7bec3b03_s_to_fear___Academic_Jobs_Wiki___Department
[School] Wesleyan University [Issue and Date] I had the worst campus visit imaginable here. It started when the chair told me he would meet me in front of a building at a set time, and he was 25 minutes late. It was literally 15 degrees, and I stood outside waiting for him, calling his office, and fuming. The schedule they set for me bordered on the inane. I had two interviews followed by a 45 minute break, another two, 45 minute break, and this went on and on for two days. I kept thinking that if they condensed some of the breaks, we might actually be able to condense the whole visit into one day. I was to have lunch with students-- only one showed up and she had to leave early-- and then my talk was attended by all of six people (it was also held in a room that was stifling hot). They clearly didn't get the memo about treating candidates warmly and respectfully. Indeed, they made me feel like I was burdening them just by being there.A completely disfunctional department. I had a *very* bad experience at Wesleyan. They were fine up to the time I left campus. There was a little hostility during my interviews with faculty, but I won't blame the department for that. The department chair was supposed to call me regarding the deparment's decision but never did. And that was last October. They came after me, for God's sake, then they treat me like a pariah. Never got a letter or e-mail telling me that they had decided to hire someone else. All I'm asking for and expecting is a little respect, especially since they brought me to campus. After I left, several faculty members wrote to *apologize* for how I was treated, which leaves me with the impression that their poor treatment was a matter of general knowledge. Another former faculty member at Wesleyan told me that I'm probably better off without the job, given the History Department's reputation across the campus for its dysfunction and for driving away some of it's most talented and imaginative faculty. Also, he/she asked me why it is that a school with Wesleyan's overall reputation had no one in it's history department I had ever heard of before? Ditto. A former faculty member at the university (from another department) also told me ahead of time that the History department had a reputation for being (1) dysfucntional, (2) rude and ill-mannered to job candidates; and (3) being full of mediocrities. I suggested that's because the school is focused on teaching undergrads, not research. Hell, my book received glowing reviews, and I'm now recognized as one of the leaders in my field. I would wager that the person they hired doesn't have a record to match mine. Not that I would know this because Wesleyan didn't notify me, either, that they hired someone else. I've got a job, so I'm not angry about that, but I think that a simple display of respect and manners would speak well of the department. They're obviously not concerned with treating their candidates with respect. Makes me wonder, somewhat, how they treat their faculty. But I got that answer from faculty members who told me their own horror stories about being driven out of history. I expected better from Wesleyan. The place that hired me treated me (with that word that keeps repeating here) respect. . Ditto again! My job visit there was a nightmare. Disrepsectful behavior and no notification from anyone -- the department chair or the chair of the Search Committee (who I won't name here) that they awarded the job to someone else. Repeated e-mails concerning their decision were ignored. All I got was a group e-mail sent to people who DIDN'T have an AHA interview: Talk about insulting. I had an on-campus interview! So I think, after showing up on campus and jumping through all of their hoops like a trained monkey, that I deserved much more than I got in return. And if anyone from that school reads this and gets pissed off, they only have themselves to blame, because I havent' read a thing posted here by the other candidates that doesn't ring true for my visit, including their ignoring me afterward. My advice, fix your system, otherwise don't complain or get hostile at us when people here tell the truth about you and why no one with any sense would want to work there! I've been hesitant to talk about my experience with Wesleyan because I repsected the school so much. Sorry to hear that others shared my experience w/Wesleyan, but at least it comforts me to know I wasn't the only one. Also had reservations about taking the job after the initial interview, and I wasn't even selected to be a finalist. Here's a school, and a department, that needs to serisously review its hiring process, otherwise they're going to lose out on some great people (and it sounds like they have already). Several years ago I was a visitor at Wesleyan and a candidate for a position. Let me be a little vague about the details to protect my identity but let me say I have a ph.d. from a top 15 institution, had one book done and another under contract, and before and after taught at several peer institutions. WORST PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE OF MY LIFE. The students are great, probably the one redeeming thing about the place. The atmosphere is poisonous but even on an individual level many are jerks. One of the few decent people there Claire Potter has little power in the department. I was notified I did not get the job by a form letter in the mail. The search chair (whose office was two doors from mine) came to me a couple of days later to ask me if I got the letter and then inform me that he had been to busy to find time to tell me personally. He didn't even offer the perfunctory platitudes about how the committee liked my work or how it was a tough choice or any niceties. Just did you get the letter. After that no one talked to me (not that anyone really talked to me before). Compared the other places I've taught (none of which were perfect for sure), this was the absolute worst. Many people will be tempted to come because of the name, the light teaching load, and seemingly good location. But you will be sorely disappointed. My experience there was so bad it caused to seriously consider leaving academia altogether. I wish I could go into more detail at the incredibly unbelievable things I personally saw there but if I did it would betray my identity. Suffice to say the Blair Witch of academic jobs. I've shared war stories with other former TT and VAP in a range of humanities departments (history, AA, english seem to be the worst) and found I wasn't alone. I had a campus visit this year (2010, did not get the job) and it was just fine. Everyone was very respectful and considerate, and my presentations were well attended. I am not questioning the experiences of those who have posted above, but I just want to note for others who may be invited to campus by this department in the future that a pleasant campus visit there is possible. The search committee I was involved with made a very clear effort to treat us well, which I appreciated. I just wanted to second what the above poster said. I had a perfectly delightful interview experience here this year that was well-organized and welcoming. Several people on campus also mentioned that there has been a large number of new hires over the last two years. In other words: there's reason to believe this place is changing for the better. [Department] 
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