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Learn about research on implicit biases and consciously strive to minimize their influences on your evaluations.
- Awareness of the problem and a desire to evaluate candidates fairly can reduce the impact of implicit biases and/or faculty hiring.
- Each year the Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion offers workshops on campus that address implicit bias and/or faculty hiring.
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Increase the diversity of the search committee.
If necessary, bring in faculty from related departments to ensure a diverse group will be reviewing applications.
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Increase the diversity of the applicant pool.
- Research shows, for example, that having 30 percent or more women in the pool increases the likelihood that a woman will be hired.
- Be active in seeking female and minority candidates—don’t wait for them to apply.
- Ensure that the job advertisement is sufficiently broad to cast a wide net.
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Develop evaluation criteria prior to evaluating candidates and apply them consistently to all applicants.
- Research shows that people use different standards to evaluate candidates of different genders and ethnicities, and can shift the weight of these criteria to favor white male candidates.
- Establish a priority structured, job-related criteria in order to obtain more accurate evaluations. Establish weights for the criteria priority.
- Require both positive and negative comments for every candidate to help avoid bias.
- Review the “Interview Questions in Faculty Searches” section.
- Have all interviewers use a version of the document
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Spend at least 20 minutes reviewing each applicant’s file.
Time matters: for example, research shows that when rushed or distracted, evaluators tend to rate women lower than equally qualified men.
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Consider all elements of an applicant’s file.
Read letters of reference carefully, looking for descriptions that might reflect implicit bias. Research suggests that letters of recommendation, in particular, tend to include weaker descriptors for women than for men due to the implicit bias of the letter writer.
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When completing the Candidate Evaluation form, apply weights uniformly across candidates. Consciously ask yourself whether each female and minority candidate is being fairly reviewed.
Are certain assumptions being made, e.g., about authorship, accomplishments, possible family responsibilities, whether the candidate would “fit in,” etc., that would unfairly impact certain candidates over others?
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Be able to defend all decisions about eliminating or advancing a candidate.
- Holding reviewers to a high standard of accountability reduces the influence of biases and assumptions.
- Don’t evaluate candidates based on real or perceived protected classifications. Underrepresented status is not a tie breaker.
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Require every search committee member to discuss each candidate during the committee meetings.
Don’t let a vocal minority unfairly sway the discussion of candidates.
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Place at least two diverse candidates on the short list/campus visit list.
- Having more than one diverse candidate prevents “tokenism.”
- Consider creating several short lists, weighting different criteria highly (for example, research productivity vs. teaching experience); then take the top candidates from each separate list as your final short list.
- If you don’t have at least two highly qualified diverse candidates in your pool, take a step back and engage in additional active recruiting efforts to produce a more diverse pool.
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During interviews, focus on the candidate’s scholarship and his/her ability to perform the functions of the job.
- Use predetermined interview questions that are connected to the evaluative criteria.
- Employ these interview questions consistently with all applicants; be sure they are distributed to all faculty members meeting the candidate.
- Every faculty member (not just members of the search committee) should review the types of questions that are illegal or inappropriate.
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During interviews, provide opportunities for candidates to meet a diverse range of people.
- Ensure that candidates will see people like them on campus.
- Market the campus as a positive and welcoming environment.
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Networking
Building and developing a diverse professional network is an extremely effective means for locating qualified candidates. Often, outstanding potential candidates do not apply for advertised positions, but they may instead respond to an invitation from an individual within their network. Specific inquiries to those who are members of networks including women and members of underrepresented groups can help to expand and diversify the pool of applicants for a position.