Bard College - VAP 2 yr - theory, open

[bardian]

Bard College invites applications for a two-year position in sociology at the assistant professor level to begin Fall semester 2015. We seek candidates with a specialization in social theory. Other substantive areas are open, but preference will be given to candidates who can teach in one or more of the following areas: historical/comparative sociology, health and medical sociology, education, media and technology. Applicants are expected to teach courses in sociological theory. Other courses must meet our departmental needs but will be tailored to the candidate’s interests and strengths. Responsibilities also include the supervision of undergraduate senior theses. The faculty member will teach also in Bard's First-Year Seminar, the foundation of the college's commitment to general education.

The successful candidate must hold or be near completion of a PhD. Please send a letter of application, curriculum vitae, research statement, teaching statement including course syllabi, available student evaluations and three letters of recommendation by electronic submission through interfolio by Committee: apply.interfolio.com/28136/. Screening of applications will begin immediately; applications will be accepted until February 15, 2015.

For more information on Bard, visit www.bard.edu. Bard is an Equal Opportunity employer and we welcome applications for encourages applications from those who contribute to our diversity.

[Reputation]

Any updates on their reputation?

FYI: By all means apply, but I recommend taking a job at Bard only as a completely LAST resort...(REBUTTAL APPEARS IN DISCUSSION, ACCESS ABOVE BY PRESSING THE DISCUSSION BUTTON NEAR THE EDIT PAGE BUTTON) [Note: this refers to what is now called "TALK" in the new wiki format: see Talk:Universities to fear for more extended discussion of this school]

(I don't see a rebuttal anywhere--perhaps it didn't make in the transfer to scratchpad, but I am going to add my own cautionary tale about Bard in the discussion.)

Bard is a troubled institution. There are many reasons for this: an unusually powerful and unstable administration, including the president and the Dean of the College, a complete lack of faculty governance and resulting infantilization of the faculty, and a culture of fealty, fear, and lies. The college has a disturbing history of firing/not retaining faculty of color and gay men in particular, although all probationary faculty are at risk, the college's own tenure and promotion guidelines are regularly violated during third-year and tenure reviews, and the college has a peculiarly strong sense of itself (fit) grounded in the whims of its well-known and long-tenured president that works to enforce narrow senses of faculty roles and placement (i.e., racism and homophobia). It's relationship to curriculum programming is parochial; many of its older, tenured faculty are remarkably conservative in a disciplinary sense, and do not nor want to understand contemporary training of graduate students; searches are regularly voided by the president, and search committees themselves often engage in blatant and openly discriminatory hiring practices (for instance, not considering any applications from women of color, in the example of one search); and the differences between those empowered and those disempowered is based not in performance, teaching, or research, but in one's proximity to the president and his acolytes, in particular the current Dean. The Dean's Office regularly lies to faculty, does not follow established college procedures, and engages in patently illegal personal decisions. The college has such a troubled litigation history that there is an academic labor lawyer in New York City that *specializes* in Bard cases. Confidentiality agreements usually contain this disturbing trend (none is being broached here, btw). Use caution when applying and/or considering an offer from the college, especially for interdisciplinary-based applicants, applicants who are gay men or of color, and anyone who desires a healthy working atmosphere.

I interviewed for Bard (German) a few years ago and heard lots of troubling stories about arbitrary decision-making by the administration there. I didn't get an offer and probably wouldn't have gone there anyway, so I can't confirm this out of experience. But I can say that it was one of the worst interview experiences I've ever had. Did not bode well for collegiality.
The most toxic environment imaginable. President and dean consistently intimidate and manipulate faculty in the worst imaginable ways. Several faculty members simply play into their hands and contribute to the hostility. My best advice: STAY AWAY.

from: academicjobs.wikia.com/wiki/Universities_to_fear

[yikes]

sounds gross. but its just a 2 year (thus, last resort anyway by default for most) in and out to hopefully better pastures anyway.

[one million dollars!]

I googled a pic of the prez of Bard College and he looks like Dr. Evil ...

Sounds like a real piece of work ...