I received a call from a former colleague at Columbia University who informed me that Syracuse University was facing challenges in hiring a journalism professor and inquired if I would be interested. At that time, I was actively searching for job opportunities, so I readily agreed. Subsequently, I participated in a Zoom interview with several faculty members, but unfortunately, I was not selected for the position. I didn't take issue with this outcome as I hadn't initially pursued the role. What did bother me, however, was when, a few weeks later, I came across a job posting in HigherEd for the same position and it was explicitly labeled as a diversity hire. Reflecting on how this situation unfolded, it appears to me now that the individuals overseeing the hiring process wanted additional candidates for interviews ... and in a hurry, even if some candidates - including myself - were by definition not hiring material. And this coming from a journalism school. Gross.