Search Committees
Turkish Studies Search Committee
Minutes
October 26, 2007
Deans Office Conference room; 10:30 - 12:00
Present: Barbara Mennel (chair); Patricia Woods; Ewa Wampuszyc; Petia Kostadinova
Petia Kostadinova distributed a printout of 13 complete and 2 incomplete applications which have been received to.
Mennel asked whether there would be a possibility to separate language teaching from areas studies through the hire of a foreign language TAs as mentioned at the CES external advisory board. Kostadinova clarified that this is indeed a possibility but the outcome would be unknown.
The committee then went through each candidate and marked them as acceptable (+) or unacceptable (-) based on a majority vote among the committee members. Four candidates were ranked as acceptable and the committee decided to conduct brief preliminary interviews with three of them (the fourth acceptable candidate was the number one choice from the Spring 2007 search and the committee did not feel a need to speak with him at this point in the selection process).
The committee decided that Kostadinova will provide the CES Director with the committee’s recommendation and with copies of the files of four short-listed candidates.
November 9, 2007
3324 TUR; 10:30:12:30
Present: Barbara Mennel (chair); Patricia Woods; Ewa Wampuszyc; Petia Kostadinova
The committee met to conduct preliminary phone interviews with three of the four short-listed candidates. Member of the committee agreed to ask the same three questions to all candidates (with the understanding that minor follow up/clarifying questions might be necessary):
- How would your research fit within European Studies more generally and more specifically, within an interdisciplinary center like the CES (posed by Kostadinova)
- How would you approach teaching Turkish language? (posed by Wampuszyc and tailored based on the specific experience of the candidates)
- What kind of outreach activities do you envision undertaking should you join the CES? (posed by Mennel).
The committee members then decided that they would first introduce themselves to the candidates and then proceed with the questions. Phone interviews, each about 20 min long, were conducted with the candidates.
Based on the candidate’s responses during the phone interviews, the committee decided to eliminate one of the candidates from consideration and to recommend inviting the two others for campus interviews. The committee recommended that the front-runner from the Spring 2007 search, remains in consideration for this position.
As another complete application was received in the meantime, Mennel suggested that the committee conducts a phone interview with that candidate. The preliminary interview was scheduled for Nov 16.
After Wampuszyc left the meeting, Mennel, Woods and Kostadinova discussed the feasibility of conducting the two campus visits before the end classes on Dec 4. The committee’s recommendations were transmitted to the CES Director who has hiring authority and will make the decision on how to proceed and when to conduct the campus interviews.
November 16, 2007
3324 TUR; 10:30:12:30
Present: Barbara Mennel (chair); Patricia Woods; Ewa Wampuszyc (via phone conference); Petia Kostadinova
The committee met to conduct a preliminary phone interview with a fifth short-listed candidate identified at the last committee meeting. The same three questions, posted at the three phone interviews on Nov 9, were asked during this interview.
- How would your research fit within European Studies more generally and more specifically, within an interdisciplinary center like the CES (posed by Kostadinova)
- How would you approach teaching Turkish language? (posed by Wampuszyc and tailored based on the specific experience of the candidates)
- What kind of outreach activities do you envision undertaking should you join the CES? (posed by Mennel).
Based on the phone interview responses, the committee decided to eliminate this candidate from further consideration.
December 10, 2007
Green Room, Dean's Office: 2:30-3:30
Present: Barbara Mennel (chair); Patricia Woods; Ewa Wampuszyc; Petia Kostadinova
The committee met to make a hiring recommendation for the position. The recommendation, once approved by the CES Director, was subjected to a CES Faculty vote. Negotiations are in progress.