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[phdbliss]

I'm sure that this probably has a lot to do with the departmental politics, but I'm really at a loss here. I have no job for next year, my VAP (sabbatical replacement) ends in a few weeks, and I'm quickly exhausting all of my other potential resources. In an attempt to cover every possible base, I feel that I should just check in with my institution to make sure that I can't continue in some capacity there.

I'm at a loss about to whom I should address my questions - the department chair? The dean? My colleagues in the subdepartment of our larger department?

Or should I just not address it at all, pack my things, and go?

[helpful]

Talk to the department chair, if they are the one that hired you. Talk to them anyways if they didn't hire you because they probably know what is possible. If it was someone else who hired you, talk tot hem too.

[phdbliss]

This should be in person, right? Not over e-mail - I probably want to set up a meeting? I ask only because our office has paper thin walls and everybody can hear everything - I would rather do it more privately, but that may not be possible. If it's absolutely essential to do these things in person, then I should, even at the risk of the entire office hearing everything?

[ruralguy]

Talk to your chair in person, and then you may have to speak with a Dean. Be ready to take on courses way out of your expertise.

We were ready to do exactly this with a VAP last year who was very good. Too good. He got a tenrue track job. However, if he had stayed, he would have had to contribue to core courses that have abosolutely nothing to do with his field, even very generally interpreted.

This may especially be possible if you are willing and able just to take a couple of courses here or there as an adjunct, and not keep the VAP title and pay (well, who cares about the title---they'd probably let you keep that---but at lower pay if you weren't teaching full time).

[phdbliss]

I'm already teaching at least one course that's way outside of my field.

But that would be okay - I wouldn't mind doing it again if it meant I had a job, even if it meant a reduction in salary.

This is looking like a more viable option than I had thought - I'm going to try to talk to my chair tomorrow. Wish me luck!

[magistra]

Write a memo to your subdepartment head, chair, and perhaps the dean outlining your contributions, or put together a portfolio of why they should keep you -- evals, any service you may have done, info on increased enrollments at your school or in your field, etc.  You may choose not to send it, but it'll help to have your arguments for keeping you in your head (and on paper should it be requested.)  Unless they simply know they can't afford it they might have to check to see if it's possible, and it'd be a great argument for you if you can present them with proof as to why they should keep you.

Even if you don't get rehired it may come in handy for the job search.

[systeme_d_]

I'd go straight to the chair in person on this one.

The chair will likely be better able to give you information about the department's finances and potential decision timetable (in other words, when the chair will know if there will be funds available to rehire you) in conversation than via email.

[magistra]

I meant in addition, not instead of.  Yes, see him in person, but I'd have data ready to go.

[phdbliss]

I'm typing up something to that effect now. . . I guess I can provide the chair with a copy of my CV as well, just in case. Or is that too much?

[helpful]

I'm typing up something to that effect now. . . I guess I can provide the chair with a copy of my CV as well, just in case. Or is that too much?

Why would you do that? Isn't hu the chair of the department you are in? If so, then they would have a copy of your CV, wouldn't they?

How big is the department? It seems to me that if you have been teaching there, the chair would know you, wouldn't they?

[phdbliss]

Yes - the chair does know me, but it was really the faculty in my subdepartment and the dean who hired me, so it's doubtful that the chair ever really got a good look at the cv.

Doesn't matter anyway now - I did take a copy of the cv and a list of courses that I thought I could definitely teach, but it was a no-win situation. There's a very unlikely possibility that I could adjunct, but as far as keeping my sweet salaried benefitted full-time post, no go. It is a sabbatical replacement, so I'm not surprised.

It's good to know that I asked, though. At least I know the answer now.

[magistra]

I'm so sorry.  But you're right, at least you're not wondering what might have been.  I hope you find gainful employment soon!

[phdbliss]

Thanks - right now there's still hope.

But if I still don't have anything by August, I'm totally gonna start freaking out.