From what I understand from my student (and that letter), it’s a perfect storm between having a couple of professors who put their sabbaticals off due to covid and have to take them next year, at least one and maybe more visiting faculty who aren’t returning because they got permanent offers elsewhere, and the school has been trying to hire additional faculty but isn’t offering large enough salaries. I don’t know how this works at other schools (maybe some of you know) but I guess at Reed every faculty position at the same level/ years of experience pays the same regardless of department. One of the departments, IIRC it was econ, got special permission to pay more to attract top talent and CS asked for but has yet to receive the same permission.
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