Best Practices in Faculty Searches Lynn Hollen Lees Vice Provost for Faculty October, 2012
Dec 14, 2015
Best Practices in Faculty Searches
Lynn Hollen LeesVice Provost for Faculty
October, 2012
Best Practices in Faculty Searches | # 2
Our Goals
• Excellence
• Diversity
• Interdisciplinary scholarship
Best Practices in Faculty Searches | # 3
Faculty Diversity and Excellence
The diversity of our University must reflect the diversity of the world around it – and the diversity of the world that we want our students to lead.
Amy Gutmann, President
Best Practices in Faculty Searches | # 4
State of the Faculty
Population
Ph.D. Pool
Penn Faculty
Penn Standing Faculty 2011
13.5%
3.1% 1.5%
81%
12.6%5.2%
16.3%
5.7%4.8%
24.6%
55%
72.4%
Best Practices in Faculty Searches | # 5
State of the Faculty
Population
Ph.D. Pool
Penn Faculty
Penn Standing Faculty 2011
31%
69%
50%46.8%
53.2%50%
Best Practices in Faculty Searches | # 6
New Affirmative Action Process
“Diversity Search Advisors”
• Assist in formation of search committee
• Help craft job descriptions
• Evaluate the pool
• Aid in reviewing search waiver requests
• Help to evaluate candidates
• Sign-off on EOC forms (new hires, promotions, and
resignations)
Best Practices in Faculty Searches | # 7
Search Committee Best Practices
•Know the obstacles
•Network before opening search
•Use targeted outreach
•Use word of mouth
•Review your packet of materials
Unconscious Schemas
Universal part of perception and evaluation
• Beliefs about people
• Beliefs about how people “ought” to be
Contributing factors• Ambiguity
• Stress from competing tasks
• Time pressure
• Lack of critical mass
Fiske (2002). Current Directions in Psychological Science, 11, 123-128.
Best Practices in Faculty Searches | # 8
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Unconscious Schemas
Low High
High
Fiske, Cuddy, Glick, & Xu (2002). Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 82(6), 878-902.
LowHispanics
Competence
Warmth
Blacks
Whites
Asians
Men
Women
Best Practices in Faculty Searches | # 10
Gender Discrimination
University psychology professors preferred “Brian” over “Karen” by 2:1
Steinpreis, Anders, & Ritzke (1999) Sex Roles, 41, 509.
Best Practices in Faculty Searches | # 11
Student Evaluations
Both male and female scientists evaluated female undergraduates as less competent, less deserving of a compensation, and less hireable.
Moss-Racusin, Dovidio, Brescoll, Graham, Handelsman (2012) PNAS Early Edition.
Best Practices in Faculty Searches | # 12
The Motherhood Penalty
Study participants evaluated identical job applications of same gender applicants differing on parental status.Mothers were penalized, while fathers sometimes benefited from being a parent.
Correll, Benard, and In Paik (2007), American Journal of Sociology, 1297-1338.
Best Practices in Faculty Searches | # 13
Racial Discrimination
Black-sounding names (“Jamal”): 15 resumes = callback
White-sounding names (“Greg”):10 resumes = callbackEquivalent to 8 extra years experience
Bertrand & Mullainathan (2004) Poverty Action Lab, 3, 1-27.
Sexual Orientation Discrimination
Resumes with homosexual signifiers 14 resumes= callback
Heterosexual signifiers9 resumes = callback
Tilcsik (2011), American Journal of Sociology, 586-626.
Best Practices in Faculty Searches
Best Practices in Faculty Searches | # 15
Letters of Recommendation
Trix & Psenka (2003) Discourse & Society, 14(2), 191-220.
Letters for women
• Shorter
• Fewer references to CV
• Twice as many gender references
• More references to personal life
• Fewer standout references (“excellent”) and more “grindstone” references (“hardworking”)
• Twice as many hedges and irrelevancies (“It’s amazing how much she’s accomplished”)
Best Practices in Faculty Searches | # 16
Reducing Bias
• Reducing ambiguity
• Avoiding “solo” presence in pool
• Taking time to review applications
Dovidio & Gaertner (2000). Psychological Science, 11, 315-319.
Fiske (2002). Current Directions in Psychological Science, 11, 123-128.
Martell (1991). Journal of Applied Soc Psychol, 21, 1939-1960.
Dasgupta & Greenwald (2001). Journal of Pers & Soc Psych, 81, 800-814.
Best Practices in Faculty Searches | # 17
Careful and Unbiased Evaluation
Thoughtfulness and accountability
• Supportive, diverse committee
• Familiarity with research on bias
• Structured, evidence-based review• Apply consistent, objective criteria
• Evaluate entire application
• Treat recommendations with care
• Avoid over-reliance on prestige
Best Practices in Faculty Searches | # 18
Diverse Search Committees
• 2006 study of jury behavior
• Diverse groups more likely to• Cite facts
• Avoid error
• Discuss racism
Sommers (1996), Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 597-612
Effective Visits
• Show enthusiasm
• Offer dual-career and family-friendly policy
information
• Identify colleagues who can discuss climate for
women and minorities
• Introduce the city and region
• Stay in contact
• Be even-handed and transparent in negotiatingBest Practices in Faculty Searches | # 19
Best Practices in Faculty Searches | # 20
• Faculty Opportunity Fund/ Dual Career Fund
• Benefits and Retirements Brochures
• Pool Data
• Sites for Job Postings
• HERC
• Relocation Assistance
• Child Care
Some Resources
Best Practices in Faculty Searches | # 21
Discussion