U Kentucky - Crim Lecturer

[birdy]

The University of Kentucky’s Department of Sociology invites applications for a non-tenure track, full-time Lecturer position (health and retirement benefits included) to begin August 15, 2015. The position can in principle be renewed indefinitely and allows for possible promotion to senior lecturer. The initial contract is for two years. The department is seeking a scholar who can contribute to undergraduate instruction in criminology as well as quantitative methods, and could contribute to an internship program. The lecturer will have up to a 4/3 teaching load per year at the undergraduate level and contribute to the new minor in criminology. Candidates must have completed the Ph.D. in sociology or criminal justice at the time of the appointment. Interested candidates should submit the following items through Interfolio: a cover letter, a curriculum vitae, a teaching statement, a teaching portfolio, and three reference letters. Follow this link to Interfolio to apply for the position: apply.interfolio.com/26911. The teaching statement should describe the applicant’s teaching philosophy and pedagogical approaches, as well as specific courses that the applicant has taught or is prepared to teach. Review of applications will begin on November 4, 2014 and continue until the position is filled. The University of Kentucky is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity University that values diversity and is located in an increasingly diverse region. It is a Research I institution and committed to becoming one of the top public universities in the country. Women, persons with disabilities, veterans, and members of underrepresented groups are encouraged to apply.

[sick]

Lamentable that institutions are creating these exploitative positions.

[agreed]

Oct 19, 2014 10:00:32 GMT -5 sick said:

Lamentable that institutions are creating these exploitative positions.

+1

[explain]

In what way are they exploitative? We have a couple in our department, and there were many in my grad department. They were held by those who loved teaching. Since I'm considering some - including this one - I'd be interested in the negatives.

[precarity]

Teaching positions are fine and worthwhile for those who are interested. The exploitation comes with the precarity of the employment, which is for two years and "can in principle be renewed indefinitely," basically meaning that you can find yourself having worked for years on your PhD, only to teach a heavy load, load all time for publishing, and then be turfed if the university gets budgetary approval for a tenure-track line The "women, persons with disabilities, veterans, and members of underrepresented groups" that they are encouraging to apply are well-acquainted with this type of precarious, second-tier status.

[precarity]

that is "*lose* all time for publishing"

[reply to precarity]

The way I read this particular position is that the initial contract is for 2 years, but if you do your job well, and barring any major changes in the areas of focus within the department, this position could eventually lead to a position of Senior Lecturer, which is not a bad gig at all. I understand that there are risks involved, but there are risks involved with gambling on getting a tenure-track position in the second or third round of the market, too. Maybe it would be better if this were advertised in the Spring. The problem with these positions, to me, are not the precarious nature of the job security. Who outside of tenured faculty really have much job security anyway? Certainly not any other industry. The problem is the low pay. If this position payed $70k, I would be all over it. As the market is, however, it likely pays in the 50's which is better than most small colleges, but not really enough to support anyone unless they are a single person, debt free, or part of a dual income household. My first job out of grad school payed 55, and I thought that was a lot of money at the time.