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[sel123]

I have a partner who finished his PhD in English in Dec 2007.  We are in the same sub-field.  He has no publications (though plans to send articles out) and has been teaching as an adjunct at my current institution.

What would you do?

(1) Stay where we are.  Partner focuses intensely on developing his research profile.  I send my book out to publishers this spring and get next spring off as a leave.  Go on the market again next year, when I am in my third year.  I like where I currently work, but they have made it explicitly clear that there is no long-term future for my partner there.  There are limited opportunities for him in the area, but it’s not impossible that something would come up at another institution.

(2) Take new job.  Partner gets more adjuncting work teaching better courses, but risks losing time to focus on research.  I also risk losing time on my research, since I will not have spring semester off.  I would increase my profile by teaching at a more “prestigious” institution.  I would enjoy living near this institution for a few years but know that I would not want to stay there forever.  In addition, though I had a good campus visit, I’m still a bit unsure about the department/institution.

For any who has opinions about such things: we are seriously considering having a baby soon, as I am getting older, which would be much easier to do if we stay put.

Salaries are roughly comparable for me.  Partner would make more adjuncting in new place.

[msparticularity]

I think part of what I would want to consider is the relative degree of investment you and SO each have in your careers. You haven't mentioned whether SO can continue to work as an adjunct for a little while, or whether he will be happy to be the stay-at-home parent if you have a little one soon. If so, it seems like it might make sense to stay put for a little while. This also risks SO never getting a TT job, though, if he is not able to teach and research meaningfully.

On the other hand, if it is vital to SO that he get out there and begin doing some CV-building teaching, it might make sense for you to take the new position. It would definitely make it more of a challenge for both of you to do research, and also potentially make a baby more complicated, but it might also prevent future recriminations if staying where you are now would be a big sacrifice for one of you.

Good luck - these decisions are never easy!

[sel123]

msparticularity, thanks so much for the advice.  While spouse is committed to a t-t job, we are both more committed to being together long term.  We've recognized that in the short term (for the next year) we may have to be apart if he can find a good VAP. 

Actually, one of the biggest appeals to staying is getting to go on the market together next year.  He's never been on the market before, and I feel like it would be best if he did that ASAP.  If I stay, I could go on the market too.  If I go, obviously, I can't, which might limit his job search to the new area. 

*Ugh*

[larryc]

Wait--I take it from #2 that you actually have an offer from a more prestigious institution? Or are you just toying with the idea of going on the market?

[sel123]

I have an offer from #2.  But there's a reason that I put prestigious in quotations.  While #2 is a better known school, I'm not quite sure that the resources available are better than at my current institution.