I have observed that all [hypothetical] ideation and discussion talks about changing departments or changing faculties within public universities are extremely sensitive and complicated due to unwritten gentlemen's agreements and unspoken territorial borders. From a simple-minded law-abiding perspective, however, when one is on the payroll of a public university from exactly the same source of funding one would expect some rationally provisioned procedures within the HR department for repositioning staff within other departments if they can be more effective there but these things are typically very hard to discuss and agree upon in practice without tantrums and eerie discussions. Why is that? Is this subject effectively an academic taboo?

ps. In practice, I happen to know that such procedures technically exist and sometimes people change departments but still no one is willing to talk about how such a process can be started at whose initiative...

I have observed that all ideation and discussion about changing departments (or faculties) within public universities are extremely sensitive and complicated, due to unwritten gentlemen's agreements and unspoken territorial borders.

However, legally, when one is on the payroll of a public university, from exactly the same source of funding, one would expect some rational procedures for repositioning staff between departments. But, these things are typically very hard to discuss and agree upon in practice without tantrums and eerie discussions. Why is that? Is this subject effectively an academic taboo?

In practice, I know such procedures technically exist and sometimes people change departments. But still, no one is willing to talk about how such a process can be started, and at whose initiative.

I have observed that all [hypothetical] ideation and discussion talks about changing departments or changing faculties within public universities are extremely sensitive and complicated due to unwritten gentlemen's agreements and unspoken territorial borders. From a simple-minded law-abiding perspective, however, when one is on the payroll of a public university from exactly the same source of funding one would expect some rationally provisioned procedures within the HR department for repositioning staff within other departments if they can be more effective there but these things are typically very hard to discuss and agree upon in practice without tantrums and eerie discussions. Why is that? Is this subject effectively an academic tabu?

ps. In practice, I happen to know that such procedures technically exist and sometimes people change departments but still no one is willing to talk about how such a process can be started at whose initiative...

I have observed that all [hypothetical] ideation and discussion talks about changing departments or changing faculties within public universities are extremely sensitive and complicated due to unwritten gentlemen's agreements and unspoken territorial borders. From a simple-minded law-abiding perspective, however, when one is on the payroll of a public university from exactly the same source of funding one would expect some rationally provisioned procedures within the HR department for repositioning staff within other departments if they can be more effective there but these things are typically very hard to discuss and agree upon in practice without tantrums and eerie discussions. Why is that? Is this subject effectively an academic taboo?

ps. In practice, I happen to know that such procedures technically exist and sometimes people change departments but still no one is willing to talk about how such a process can be started at whose initiative...