Michael Smith moves from ANU to Princeton.
Gordon Belot moves from NYU to Pittsburgh.

(Both bits of news from Brian Leiter, of course.)

There’s plenty of transaction analysis possible here, but for now let’s note that both movers are following a colleague who recently made the same move.

Early September also seems like an odd time to make moves. Presumably the moves will be effective Fall 04, so there’s no big advantage over the hires happening later in the year, but it’s too late (probably) for their departments to cover the positions in time. (I know that sounds crazy, but in any department I’ve been in it would already be right at the deadline for getting a new position approved in order to advertise before the major conferences in order to hire next year. Academia may have many virtues, but flexibility is not among them.)