Colorado State Rewrites Job Ad That Angered Many

English department originally restricted search to those who earned Ph.D.s in 2010 or later -- a limit that many said discriminated against adjuncts and older scholars.

By

Kaustuv Basu

September 13, 2012

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Colorado State University officials on Wednesday reworded a job posting for an assistant professor in English, after angry faculty members across the country earlier this week complained that the ad was discriminatory. The original requirement asked for a “Ph.D. in English or American Studies or closely related area awarded between 2010 and time of appointment."

Critics said that the ad amounted to a form of age discrimination and would also limit opportunities for adjuncts, many of whom earned doctorates before 2010 and have faced a terrible academic job market.

The revised posting does not have the previous requirement, and instead specifies that the job is “entry-level.”

“In light of the response to our initial ad, we examined how we could better describe the parameters of our search. We posted an updated position announcement that informs applicants that the position is entry-level and removes the restriction on date of degree. We invite all qualified and interested applicants to apply for the position," said Louann Reid, chair of English at Colorado State, in an e-mail to Inside Higher Ed.