Hostile interview process feedback-- what should I have done? I applied to a TT faculty job and got interviewed for a joint position between Computer Science and Education departments. The on campus interview started off well, with the CS people being very welcoming. However, when I went to meet with the Education department, everyone was too busy to meet and I waited in an empty room. Afterwards, I went to talk to the Dean, who was very nice but wanted to ask if I'd teach introductory CS classes and talk about course load. I said I'd teach that, but I'd prefer to teach CS design classes.  In any case, that seemed to go okay. 

When I got home, I got 3 emails that said I was out of the running (from the search committee head and through his assistant). However, when I sent an email saying thank you for the consideration, I got an email back from him that said I was still in the running and that the consolation email was sent in error.  It just sounded like the Education department didn't want me, and they had some rogue person who was sabotaging my candidacy.  I bowed out of the running-- it seemed hostile.

Should I have tried to stay in the running, despite feeling like half of the hiring department did not want me?
You said it was a joint appointment. Not because of the email but because of the lack of people at the Education department meeting-- I don't think you would have gotten the job no matter what you did.  

In future, you could have waited it out, but I don't think you harmed anything by leaving the process early.  It sounds like half the hiring people wanted you, but the other half didn't. The email was probably just a mistake. 

To sum up, you couldn't have done anything to change the people not showing up or the email mistake.  Sending nice emails to people you did meet with might improve your chances for a future appointment.