7bec3b03_s_to_fear___Academic_Jobs_Wiki___Department
[School] Northeastern (MA) [Issue and Date] They were interviewing for a two-year fellowship this year and their interview process was the most unprofessional I'd ever seen. The first time I was interviewed it was with the department chair's 10-year-old CHILD in the room, playing on his gameboy. And, then, in my second interview, I was treated to a display of crazy rudeness by another prof in the department, who cut me off every time I spoke. I wondered if others had experienced such things during their interviews. I've heard it's not a healthy place to work. Yes, I heard it was a place "going downhill." I applied to a job and heard that the search folded for lack of funds; next year, the same job was advertised. Stop jerking us around! Northeastern (Boston) has been a joke for decades for its low academic qualities and fixation on the buck. May I ask which Northeastern this is? Illinois or Boston? [NOTE: there is no "Northeastern U." in Illinois ... don't confuse the school in Boston with Northwestern in Evanston, IL ...] Agreed - Northeastern (Boston) was about the strangest place I have ever been to. The Dean was even rude and self-serving (Engineering). Seems like the University has an inferiority complex since MIT and Harvard are the big kids on the block. Many faculty seem to have a chip on their shoulder. The rude person in JS was a VP. Also, I beg to differ that Northeastern is a joke. Obviously, it depends on the department and school. No idea about JS, but it is ridiculous and ignorant to say Northeastern (Boston) is a joke. The Univ has been growing rapidly in the last decade or so, is now quite selective, has a handfull of very good grad programs, and extremely productive faculty in terms of research and publications. Not all that different than the earlier transformations of Boston University or NYU from expensive commuter or party schools into world class universities (this is not to say Northeastern will necessarily get to that point). Obviously departments are uneven across the university. Further, anyone who has an inkling about the Boston academic scene knows well that *every* big university in the area is subject to an inferiority complex via a vis Harvard and MIT. [posted Oct. 2011]: History department has really gone down hill. 2 junior facuty have left in 2 years- first one was denied tenure and second left due to terrible work environment. Many faculty have retired with no replacement due to University budgets - seems to be all about money. Academic work coming out of the department is not exciting at all. Rumor is most junior faculty are on the market themselves. The environment is really unpleasant. there is alot of turnover, particularly because there is really no community there. Many of the people who are there are very nice, but some want to be somewhere else. In the last seven years alot of the new faculty has left. The new chair is a nightmare. She is heartless and rumor has it that she was hired by the provost against the wishes of the faculty. She only cares about money and budgets. AVOID DEALING WITH HER. She is an ice queen. The department is very small now and there seems to be alot of misery there. The faculty that remains is actually rarely there. [Department] 
Jewish Studies, History
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