Teaching colleges want to be R2s now?

[SLAC(ker)]

I've had three (three!) interviews this cycle with teaching colleges and/or non-Carnegie-ranked universities where I get to the interview, I talk up my teaching background in alignment with the job posting, and then the committee informs me the institution is "trying to transition" to being a Carnegie-ranked research institution. It feels like such a bait-and-switch and I'm not sure what kind of response they're looking for. I have a competitive research CV (have been a finalist for an R1) but I don't want SLACs to think I'm going to bounce as soon as a better opportunity comes along.

Anyone else have this experience? How did you handle it and make it past the Zoom?

[Slac]

Dec 21, 2022 12:24:53 GMT -5 SLAC(ker) said:

I've had three (three!) interviews this cycle with teaching colleges and/or non-Carnegie-ranked universities where I get to the interview, I talk up my teaching background in alignment with the job posting, and then the committee informs me the institution is "trying to transition" to being a Carnegie-ranked research institution. It feels like such a bait-and-switch and I'm not sure what kind of response they're looking for. I have a competitive research CV (have been a finalist for an R1) but I don't want SLACs to think I'm going to bounce as soon as a better opportunity comes along.

Anyone else have this experience? How did you handle it and make it past the Zoom?

You have to really sell that you want to teach. But even then they might not believe you. I was a finalist for a Slac where I would have loved to work and probably stay forever. But the entire time they kept talking about how great my CV was and how much research I’ve done. They even asked me why I wanted to move down after working at such “prestigious” places. I tried to tell them that I would incorporate students in teaching and teaching was my focus. Didn’t seem to ultimately matter, they went with someone else. It can be tough to shake.

[NotAlone]

Not the OP, but it’s good to know that I’m not the only one experiencing this.

I think there are teaching universities aspiring to be R2. However, similar to the above poster, you have to REALLY sell that you’re invested in teaching. It should reflect in your application, interview, teaching demo, etc. The rest is out of your hands.

[use your references]

Jan 15, 2023 13:50:08 GMT -5 Slac said:

You have to really sell that you want to teach. But even then they might not believe you. I was a finalist for a Slac where I would have loved to work and probably stay forever. But the entire time they kept talking about how great my CV was and how much research I’ve done. They even asked me why I wanted to move down after working at such “prestigious” places. I tried to tell them that I would incorporate students in teaching and teaching was my focus. Didn’t seem to ultimately matter, they went with someone else. It can be tough to shake.

In this situation, your letter writers can really help you. They need to not just write the kind of general "this person is great" or even "this person is a great teacher" letter that they'd write if you were ABD. They need to say things like, "She's successful where she is, but over the years she's been there, I've heard her consistent disappointment that teaching takes a backseat in her current environment" or "I've watched her aspirations evolve as she's realized that teaching is at the heart of what she wants to contribute to the academic enterprise, and that to really achieve that, she needs to be at a different type of college." They need to address the issue head-on.

[using refs=great advice]

May 8, 2023 9:28:40 GMT -5 use your references said:

Jan 15, 2023 13:50:08 GMT -5 Slac said:

You have to really sell that you want to teach. But even then they might not believe you. I was a finalist for a Slac where I would have loved to work and probably stay forever. But the entire time they kept talking about how great my CV was and how much research I’ve done. They even asked me why I wanted to move down after working at such “prestigious” places. I tried to tell them that I would incorporate students in teaching and teaching was my focus. Didn’t seem to ultimately matter, they went with someone else. It can be tough to shake.

In this situation, your letter writers can really help you. They need to not just write the kind of general "this person is great" or even "this person is a great teacher" letter that they'd write if you were ABD. They need to say things like, "She's successful where she is, but over the years she's been there, I've heard her consistent disappointment that teaching takes a backseat in her current environment" or "I've watched her aspirations evolve as she's realized that teaching is at the heart of what she wants to contribute to the academic enterprise, and that to really achieve that, she needs to be at a different type of college." They need to address the issue head-on.

Since I can't upvote, just wanted to say this is such good advice. I wish I had thought to use my refs this way. The reality is that they didn't share their letters with me, so I didn't feel invited to ask them to emphasize anything. But I should have been just a bit more pushy.

[yeah]

Yeah, I tell my letter writers when I'm applying to a SLAC vs R1, but I still have no idea what they write. I guess people who write their own LORs have a major advantage. LORs are pretty absurd as a practice when you think about it. We should remove them entirely and just call references of the finalists directly.

[use your references]

You can give guidance without being pushy, even if they don't ask! When you ask them to write you a letter, say that you're hoping they could especially emphasize your sincerity about wanting to shift your career to be in a teaching-focused environment, or whatever it is.

Far from being pushy or presumptuous, I think it's easier to write a letter when the person tells me what they need it to say.