Leigh Settlemoir DzwikAcademic Human Resources

Joi CunninghamOffice of Inclusion & Intercultural

Initiatives

Successful Searches

Successful searches begin with successful search committee members— trained, dedicated, and experienced individuals.

Search committees succeed when they build highly qualified, diverse applicant pools.

Highly qualified, diverse applicant pools lead to the potential for outstanding hires which, in turn are natural recruitment vehicles for the next searches.

Successful Search Committees:

Transform the search process

Commit to diversity through action

Build a diverse applicant pool

Avoid exclusionary thinking in recruitment, selection and hiring

Be aware of unconscious bias

Search Committee Composition

The composition of the search committee is critical to its success. Involve people with diverse perspectives and fresh ideas.

Note: Departmental faculty not on search committee still play critical role in search process.

Fact or Fiction?

The few faculty of color are being sought out by

numerous institutions, and are not affordable.

Fiction!

Reality ~ Some minority and women faculty weighlocation and job environment more than salary—so market your assets!

Fact or Fiction?

Faculty of color won’t select academe—they choosemore lucrative positions in government or industry.

Fiction!

Reality ~ Minority and women PhDs are no more orless likely to work in academe than other PhDs.

Fact or Fiction?

Minority scholars are not available in the STEM disciplines.

Fiction!

Reality ~ Although numbers are low recent PhDs and Post Docs are available.

WE NEED TO KNOW WHAT ROLE EACH AFFECTED AREA PLAYS IN THE SEARCH PROCESS.

So, where do we begin?

Key Faculty Search Areas

Search CommitteeDepartment ChairpersonDean/DirectorDirector of InclusionProvost’s Office

Note: Communication flows from 1st area down, and then back up the chain for each faculty search form processed. Note: on-line system, PeopleAdmin will be implemented in fall 2010.

Key Faculty Search Areas

Search Committee Completes search forms (A through D) Prepares selection criteria, evaluation sheets and

advertisements Compiles applicant data information Corresponds with applicants Screens candidates and recommends for interview.

Conducts interviews and reference checks. Recommends candidates to hire

Key Faculty Search Areas (cont’d)

Department Chairperson (if applicable) Appoints search committee Approves recommendations of search committee Interviews candidates

Dean/Director Approves recommendations of search committee Interviews candidates Prepares offers to candidates

Key Faculty Search Areas (cont’d)

Inclusion Director/Provost’s Office Approves recommendations of the search committee Interacts with search committee regarding

procedures Summarizes candidate data and information relative

to protected groups with regard to the position

Section A/B

•Section A asks for departmental and search committee EEO data.

•Affirmative Action Plan goals are for areas in which we are underutilized.

•Underutilization occurs when the percent of minorities and/or women at the Univesity does not match the percent found in the comparable census data.

Section B:Recruitment Planning

1. Recruitment plan

2. Job ad(s) and posting locations

3. Outreach activities

4. Evaluation criteria

*These should be on the Section A/B or attached to the form when submitted for approval.

Recruitment Plan Thoughts

Consider the search process as first step in the retention process.

How well you match the person to the position will help determine their success in the position.

TIP

Cast a Wide Net

It’s important to recruit from a wide range of

sources and use a variety of methods to cast a wide net. If you need extra resources,

contact the Office of Inclusion.

RULE

Do not post job announcement until:

1) Search Committee has reviewed

2) Dean/Director has reviewed and approved

3) Office of Inclusion has reviewed and approved

TIPS

If you not consider applicants until all materials are received, indicate so in your job ad.

Remember… Outstanding candidates often do not apply for advertised positions—you must ‘court’ these potential applicants.

*Make certain to have at least one national print ad in the event that your chosen candidate is a foreign national. If they will be pursuing permanent resident status, this will be a requirement for their application.

Graystone Advertising – make them work for you!

Search Committee Methods

SEARCH

*Actively, continuously

search for applicants

*Actively recruit

*Aggressive, creative, proactive

SORT

*Sort thru applications

*Passive job postings

*Unoriginal, same ad in traditional posting locations

An Example of ‘Exclusionary Thinking’

“They must have attended the ‘right’ school, training program, etc.”

Consider the situation of the National Football League.

If they only considered those from traditionally outstanding programs (e.g., Oklahoma and other Big 12 schools), would John Elway have had the opportunity to lead the Broncos to two Super Bowl victories?

Unconscious Bias

Unconscious bias is based on a stereotype.A stereotype is a standardized mental picture

that represents an oversimplified opinion, affective attitude or uncritical judgment about a group. (Merriam Webster Online).

Social Scientists describe it as a cognitive process for receiving and storing information – categorizing like objects together.

MIT/University of Chicago study – sent 5000 resumes to help wanted ads in Boston and Chicago with stereotypical white and black names.

Sample Initiatives to R&R Diverse Talent

Invite minority and women scholars to campus to present symposia, etc.

Provide mentoring and other resources for junior faculty, esp. important for women and minority faculty.

Build cultural competency into clinical and educational experiences.

Build diversity into curriculum.

Sample Diversity Initiatives (cont’d)

Messages start with words and behavior of leaders (deans, department chairs, etc.).

Build networks and resources/ continuous recruiting.

Grow the pipeline

Champion Diversity Initiatives at OU – ERGs, programming, Welcome Committee, policies!!

Committee Member Responsibilities

ALL search committee members share responsibility to attract diverse pool and ensure fair and equitable treatment of all

applicants.

Outreach Activities

Telephone calls

Personalized letters to potential applicants

Personalized emails

Talk face-to-face with people who might nominate candidates

Outreach Activities (cont’d)

Approach potential candidates at professional meetings

Consult with diverse faculty members on campus about outreach activities

Contact traditional professional organizations that have affiliated groups for women, minorities, and other underrepresented groups.

Other ideas?

Evaluation Considerations

Judge applicants on potential, notjust experience.

Internal applicants should meet the same level of qualifications as external applicants.

Internal applicants should not be given ‘courtesy’ interviews – it raises unrealistic expectations for internal applicants.

RULES

Committee must establish selection/evaluation criteria and scoring process before reviewing applicant materials.

Internal applicants should not participate inthe evaluation process of other applicants.

Once application information comes in…

•Each individual needs to be logged in on the Applicant Data Information Form (whether or not they are minimally qualified). Their materials must be retained.

•Each individual is required to be sent a letter of receipt, Federal and State Notifications, as well as the Affirmative Action Data Report. (Note: Please fill in the position number of your search on the Affirmative Action Data Report form so that Office of Inclusion may track properly.)

Applicants

Treat all applicants consistently and fairly.

Acknowledge receipt of application.

Be courteous and prompt in correspondence.

Remember your own experiences as an applicant.

TIP

The search committee does not need to wait until the materials submission deadline to review applicant materials. Review may begin at any time.

NOW WHAT??

Everyone’s Materials Are In…

Interviewing - Section C

•Search committees may do phone screening first without filling out Section C.

•Section C is to approve candidates to come for campus interviews.

•CVs for all candidates must be attached when submitting the Section C.

•Race, sex, and handicapped information will be completed by the Office of Inclusion.

RULES - CONFIDENTIALITY

All discussions among committee members are confidential.

Applicant names and materials should be kept in secure location.

Confidentiality breeches should be disclosed to committee chair.

Interview Format

Formal selection interviews are conducted by the search committee and sometimes additional evaluators.

Must be consistent for all applicants. Use questions that cover major job

functions and desired skills/abilities only. Must ask same questions of all

applicants, but can ask varying follow up questions depending on applicants’ answers and/or experience/education.

Use interview questions to probe ‘potential’ using ‘what if’ type questions.

Interview Tips

Committee members who miss some or all of the interviews should not participate in discussions of rank ordering of applicants, but may provide comments on those that they attended.

If you or the applicant have questions, refer to Academic Human Resources or the Office of Inclusion.

Interview Tips (cont’d)

Inappropriate interview venues:

Sporting events

Dinner with spouses

Party

RULE

Do not ask about or discuss the following (even if

applicants volunteer the information):- age- sexual orientation- marital status- religion- children (present or future)- ethnicity/culture- veteran status- disability status

Ensuring a Positive Campus Visit

Arrange for applicants to meet with other faculty of similar interests or backgrounds on campus.

Prepare ‘welcome packet’ for campus visits (e.g., handbooks, school/dept policies, benefits summary, web site info, regional activities, chamber of commerce materials, etc.).

MI-HERC – Dual Career Issue

Concerns of Minority/Women Faculty

Concern about struggles with promotion due to race/ethnicity (perception that they might not ‘fit the profile’)

Having gender/ethnicity given more attention than credentials (often report that their race is mentioned first, not their academic credentials)

Being expected to work harder than non-minority/male colleagues

More Concerns

Being treated as a token

Lacking support or validation for research on minority issues

Being expected to handle minority affairs (expected to be ‘experts’ on their racial or ethnic group)

Having too few minorities on campus (can lead to isolation)

Concern about whether they can maintain their cultural identity under pressure to ‘fit in’.

Ways to Address Concerns

Connecting faculty with campus resources and support

Mentoring programs

Clearly stated standards and procedures for advancement

Selection of Finalists – Section D

•More than one finalist may be recommended.

•Search committee has the option to rank or not rank candidates.

•A detailed narrative explaining why finalists were chosen/why other interviewed candidates were not chosen should be attached to the Section D.

•CVs need to be attached for each finalist when submitting Section D.

RULE

No negotiations with finalists, even verbal, are

to occur prior to Provost’s Office review and

approval of the search and the finalist list.

When to Use Faculty Search Waiver Forms

Not enough time to perform a searchRenewing a visiting faculty contract (must be

completed each year)Outstanding individual (with detailed

explanation attached)Make certain to attach CV to the completed

form for submission/approval

Resources

Turner, Caroline S.V. 2002. Diversifying the faculty: A guidebook for search committees. Washington, D.C.: Association of American Colleges & Universities.www.aacu-edu.org

Barker, Kathy. 2002. At the helm: A laboratory navigator. Cold Spring Laboratory Press. (Covers personnel issues in a laboratory setting. Geared toward new Principal Investigators.)

Resources (cont’d)

http://www.oakland.edu/?id=4486&sid=173Academic Human Resources website

http://www.oakland.edu/?id=59&sid=66Office of Inclusion and Intercultural Initiatives website

Questions?