Contingent / Adjunct / Independent Scholar / Two-Year Caucus (CAITY)

The CAITY Caucus advocates for NeMLA members who are contingent, adjunct, or independent scholars and/or teach at two-year institutions. The Caucus organizes panels, speakers, and discussions on topics including pedagogy, unionizing, and non-traditional career paths, offering travel and paper prizes in support of these endeavors. Everyone with interests in these areas is welcome!

ON THIS PAGE:

CAITY Essay Award

NeMLA awards an annual prize for the best essay developed from a paper presented by contingent faculty, adjunct instructors, independent scholars, and two-year college faculty members. The competition is limited to papers presented by CAITY members at a session during the previous NeMLA convention.

Email submissions to caity@nemla.org as two separate Microsoft Word document by January 6 with:

  • a cover sheet with the title, author's name, address and academic affiliation
  • 20-25 page versions of your essay and NeMLA CAITY Essay Award Submission” in the subject line

Criteria for all Caucus Essay Awards

  • Essays should be between 6,000 and 9,000 words (there is a 10,000-word limit, notes and works cited included). 
  • Submissions should be unpublished manuscripts revised and expanded from original papers presented at previous NeMLA convention(s).
  • Submissions should be written in or translated into English.
  • Current NeMLA membership is required to be considered eligible.
  • Each Caucus Essay Award winner will be awarded a $100 prize that will be handed out at the membership brunch, and their essays will automatically be considered for publication by Modern Language Studies. All essays are subject to MLS's double-blind review.

CAITY Travel Award

CAITY travel awards are open to contingent faculty, adjunct instructors, independent scholars, and two-year college faculty who have been accepted to present a paper as part of a traditional panel or seminar at NeMLA's Annual Convention.

Submission Guidelines:

  • This stipend is for people who have had a paper presentation accepted to a panel only. C.A.I.T.Y. travel awards are not meant for panel chairs or for participants of creative sessions or roundtables.
  • Applicants must choose to apply for either the C.A.I.T.Y Caucus Travel Award or the Graduate Student Caucus Award.
  • The recipients of this stipend are selected on merit.
  • All applications must be emailed as attachments (.doc. or .docx files only) to caity_travel@nemla.org.
  • This year's application period will close on January 13 and recipients will be notified soon after.

Please include:

  • Full Name
  • Institutional Affiliation(s)
  • Professional Status (mark “X” next to the appropriate category; if you are unsure, please email us at caity@nemla.org)
    • Contingent (Full-time faculty with a contract that may be renewed after a set period of time, such as non-tenure track Lecturers, Visiting Assistant Professors, or Post-Doctoral Fellows)
    • Adjunct (Part-time faculty with a contract that may be renewed)
    • Independent Scholar (Scholar with no current institutional affiliation) 
    • Two-Year Faculty (Part- or Full-Time faculty with or without tenure at a community college
    • Other Equivalent Title: _________________
  • Email Address
  • Mailing Address
  • Estimated Total Cost to Attend Conference
  • Estimated Amount of Assistance from Other Sources
  • Panel Title
  • Abstract Title
  • Abstract (300 words maximum)

Annual Business Meeting

Held each year at the annual convention, this Business Meeting welcomes you to join NeMLA members who advocate for contingent, adjunct, or independent scholars and faculty at two-year institutions to discuss the business and goals of the CAITY Caucus. Topics include panels, speakers, and continuing to advocate for our members on topics including pedagogy, unionizing, and non-traditional career paths.

Officer Description

President

Oversees the caucus and is elected triennially. The President serves on the NeMLA board, and attends both the fall and spring board meetings. Other responsibilities include organizing convention CAITY events, and assisting with the CAITY Essay Award and Travel Awards.

  • Nominations for leadership positions within the Caucus are accepted up to the annual CAITY Meeting/Reception, held at the annual NeMLA convention.
  • The elections take place at the Meeting/Reception.

Current Officers

President

Maria Plochocki
City University of New York
bastet801@att.net

Past President

Francisco Delgado
Borough of Manhattan Community College, CUNY
fdelgado@bmcc.cuny.edu

Contact

Email us at caity@nemla.org.