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[dr_dre]

My department (Southern public university) had one TT search scheduled, but it has been suspended due to the budget and the current VAP will just stay an extra year. Also, our ILL access has been cut. Tough times all around.

[airball]

Also, our ILL access has been cut.

I assume that they also cut research requirements for tenure, right?

[dr_dre]

Also, our ILL access has been cut.

I assume that they also cut research requirements for tenure, right?

My question exactly. We can't order materials that incur fees. Luckily I have some friends at private schools who are willing to help me out in a pinch.

[didotwite]

I just found out that my department has been approved for two instead of one tt hire this year.  That's big news in a department of twelve.

[samspade]

Don't forget that some states are thriving in this economy. Both Texas and New Mexico are reaping windfall profits from increased drilling and pumping of oil.

[profxfiles]

We keep hearing rumors in here in WI that we will have a partial freeze (job-market slushies?) where deans/provosts will have to compete for every hire based on an allotment of lines to each campus. We went through a similar thing a few years ago and most of the unfilled lines remain unfilled, so they might as well have just cut the lines and been done with it...

Ok, this may sound stupid, but does anybody believe that universities are waiting to see what happens after the elections? Which means less openings this Fall 2008...

Well. we are waiting for the outcome of our STATE elections--our legislature is currently split (Assembly-R, Senate-D). All of the conflict over our budget for the past couple of years has been the Senate trying to give us more $$ and the Assembly trying to cut our $$. The Ds only need to get 3 seats in the Assembly to win control, and that would likely produce MUCH more favorable budgets for us.

[anahuacbob]

In Texas...no apparent freezes in our neck of the woods, but we're not in the UT or AM system.  We brought on two visiting gigs this year to meet the increased enrollment, and retirements are absolutely making us replace two TT positions this year.  Those same retirements are also dishing out some nice salary compression corrective medicine while still saving us a bundle.  New dept. chair is at least acting optimistic (and probably really means it).  Only freeze seems to be in building budgets - but not bad after 3 massive building projects already started last year.