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[queequeg]

My college - a private, for-profit institution - has a policy of "realigning" existing faculty when there is a vacancy. For example, when a Chair leaves, their position is always filled internally - there are no searches or job advertisements (I'm not talking about new positions, just the vacancies that occur when faculty leave or retire). I have always felt uncomfortable about this process and wonder if anyone can let me know how common it is.

[der_gadfly]

For-profits can pretty much do whatever they want to do - they see the operation as a business first, therefore they see little reason to conduct an expensive and time-consuming search for a quasi-managerial position such as a department chair. Well, let me clarify: SOME for-profits are less concerned with national/regional searches than others - a lot depends n the corporate culture.

One HUGE chain does little outside advertising, but has a very good corporate website run through the HR department.

Another large chain uses higheredobs quite extensively.

Yet another is notorious for its' incestuous insider hiring practices.

Often, there is someone that comes from the faculty who becomes seduced by the illusion of power and the better and more regular pay.

YMMV, but since you are at a for-profit, you already know that employment is almost always "at-will" and that anyone can be tapped for any position at any time, and to refuse means termination.