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[onlyanne]

I have an upcoming interview for a 3-year VAP position at a fairly prestigious SLAC (at least, more prestigious than the SLACs that have expressed interest in me for tt positions.)

I've tried some gentle questioning re: "could become a tt position?" to no avail. 

In the collective experience of the fora is a longer-term VAP position better than a one-year gig?  Why or why not?  Discuss.

[trabb]

I have an upcoming interview for a 3-year VAP position at a fairly prestigious SLAC (at least, more prestigious than the SLACs that have expressed interest in me for tt positions.)

I've tried some gentle questioning re: "could become a tt position?" to no avail. 

In the collective experience of the fora is a longer-term VAP position better than a one-year gig?  Why or why not?  Discuss.

Answer to the first question - whether it may become a tt position depends entirely on the university.  My current university hires VAPs, and there's almost no chance that they'll be hired in at the tt.  Of course, if those VAPs leave, go somewhere prestigious, and publish a book, the fact that they VAPd will make their application very attractive for tt positions that open up later at that school.  On the other hand, I've interviewed for VAPs where the committee made very clear that they didn't want to do a full search in three years - that the position was a sort of test period before they committed to the TT position.

Is it better than a one-year gig?  Absolutely!  You have job security for three years.  You can either see that as three chances on the job market before you're screwed, or you can see it as the opportunity to step back somewhat from the market, applying very selectively the first two years while doing the publishing that may get you where you want. 

Most important, it provides you three years to build a professional identity with little to no risk.  If you've been at Prestigious RI, you may find some skepticism about your desire to teach should you have such a desire.  A three-year VAP gives you time to really throw yourself into courses, developing interesting and creative pedagogies and content.  More than likely, if you do that and publish only minimally, no-one at the school at which you're VAPping will care, and you'll end up more competitive for the teaching jobs in your field.  On the other hand, if you've been struggling to publish while teaching a 2-2 load in grad school while finishing a diss, you can put most of your energy into writing.  As long as your students don't openly rebel and carry you physically to your chair demanding that you be tossed out the window for your classroom skills, no-one's going to worry too much if your evals are a bit low.  After all, it's far easier to scold you a bit and send you back to teaching than it is to go through the process of canning you and finding someone else. 

In fields like literature, three-year VAPs are a godsend - a fair measure of job security in this market is worth quite a bit. 

One minor thing that I should point out.  If you're asking "will a 3-year VAP impress future search committees more than a 1-year VAP," the answer is "no, not at all."  The simple reason for this is that a lot of "visiting assistant professors" are hired on a year-to-year basis but stay multiple years.  If I've been at one institution for three of these one-year contracts, that goes on my CV as "VAP at SLAC, 2000-2002"; it looks identical to what someone in a 3-year position might have on hus CV.

[aristotelian]

I don't see how it could be a strike against you, and three years of job security is a major bonus.  No, it won't be any more prestigious than a one year (or series of one years), and no, if they are being evasive that means a T.T. position at this school is unlikely.  But if the choice is between a renewable visiting position and a non-renewable one or no job at all, I would definitely take the renewable position.  Actually it seems like an ideal set up for an ABD or newly minted PHD.  You can keep yourself on the market, but without the feeling that you have to take the first T.T. job that comes along.

[sociological]

So if you take a two or three year VAP position, can you leave after the first year if you get a TT offer?

[yellowtractor]

Agreed w/Trabb on every point.

I would elaborate on one point, and that's workload.  Either sort of position will give you valuable teaching experience--professional development--to beef up your c.v. for when you head back onto the job market, be it in one year or three.  But a job with an exceptionally high workload--as many VAP's can be--in a temporary situation will likely prevent you from researching/writing/publishing as much as you would like.

It's possible this isn't a consideration for you--you may have many publications in the pipeline, independent of whatever choice you make for the next year or three.  But it's worth considering.  I taught at a school with a habit of appointing multi-year VAP's with fairly high teaching & service commitments, and this was often a problem when those folks tried to find new jobs in two, three, five years:  they had sterling teaching experience, but they had fallen behind in their research & publishing.

If you know you will need extra time for research/writing/publishing in the coming year, and the choice is, say, a 1-year VAP with a 2-2 load versus a 3-year VAP that's 4-3, I might give the 1-year position more consideration than I would otherwise.

Most schools aren't going to want to say anything at all up front about the possibility of a conversion (of a VAP to t.t.), lest they incriminate themselves, raise false hopes, etc.  This depends on so many things, from whether they like you to whether the administration is in the mood to add a t.t. line at just the moment your particular VAP is winding down.

A final thought:  during your campus interview, you might ask the SC how they see this particular 3-year VAP fitting into their overall departmental needs & goals.  Multi-year VAP's exist, but they are the exception rather than the rule, and in my experience they often cover exceptional circumstances.  Often this is good news for the candidate--you'll have more freedom to develop your own courses, etc., than if you were simply locked in to replace a particular faculty member for one year.  It's good to ask, though.

[newyorkqueen]

Many forumites say that 3-year VAP is secure.
It seems you can stay for 3 years without worrying about seeking jobs.

But No.

As a person on 3-year VAP myself,
I have to clarify that 3-year VAP is not secure at all.

My clarification is based on my personal experience.
Of course, other people might have different experiences, which might be more pacifying than mine.

When I received my contract last year,
I found I was hired for one year rather than 3 years.
My contract for the second year would depend on my performance during the 1st year.
Naturally, the contract for the third year would depend on my performance during the 1st and 2nd years.

I need to renew a contract for my second-year VAP.
My 2nd-year contract took 1 month last Dec for my home dept to approve.
Now my contract has been sitting in the Dean's office for one month.

Is this secure?
I do not think so.

I guess eventually the Dean will approve my renewal.
But meanwhile I am crazily seeking new jobs.



 

[newyorkqueen]

In fact I somehow understand why the school has to renew my contract every year.

It is understandable that the school does not give me a contract covering 3 years initially. It is cautious (or, any other negative term...): what if this VAP (that is, Newyorkqueen) is a terrible teacher in her 1st year? The school is not going to hire the queen for the second year unless she can teach well in the first year.

I understand this hesitation on the part of the admin people.

[zharkov]

In fact I somehow understand why the school has to renew my contract every year.

It is understandable that the school does not give me a contract covering 3 years initially. It is cautious (or, any other negative term...): what if this VAP (that is, Newyorkqueen) is a terrible teacher in her 1st year? The school is not going to hire the queen for the second year unless she can teach well in the first year.

I understand this hesitation on the part of the admin people.

Such a system is common even among tenure track jobs.  You may be hired on the tenure track, but your contract is for one year at a time.

[onomatopoeia]

I have a related question.  I'm also interviewing for a long-term (4-year) VAP position.  If I end up being offered--and accepting--the position, should I be open with the dept/chair that I will be on the market in the fall?

On the one hand, I'd think that it would be pretty important to have a letter of reference from one's current employer; on the other hand, would the fact that I'm on the market prevent my contract from being renewed?  (As with a previous post, the situation would be 4 = 1 + 1 + 1 + 1.)

[zharkov]

Let me just note that there are probably two main reasons why a school hires a VAP: 

1. to fulfill a sabattical or other leave, especially when there isn't a squad of adjuncts waiting in the wings

2. to fill an unexpected opening, when, say, someone leaves or retires in late spring

In case 1, your chances of getting a TT job are slim, while they might be decent in case 2.

Also, to the OP, I would say that a VAP stint at a selective liberal arts school like Williams or Bowdoin would be a strong plus for finding your next job.  So the prestige of the place does matter, IMHO.



 

[sibyl]

The job security of a long-term VAP position means not only that you don't have to move again for a couple of years, but also that you can spend time building up your CV instead of job-hunting.  You also get a secure base to do your work (with a lab, a library, and other institutional benefits).

The reason you won't get any useful responses to your question about a TT job is that not even they know.  It's three years from now, and who knows what might happen?  Budget realities and the actions of the tenured professors will have far more impact than your actions. 

Everyone will assume that you want a TT job, if not there then somewhere.  If they fall in love with you, then they will move heaven and earth to help you get something, either there or somewhere else.  (They won't always succeed, but they will generally help you.)

[menotti]

I have a related question.  I'm also interviewing for a long-term (4-year) VAP position.  If I end up being offered--and accepting--the position, should I be open with the dept/chair that I will be on the market in the fall?

On the one hand, I'd think that it would be pretty important to have a letter of reference from one's current employer; on the other hand, would the fact that I'm on the market prevent my contract from being renewed?  (As with a previous post, the situation would be 4 = 1 + 1 + 1 + 1.)

I wouldn't bring it up when you're offered, but I think they would expect you to be on the market, at least selectively.  In a way, a VAP is like a postdoc- everyone knows it's only a step on the way to the job you really want.

[cynichic]

As someone who is finishing my 3rd year VAPing at a top SLAC, I would add the following:

While, overall, it has been a wonderful experience that has strengthened my CV in some regards (my courses taught section is amazing), it has come at the expense of other sections of my CV (my publications section is looking a little anemic.)

Also, having the prospect of a TT conversion dangled in front of you, while exciting, is also exhausting.  I am just now getting to the end of a nearly 3-year long interview.  It's also emotionally exhausting not being able to put down roots.  But maybe that's good, since life at this SLAC is like living in exile from the most wonderful part of the country (which is any other part of the country other than this one).

And the three years haven't saved me any job market anxiety or exhaustion.  You still have to go back on it each year.  VAPing gives you no respite from that.  It just adds to your workload while you search.

But again, this has been a great opportunity, and I most likely would do it again if I had the chance to start over 3 years ago.

[larryc]

Take it, but make sure you are on the job market every year. It is a visiting position, not TT, and you have no obligation to remain for all 3 years.