ABSTRACT
Perhaps no process puts more strain on a department than the search for a new colleague. Once a department is informed that it can make an appointment, the announcement of the position needs to be developed. Ideally, the decision should reflect fair assessment of the department's needs. Imagine a music department that has four members teaching the history of Western music. Although specialists may have some acquaintance with other subject matters, only regarding their own are they familiar with a broad spectrum of faculty members, programs, and scholarly activities. Eventually, if the dean monitors the search process carefully, the department will settle on a candidate who focuses on the romantic era. Indeed, if for nefarious reasons someone wanted to create turmoil in an amiable department, the author cannot think of a more effective strategy than offering the members an opportunity to undertake a search.
