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[jonesey]

Is this strange?

I applied for a Program Director position at my school.  I didn't get it (didn't even get an interview), but that's fine; I don't even have my doctorate yet, so it wasn't a complete surprise.

Now, we're interviewing candidates in the next few weeks, and I'm on the panel (as a faculty member). 

Is that strange?  I'm professional, so I'm not going to ask silly questions or pout, but I didn't know if it was "usual" to have non-selected faculty on the panel for the position they didn't get.

Thanks.

[ls410]

I think this is very strange and a huge conflict of interest for you to be on the panel.  If it were me, I would politely decline.  Is it possible that the panel was formed by people who didn't know you applied?  I can't imagine you'd be asked otherwise.

[hipgeek]

Not only is this a conflict, but it's plain tacky as well.  But maybe it is meant in some odd way as a compliment, an assurance of your professionalism and ability to be impartial?  Still tacky though!

[larryc]

Yep, it is odd.

A cynic would say that you should take advantage of this situation by championing the weakest possible candidate for the position. In a couple of years when the program is a train wreck and you have your doctorate, you will have another shot at it.

Kidding. But that is why you situation is a bad idea.

[paul_robeson]

This raises all kinds of HR flags.  I would politely decline to participate, making it clear that it's more on procedural grounds than a matter of sour grapes.

[mad_doctor]

Yep, it is odd.

A cynic would say that you should take advantage of this situation by championing the weakest possible candidate for the position. In a couple of years when the program is a train wreck and you have your doctorate, you will have another shot at it.

Kidding. But that is why you situation is a bad idea.

Nah, a real cynic would say that they'd pick the weakest candidate all on their own.

This is odd, but I'd chalk it up to administrative ineptitude.  I don't think they mean anything by it.  If it were me, I'd stfu and let the committee pick whoever they wanted to pick.  Don't forget to put the committee service on your vita.

[squidward]

If this is just an internal (campus people only) kind of search, where they are looking for a program director from among current faculty with expertise in a certain field, I can see this situation happening pretty frequently.  After all, you are somebody with an expressed interest in the program, so you would potentially be able to give useful input into the selection of the director.

However, this brings to mind the reverse situation, where Dick Cheney was asked to head the search for Bush's VP, and guess who ended up getting the nod?

[jonesey]

It's a small school, there are only a few FT professors in my department and I'm one of them, so, evidently, I get a "say".  : )

I'm also sure they're going to hire who they want, but that's life, right?