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July 17, 2008, 09:32 AM ET
Misusing Campus Resources?
I am a stickler for confidentiality in searches. I won’t contact references until I receive specific approval from candidates. I won’t call an on-campus telephone number if I can avoid it. I won’t use a candidate’s campus e-mail address if I can find an alternate address.
That last concern is probably just me being paranoid, based on anecdotes about institutions monitoring employee e-mail messages, but it’s also an issue of the appropriate use of campus resources. Faculty members using a campus e-mail account to search for another job is a little like their using campus letterhead, printers, and postal accounts for their applications.
Mind you, I’m not talking about applicants who are completing their graduate work, serving in postdocs, or in one-year positions — i.e, situations in which it is clear they are on the job market. I’m talking about candidates who are in “permanent” positions.
When I see applications coming in, I really like to see people using their own private e-mail accounts, home or cellphone numbers, and “From the Desk of” letterhead. The use of campus e-mail and phone numbers doesn’t spoil me on a candidate, but I have to say that, for the sake of both stewardship of resources and confidentiality, I like to see personal materials used.
Am I being overly sensitive on this matter?
Categories: General-interest, Faculty-hiring
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