Who’s getting offers from whom dominates the faculty gossip in the halls of academe. With record deficits in the California state budget, the state schools–especially Berkeley and UCLA–took big financial hits. The Ivy league smelled blood and pounced, with senior and junior offers extended to multiple faculty.

Brad Delong laments the holes torn in Berkeley’s macroeconomics faculty, with the retirement of George Akerlof and the loss of Chad Jones to Stanford. Berkeley also seems to be losing Chang Tai Hsieh to Chicago GSB.

It could have been worse. Economics Principals goes gossip column for the week, recounting how Berkeley nearly lost the famous Romers to Harvard. That is, before a mysterious edict from on high struck down her offer.

Harvard may have some ‘splainin to do, but I imagine my old alma mater is breathing a sigh of relief. The Principals article recounts the many other predators Berkeley’s successfully fought off so far. UCLA has fared more poorly, but still retains strength.

I wonder, is the U.C. hunting season over?

All this talk of senior hire hunting reminds me of a story told to me by a former boss, Mary. She was a senior partner in the private consultancy where I worked after my bachelor’s degree. She still remembered the day she was voted a junior partner in the firm. At the celebratory party, a kindly, white-haired senior partner motioned her aside for a private conversation. Mary had worked for years to climb the pyramid of the firm, and now stood atop its peak. What wisdom would this aged partner bestow? Putting his arm around her shoulders, he looked at her and smiled. “Mary,” he said, “welcome to the bottom of a whole new pyramid.”

From the bottom of the pyramid, the gossip is all very educational.