Table Of Content

Report on the MLA Job Information List, 2008–09 MLA Office of Research Web publication, 25 September 2009 © 2009 by The Modern Language Association of America All material published by the Modern Language Association in any medium is protected by copyright. Users may link to the MLA Web page freely and may quote from MLA publications as allowed by the doctrine of fair use. Written permission is required for any other reproduction of material from any MLA publication. Send requests for permission to reprint material to the MLA permissions manager by mail (26 Broadway, New York, NY 10004- 1789), e-mail ([email protected]), or fax (646 458-0030). Report on the MLA Job Information List, 2008–09 The financial crisis of 2008 made its consequences painfully evident in the 2008–09 MLA Job Information List (JIL). After trending upward between 2003–04 and 2007–08, the number of jobs advertised in the JIL in 2008–09 declined since 2007–08 by 446 (24.4%) in English and 453 (27.0%) in foreign languages. In the English edition 1,202 ads announced 1,380 jobs; in the foreign language edition 1,106 ads announced 1,227 jobs (ads that departments later marked “search canceled” have been excluded from these counts). In both numerical and percentage terms, this year’s declines mark the largest single-year decreases in the thirty-four-year history of the JIL counts. Figure 1 shows the trend lines for the number of jobs advertised in the JIL’s English and foreign language editions from 1975–76 to 2008–09. Despite this year’s severe declines, departments advertised more positions in 2008–09 than in the trough year 1993–94, when 1,075 openings were advertised in the English edition (305 [22.1%] fewer than 2008–09) and 1,047 were advertised in the foreign language edition (180 [14.7%] fewer than 2008–09). Over more than three decades the number of jobs has mirrored the cycles of recession and expansion in the economy. In the face of the sharp drops in the number of jobs advertised, the distribution of positions by tenure status, rank, and field remains close to recent norms, as measured by the way departments index their ads—although most recently somewhat higher percentages of ads have been tagged non-tenure-track or have left the tenure status of positions unspecified. Figure 2 (English edition) and figure 3 (foreign language edition) show how ads have been tagged for tenure status over the five years 2004–05 to 2008–09. The percentage of ads tagged as announcing tenure-track positions has ranged from just under 75% to just under 80% in the English edition and from just under 60% to just under 65% in the foreign language edition. As shown in figures 4 and 5, ads tagged with the two index terms tenure- track and assistant professor have consistently made up between 52% and 57% of all ads published in the English edition (fig. 4) and between 41% and 46% of all ads published in the foreign language edition (fig. 5). An additional 11% to 12% of ads in the English edition and 8% to 10% of ads in the foreign language edition are indexed as tenure-track and assistant professor along with another rank (instructor, associate professor, or professor). In the foreign language edition, the percentage decline in ads for non-tenure-track positions (32.3%, or 186 ads) was even more severe than the decline in ads for tenure-track positions (26.2%, or 237 ads). Consequently, the percentage of ads tagged tenure-track and assistant professor was somewhat higher in the foreign language edition this year than last (45.2% as compared with 41.7%), even as the number of such ads decreased. Figures 6 and 7 show the number of jobs advertised in the list’s English and foreign language editions, respectively, broken out for each of the five seasonal issues. As the two figures indicate, in both English and foreign languages the percentage drops from 2007–08 to 2008–09 grew larger with each issue, from October to Summer. In foreign languages, the October 2008 issue was only 5.8%, or 26 jobs, smaller than the October 2007 issue; in English, the October 2008 issue was 11.6%, or 70 jobs, smaller. The December and February issues of the English edition were 24.9% and 24.8%, or 113 and 99 jobs, smaller, respectively, than the same issues of the previous year; the April and Summer issues were 47.3% and 42.0%, or 78 and 86 jobs, smaller. In foreign languages, the December and February issues were 28.5% and 27.5%, or 122 and 100 jobs, smaller, respectively, than the 1 same issues of the previous year; the April and Summer issues were 52.2% and 42.2%, or 108 and 97 jobs, smaller. As shown in figures 2 and 3, a larger share of ads was tagged non-tenure-track in 2006–07 and 2007–08, than in the two prior years. Figures 4 and 5 show that the percentage decreases through 2007–08 in ads tagged for tenure-track assistant professor were driven by increases in the number of ads tagged non-tenure-track rather than decreases in the number tagged for tenure-track assistant professor. In English, ads tagged non-tenure-track numbered 270 in 2004–05 and 354 in 2007–08; ads tagged tenure-track assistant professor numbered 850 in 2004–05 and 877 in 2007–08. In foreign languages, ads tagged non-tenure-track numbered 417 in 2004–05 and 576 in 2007–08; ads tagged tenure-track assistant professor numbered 556 in 2004–05 and 634 in 2007–08. It is not possible to know on the basis of data from the JIL whether the recent increases in ads for non-tenure-track positions indicate increases in departments’ use of full-time non-tenure-track faculty appointments or only increased use of the JIL to announce and fill such positions. Data from United States Department of Education surveys presented in two 2008 MLA reports, Demography of the Faculty and Education in the Balance (Laurence; 2007 ADE Ad Hoc Committee), document how since 1995, in both four-year and two-year institutions, large increases in the full- and part-time non-tenure-track segments of the faculty dwarf the negligible growth in the tenure- track ranks. Virtually all positions announced in the JIL are full time, and the JIL thus affords no insight into the scale of departments’ hiring of part-time faculty members. The number of ads tagged as openings for full-time tenure-track assistant professors and non-tenure-track instructors does serve as a valuable source of data about opportunities for full-time entry level academic employment in four-year institutions available to new and recent graduates of PhD programs. (Few two-year colleges use the JIL to advertise openings on their faculties.) Ads tagged as both tenure track and assistant professor have consistently since 2004–05 made up about 55% of the year’s total in English (fig. 4) and 44% in foreign languages (fig. 5). An additional 12% of ads in the English edition and 9% of ads in the foreign language edition, on average, are tagged as both tenure track and assistant professor in combination with another rank category (instructor, associate professor, or professor). Table 1 (English) and table 2 (foreign languages) show in more detail how departments have tagged their ads using the four index terms for rank—instructor, assistant professor, associate professor, and professor—across the nine years from 2000–01 to 2008– 09. Tables 3 and 4 show detail for how listings have been tagged for field specialization across the nine years from 2000–01 to 2008–09. Because departments use multiple index terms to tag their ads, the number of ads tagged with the various field index terms adds to a total greater than the total number of ads published. The percentage values represent the percentage of published ads tagged using any given index term and show considerable consistency over time compared with fluctuations in the number of ads. Across the nine years roughly 30% of ads in the English edition have been tagged with the terms composition and rhetoric, British literature, and American literature (including African American literature). Tagging of ads in the foreign language edition shows somewhat more change: the percentage of ads tagged for Spanish has dropped from close to 50% to 43%, while the percentage tagged for Chinese has grown from between 2% and 4% to between 6% and 8%. David Laurence Director of Research 2 Works Cited Laurence, David. Demography of the Faculty: A Statistical Portrait of English and Foreign Languages. MLA, 2008. Web. 4 Sept. 2009. 2007 ADE Ad Hoc Committee on Staffing. Education in the Balance: A Report on the Academic Workforce in English. MLA, 2008. Web. 4 Sept. 2009. 3 Fig. 1. Total Number of Positions Advertised in the MLA Job Information List, 1975–76 to 2008–09 2,500 2,075 1,978 2,000 1,895 1,828 1,826 1,793 1,7001,7411,8571,873 1,670 1,7321,680 1,7391,687 1,500 1,4501,441 1,4561,5751,461 1,4921,6221,703 1,6371,507 1,517 1,541 1,5911,680 1,380 1,515 1,368 1,3251,327 1,338 1,488 1,482 1,442 1,288 1,3871,3541,352 1,193 1,365 1,3691,367 1,3691,361 1,310 1,297 1,152 1,159 1,121 1,285 1,2371,238 1,238 1,075 1,098 1,227 1,188 1,192 1,166 1,1341,129 1,109 1,000 1,088 1,047 English edition 500 Foreign language edition 0 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 7 7 7 7 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – 0 – – – – – – – – – 5 7 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 2 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 7 7 7 7 7 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 – 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 9 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 9 1 Fig. 2. Number and Percentage of Ads Indexed as Tenure-Track, Non-Tenure-Track, or with Tenure Status Not Specified in the English JIL, 2004–05 to 2008–09 1,800 49 (3.0%) 37 (2.4%) 1,600 34 (2.3%) 36 (2.4%) 354 (21.5%) 1,400 315 (20.0%) 270 (18.0% Tenure status not 281 (19.0%) specified 51 (4.2%) 1,200 254 (21.1%) 1,000 Non-tenure-track 800 600 1,193 (79.7%) 1,165 (78.6%) 1,221 (77.6%) 1,244 (75.5%) Tenure-track 897 (74.6%) 400 200 0 2004–05 2005–06 2006–07 2007–08 2008–09 Fig. 3. Number and Percentage of Ads Indexed as Tenure-Track, Non-Tenure-Track, or with Tenure Status Not Specified in the Foreign Language JIL, 2004–05 to 2008–09 1,600 40 (2.6%) 26 (1.8%) 1,400 35 (2.8%) 26 (2.1%) 1,200 576 (37.9%) Tenure status not 550 (38.3%) 47 (4.2%) specified 1,000 417 (33.4%) 411 (33.2%) 390 (35.3%) Non-tenure-track 800 600 Tenure-track 905 (59.5%) 860 (59.9%) 400 796 (63.8%) 800 (64.7%) 669 (60.5%) 200 0 2004–05 2005–06 2006–07 2007–08 2008–09 Fig. 4. Number and Percentage of Ads Indexed for Tenure Status and Rank in the English JIL, 2004–05 to 2008–09 1,800 49 (3.0%) 37 (2.4%) 1,600 34 (2.3%) 36 (2.4%) Tenure status not specified 354 (21.5%) 1,400 315 (20.0%) 270 (18.0%) 281 (19.0%) 51 (4.2%) 1,200 Non-tenure-track 156 (9.9%) 175 (10.6%) 167 (11.2%) 169 (11.4%) 254 (21.1%) 1,000 181 (11.5%) 192 (11.7%) 176 (11.8%) Other tenure-track 190 (12.8%) 127 (10.6%) 800 144 (12.0%) Tenure-track assistant professor and some other rank (more than one index 600 term for rank chosen) 850 (56.8%) 884 (56.2%) 877 (53.2%) Tenure-track assistant professor 400 806 (54.4%) 626 (52.1%) 200 0 2004–05 2005–06 2006–07 2007–08 2008–09 Fig. 5. Number and Percentage of Ads Indexed for Tenure Status and Rank in the Foreign Language JIL, 2004–05 to 2008–09 1,600 40 (2.6%) 26 (1.8%) 1,400 35 (2.8%) 26 (2.1%) Tenure status not specified 1,200 576 (37.8%) 550 (38.3%) 47 (4.2%) Non-tenure-track 1,000 417 (33.4%) 411 (33.2%) 390 (35.3%) 131 (8.6%) Other tenure-track 800 104 (7.2%) 117 (9.4%) 110 (8.9%) 114 (7.9%) 141 (9.3%) 123 (9.9%) 121 (9.8%) 75 (6.8%) Tenure-track assistant professor and 600 some other rank (more than one index 94 (8.5%) term for rank chosen) 400 Tenure-track assistant professor 642 (44.7%) 634 (41.7%) 556 (44.6%) 569 (46.0%) 500 (45.2%) 200 0 2004–05 2005–06 2006–07 2007–08 2008–09 Fig. 6. Trends in the Number of Positions Advertised in the Five Seasonal Issues of the English JIL, 1975–76 to 2008–09 2,500 Summer April February 50 2,000 29 December 236 28 October 239 110 96 37 39 126 90 175 177 205 1,500 46 54 35 25518 56 35 180 209 369 382 280 7287 12152 19633 312 117 111142 160 149 110403 147 165 1,000 233136 232139 23300712 22428589 138359 355 231386 12456231 12489366 139260 337236 322756 404 354 501 129824 1719170 1719492 1516091 1615173 1625101 173755 1253459 226350 229250 335 323102 332348 310263 368 372 337715 399 31801709 275 378 390 276 453 249 205 303 385 388 300 338 320 374 247 221 261 340 421 405 410 327 1053 500 892 937 976 926 885 899 959 983 784 792 512 523 551 544 523 567 735 620 624 679 605 700 698 649 686 682 723 604 534 434 440 438 375 0 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 7 7 7 7 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – 0 – – – – – – – – – 5 7 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 2 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 7 7 7 7 7 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 – 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 9 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 9 1