Shades of Hamilton/Kaplan

A colleague in a different college was called in last week and told, "We're giving you notice. You will not be teaching in the fall." He was assured it was an "operational decision" that had nothing to do with his teaching.

He will get paid for the next six months and then receive two months "gratuity." (Since us ex-patriots don't plan to retire here, they give a bonus one month salary for each year we work... payable when we leave or switch jobs.) So he's basically getting paid through the end of 2010. In academia it is hard to start looking in late April. Good jobs have already been taken. I wish him luck.

And, yes, this is scary.