Faculty Recruitment Workshop

Faculty Recruitment Workshop Presented by The Offices of Assistant Provost for Diversity & Affirmative Action September 14, 2011

Ice Breaker • Connect the dots

Importance of Diversity in Higher Education • The educational environment following the 2003 Supreme Court decisions on Affirmative Action calls for colleges and universities to connect their educational quality and inclusion efforts more fundamentally and comprehensively than ever before (Milem, Chang, Antonio, 2005) • The evidence, gathered on behalf of the University of Michigan in its defense of its affirmative action policies before the Supreme Court, indicates that diversity must be carried out in intentional ways in order to accrue educational benefits for students and for the institution (Georgia Bauman, Leticia Tomas Bustillos, Estela, 2005) • The authors argue persuasively for a conception of diversity as a process toward better learning rather than as an outcome—a certain percentage of students of color, a certain number of programs—to be checked off a list • They also provide numerous suggestions for how to “engage” diversity in the service of learning, ranging from recruiting a compositionally diverse student body, faculty, and staff; to developing a positive campus climate; to transforming curriculum, co-curriculum, and pedagogy to reflect and support goals for inclusion and excellence

Importance of Diversity in Higher Education • Inclusive Excellence re-envisions both quality and diversity • It reflects a striving for excellence in higher education that has been made more inclusive by decades of work to infuse diversity into recruiting, admissions, and hiring; into the curriculum and co-curriculum; and into administrative structures and practices (Milem, Chang & Antonio) • Diversity and inclusion efforts move beyond numbers of students or numbers of programs as end goals • Instead, they are multilayered processes through which we achieve excellence in learning; research and teaching; student development; local and global community engagement; workforce development; and more (Milem, Chang & Antonio)

Importance of Diversity in Higher Education • AAC&U, 2005, advanced an operational definition of inclusive excellence consisting of four primary elements: • A focus on student intellectual and social development • A purposeful development and utilization of organizational resources to enhance student learning • Attention to the cultural differences learners bring to the educational experience and that enhance the enterprise • A welcoming community that engages all of its diversity in the service of student and organizational learning

Importance of Diversity in Higher Education • Many colleges and universities share a common belief, born of experience, that diversity in their student bodies, faculties, and staff is important for them to fulfill their primary mission: providing a quality education • The reasons include: • Diversity enriches the educational experience • It promotes personal growth--and a healthy society • It strengthens communities and the workplace--education within a diverse setting prepares students to become good citizens in an increasingly complex, pluralistic society • It enhances America's economic competitiveness--sustaining the nation's prosperity in the 21st century will require us to make effective use of the talents and abilities of all our citizens, in work settings that bring together individuals from diverse backgrounds and cultures

Difference Between EEO, Affirmative Action and Diversity • While there is some overlap both in philosophy and practice, there are significant differences

Affirmative Action AFFIRMATIVE ACTION, EEO & DIVERSITY Diversity Freedom from discrimination on the basis of sex, color, religion, national origin, disability and age EEO rights are guaranteed by federal and state fair employment laws and are enforced by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and its state counterparts Has its roots in the Civil Rights Movement and EEO legislation of the '60s Employers have been expected to make a positive effort to recruit, hire, train, and promote employees of previously excluded groups Deemed a moral and social obligation to amend historical wrongs and eliminate the present effects of past discrimination Affirmative action plans (AAPs) define an employer’s standard for proactively recruiting, hiring and promoting women, minorities, disabled individuals and veterans Equity EEO • Focuses on benefits to the organization. • Seen as contributing to organizational goals such as profit, productivity, and morale, rather than just avoiding lawsuits or meeting legal requirements • Diversity is inclusive, encompassing everyone in the workplace. It seeks to create a working environment in which everyone and every group fits, feels accepted, has value, and contributes

Mission • Developing and implementing activities and programs to increase and enhance faculty, staff and student diversity throughout the College, with particular emphasis on underrepresented groups; • Creating a College climate that affirms human dignity, individual rights, civility, mutual respect and academic freedom; • Fostering a community that rejects all forms of prejudice and discrimination to ensure that inclusion and equity prevails

Vision • Gaining national recognition for its commitment to diversity

Guiding Principles • As members of The College at Brockport, we are part of an academic community committed to fostering integrity, civility, and justice. We affirm that the dignity of our Brockport community is protected when free speech, academic freedom and individual rights are expressed within a climate of civility and mutual respect. Striving to learn from each other, we reject all forms of prejudice and discrimination including, but not limited to, those based on race/ethnicity, age, socio-economic status, gender/gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, and disability, as well as cultural, political, religious, spiritual or other affiliations. We value human diversity because it enriches our lives and it is fundamental to the College’s commitment to teaching, learning, scholarship and service leading to student success

Diversity Strategic Priorities • Develop and implement activities and programs designed to infuse diversity and inclusion across the curriculum • Develop and implement strategies and programs designed to increase and enhance faculty and staff diversity throughout the College, with particular focus on underrepresented groups within each department/division. • Develop programs and services designed to improve the educational outcome for students Student Success • Develop and implement activities and programs designed to increase and enhance student diversity throughout the College • Develop and implement activities and programs designed to enhance the College climate for students, faculty and staff which are aligned with the College’s mission and goals • Develop and implement strategies for philanthropy and alumni relations • Create the Institute for Diversity and Inclusion

Roles • Provost • Deans • Department Chairs • Search Committee Chairs • Search Committee Members • Affirmative Action Office

Search Best Practices • Timeline • Crafting the Vacancy Announcement • Advertising • Sourcing Candidates • Interviewing Candidates • Campus Visit • Reference Checking • Deliberations

Timelines • Searches should be completed by December 2011, if possible. • Sample timeline • Post position by September 23 • Best consideration date November 1 • Screen candidates by November 11 • Invite candidates for interviews November 14-December 2 • Deliberation meeting by December 9 • Submit recommendations by December 15

Crafting The Position Announcement • Develop position profile • Consider the departmental and college-wide mission/vision • Assess departmental needs • Use inclusive language • Review with entire search committee prior to posting • Tailor each vacancy announcement

Advertising • Complete Advertising recruiting plan demonstrating Affirmative Action recruitment efforts the committee with undertake • Must have at least one print ad in a national publication required for immigration purposes • Use Web/Listserves/Social Media • Affirmative Action will place some ads for you in Diverse, Hispanic Outlook, The Registry, MFAD, HBCU’s and national affirmative action lists

Sourcing Candidates • What is sourcing? • Sourcing refers to proactively identifying candidates. • Nominating qualified candidates • Personal outreach to MWDD or other lists • Outreach to graduate programs that specialize in your discipline • LinkedIn

Interviewing • Interviews may not be conducted until approval is received from Affirmative Action. • Interview questions should directly assess the candidates knowledge, skills and abilities to perform the role successfully. • Prior to conducting interviews, committee members should participate in Behavioral Interview Training.

Campus Visit • The Search Committee will establish an interview itinerary. This itinerary must be consistently applied to all candidates invited for interviews. The Committee should determine what will be expected of the candidates during the interviews and advise candidates accordingly so they can be prepared. • At a minimum, the candidate should meet with the Search Committee, Department Chair and Dean as part of the itinerary. • Candidates should be given Candidates’ Guides and benefits information as part of the interview process. These materials will be provided by Affirmative Action upon approval to interview.

Reference Checking • Why do we do reference checks? • Verifies what the candidate tells you during the interview • Reduces instances of Negligent Hiring • Supervisory Reference check is required • Developed references, aka ‘going off list’ • Letters of Recommendation- follow up with a phone call

Deliberations • Only search committee members should participate in committee meetings and deliberations. • Recommendations from the search committee are submitted to the Department Chair, Dean and AAO for review and approval. • The Department Chair should not participate the committee deliberations. • Deviations from the standard search procedures should be send to the Dean and AAO for approval.

Deliberations • Deliberations are confidential and should not be discussed outside of the committee, even after the search is completed. • Procedures should be established in the beginning of the search for reaching consensus.

Avoiding Potential Pitfalls • Illegal Interview Questions • Immigration Issues • Interviewing Candidates in Remote Locations • Reasonable Accommodations for Candidates

Faculty Recruitment Workshop