I’m an assistant professor in a social science department and just finished my first year. Unfortunately, my department chair has been pretty difficult to work with. It’s a small department, and they hold a lot of influence, which makes things feel especially tense. Lately, I’ve been worried that the narrative they’re building about my work could hurt me down the line and possibly not even extend the contract past mid tenure review. I’ve tried to communicate and address concerns, but it feels like I’m not really being heard and their is essentially zero support. What’s been tough is that it’s not the job itself, I actually enjoy the teaching and research but the constant criticism and pressure from the chair is wearing me down. It doesn’t seem like the situation will change anytime soon.
I normally wouldn’t ask something this direct, but I could really use some perspective. Would it make sense to leave while I still can and maybe do a postdoc form a good institute to strengthen my research profile? Or is it better to stick it out which is draining me bit by bit.
Would appreciate any advice or experiences others have had in similar situations.