Academic Lingo
AAAS: Founded in 1848, the American Association for the Advancement of Science is the "world's largest general scientific major source of research on scientific disciplines and public advocacy.
AAU: Association of American Universities represents 62 of the top research universities in the United States and Canada. It focuses on issues that are important to research-intensive universities, including research policy issues, funding for students and research, and undergraduate and graduate education.
AAUP: The American Association of University Professors is an organization concerned with the rights and academic freedoms of university professors and it also works as a collective-bargaining agent. Job candidates may want to review the AAUP's annual report on the economic status of the profession, the most reliable national information available on faculty salaries.
ABD: "All but dissertation," a common term for doctoral students who have completed their coursework but have not yet finished their dissertation. Although this term is widely known in academic circles, it is unfamiliar to most people outside academe.
ACLS: The American Council of Learned Societies is a private non-profit federation of sixty-seven national scholarly organizations in the humanities and social sciences. Founded in 1919, the mission of the ACLS is "the advancement of humanistic studies in all fields of learning in the humanities and the social sciences and the maintenance and strengthening of relations among the national societies devoted to such studies."
Adjunct: An adjunct position (generally one semester or one year) is a non-tenure track university appointment. Some adjunct instructors teach full course loads, whereas others are only hired to teach 1-2 courses per semester. Adjuncts may or may not be provided with an office and usually do not receive benefits. Adjuncts are usually paid a lump sum for each class taught and are generally renewed on an as-needed basis. Adjunct Nation provides news articles and support to adjunct professors in all fields.
Annually Renewable: A term sometimes found in job descriptions for non-tenure track instructors, lecturers, adjuncts, and visiting positions implying that although there is no guarantee of the position continuing beyond its contractual terms, the position may be renewed.
Assistant Professor/Associate Professor/Professor: The tenure track hierarchy within a university. Generally, new PhD's are hired into assistant professor positions, and after receiving tenure, are promoted to an associate professor. Promotion to full professor occurs somewhat later.
Assistant Research Professor: A job classification most frequently found in medical schools.
Athletics: The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is the coalition of over 1,200 colleges and universities, athletic conferences, and sports organizations, and it serves a powerful role in the oversight of intercollegiate athletics. Knowing about a school's athletics programs prior an interview can be important since it impacts campus culture, can have implications on student recruitment, and can be a useful tool for making small talk at interviews and conferences.
Campus Visit: In the final stage of most academic job searches, the top 3-4 applicants are brought to campus for a one day (or possibly multi-day) set of interviews. Campus visits generally consist of a job talk and multiple interviews. Some departments will also have candidates teach an undergraduate-level course. Candidates are carefully scrutinized and assessed for their fit with the department and university culture.
Carnegie classifications: A classification scheme for all U.S. degree-granting higher education institutions, in which institutions are generally divided into broad categories. These classifications are widely used in academic discourse, and all job candidates should be familiar with their general application. Further subdivision of these categories, as well as a discussion of previous classifications (which are still used by many individuals), is explained on the Carnegie Foundation Web site. A list of frequently asked questions is available to provide further information.
Chronicle of Higher Education: The Chronicle is a national, weekly publication that features articles, news, and job postings pertaining to academe. It is available through paper or electronic subscription, but much of the Chronicle is available to non-subscribers. In particular, the Chronicle Careers section is available to all, and is a useful career planning resources for graduate students.
Content management system (CMS): A system that supports the web-based creation, management, distribution, and publishing of information to a broad audience. These systems are generally used in higher education to facilitate the administrative components of classes, and faculty often use these systems to post syllabi, assignments, reserve materials, announcements, and other information. They may also be used to track students, manage grades, and compile course statistics, and offer a variety of interactive tools, including real-time chat and whiteboard features. Blackboard is major vendor of this type of software. Many institutions, including the University of Illinois, offer this tool for faculty use.
Conference interview: These interviews generally take place at national scholarly conferences or meetings and usually lasts 30-60 minutes. Search committees may use these as screening interviews to determine the short list of candidates to invite for the campus visit.
CV: Also called a curriculum vitae, or just "vita," the CV is used to apply for college and university teaching positions as well as for fellowships and industrial research jobs. Individuals applying for administrative positions in academe may be asked for either a résumé or a CV. Further information about constructing a CV is available on this Web site.
"Degree in Hand": This is a phrase sometimes seen in job ads, and it indicates that the employer is searching for a candidate for whom the degree has been completed and the PhD has been conferred (or will be conferred by the time the candidate is to begin work). Some employers require verification that all degree requirements have been met, usually through an official university transcript or a letter of certification. If your new employer requires such proof, contact the Office of the Registrar or the Graduate College Thesis Office.
Distance Education: Also widely known as "distance learning," this is a method of teaching and disseminating information to students beyond traditional on-site classroom instruction. Distance education is one of the fastest-growing-and controversial-segments of higher education today. It is facilitated through a variety of technologies, including video conferencing, online discussion groups, and many others. Additional information about the debate on distance education is available from the Chronicle of Higher Education.
Credentials file: This is a centralized file of supporting materials for your academic job search, including official letters of recommendation. The organization supporting a credentials file mails out copies of specific materials at your request. A credentials file is also sometimes known as a "dossier," "placement file," or "electronic portfolio." An independent online resource is Interfolio, which charges an annual membership fee as well as a delivery fee per item. The use of credentials files is common in some disciplines and rare in others, but in general, students rely on these resources when they are applying to dozens of positions.
Dossier: See credentials file.
Dual-career couple: A domestic couple where both partners are pursuing professional employment.
Evidence of Excellence in Teaching: This is an open-ended phrase found in many job ads, requesting an applicant to submit in their application anything that will demonstrate their teaching skills. Evidence of teaching skills may be demonstrated through a faculty letter of recommendation. Teaching awards or credentials such as the CTE teaching certificates may be cited in the CV and discussed more fully in a cover letter. You may even wish to include a separate statement of teaching philosophy. However, avoid sending many unsolicited materials; hiring committees do not want to contend with additional materials during the first review of applicants.
Emeritus professor: The title given to a retired faculty member who achieved professor status. Many emeritus faculty remain active, occasionally teaching, advising, and researching.
FERPA: The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA) is a federal law that governs educational records and protects student privacy. Letters of reference, posting of grades, and discussion of student performance are all regulated by FERPA. Faculty members should be familiar with FERPA regulations. Find out how instructors can comply with the law on the FERPA Information Page.
Independent Scholar: A researcher who conducts scholarly research but is not affiliated with a university or other organization. The National Coalition of Independent Scholars is a non-profit organization that works to bring independent scholars together to share scholarly interests and expertise, improve access to research libraries, and generally to support their scholarship and research.
Job talk: Sometimes called a "seminar," "colloquium," or numerous other discipline-specific terms, this is the scholarly presentation given by an applicant during the campus visit. The audience may vary, but usually includes faculty members and students and may even be open to all members of the campus community. Be certain to clarify all logistical details surrounding the job talk when arranging a campus visit.
Land-Grant Institution: In 1862 the federal government granted each state 30,000 acres of public land. Proceeds from the sale of these lands provided support for the establishment and continuation of colleges of agriculture and mechanical arts. Many of these institutions have become internationally prominent universities in fields well outside agriculture and engineering, including the University of Illinois. A list of land grant institutions is available at www.higher-ed.org/resources/land_grant_colleges.htm.
Negotiation: The process in which a potential employee attempts to obtain more value from a job offer. Typical areas of negotiation for academic jobs include salary, office space, funding for research and travel, spousal assistance, and relocation costs. Further information about negotiation strategies will soon be available on this Web site.
Non-traditional students: Students who return to school after being out for any length of time. These students, who constitute a growing percentage of total students, often have other family, career, or community responsibilities in addition to their role as a student. The Association for Non-Traditional Students in Higher Education attempts to unite these students through a listserv and other resources.
Open range: A term sometimes seen in academic job postings, indicating that the search committee is willing to accept candidates of various ranks (from recent PhDs to tenured professors) and that the rank of the position (assistant professor, associate professor, or professor) will depend on the qualifications and experience of the chosen applicant.
Private, public, and proprietary institutions: Public institutions (such as the University of Illinois) are subsidized by the state, and are subject to statewide legislation. These institutions do raise some funds privately but operate on a not-for-profit basis. Private institutions (such as Bradley University) are those that are independent of state control. Private institutions are supported primarily from private funds in the form of tuition, fees, endowments and donations. Private institutions are also not-for-profit; however, many also receive state or federal aid dollars. Proprietary institutions (such as the University of Phoenix) are privately owned and are operated for profit. These institutions, the fastest-growing segment of higher education today, have traditionally provided practical vocational training, but have increasingly offered graduate-level degree programs in recent years. Frequently derided as offering low quality education, often via the Internet, these institutions have gained a more prominent place in higher education as they gain a larger share of the market.
Provost: This person is generally the senior academic officer of a university or campus. The provost has oversight for all academic deans, promotion and tenure, and any other decisions that directly affect academic units.
Postdoc: Short for "postdoctoral fellow," it refers to someone who holds the PhD (or MD, other doctorate, or the equivalent) and is appointed to a position for advanced research and training. Postdoctoral positions are available in universities as well as research centers and industrial businesses. are most common in scientific fields, and vary in length.
Publications: Published articles, entries, and books are an important component of a CV, and unpublished works may also be listed if appropriate terminology is applied. A publication is forthcoming when it has been completed and accepted for publication but has not yet appeared in the journal or other media. A work can be classified as under review or under submission when it has been submitted to a publisher, but has not yet been accepted. If you are currently writing an article but have not yet submitted it for review, you may list it as in preparation. Graduate students should be careful not to include too many works that are under review and in preparation since these can appear to inflate the CV and work to the applicant's disadvantage.
Release Time: This term refers to a reduce in work responsibilities, usually teaching, to enable a faculty member to pursue scholarly research, creative projects, or professional development activities. Release time is commonly granted with no reduction in salary for a predetermined period, usually a semester or quarter. The amount of release time varies greatly, depending upon circumstances and funding, from a small percentage (perhaps one course) to 100% of an appointment. Release time is often an element of negotiation for job applicants, as it can provide junior faculty members with the dedicated research time necessary to achieve tenure.
Search Committee: A group within a hiring department charged with the responsibility of screening and interviewing candidates, as well as making recommendations and/or final hiring decisions. Search committees generally consist of faculty members from the hiring department, and sometimes include students, administrators, or outside faculty members.
Short List: The top candidates in an academic job search. Generally the candidates who make it to the short list are brought to campus for an interview.
Soft Money: A position that is funded by "soft money" is one in which permanent funding does not exist. Instead, the employee (or some other person) is responsible for raising the funds (generally through grants) for the position. Non-renewable contracts are often supported by soft money, and these positions have less job security than positions with permanent funding.
Soft Skills: This phrase is commonly used to refer to non-technical skills, and it seems to have originated in the information technology (IT) sector. It is now widely used in IT and beyond. "Soft skills" refers to the numerous competencies valued by virtually all employers, including excellent verbal and written communication skills, the ability to think critically and resolve problems, and the capacity to be personable and work well with others. It may also include presentation, decision-making, time management, teamwork, and leadership skills.
Spousal Hiring Program: A policy that some universities have in place to assist the spouses of highly sought-after job candidates. Institutional practices vary widely, from providing job search assistance and resources for the spouse to actually procuring employment at the university or other affiliated organization.
Standing Faculty: All permanent faculty members who have tenure or are on the tenure track in a university. Standing faculty usually have titles such as professor, associate professor, and assistant professor.
Statement of Purpose: This term often appears in academic job ads. It refers to a cover letter providing an overview of a candidate's qualifications as they relate to the job.
Statement of Teaching Philosophy: A brief essay often requested in an academic job application where the applicant discusses the techniques, ideas, and principles he employs when teaching. Effective teaching philosophy statements usually support theoretical principles with concrete examples used in the applicant's classroom. Further information about the statement of teaching philosophy can be found on this website.
Statement of Research Interests: A brief essay that allows the applicant to elaborate on past, current, and future research interests. The applicant's dissertation topic is generally discussed in this document, as well as any plans to publish or expand this research following deposit. Students in most disciplines will also discuss intended areas of future research. The scope of this statement varies by discipline, so be certain to consult with your adviser.
Teaching Portfolio: A collection of documents supporting an applicant's teaching experience. It is usually requested by a search committee after an initial review of the applicant pool. A teaching portfolio may include a wide variety of materials, including a statement of teaching philosophy, a list and description of all courses taught, sample course syllabi, and samples of assignments and exams.
Tenure: Tenure is a part of the formal promotion process at most universities and provides a strong degree of job security for senior professors. The purpose of tenure is to protect academic freedoms. The tenure review process is a rigorous, formal peer review process that usually takes place after 4-6 years as an assistant professor. Promotion to associate professor and the granting of indefinite tenure usually occur simultaneously.
Tenure Track: An academic position that is clearly defined as leading to tenure, following formal review. Many academic positions, particularly short-term appointments, are not tenure track, implied by titles such as "instructor," "visiting assistant professor," and "lecturer."
Time to Degree: The number of years it takes to complete a doctoral degree. The time to degree varies by area of study, but is generally longer in the humanities than in the sciences.
Trailing Spouse: The spouse of an academic faculty member or applicant who has an advanced education and chooses to seek employment only in the area geographically near his/her partner. Trailing spouses often secure satisfying employment that uses their skills and academic training, but occasionally have to take less suitable positions, especially during a weak economy or in a remote location with few professional job opportunities.
Unions: Faculty members are unionized on some campuses. The AAUP is the most common collective bargaining agent, but others exist. Faculty contracts that result from collective bargaining usually define minimum salaries for faculty members on that campus. A list of AAUP chapters is available on its web site. If you have been offered a tenure track position at a college or university with unionized faculty, you may wish to contact the union there for advice on the contract and possible hints on negotiation.
Visiting: A university position that is temporary and has a designated length. These positions are often renewed on a yearly basis, but no guarantees are provided to the employee. Visiting positions are also often used when a department is trying to fill a tenure track position but needs a temporary employee. Visiting positions sometimes turn into permanent positions, and can be an excellent way of getting your foot in the door at a university.