Letters of Rec Up Front?

[BadgerCat]

I'm quasi on the market as I'm going up for tenure this year (and I'll take a better job if offered). I've noticed a number of places are now asking just for contact info for references. Frankly I don't want to make my refs write something unless the school is interested in me. Having chaired a search myself, the idea of requiring them up front seems like a major time sink and a bit ridiculous.

Would it be a major faux pas to ask the search chairs if contact info alone is okay?

[JobMarketMadness]

As an ABD on the market, I often run into this problem. Application instructions can be vague and may not specify either way. However, whenever I have e-mailed the search chair or HR for clarification, they tend to (95% of the time) be cases where letters are only needed later in the process.

[ShouldBeFine]

I don't see the harm in asking for clarification. "Should referees be expected to upload letters at the time of application, or will they only be required if candidates advance to the next stage?" If you're worried about the message being tied back to you, you can also create a fake Gmail account with a semi-common name and ask the question using your alias. It's what I've done to avoid seeming tactless.

[SkylineChili]

Thank you both! I feel better about asking now.

[Np]

You're welcome! Best of luck with your search.