That’s not something I’ve ever heard of. Even if it is a buyers’ market, most departments look at tenure track hires as long-term investments. They’re choosing a colleague, not an employee, and they’re looking for someone that they want to work with (and who wants to work with them) for the next decade or two. They don’t want to start out with an antagonistic relationship.
I suppose some department somewhere might decide it’s worth trying, but it would get out - people get angry when job offers are withdrawn. I can’t see any reputable school doing it.
We’re in disagreement there. I think it was a bit sloppy, but I don’t think it was the monumental display of idiocy that you seem to. Perhaps she was trained to be overly formal and concise when negotiating and she took that to heart by dryly listing her requests rather than providing explanations.
Even if her email could be objectively considered an incredibly foolish move, there’s still any number of things that could explain it: poor training, misjudgment of how important she was to the college, or just a bad day (everyone has them). Smart people do stupid things sometimes.
All I can tell you is that if *I *were a dean or department head and received an e-mail like this from a Ph.D. in philosophy, I would go put a bullet through my head. She is talking like a 15 year old babysitter!
Of course we all have bad days. ‘Let me know what you think’ is beyond the pale, however.
Wow. I can’t believe how much you’re focusing on “let me know what you think,” which, to me, is the least objectionable part of the conversation. If I were hiring someone for my business, that would not be an issue whatsoever. Suffice to say, it’s clear I would never hire you, and you would never hire me.
It’s the worst part, and suggest a complete inability to function in a setting where certain formalities are observed. It’s all about form, specifically, good form.
We obviously have different attitudes about formality in this. I don’t think her tone was the faux pas in the negotiations. I think she could have played her cards better, but it’s not because of what you perceive as a “flippant” tone of voice which, frankly, I think is nuts.
Do you know about the former president of Ohio State University, E. Gordon Gee? Do you know why he was forced out?
He didn’t act appropriately in a university setting! I was very, very glad to see this jerk go. He was hired once, then left, then asked to come back, but eventually his stupidity became just to much for the trustees to take.
I’m not sure how the E. Gordon Gee story relates to the case at hand, but, whatever. Note that my position is not to condemn the university for its decision and, in the end, I actually support it (given all that happened since and what we know now). But it’s not for the reasons you state.
Nobody disagrees with you that there exists special etiquette, form, and demeanor required in professional, academic, or university settings. What people are disagreeing with you about is exactly what constitutes good or bad form. Not that it exists at all.
I don’t think she was turned down because she didn’t grovel enough. She asked for more than the university thought she was worth, so they didn’t hire her.
An union isn’t going to improve her position. A position as a philosophy professor is a seller’s market. They’re not willing to hire her at the price she wanted. Jacking the price up isn’t going to help.
And, honestly, I can’t fault the university, in the end, for that. Frankly, I think she will be better off wherever she ends up. And it sounds like the university might be better off, as well. Win win.
I don’t really fault her either. She thought she could get a better deal, and it turns out she couldn’t. Maybe she will find another position that pays what she wants. I think that is pretty unlikely, given the limited demand for professors of philosophy, but maybe she will. If not, live and learn, or see if the local McDonald’s is hiring.