Bard Prison Initiative

Mellon Chair in the Humanities

Apply Here: https://apply.interfolio.com/175937

The Bard Prison Initiative (BPI) invites applications from distinguished scholars for the Mellon Chair in the Humanities. A Ph.D. is required with scholarly discipline within the humanities; areas of expertise are open, with particular interest in candidates with experience in public humanities. This one- or two-year full-time position starts July 1, 2026 with teaching responsibilities beginning in the fall semester.

The first ever endowed chair for teaching college-in-prison, the Mellon Chair in the Humanities brings college faculty with demonstrated records of teaching excellence to the Bard College campus in Annandale-on-Hudson for appointments of either one or two years. Successful candidates will be committed to innovative undergraduate teaching at a liberal arts college with a diverse student body; excel at working in a community that is broadly diverse with regard to race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, gender, nationality, sexual orientation and religion; maintain an active research program; and be excited by rigorous, discussion-heavy and writing-based courses that center inclusive pedagogy and demand active participation of all students.

The Chair will teach a 2-2 course load across six of BPI’s seven campuses located in correctional facilities in New York state. Classes will contribute to the academic depth and breadth of the undergraduate and/or graduate curriculum through courses in the humanities, including required writing intensive courses. Additional participation in BPI faculty workshops, guest lectures, senior project advising and overall engagement in BPI is expected.

BPI offers an associate degree and bachelor’s degrees in social studies, literature and humanities, and mathematics along with specializations in public health, education, and biology. BPI is also launching a master’s degree in public humanities, projected to begin this academic year.

Faculty must be able to provide their own transportation to prisons across the Hudson Valley, and they must successfully complete the Department of Corrections process for approved entry into the prisons. Please note that the prison is a location of BPI coursework, not the subject matter of courses, which reflect the breadth of liberal arts education on the main campus of Bard College. This position does not include an opportunity to conduct research within the prisons or to approach students as research subjects.

Consideration will be given to candidates who bring considerable experience and expertise to the position but who cannot commit to a full-time position. In this situation, salary is prorated and benefits eligibility depends on teaching load.

About BPI
Formed in 1999 to address the mass incarceration crisis, the Bard Prison Initiative (BPI) defies expectations of who college is for and where it might lead. For over twenty years, BPI has reimagined and redefined questions of availability, affordability, and expectations typically associated with college in America. One of the most rigorous and effective college-in-prison programs in the country, BPI is now extending its radical intervention in educational inequity outside of prison through the Bard Microcolleges and BardBac. BPI currently enrolls nearly 600 students across eleven campuses.

TO APPLY
To apply, please send a cover letter, curriculum vitae, teaching statement, and the names of three references who might speak to your teaching and collegiality to: Interfolio.https://apply.interfolio.com/175937

Applications received by January 5, 2026 will receive full consideration

Compensation $120,000
This salary range reflects the College’s good faith and reasonable estimate of the compensation for the position at the time of the job posting. Salary decisions are dependent on several factors including but not limited to market and organizational considerations, experience, and qualifications of a selected candidate as well as internal and external equity.

Benefits Overview
We are pleased to offer our full-time employees an excellent benefit package which includes; multiple health insurance options; TIAA retirement plans; generous vacation, sick, and personal time; and more. To learn more about employee benefits and eligibility at Bard College, please visit https://www.bard.edu/humanresources/benefits/.
 

AA/EOE