JIM RIDOLFO

ridolfo [at] gmail (dot) com

#mlajil firsts

by ridolfo on January 22, 2014, no comments

The Modern Language Association Job Information List has been published since 1965. As part of another project I am working on, I OCRed the complete archive from April 1965 to present. In this post today, I note first mentions of key words or disciplinary phrases related to rhetorical studies and technology.

rhetoric – 1965

The first mention of “rhetoric” was on page three of the first MLA JIL, April 1965 for the University of San Francisco:

University of San Francisco John B. Gleason Chmn. Rank 6 salary open, PhD, Admin. of Fr. Eng. prog. under general guidance of dept. chmn., upper div. 6 grad. courses in rhetoric, supervision of several teaching assts., college teaching experience, 12hrs. equivalent, faculty children's tuition paid.

rhetoric and composition – 1971

The first mention of “rhetoric and composition” as an exact phrase was in October 1971 for Colorado State University, Fort Collins.

COLORADO SU FORT COLLINS CO '80521 •ENGLISH September 14, 1971, Page 73. We have no definite openings, but one or two may occur later in the year. We will most likely want Ph.D.'s with special interest and competence in American ethnic literature(especially Chicano, Black, American Indian), rhetoric and composition(at all levels including preparation of teachers), and perhaps comparative literature, adolescent literature, and folklore. Will interview selected candidates at HLA if positions open by then. CSU is

computer – 1968

The first mention of “computer” anywhere in the JIL was page 29 of the November 1968 JIL by Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute for the Lang. & Lit Dept. For folks outside rhetorical studies, RPI is an early flagship doctoral program in rhetoric and technical communication. This job advertisement could be categorized as an early position in technical communication.

RENSSELAER POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTE, Troy, J. R. Gould, Chm, Lang. 6, Lit. Asst. Prof., PhD orABD,communications with a special interest in multimedia material,$9500-$11,500. Someevidenceof exp. in the field & interest in pub- lishing desired. 2 semesters, 9-12 hrs. Pose. summer work. Benefits: 4, partial 2, poss.3. Asst. Prof., PhD or ABD, rhetoric & communication, $9500-$11,500. Some evidence of exp. in the field & .interest in publishing desired. 2 semesters, 9 - 1 2 h r s . Pos e . summer work. Benefits: 4, partial 2, pose. 3. A'sst. Prof., PhD or ABD, lit. with a special emphasis on use of the computer in humanistic studies, $9500-$11,500. Some evidence of exp. in the field & interest inpublishingdesired.2semesters,9-12hrs.poss.summerwork. Benefits: 4, partial 2, pose. 3.

computers and writing – 1990

The first MLA JIL advertisement asking for “computers and writing” (exact phrase) was October 1990, Texas A&M (Page 33).

Texas A&M English College Station, TX Asst. Profs 3-4 tenure-track positions. Primary competence in one of the following: 1) African-American Lit.; 2) Early American or late 1 9th-c . American; 3) 13th c. British, especially narrative, 4) Linguistics: syntax or phonology; 5) Rhet. & Comp.: computers and writing; 6)ThirdWorldLit. We are especially interested in candidates with ancillary preparation in other areas: Sci.Piet.,Bibliog. & Textual Studies, Literary Theory, and Literary History. Competitive salaries andteachingloads,withreductionsforresearchandadministrative duties. Commitment to researchand publication essential. Send letter, dossier (including c.v.), and writing sample to: J. Lawrence Mitchell, Head; English Dept. Texas A&M University; College Station, TX 77843-4227. Must be postmarked no later thanI'(ovember 23, 1990. Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer.

humanities computing – 1995

The first MLA JIL job advertisement asking for humanities computing (exact phrase) was October 1995 for West Virginia University, page 35 of the JIL. WVU was/is also a strong PW department.

Thwtviii' U' tyDp1 1iigviip li ~th i tenure-track ositions to start August 15, 1996, pending funding. Ph. D. required; ability also to teach composition and introductory literature courses expected. In all cases, award of tenure and promotion to associate professor will be based on a record of excellence in scholarship clearly supported by excellence in teaching. I) Beginning Assistant Professor: African-American and/or multi-ethnic literature and culture. Evidence of ability to conduct and direct original research expected. 2) Assistant Professor: Coordinator of WVU's Center for Literary Computing. Evidence of ability to develop the Center as a major resource of instruction and research for both graduate and undergraduate students required; teaching assignment will include the development of a program of courses in humanities computing. 3) Beginning Assistant I'rofessor: General Literary Stuciies. Ev idence expecteci oi ability to develop and teach large sections of literature courses to students seeking general education credits in the humanities. Applicant should address specific methodologies appropriate to such courses in letter of application. Scholarly speciality is open, but favored areas include nineteenth or twentieth century British literature. Send letter of application and current c.v. to Prof. Patrick W. Conner, Chair, by Nov. 10, 1995. Minonties, disabled, women candidates urged to apply. AA/EOE

digital rhetoric – 2000

The first MLA JIL job advertisement asking for digital rhetoric (exact phrase) was Syracuse University on page 75 of the October 2000 JIL. Note that the Syracuse job also welcomes interest in “humanities computing.”

Syracuse U Writing Program, 239 H B Crouse Hall Syracuse NY 13244-1160 Assistant ProfessorfoWriting and Rhetoric 1225 http: //urt.syr.edu Tenure-track position to start August 2001. The Writing Program at Syracuse University seeks an Assistant Professor of Writing and Rhetoric specializing in digital rhetorics and pedagogics, to participate in an undergraduate writing pro- gram and a Ph. D. program in Composition and Cultural Rhetoric. Interests in computer-rich Writing pedagogics, electronic communication across the curriculum, vveb design, hypertext theory, theory or history of digital authorship, multiple literacies, or humanities computing welcome. Demonstrated excellence in teaching and scholarship required. Subnut application letter and curriculum vitae by November I, 2000 to Rebecca Moore Howard, Director of the Writing Pro- gram, 239 H. B. Crouse Hall, Syracuse, N. Y. 13244-1160. Email queries should be directed to rehoward@syr.edu.

digital humanities – 2000

The first MLA JIL job advertisement for “digital humanities” was also October 2000 for University of California, Santa Barbara, page 12 of the JIL.

U of California, Santa Barbara English Department, Santa Barbara CA 93106 Assistant Professor, Tenure Track, Digital Humanities 130 http: //vvinv.english.ucsb.edu/ Assistant Professor, tenure track, digital humanities. We anticipate making one appointment effective July I, 2001. We seek candidates vvho, vvhile vvorking in any literary tield, have a major commitment to studying the historical and theoretical aspects of infonuation technology and new media. Applicants should also be committed to some dimension of digital practice such as vveb authoring or multimedia. We anticipate that the person appointed would teach courses on such subjects as the culture and aesthetics of information, hypertext literature, past and present vvriting technologies, and the relationship betvveen infonuation society and gender, ethnicity, or global cultures (as vvell as courses on topics re- lated to the candidate's other literary interests). The UCSB Eng~ish Department has multiple teaching and research initiatives focused on information culture (see department vvebsite at http: //vviviv.eng~ish.ucsb.edu/ ). Ph. D. required by time of appointment. Send letter of application, dossier, and non-returnable sample of written work (20 pp. or less) plus any relevant URL or digital tiles (by diskette, Zip disk, or CD-Rom) to: Search Comnuttee, Department of Eng~ish, Univer- sity of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106-3170. Applications must be post- marked by November I, 2000. Receipt of all applications vvill be acknovvledged. The University of California is an EO/AA employer.