[Grammar] Clinton was elected "president" in 1992.

[bubbha]

I also prefer "Clinton was elected president..." over "Clinton was elected the president..."

I don't see "president" as being uncountable in either sentence.

There are many instances where we don't use an article before the name of a profession.

"As professor of English at UCLA, I would like to recommend my student to your program."

"He was appointed head of the Logistics Group."

"Dr. Jones was promoted to chief of surgery at Mercy Hospital."

 

[kadioguy]

There are many instances where we don't use an article before the name of a profession.

Thank you for telling us this, which I can't find in Practical English Usage 3rd.

 

[jutfrank]

"President" and "commander" are both countable nouns, but in the two above cases, no article is before them. Are both of them seen as uncountable nouns in the two above cases?

No, of course not.

We sometimes omit definite articles before unique roles, (when there's only one of this position available), but it's not incorrect if you don't. In each of the following examples, you could use the, but it's more natural not to.

He desperately wants to become leader.
Let her do it—she likes being host.
[playing a card game] Who's dealer this time?
[playing football in the school playground] Can I be goalkeeper?

You'll notice that in most examples of this usage, either be or become is used. Other verbs that are normally used are those with a similar sense to become, like elected/made, etc.

 

[kadioguy]

We sometimes omit definite articles before unique roles, (when there's only one of this position available), but it's not incorrect if you don't. In each of the following examples, you could use the, but it's more natural not to.
...
You'll notice that in most examples of this usage, either be or become is used. Other verbs that are normally used are those with a similar sense to become, like elected/made, etc.

Thank you. But how about this example? There seems to be more than one available of the position "professor". I mean, there is usually more than one professor of English at a university.
(There is also no verb before "professor", but I take it to mean "As being professor of English at UCLA", so it fits the second condition you mentioned.)

There are many instances where we don't use an article before the name of a profession.

"As professor of English at UCLA, I would like to recommend my student to your program."

 

[jutfrank]

But how about this example? There seems to be more than one available of the position "professor". I mean, there is usually more than one professor of English at a university.
(There is also no verb before "professor", but I take it to mean "As being professor of English at UCLA", so it fits the second condition you mentioned.)

If there is more than one professor of English, it would be clearer to say As a professor of English at UCLA ... If no article were used, it would leave open interpretation that this is a unique role.

Yes, you're right about the use of As a professor as equivalent to using Being a professor.