One of the cool things about the Pitt MFA program is that grad students get to participate in the search process when the University is out to hire a new fiction professor. We can read all the applications, sit in on the meetings, and even have our votes count a teensy bit.
When the search for a new assistant professor began, we had well over 100 applications, which were narrowed down to about 30. There were some candidates I liked a lot who didn’t make that cut. Competition was tough.
That batch, which then sent books, teaching materials and more, was just this afternoon whittled down to a handful who will be interviewed at MLA. Sitting in on that meeting was fascinating. All the applicants are so accomplished: NEA grants, award-winning stories, fantastic recommendations from colleagues and students, projects, involvements, books from independent publishers and major houses. How to weigh one factor against the next? How to come to consensus on work that one person likes and another finds wretched?
Most graduate students would probably not, as I did, disagree with the head of their program over a particular candidate. Even as the marquee in my brain was flashing “Career Ruining Moment! Alert! Alert!” I pointed out that grad students had much enthusiasm for this particular candidate, who we’d love to see advance. Hopefully I was merely being annoying (and not making myself a permanent pariah).
Advancement means they’ll be interviewed at MLA by an elite team of professors. They’ll decide the few that will be asked to come for campus interviews in spring. I think those last for a couple of days, and I understand grad students will play a role then, too. Like going to dinner and trying to ask questions that haven’t been asked to death already.
I can say right now that at each stage, some truly outstanding candidates have fallen away. Which is great for us, as a school — but as an MFA student, I can see that it’s really tough out there. Best of luck to everyone who’s looking for a gig. And if I may say so, you all rock.
How awesome that you ignored that flashing marquee!
Oy, MLA. At my publishing job I worked a lot with the English textbook team and always felt really, really bad for them that they had to go to MLA–not because of MLA itself but because every year it starts right after Christmas. So they get Christmas day at home with their families, fly out to wherever MLA is the next day, get another day or two at home for New Year’s, and then have to fly from Boston to the west coast for our week-long national sales meeting.
Anyway, that’s off the point. 🙂
That’s a great process Pitt has. Do you look for the all-around best candidate available, or do you try to fill a specific role in the Pitt faculty?
Andrew, I think you’re right about MLA — imagine being an interviewee!
About what Pitt is looking for — I can’t really speak for the committee, but I imagine the best person will likely be an excellent writer and an excellent teacher, and probably will have some extra bonus excellentness, too.