Transcript The Art of Search Committees: Increasing the Quality and Diversity of Kennesaw State University Faculty Presented by: Dr.

The Art of Search Committees:
Increasing the Quality and Diversity of
Kennesaw State University Faculty
Presented by:
Dr. Jennifer Wade-Berg, Chief Diversity Officer
Dr. Lana Wachniak, Faculty Executive Asst. to Provost, Interim
Dr. Val Whittlesey, Associate Vice President, Academic Affairs
Workshop Agenda
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The Art of Successful Searches: Understanding the
Process
Search Committee Duties and “The Charge”
Recruitment & Outreach Activities
The Selection Process
Concerns of Faculty and Academic Administrators
from Underrepresented Groups
Completing the Search Process
Resources
Q &A
The Art of Successful Searches:
Understanding the Process
Successful Searches
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Searches are an Art– Not a Science.
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Use Best Practices &
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Follow Human Resources and Equal
Employment Opportunity laws and
policies.
Successful Searches (Cont.)
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Begin with search committees who are
trained, dedicated, and experienced
individuals.
Build highly qualified, diverse applicant
pools that potentially lead to outstanding
hires, which in turn, are natural
recruitment vehicles for the next searches.
Successful Search Committees
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Transform the search process.
Commit to diversity through action.
Cast a wide net.
Build a diverse applicant pool.
Avoid exclusionary thinking in
recruitment, selection, and hiring.
Search Committee Duties and
“The Charge”
Search Committee Composition
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Size varies depending on the nature of the
search & size of the department (generally
5-7 members).
Include underrepresented persons (may be
outside of department) (Contact Chief
Diversity Officer for assistance).
Include diverse people with fresh ideas
and diverse viewpoints.
Duties of Committee Members
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Active recruiter of a diverse applicant
pool.
Evaluate applicants consistently and fairly.
Attend meetings.
Complete assignments promptly.
Contribute professional expertise.
Sustain the vision for the position.
Duties of Committee Members
(Continued)
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Communicate your thoughts honestly to
other committee members.
Respect confidentiality of committee
members, applicants, and the department.
Abide by agreements made by full
committee.
Ensure fair and equitable treatment of all
applicants.
Duties of the Committee Chair
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Call and facilitate all meetings.
Organize all agendas.
Create a climate of trust, respect, and consensus
building.
Ensure that the process notes are shared
promptly.
Ensure that the committee follows the hiring
authority’s timeframe.
Communicate with the hiring authority.
Remember:
 The hiring authority is NOT a search
committee member for tenure-track and
academic administration positions.
 For faculty searches, the dean is the hiring
authority (on behalf of the President and of
the Provost & Vice President for
Academic Affairs).
“The Charge” to the Committee
The First Meeting
Use hiring plan to describe:
Position title, position description, essential and
preferred criteria, position’s scope and
challenges/opportunities, dept. & college goals
(incl. diversity goals), search timeframes,
preferred # of finalists and form of finalist
feedback (e.g., ranked, random), support for
search committee (e.g., administrative, travel
budget, etc.).
Big Picture Views of the
Search Process
Search Committee Methods
Do You Sort or Search?
SORT
 Sort thru
applications.
 Passive job postings.
 Unoriginal, same ad
in traditional posting
locations.
SEARCH
 Actively,
continuously search
for applicants.
 Actively recruit.
 Aggressive, creative,
& proactive.
Big Picture Views: Myths
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We are already “there” in hiring a Diverse Faculty.
Three out of every five new underrepresented-minority hires went to
replace underrepresented-minority faculty members who had left (4
year institutions 2000-2004). 1
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If the president, dean, provost, chancellor, department
chair, human resources officer and trustees publicly
declare their support for diverse hiring, then it will be
actualized in the search and hiring process.
Many of those who serve on search committees have never even
discussed, let alone agreed upon, the institutional and departmental
advantages of a diverse faculty and staff. 2
Myths:
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Women and an ethnic minority are advantaged in hiring3,4
Minorities and women, even those from highly
selective institutions, do NOT have an advantage in the
job market. 1
“The qualifications of minorities alone are irrelevant in the
hiring process, instead personal and political preferences,
prejudices, and fears of majority faculty and inaction of
administrators play a larger role in the final decisions
reached.” 4
There’s an informal system of preference. 65% who benefited
from special hire interventions in this study were Whites4
Myths:
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There’s a bidding war for faculty of color
Faculty of color reported that this was not their hiring
experience.4
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There is a small candidate pool and intense competition
between top universities.
Low demand/high supply argument is deceptive because even if
graduation rates are considered low, the number of graduates over time
should be enough to alter the low numbers of underrepresented
minorities in academia.4
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Because they are in such high demands women and
minority faculty accept only positions that are high paying,
prestigious, and in attractive geographic locations4
All faculty members, including minorities, consider multiple factors
in their employment decisions.
Myths:
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Smaller institutions may not be able to compete with larger ones
in terms of funding, so availability of assistance with moving
costs, securing partner employment, and professional travel
expenses my be less4
Lack of funding decreases the university’s ability to compete
with private sector who can afford to pay higher salaries4
Big Picture Views:
Exclusionary Thinking
Avoid Exclusionary Thinking such as:
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Scholars from underrepresented groups
must have attended the “right”
school/training.
The person hired has to be a GOOD fit.
Recruitment & Outreach
Activities
Recruitment Activities
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Recruitment plan
Job Description
Job Ad(s) and posting locations
Recruitment/Outreach activities
Recruitment Plan
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Searching is the first step in the “retention”
process.
Applicants must be educated about the
position- as important as learning about the
applicant.
Outreach must include outreach efforts to
underrepresented groups.
Outreach activities should align with Dept.
and/or College Recruitment Plan Goals.
Job Description
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Well-written and comprehensive
Not too broad
Include proactive language targeted
toward applicants of color, women, people
with disabilities, veterans, and other
underrepresented groups.
Job Description Components
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Position Title
Campus and Location Information
Position Responsibilities
Qualifications of Applicant
Salary and Benefits Information
Application Information
Contact Person for Search
KSU Affirmative Action/EEO Policy
Statement
Job Description
Consider adding the following to job descriptions:
 Campus commitment to building a culturally diverse
educational environment.
 How multicultural issues have been incorporated into
courses/clinical work and practicums/internships.
 Opportunity to join a community of faculty who engage
in scholarship and research on diverse populations.
 Demographics of the campus as they relate to
underrepresented groups.
Exclusionary Thinking
Exclusive Language
 Ph.D. is required
Inclusive Language
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Terminal degree is required
(Ph.D. in some disciplines)
Background in English
or related fields
required
Solid record of
scholarship and
research
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Background in
English required
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Distinguished or
nationally recognized
body of research and
scholarship
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A job ad can only be posted after it is
approved by the following parties or their
designees:
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Search committee
Department Chair
Dean
Chief Diversity Officer (or designee)
Provost and Vice President for Academic
Affairs (or designee)
Job Ad and Postings
Academic Affairs Office posts ads in:
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Academic Affairs webpage (long version)
Diverse: Issues in Higher Education (short version)
Chronicle of Higher Education (short version)
HigherEdJobs.com (on-line) (short version)
InsideHigherEd.com (on-line) (short version)
Contact the Office of Diversity and Inclusion for additional
posting outlets to cast a wider net.
Recruitment &
Outreach Activities
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Telephone calls
Personalized letters & emails to potential applicants.
Talk face-to-face with people who might nominate
candidates.
Approach candidates at professional meetings.
Consult with diverse faculty members on the KSU
campus and in community about outreach activities.
USG Applicant Clearinghouse (Office of Diversity and
Inclusion) completed applicant clearinghouse forms).
Recruitment &
Outreach Activities
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Recruiting at Conferences and association
meetings.
Contact traditional professional organizations
that have affiliated groups for underrepresented
groups.
YOUR THOUGHTS??????
The Selection Process
Selection Process
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Evaluation and Scoring Process
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Interviews
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Development of evaluation/scoring process
Evaluate applicants- first cut
Development of format
Conduct interviews (e.g., telephone)
Conduct reference checks
Select finalists
Campus visits
Georgia Open Records Act
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All documents, incl. search process documents,
are open to inspection by any citizen of the state.
If you receive an “Open Records” request,
contact KSU’s Legal Affair office immediately.
Personal notes should be removed from the
applicant file.
Only the master evaluation/group consensus
information should be maintained in the
applicant’s file.
Confidentiality
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Confidentiality should be observed from
the beginning to the end of the search
process.
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Deliberations and Conversations of the search
committee
Applicant Names are confidential until the
campus visit
Evaluation/Scoring
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Developed before reviewing applicants’ materials.
Based on job description and ads.
Written and available for committee members and
saved with faculty search materials.
Applicants can be: sorted, ranked, or given
numerical score.
Can include demonstrated success with diverse
populations.
Can include ways to judge “potential.”
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Internal applicants should not participate
in the evaluation process of other
applicants.
Evaluation material from individual
committee members are personal notes.
E-mail should not be used for discussions
and recommendations relating to the
evaluation of candidates, similar to tenure
and promotion process.
Interview Format
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Questions consistent for all applicants, follow-up
questions may vary.
Interviews at conferences should not be done.
May conduct phone interviews first to determine
number of in-person finalists (i.e., number of
persons for the campus visit).
Develop questions based on the job description.
Illegal Interview Topics:
 Race, Ethnicity and/or Natural Origin
 Sexual Orientation
 Age
 Veteran Status
 Disability Status (may ask if the applicant can perform the essential functions
of the position as listed in the position description)
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Marital Status
Children (Present or Future)
Religion
Height or Weight (unless the information is demonstrably job-related)
Arrest Records
Examples of Illegal Questions/Statements:
 How have you managed such an
impressive career as a single mother?
 That’s admirable that you want to make
this career change at your age.
Reference Checking
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Be sure to get the applicant’s permission and let
applicant know when you begin contacting
references.
Ask the applicant before going “off the list.”
Options for Reluctant References:
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Get recent performance evaluations
Get written references
Ask references for additional reference names.
Selection of Finalists
The following people approve the search
committee’s finalists before campus visits
are scheduled:
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Department Chair
Dean
Ensuring a
Positive Campus Visit
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Arrange for applicants to meet with other
faculty with similar interests or
backgrounds on campus.
College prepares “welcome packet” for
campus visits.
Arrange tour of the KSU campus and
surrounding area.
Campus Visits
Inappropriate interview venues during campus visits:
 Sporting events
 Parties
 Dinner with spouses
 Movies
 Home (unless the search committee has decided on this
location for dinner for all candidate’s campus visits).
Note: Hiring authority will meet with applicant but will not share
his/her impressions with the search committee.
Concerns of Faculty from
Underrepresented Groups
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Promotion and tenure
Having ethnicity (or gender, etc.) given
more attention than credentials
Being expected to work harder than other
groups
Being treated as a token
Ways to Address Concerns
from Underrepresented Groups
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University recognition of scholarship on
diversity; visiting faculty with diversity
expertise.
Colleges & departments engage in diversity
education and training.
Achieve critical mass.
Connect with other campus resources (Office of
Diversity and Inclusion, IGI, Black Faculty
Caucus, student organizations, etc.).
Connect with community resources.
Use of Person Outside of KSU on
Search Committee
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Make it clear to both outside person(s) and
applicant whether or not outside person(s) is
used in the evaluation process.
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If outside person is involved in the evaluation
process, he/she should be debriefed on the job
description and should use the same evaluation
criteria/forms as the other search committee
members.
Role of the Office of Diversity
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Develop and implement search committee
educational workshops.
Provide assistance to colleges and departments
on the development of recruitment plans.
Provide assistance and review the job description
prior to advertising/posting.
Provide additional support, as necessary for
additional advertising.
Role of the Office of Diversity
and Inclusion
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Collect and provide AA/EEO Summary data.
Make recommendations to Deans, Department
Heads, and Search Chairs on applicant pool
diversification.
Serve as a campus resource during the
recruitment, selection, and hiring process .
Complete USG applicant clearinghouse form.
Completing the Search
Completing the Search
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Search committee should debrief to
discuss what worked and what did not.
Are there qualified candidates that can
apply for other positions?
Search Committee Chair should
acknowledge participation of committee
members.
Campus Resources
Dr. Jennifer A. Wade-Berg
Chief Diversity Officer
[email protected]
678-797-2614
Ms. Alicia Stignani
Director of HR Services
[email protected]
678-797-2337
Dr. Valerie Whittlesey
Associate VP for Academic Affairs
[email protected]
770-423-6603
Faculty Search College Resources
Arts- Jane Barnet & Joe Thomas
Bagwell- Maurice Wilson
Coles- Randy Stuart
Wellstar- Carol Holtz
HSS- Tony Grooms, & Becky Petersen
Science/Mathematics- Marla Bell
University College- Liza Davis
The Guidelines for Filling a Faculty Vacancies document can be found at:
https://web.kennesaw.edu/academicaffairs/vacancies
Comments
Questions & Answers