Disorganized department?

[mickjagger666]

Would you attend a program if the department seems to have a strained relationship with the administration? Or if they seem disorganized? In particular, if a few faculty members have been "forced to retire" recently and some others are struggling for faculty-status. How important is this if the actual content of the program is a good fit, and students seem happy?

[oroanthro]

20 hours ago, mickjagger666 said:

Would you attend a program if the department seems to have a strained relationship with the administration? Or if they seem disorganized? In particular, if a few faculty members have been "forced to retire" recently and some others are struggling for faculty-status. How important is this if the actual content of the program is a good fit, and students seem happy?

I think this is a huge red flag and points to more than disorganization. Sending emails out late, no clear leadership, having a messy office, etc--that's disorganization. A strained relationship with the administration? How are you supposed to get external funding or permission to host events? What if you need your department's assistance in working something out with the university? Also--How can the "content" of a program be a good fit apart from the people who constitute the program? If the older generation are being forced to retire and the newer faculty can't seem to find a way to stay? Are the faculty you want to work able to stay? Do you really want to commit to a program that may not be able to commit to your project?

[Fantasmapocalypse]

No funding, loosely aligned faculty and/or a program as opposed to a proper department are also red flags....