On Mobility

I imagine part of the dynamic in the present contract negotiations is a confidence on the part of the administration that disgruntled faculty members have few options--as in, "If you don't like what we're offering, why don't you see what you can get at another university?"  This is based in part on some magical thinking about how U of A salaries compare to those of our peer institutions in Canada and the US, and perhaps partly based on a systemic disrespect for the quality of our faculty.  The former is easily addressable via Statistics Canada, but what about the latter?

My reason for suggesting that our quality is not appreciated can be seen in the University's repeated focus on recruiting "real stars" to Alberta--the clear implication is that this is something we lack.  Of course, how many stars are going to be attracted to an institution that is laying off staff and squeezing faculty salaries?  These are not the hallmarks of a vibrant academy with a bright future among the "top 20," whether in 2020 or some other time.  Instead, what I foresee if some of the less favorable scenarios come to pass is the departure of a number of our excellent faculty--stars, if you will--who are, in fact, quite movable.  These are people who have built successful careers here, raised the profile of the University, and remained despite various negatives (iffy funding commitments from a capricious government; -40 days in winter; no mountains or oceans nearby) out of loyalty or some expectation that long-term prospects for the institution are good in an oil-rich province.  These notions will be put to the test in the near future.

The fact is, there are many outstanding faculty at the U of A who receive regular inquiries from other universities, and some of whom are lost even in the best of times through either an unbeatable offer or personal reasons driving a move from Edmonton.  It will be interesting to see if there is a measurable uptick in departures among this elite group in the next couple of years.  So, my question to you, the reader:  have you recently updated your CV?  Do you actively contemplate putting yourself on the market?