Job Help/Advice (Faculty at Wabash College)

[JPhillips]

I'm going for an interview for an Associate Professor of Drama at Wabash College in Crawfordsville, Indiana on March 19/20. This is my first faculty interview so any advice or tips would be greatly appreciated. If anyone has any specific info on Wabash College that would also be great.

I grew up in Ohio, so the area doesn't concern me much, but if anyone knows the Crawfordsville area I'd love to know more about it.

Hopefully this pans out. Now that I have a daughter I'm doing everything I can to find enough job stability to get a house with a swingset in the back yard!

[Barkeep49]

I was a student rep on a couple of faculty search committees. I can't say that I can think of any tips beyond those of good interviewing.

[NoMyths]

Be prepared for questions about what kinds of classes you'd be interested in teaching.

I'd also familiarize yourself with the drama faculty at Purdue, and see if you have any connections (projects, people in common, etc.)...if you have some kind of connection, it may make collaborative efforts and such easier, and would be good to mention.

[wade moore]

Not specific to faculty, but I've been staff at a University and it was one of the best work experiences in my life.

Good luck!

[John Galt]

I have no advice, but good luck!

[Drake]

I hope you like corn...

Wait, you're from Ohio. Of course you like corn.

[kurtism]

No advice on the interview, but it couldn't hurt to throw in something derogatory about DePauw University...

[Drake]

Seriously -- do not confuse DePauw with Depaul. That would be a big mistake.

[JPhillips]

I fly out for my interview Monday morning and have most of my meetings/presentations on Tuesday. I feel about as prepared as I can be, but this would be a lot easier if it wasn't my first faculty interview.

[Ajaxab]

One other thing to keep in mind is that how these positions are filled may not come down to anything about you at all. There can be a lot of things going on behind the scenes that you may never find out about that can influence how a new hire is selected. Every faculty unit has its own set of politics that often surface with issues of new hires. There may also be diversity issues in play or budgetary questions. So go out for your interview, enjoy the free food and hospitality and remember that you are interviewing them as much as they are interviewing you. All the best JPhillips!

[NoMyths]

Best wishes!

[King of New York]

Good luck!

1) Know the Department inside and out. Know what classes they offer regularly, and how you would be able to contribute to their curriculum. Know which projects other faculty have worked on, and feign/show some interest in them!

2) Be relaxed yet energetic. Once you've made the short list and gotten a campus visit, it'll often come down to a question of which candidate is the best "fit," which is a matter both of intellect and of personality.

[CamEdwards]

Good luck with the interview!

[JPhillips]

Originally Posted by Ajaxab

One other thing to keep in mind is that how these positions are filled may not come down to anything about you at all. There can be a lot of things going on behind the scenes that you may never find out about that can influence how a new hire is selected. Every faculty unit has its own set of politics that often surface with issues of new hires. There may also be diversity issues in play or budgetary questions. So go out for your interview, enjoy the free food and hospitality and remember that you are interviewing them as much as they are interviewing you. All the best JPhillips!

The diversity issue could hurt me. Right now it's an all white male faculty and I know one of the other candidates was female. However it turns out I'm enjoying the process and the free food. Even if tomorrow doesn't go well I'm at least getting some valuable experience for the next time.

[Young Drachma]

Go Little Giants?

[JPhillips]

Everything is done and I'm on my way home. I think I did well in the interviews and the presentation. I think I offered them something in the presentation that not every candidate can. I don't have any big regrets, so now it's out of my hands. I should know something in two to three weeks.

[NoMyths]

Congrats on finishing the process. Any moments that stand out to you?

[JPhillips]

Wabash is a very interesting place. In terms of student/faculty relations it felt much more like grad school than undergrad. Students are treated as younger colleagues and their input in the process is valued at every level.

There is also a clear lack of bureaucracy. Every faculty member teaches a 3 and 3 load from visiting professors to department chairs. The Dean and the President have open door policies and it's more than just lip service. Everyone I spoke to said that if you have a need to talk to the President you can just walk over to his office. Obviously, it was a very different vibe from The Catholic University where I got my MFA.

The big downside is that we'd be moving to an area with little to no adoption or Chinese community. Now that we have a Chinese daughter that would have to weigh in our decision to move if I was offered the position.

One other thing, the college is flush with cash. Everything from the salary to the relocation money to the funds available for travel/research are very generous. It's the first academic institution I've been at where money issues aren't in the forefront. They get a lot of Eli Lilly money and they have one of the highest alumni giving rates in the country.

[INDalltheway]

Originally Posted by JPhillips

Wabash is a very interesting place. In terms of student/faculty relations it felt much more like grad school than undergrad. Students are treated as younger colleagues and their input in the process is valued at every level.

There is also a clear lack of bureaucracy. Every faculty member teaches a 3 and 3 load from visiting professors to department chairs. The Dean and the President have open door policies and it's more than just lip service. Everyone I spoke to said that if you have a need to talk to the President you can just walk over to his office. Obviously, it was a very different vibe from The Catholic University where I got my MFA.

The big downside is that we'd be moving to an area with little to no adoption or Chinese community. Now that we have a Chinese daughter that would have to weigh in our decision to move if I was offered the position.

One other thing, the college is flush with cash. Everything from the salary to the relocation money to the funds available for travel/research are very generous. It's the first academic institution I've been at where money issues aren't in the forefront. They get a lot of Eli Lilly money and they have one of the highest alumni giving rates in the country.

I don't know how I missed this thread... My dad is Wabash alum and I lived in Crawfordsville until I moved into school in the fall. There is a pretty big Asian community in West Lafayette (35 minutes north) where I go to school now. If you have any questions let me know, I've grown up around Wabash and Crawfordsville my whole life.

[finketr]

Originally Posted by Ajaxab

One other thing to keep in mind is that how these positions are filled may not come down to anything about you at all. There can be a lot of things going on behind the scenes that you may never find out about that can influence how a new hire is selected. Every faculty unit has its own set of politics that often surface with issues of new hires. There may also be diversity issues in play or budgetary questions. So go out for your interview, enjoy the free food and hospitality and remember that you are interviewing them as much as they are interviewing you. All the best JPhillips!

Wabash may have just posted the job and brought outside people in for interviews... all the while intending to hire someone else.

[JPhillips]

I know that happens, but I don't believe it's true in this case. All three candidates are outsiders and there is no local theatre community to draw from. They're also a private school, so I'm not sure they would have to go through those hoops if they didn't want to.

I think the diversity issue is a bigger concern as it's overwhelmingly a white, male faculty at present.

[JPhillips]

I got a call from the department chair that said I should expect a call from the dean today with an official offer. Assuming the offer is in line with what I was told during the interview we should accept. Welcome to Crawfordsville.

[Klinglerware]

Congrats!

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Congrats on the job. I really think you'll enjoy the change from Maryland. A little more laid back and friendly.

[Drake]

Woo-hoo! Welcome to the Hoosier state, JPhillips.

[wade moore]

Congratulations!

[Izulde]

Congrats!

[John Galt]

Congrats. That's great.

[NoMyths]

Congratulations, professor.

[dacman]

Congrats and this life-long hoosier (but boilermaker by the grace of God) welcomes you to Indiana.

[JPhillips]

Just got the official offer. After my wife and figure out logistics I'll call tomorrow and accept. It's officially a one year appointment, but provided I don't suck I'll be there for two years as it's cover for two successive sabbaticals. I also found out that the delay in hiring is because one of the tenured faculty resigned. I don't know if that will mean anything for me, but I'm hoping I'll get an extended interview next year for the tenured spot as I can't imagine they can start a search this late in the year.

Thanks for all your support. I finally feel like I'm on a career path as opposed to working jobs. Thank God I don't have to send out any more CV/portfolio packs for a while!

[Ajaxab]

Congrats on joining the club JPhil! That is definitely great news.

If you do a good job next year, it sounds like you could definitely be in line for a tenure position. All the best in the coming months!

[INDalltheway]

Congrats.. I will be back in the great city of Crawfordsville in about 2 weeks.

[cody8200]

I have two cousins that goto Wabash College. They really like it. One is a freshman and the other a sophomore. Congrads on getting the job. Welcome to Indiana.

[King of New York]

Landing a faculty position after your first interview?!?! That's mighty impressive, JPhillips.

I hope that things work out for you at Wabash. Notwithstanding this week's events, teaching at a college with good students is immensely rewarding.

I see that they're hiring you at the Associate level--are you coming in with tenure (which is very rare), or is there going to be a probationary period of a few years?

[JPhillips]

It's actually a two year sabbatical replacement as it currently stands. I don't know if it will turn into anything more, but one faculty member just resigned this week and another has 25+ years in so he'll be leaving relatively soon. I may not get more than two years, but I may be getting into a position where I'm on an extended interview for a tenure track position. Either way it's a good spot for me and the offer far exceeded my expectations for a visiting faculty member.

[King of New York]

Originally Posted by JPhillips

It's actually a two year sabbatical replacement as it currently stands. I don't know if it will turn into anything more, but one faculty member just resigned this week and another has 25+ years in so he'll be leaving relatively soon. I may not get more than two years, but I may be getting into a position where I'm on an extended interview for a tenure track position. Either way it's a good spot for me and the offer far exceeded my expectations for a visiting faculty member.

Gotcha. These one- or two-year replacement appointments (I did a whole bunch of them) sometimes do lead to an offer of a permanent position. At the very least, the experience will give you strong credentials if you wind up applying to other schools.