Harvard's Restless Natives
The Crimson examines the
slowdown on faculty hiring imposed by FAS dean Bill Kirby, and suggests three explanations for it: a greater increase in faculty expenses than was expected, over-budget construction, and the delayed university capital campaign. Then there's also the possibility of money being earmarked for Allston and the costs of the faculty "diversity campaign."
The result is that the faculty is expected to increase from 700 to...703, by the end of the year. One wonder if those three positions aren't being added so that Bill Kirby can avoid using the dreaded term "hiring freeze"—because as soon as you concede that, people really start to ask questions. Hello, Marcella Bombardieri?
What comes through in the Crimson piece is two things. First, the real financial situation of the university, despite the endowment surge, is murky. There's more money...but there are more expenses too. (I still think this merits more reportage.)
Second, the faculty doesn't think it's being leveled with, and doesn't trust Bill Kirby.
