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[gollum]

This is a variation on the "should I lie to my department/chair about the interview I'm going on?" question.

Today, I got a call inviting me to a campus interview.  A couple of factors make me hesitant to tell my current chair about this.

1.  I'm up for annual contract renewal in a few weeks and don't want to do anything to jeopardize that.

2.  I had a very close vote last year on my annual contract renewal (5 voted for me, and 4 against me).  I've made a lot of progress turning things around for myself over the past year in my current department.  In other words, I have addressed the problems that almost caused me to get fired a year ago.  If I tell them that I have an interview now, the senior faculty may feel betrayed and go ahead and can me anyway.

3.  Although our relationship has improved greatly (i.e., we are more cordial and collegial to each other), my chair and I fundamentally don't like each other.

Despite these reservations, am I under any ethical obligation to tell my chair that I have an interview?  Would it be better just to call in sick on the days that I'm interviewing?

Thank you in advance!

[alsorun]

No need to tell anyone. Just take one or two days off for personal matters.

[athena1]

Don't lie, just don't tell.

[yellowtractor]

Don't tell your department head anything unless and until you receive an offer from another school.

And yes, you're right to think that the timing is especially sensitive, what with your contract renewal coming up.  If it were me, I wouldn't tell anybody at all with any contact at your present institution.

You are under no obligation, ethical or otherwise, to tell anyone at your home school anything about your job search unless and until you have another formal offer on the table.

[tea_leaves]

I agree, you are under no obligation, nor would you want to say a thing unless you had a formal offer that you were strongly considering accepting.  You chair does not seem to be an advocate of yours, so why would you want to roll over over for hu?

Look out for yourself and your best interests, and may you eventally land in a more supportive academic home than you seem to now reside in.