is only "good" when you have a job that pays enough to pay it down (Thus, it helps you build equity. There are plenty of other ways to do this, by the way, which include using a credit card and paying it off in full every month). No one "admires" a person who leases a kick ass Mercedes if they work a minimum wage job and can't make the payments. That's ridiculous and no one equates that kind of debt with status. The same can be said of educational debt: I don't think any of us can be guaranteed a job that will adequately help us pay down six figures of educational debt. I know all sorts of people who go on credit card or no-money-down spending sprees at Best Buy. Do I admire them? Hell no because obviously I know that they don't have the means to pay it off and are just digging themselves a hole. If a medical student wants to lease a Mercedes, hey, go for it buddy... you've got so much educational debt, a car won't make a difference. And the important thing--they'll have the means to pay it off when they're done schooling.

I interviewed Nardwuar via phone. It was a very, very intimidating experience (on my end, since he's the king of all interviewers) but he was so sweet and reassuring and answered all my dumb questions unsarcastically and sincerely. Great guy!

Can someone just explain to me what this "If I accrue debt, oh well!" attitude means? I don't actually understand why it keeps getting thrown around, first by (I'll just come out and say it) privileged folk with a financial support system underwriting their academic career but now, seemingly, by folks who are used to being down and out as well as financially independent. Yes, debt a fact of capitalism. Is it subjugating oneself to make life choices based on avoiding debt? Is that "playing into the system"? Well, if avoiding debt means being able to support my family and not live on food stamps or be evicted, then so be it. I'll avoid debt like the plague. No, it's not worth going to my dream school if it means I'll be relocating my family to a homeless shelter afterwards. Is that selling out? Maybe. Surviving is a real concern, when your nose isn't in a book. I just cannot understand the cavalier attitude towards debt on this board and it's really making me question what the working definition of privilege/unprivileged is around these parts. If this is attitude towards debt is reflective of most people in academia, I'm really not sure what to say. Edit: by the way, I'll be the first to admit that I'm the "debt harpy" around here. If people seeking advice were more straightforward about their financial situation, then I would probably toe the line and say, "you need to make the decision that makes you happy and that you can live with!" because I would make my own judgmental call to withhold my own opinions about debt, knowing that this person could self-fund or have a relative fund them. But how in the world is it EVER a good idea for a poor person to take on several tens of thousands dollars more of debt? Cultural capital? Sorry. Not buying it.

Honestly. I love the supportive and kind atmosphere around here this cycle but I must say, the advice sometimes veers into shielding people from the brutal reality of academia. I've seen this kind of behavior in countless threads and, to be honest, I find it way more harmful to candidates than harsh or trolly behavior. The latter, you'll find anywhere and it can be dealt with easily; when someone is eyeballs deep in debt with little to no income (or they graduate thinking that they have a shot at a TT job at Harvard), they'll think back to the cheerleader advice they got here, and probably realize that their fate was preventable. There needs to be a fine balance between support and realism and I say that out of respect to all advice-seekers and -givers here. Edit: I know this post comes off as quite nihilistic... in the real world, I'm with molloy and kurayamino in that I'd love to change the system. I know cynicism won't help that but neither will blind cheerleading.

What's MAPH? Either way, congrats!

Well, that was a joy to read: Ugh. I need some scotch.

No, but feel free to tell me again

wait- disregard

Sorry to hear you're going through that. It sounds absoutely Kafkaesque and, I agree, unnecessarily rude. I can't imagine UGA gets sooo many applications that they're too overwhelmed to check your status. Not cool, people.

I'll throw in a mention of Loyola Marymount University. Private Jesuit university. They offer fully-funded through TAships and scholarships. Sorta kinda "down the street" from UCLA and has had some success placing students at NYU, Stanford (Chicano studies), and has a close relationship with UCI. They are unranked but US News considers them #3 "in the West" whatever that means. They have an impressively strong special collections at the library (lots of great medieval stuff here). Two rockstar scholars (which is pretty good for such a tiny program): Stephen Shepherd (Medievalist, manuscript studies) and Steve Mailloux (theory, rhetoric). Deadline for application: March 15 (but will consider applications afterwards on a rolling basis, space permitting). Any questions, feel free to PM me!

Start training

Should I post lyonnessrampant's supercalifragilisticexpialidocious list of questions or should I let her do it? As for your question: I was speaking in private to someone on TGC and they mentioned an anecdote about how a candidate tried to pull the double reimbursement trick with UCLA and USC and (I suppose out of offense and rage at the gall) UCLA rescinded their offer. So I would be very.... VERY careful about that and perhaps just eat the cost if it comes down to it.

Wow slow weekend eh? Last week of February tomorrow... it's probably going to be a doozy!