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[pastor]

I am scheduled for a campus interview in 2 weeks time. I have no idea what the questions will look like or the salary negotiating process. The department has a new Assistant Professor who was hired last year. I plan to call him and chat him up, asking questions regarding his hire process last year and salary negotiation. Do you think this is OK? My fear is he may be on my itinerary for the campus visit? What do you advice? I need help ASAP.

[hiddendragon]

At this stage, don't worry about the salary negotiation. It's stressful enough anticipating the teaching and research questions.  Don't call said prof yet.  If said prof is on the committee, or assigned to eat lunch with you or something like that, make sure to note it.  Once you're offered the job, I would think it would then be ok to call said prof and have a chat about his experience.  But that depends, too, on whether said ass. prof is friendly and mentorly.  If he's aloof toward you, he might not appreciate sharing personal info. with you--esp. if he perceives you as a potential rival (for salary, funding, etc.) in the dept. in the future.  Don't trust too readily when it comes to salary issues.  People will lie about their salaries right to your face. This is especially true of your own colleagues who fears you getting more pay then they.  I speak from experience.

[angel]

"The department has a new Assistant Professor who was hired last year. I plan to call him and chat him up, asking questions regarding his hire process last year and salary negotiation. Do you think this is OK?"

No. Do not do it. Don't even think it. 

Re salaries and negotiation: It's possible faculty salaries might be publicly available, particularly if it's a public institution.

"Don't trust too readily when it comes to salary issues.  People will lie about their salaries right to your face. This is especially true of your own colleagues who fears you getting more pay then they."

Let me point out that there are people who are uncomfortable discussing their salaries and that does not mean they view everyone as potential rivals, nor are they automatically saboteurs.

[mrhistory]

"The department has a new Assistant Professor who was hired last year. I plan to call him and chat him up, asking questions regarding his hire process last year and salary negotiation. Do you think this is OK?"

No. Do not do it. Don't even think it. 

Re salaries and negotiation: It's possible faculty salaries might be publicly available, particularly if it's a public institution.

"Don't trust too readily when it comes to salary issues.  People will lie about their salaries right to your face. This is especially true of your own colleagues who fears you getting more pay then they."

Let me point out that there are people who are uncomfortable discussing their salaries and that does not mean they view everyone as potential rivals, nor are they automatically saboteurs.

Oh. Lord. No.
I'm pretty open in general and have no problem helping someone with an offer---if they call me I'll give 'em tips on getting things I didn't even think to ask for. Its not me against Newbie its me for the Newbie against the institution! But, I would NOT be comfortable in the least having ex parte communication with an interviewee. The problems from that could be enormous for me but also for the candidate.  You get the offer, then if you feel someone was particularly friendly on the visit and is very junior then while you are "thinking about the offer" you can contact to ask them what they think about things as new faculty and see if there is an opening for talk about *money* issues.  If they don't give you one, I would not go there. Some people are "dogs in a manger" about money others are simply uncomfortable.
But do not ever contact some poor untenured person while you are a candidate. Both of you look bad.

[seniorscholar]

Assuming you are faculty, and not looking for another type of job, salary negotiating is done after you have been offered the job, unless this is a very unusual position in an unusual place. And you will rarely, rarely be offered the job at the campus interview.

As others have said, during the interview, at this stage, your job is to show the interviewers what you can do for them, and to get a general idea of the teaching, research, and other expectations as well as of the campus climate. Money and benefits and start-up funds and so forth come later, when the job has been offered and before you've promised to take it.

[voxprincipalis]

I plan to call him and chat him up, asking questions regarding his hire process last year and salary negotiation. Do you think this is OK?

NOT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES. This is UNBELIEVABLY inappropriate. This is a confidential process. If you called me up and asked me this I would X you from the finalist list faster than you could say "rejection."

Since you say you have no idea what to expect, I assume (perhaps wrongly) that this is your first campus visit ever. (Once you have done one, the others are more-or-less the same.) Please, for your own good, search the fora. Devote five or six hours to reading the incredible collection of threads on the issue of campus interviews and what to expect. Read The Academic Job Search Handbook and Getting to Yes.

VP

[pastor]

Yes, this is my first (aside from the phone interview), and that accounts for my naivety in handling issues. Anyway, thanks all for your advice. I can always count on the forum to guide me through the process.