Situation: I have received the contract for a tenure-track position at a university that I love. I am not thrilled that the contract came. Why not?

I am currently in a non-tenure track position in a community college. My husband calls where I work now the hood, and it is, but I haven’t had any trouble. My students are incredibly motivated, though poor students generally, and the work load is incredibly light compared to most community colleges.

The new uni has much better students, also financially more able students, who are only students, and often feel entitled. They are, however, overall very encouraging, hard-working, and smart.

The $ isn’t much more than I am making now. While it’s tt, it’s a year-to-year contract for six years, which I already have here (though I think year to year is forever or maybe for four years and then three year contracts). It’s no fewer classes than I teach now. My responsibilities at where I am (non-tt, but whole school is non-tt) are significantly fewer than they will be at new place.

While the new department is great (I worked there 20 years ago and about half the people are the same), so is the old department. And I am leaving after only one year here. While they could dump me with impunity, I feel bad giving them the heave ho when I loved the work and the place. Great chair and staff with lots of encouraging support for what I do. Quite the cheerleaders. Reasonable colleagues.

Dean told me I could move the tenure clock ahead, but the letter says not. Dean told me summer stipends were $700 more, but (according to a friend) that’s not at my level and he probably just misspoke. There was nothing in the letter about conference funds, though I was told those would definitely be available and I would not have to pay for national conferences (of which I have three this year). This is done through the school so probably wouldn’t be in the offer letter, but it makes me a little less secure.

It’s a hassle to move. We own our home outright and it is nice. The market is down, so we might get what we have put into it or we might not.

Husband and I have disagreed on what to buy in new town and we haven’t worked that out. I am supposed to go look next month.

I’ll be leaving my husband behind for about a year, though (if our house doesn’t sell) the boys and I will be here for the month of school break. (Both our sons are in college.)

These are some of the reasons I am not excited.