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[mirandaf]

A few months ago, I applied for a gov't fellowship, and was told by the funder that they cap the overhead you can request at 20%. Not a huge problem for me/my U. When I asked why/just curious, the project officer said that some Ivy Universities (okay: YALE!) ask for over 100% overhead. As in, we need an additional 100% of the fellowship amount for lights, office space, chair damage, etc. Ouch.

[espagnole]

I have two stories:

1) Highly respected SLAC in KY: Not only did no members of the search committee pick me up, but they made me rent my own car and drive myself to the campus at night. I had never even been to the state before and got hopelessly lost. And then the student group that was supposed to take me to lunch never showed up, and so I had to go to Dairy Queen (the ONLY place within walking distance) by myself. Went to the rest of the interview reeking of smoke and was never offered an apology or even reimbursed.
2) Decent R2 in PA: Had to spend the night before the interview at the home of the s.c. chair and stay in his wife's favorite sewing room (she had recently passed away and her photos were everywhere-talk about awkward. I didn't sleep a wink).

[omaraz]

Last summer, I was invited to interview in CT at a privately owned school. A former colleague set me up with the interview. I spoke with the president (via phone) for 45 minutes and he invited me out for an interview...was the worst trip of my life.

The school didn't confirm my hotel reservation they made for me until about 3 days before I left. Being paranoid I had reserved a room, only to cancel it later...so I lost about $65, that was no big deal.

On the way there, it rained so hard in DC that my flight out of Dulles was cancelled...if it wasn't for some lady (who worked for the airline carrier), randomly picking me out of the three hour line, I would have never gotten another flight from Reagan Int'l. So I get to CT, absolutely exhausted and hungry because I missed dinner!!!

The next day I show up at the school and they say, "Sorry the people who were going to interview you, can't make it today." So I spent the evening being bounced around from one Department Manager to the next...after 8 hours I met with the finance manager again, and she tells me, "We're not sure where we would like to put you, so I might have a position for you in financial aid.

I was floored!!!! I went all the way to CT, for nothing, they didn't even have a position for me. I went to my hotel room, refused an invitation to dinner due to exhaustion, and went to bed. We I arrived home the next day, I e-mailed the Campus President to thank her for the interview and ask questions about the position...I never heard from her again. So I was out $600, and three days of my vacation, but learned a valuable lesson.

[icurhere2]

My current university flew me out across time zones on a before 6 a.m. flight for a senior administrator position, I had an all day interview, had lunch at a cheap sit-down restaurant, and they put me back on a plane that night.  It was precisely a 24 hour trip by the time I got home.  I love my university, although I didn't get reimbursed for mileage (more than a hundred dollars to nearest airport), food, and parking.

[jdviolet]

This year I got to visit New England in February during the cold snap. "Cold snap" doesn't adequately describe it, as it was 14 degrees below zero when one of the SC members walked me from the motel to campus, a half-mile away. I don't know if this necessarily reflects cheapness, but sheesh -- could you just crank up the heating in your car and come get me? I live in a cold state, but this was extraordinary: I had snot-cicles dripping from my nose by the time we got to campus and my loafers were frozen.

I also have my infamous "are you gonna pay for your own dinner and our appetizers?" SC dinner story floating around on several threads.

The R-1 I graduated from was notoriously cheap. Once a famed professor (as in, bucks up) gave a group of us grad students $5.00 to take a candidate out to lunch. Wow, thanks! We ended up paying for her lunch ourselves rather than asking her to just have a side salad and a glass of water 8 * )

[dr_stones]

There was also, some time ago, when the University of Oklahoma phoned...to thank me for applying. I was based in Canada at the time but on a research trip to Europe. Someone took the call for me, mentioned I was in Europe at the time, and that was that. The person who took the message had the impression the caller was holding back a bit.

Anyone had a personal phone call to thank you for applying? I think that's a first.

Wow, that sounds kind of ... nice.

[dr_stones]

. . . Highly respected SLAC in KY: Not only did no members of the search committee pick me up, but they made me rent my own car and drive myself to the campus at night. I had never even been to the state before and got hopelessly lost.

SO how long did it take to get to Danville, anyhoo?

[normative_]

There was also, some time ago, when the University of Oklahoma phoned...to thank me for applying. I was based in Canada at the time but on a research trip to Europe. Someone took the call for me, mentioned I was in Europe at the time, and that was that. The person who took the message had the impression the caller was holding back a bit.

Anyone had a personal phone call to thank you for applying? I think that's a first.

Wow, that sounds kind of ... nice.

Yeah, but in retrospect it was better than being stuck with a bill or wasting my time. I was originally in a mind to slap the person who took the call, since I was only in Europe for another week. I thought it was safe because I'd sent out the application only the week before, close to a September deadline. They must have called right after receiving it. But that says it all...

[americanist]

. . . Highly respected SLAC in KY: Not only did no members of the search committee pick me up, but they made me rent my own car and drive myself to the campus at night. I had never even been to the state before and got hopelessly lost.

SO how long did it take to get to Danville, anyhoo?

It could have been Transy. Or ... no, that's pretty much it.

[dr_stones]

. . . Highly respected SLAC in KY: Not only did no members of the search committee pick me up, but they made me rent my own car and drive myself to the campus at night. I had never even been to the state before and got hopelessly lost.

SO how long did it take to get to Danville, anyhoo?

It could have been Transy. Or ... no, that's pretty much it.

It isn't Transy .... you can't get lost in Lexington if you try.

[mrgrundy]

Actually, the 'fly-in' first interview for high level positions is quite common.  Let's the committee see the candidate in person before bringing them on campus to meet with lots and lots of folks.  Also lets the candidate meet enough folks to decide whether they are willing to go public as a candidate.

I could see that exact logic behind it when I was trying to figure the whole situation out. Given all the hassles I have had flying around the country, I just can't see it being conducive to the whole wooing process.

I guess if you are a candidate for such a job you console yourself with thoughts of big salaries and opportunities to create confounding policies. ;)

[americanist]

It isn't Transy .... you can't get lost in Lexington if you try.

I've done it!

Back to topic:

A colleague interviewed at a Catholic college in a Southern city, where he and all the job candidates were put up in the monastery guest house. This guest house was for men only, and perhaps not coincidentally, a SC member mentioned that they had never interviewed a female candidate in their department.

[normative_]

A monastery!  I know many universities expect us to take a virtual vow of poverty, but that's laying it on thick.

And a pretty cheap monastery at that if they couldn't afford an adjacent convent....

[dogvomit]

Try teaching a four labs on a budget of $75/semester.
I've done it.

[normative_]

OK, I have one that will top even the $75 lab stuff.

I will not allow what follows to happen to me. The latest attempt to find work for myself and my wife in the same place landed us in Germany a few years ago. I have an assistant professorship, limited term, with a requirement to complete a professorial degree called a habilitation, really just a second Ph.D. There is no official tenure track; you're supposed to seek a tenured associate or full professorship elsewhere. The oversupply of candidates is as strong as in the US. The habilitation is the licence to teach and your qualification in this tough market.

Now get this: until you get an associate/full professorship of your own, you have to teach one course per semester for free. They used to pay these people for it, but money is tight and the universities are exploiting it ruthlessly. Otherwise, they revoke your degree and you can kiss your chances on the job market goodbye. All the universities have the mandatory teaching requirement, so there's no hope for relief. There's no relief if you take up a job to put food on the table, much less move to another city.

Our university cut it's staff costs by 40% over the last few years. We're getting a lot of our teaching done by slave labour now.

For me, it's just my second book. I'll go through the motions and, if nothing comes up, get out. I know I'm still attractive in the market outside Germany, which is a great relief...