They want to merge our department with others. There is also a movement to give us an incentive to retire early, In my case, I would be retiring anyway but can get a year's salary without working as part of the deal (one hopes). The legislature is considering abolishing tenure, as well. The attack on the university is serious. As I said before, we are squeezed on all sides. The administration is stalling on negotiations with the union, and meanwhile we don't even have a raise for this academic year yet.
Even if I were young enough, I wouldn't be hirable in today's climate. When I was trained we did genres, and I chose poetry. It is true that my research now is interdisciplinary, on music and poetry, and yet I don't think there would be a job for me, in part because there just aren't jobs in general, and many ask for highly specific laundry lists of things that do not include what I do. I'm not seeing a huge future for my profession in general, and I have no interest in a lot of the more recent trends.
Everything is interdisciplinary now, but in a way that omits actual disciplines.
I don't mean to be negative. I have (and have had) a great career. I am lucky that this stuff is happening when I have a foot out of the door anyway.
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