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[scot]

I am seeking new employment in academia after 15 years of verifiably productive service to students and institution (tenured since '97/former chair/full-prof. since 03).

Unfortunately, I have been forced out by a gossip-laden, witch-hunting process of review. Many students have insisted on supporting my case against this misrepresentation and legal action is being taken, but I have been frustrated about the application/interviewing process with other potential/temporary employers. (This is to say little of my concern regarding possible responses from my former employer to inquiring institutions.)

In the meantime...

Would there be any advice regarding the tightrope walk of ensuring that one neither...
1. incriminate oneself along the lines of the bogus characterizations leveled by the kangeroo process at which I've just suffered -nor-
2. lie about my present, frankly, surreal status.

One chief difficulty is the lack of an ability to qualify responses due to the yes/no options given for responding to such questions as "Have you ever been non-renewed?or, Have you ever been investigated, or Is there an investigation pending?/etc. Even with the possibility of qualification, who would want to trust such an explanation?


Any help will be appreciated.

[it can be done]

Dear Trying,

You sound like you've been through the wringer.  It's always good to look inward and figure out how we might have been complicit in the bad things that happen to us, but it's just as likely that you are a victim, and I want to give you hope.  You can get away from there, find a new career in teaching, and start over.  Believe me, you will start feeling better when you have a place to go, where you're wanted and welcomed.

I know this from experience.

I just got a new t-t job after being turned down for tenure this semester.  I filed a grievance, but was ultimately paid off by an administration anxious that the story not see daylight.  I won't bore you with the details.

While I was going through the mental trauma of all this, I was also forced to deal with the daunting job search process.  I started in February and applied to only 11 institutions, all of which I felt would be good places to work.  I refused to settle for low-paying jobs in horrible locations.  I reminded myself that I'm an excellent teacher with excellent evaluations and expertise in my field.

In my cover letters and interviews I did not mention my difficulty at my present job, and was thankfully not asked about it.  I was interviewed and hired at my top choice college, which helped me in my decision to settle pre-hearing with the college I'm leaving.

In only two of my applications was I asked if I had received a negative evaluation.  I was honest, and I assume that might be why I was not asked to interview at those colleges.  

Our union representation at the college I'm leaving made two important points to me:  1) colleges do not want the negative publicity of a hearing, and if they think you will go through with it, are more likely to be amenable to negotiation; and 2) the college system is rife with unfair firings and few departments have not had their share or at least known of someone whom it happened to.  So one is not automatically branded by having gone through this.

One of the points I negotiated was to have all negative information about me removed from my file, and any administrators contacted were to mention my positive qualities only.  The college seemed eager to comply with this request, even calling it "reasonable."  Thankfully, I didn't need these concessions to nail down my new job, but in your case, this might be important.  In return, I agreed to resign rather than show myself as dismissed without tenure.

If anyone asks at my new college, I believe I'll stick with "needing a better fit" as my reason for moving on.  It's true, and I won't be badmouthing the bastards.

I assume you are in close contact with your union representative and the union lawyer.  I also assume you have made some friends somewhere in the administration who will give you positive recommendations.

Bottom line:  Don't complain; don't explain.  Good luck.