Search bp oct11_2012

Best Practices in Searching For and Hiring New Faculty

ADVANCE-NE Faculty Committee

Concetta DiRusso, ChairOct. 11, 2012

ADVANCE Faculty Committee 2008-2012

Shireen Adenwalla PhysicsAlexandra Basolo School of Biological Sciences Erin Blankenship Statistics Andrea Cupp Animal Science Concetta DiRusso BiochemistryTracy Frank Earth & Atmospheric SciencesSteve Goddard Computer Science and EngineeringSusan Hermiller MathematicsElizabeth Jones Civil EngineeringMerlin Lawson Earth & Atmospheric SciencesJohn Meakin MathematicsNancy Myers HR, Organization DevelopmentAndrzej Nowak Civil Engineering Sheila Purdhum Animal ScienceBrian Robertson Mechanical & Materials Engineering Melanie Simpson Biochemistry Anu Subramanian Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering Xiao Zeng Chemistry

The University will undertake a vigorous program of affirmative recruitment for minorities and women in all job categories in which they are found to be underutilized (5.b). Therefore, the method by which faculty positions are advertised should result in a highly qualified and diverse pool of candidates.

The University of Nebraska Board of Regents Policies pertaining to Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Guidelines (3.1.3) prescribe that:

Achievement of Excellence

• Breadth of Thought

• Breadth of Experience

• Breadth of Expertise

• Innovation in Approach

• Innovation in Teaching

• Innovation in Research

• Inclusive of all Talent

• Inclusive of all Members

• Inclusive of Diverse Opinions based on experience

College of Arts and Sciences

SBS

AnthropologyEarth and Atmospheric Sciences

Why are we doing this?

For them:

Physics and Astronomy

Why are we doing this?

For them:

College of Engineering

Agricultural Engineering

Chemical Engineering

Computer Engineering

Electrical Engineering

Electronics Engineering

Why are we doing this?

For them:

Agronomy and Horticulture

Food Science and Technology

Biochemistry

Institute of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources

Statistics

Portrait of Change Over Time

1955

2012

1962

Portrait of Change Over Time

2002

The Impact of Diversity Practices:Nobel Prize in Physiology and Medicine 2009

Elizabeth H. Blackburn Carol W. Greider Jack W. Szostak

"for the discovery of how chromosomes are protected by telomeres and the enzyme telomerase”

Impact of diversity in the corporate world

Tested the performance of 2,360 companies globally over the last six years

On average companies with one or more women on the board delivered higher average returns on equity, lower gearing, better average growth and higher price/book value multiples

Impact of diversity in the corporate world

What is the value of a diverse faculty?

Prepares the future generation to be leaders in a changing global environment

Propagates the image of advanced scholarship and research as inclusive and attainable

Erodes stereotypical barriers to achievement

The search process should ensure that there are outstanding women and minorities in the applicant pool

Early in the process define the criteria for “best”: for the department, for the university, and for students

Each person hired should know that they were selected for their excellent credentials and programmatic fit

Excellence and diversity go hand in hand:

Where do we stand today?

Prepared by: Mindy Anderson-Knott and Trish Hill, September 18, 2012

What are Best Practices?

A best practice is a method or technique that has consistently shown results superior to those achieved with other means

Guidelines for process that :

Are based in research from other academic institutions, from within UNL, and from other ADVANCE programs

Focus on all aspects of the search process

What are the steps in the search process?

1. Identification of Need

2. Formulating the position description

3. Advertising the position

4. Search committee composition

5. Search committee charge

6. Search committee process

7. Reviewing applications

8. Ranking applications

9. Development of a preliminary list of candidates

10.Development of a short list of candidates

11. Interviewing short list candidates

12.Final recommendation for hire

• Write the “Description of Work” that will appear on PeopleAdmin to

match the ad that you will disseminate.

• The broadest criteria possible, within the context of the

department/college’s strategic plan, attracts the broadest range of

candidates

• Be aware that the language used to describe a position can influence the pool of individuals who submit an application, thus care should be taken in crafting the wording

Writing the Ad

Position Description Statement

• Write the ad to clearly state the requirements for teaching, research, service and extension activities

• Write the ad to ensure that it encourages applicants who are women and individuals from other underrepresented groups

• Make the ad explicit about the University being an inclusive community

• Identify in the ad a contact person for additional information. This could be one or more female members of the search committee

Writing the Ad: Inclusive Language Required at UNL

The Chancellor’s Tag Line:

The University of Nebraska has an active National Science Foundation ADVANCE gender equity program, and is committed to a pluralistic campus community through affirmative action, equal opportunity, work-life balance and dual careers.

See also: The American Physical Societyhttp://www.aps.org/programs/minorities/recruitment/ads.cfm

Advertising the position: How and Where

Always be in recruitment mode

Hold brainstorming sessions to discuss novel recruitment strategies

Bring in guest faculty from other departments that have been successful in the recent past

Attend networking sessions at professional meetings for women and other underrepresented groups

Look for information within any professional society you belong to

Keep track of students who present their work at national meetings; encourage them to check with UNL for job opportunities

Consider volunteering to judge post-doc and grad student competitions at national and international meetings to scout for talent

Invite a diverse group of speakers to UNL for named lectures, seminar series, etc

Personally contact potential candidates with a targeted invitation to apply

Advertising the position: How and Where

Where to advertise? Online

Examples:

Academic Keys http://www.academickeys.com http://engineering.academickeys.com

HigherEdJobshttps://www.higheredjobs.com/search/default.cfm

New Scientist Jobs http://jobs.newscientist.com

Science Faculty Jobs http://sciencefacultyjobs.com

The Search Committee: Composition

Appoint a diverse committee – inclusive of women and minorities

Consider appointing a member from outside the department to bring a fresh perspective to discussions

All committee members are required to attend search committee training offered by the Office of Equity, Access and Diversity Programs (EADP)

Encourage committee members to become familiar with ADVANCE documents on best practices for a successful search

• Specify the roles and responsibilities of committee members, emphasize confidentiality and independence in decision making

• Determine how members will communicate with each other and the campus community; avoid email

• Openly recognize implicit biases

• Emphasize members act as representatives of the department/ university, not individual interests

• Make clear that diversity and excellence are compatible, and should be dually considered in the course of the search

The Search Committee: Operation

Ground Rules

• Bias - a particular tendency or inclination, especially one that prevents unprejudiced consideration of a question; prejudice.

• Implicit bias – unacknowledged and/or unconscious

• Implicit gender bias –

Automatic, pervasive and cumulative in its effects

Affects recruitment, hiring, evaluation, promotion and retention of female faculty

Men and women show similar implicit gender bias

Biases become incorporated into policies and practices

What is implicit bias?

• Keep in mind that letters of recommendation reflect the opinions of the writer and may be impacted by implicit bias.

• Periodically re-evaluate whether or not criteria for candidate selection are being applied uniformly

• Spend sufficient and equal amounts of time evaluating each application

• Provide every member of the committee an opportunity to express her/his opinion

Applicant Evaluation and Selection: Bias

Applicant Evaluation and Selection

• Develop criteria for evaluation: Minimum qualifications Preferred qualifications

• Employ an evaluation rubric to ensure all applications are given equal treatment and that documentation supports the recommendation to advance further or to table

• Examine the applicant pool to determine if qualified applicants from underrepresented groups are included in the initial pool and in the short list

• Develop a “long list” using an evaluation rubric to eliminate unqualified candidates

• Document clearly why an application is deficient or contains evidence criteria of the position posting are met

• Re-evaluate all long list candidates to select the short list pool using a standardized rubric

• Examine the list to see whether or not qualified applicants from under-represented groups are included; consider whether biases or assumptions have influenced ratings

• The final short list of candidates with be submitted to EADP for scrutiny

Applicant Evaluation and Selection

• Set aside sufficient time for each candidate to meet with members of the search committee and other faculty and to make a presentation to a target professional audience (e.g. research, teaching)

• Develop a set of questions asked of all candidates

• Educate all interviewers, department faculty and personnel meeting with the candidates about inappropriate questions revolving around personal issues, religion, health, arrest record

• Remember each interviewer is responsible for projecting and promoting a positive, non-threatening environment

• Give the candidate time to learn about UNL and Lincoln beyond the department, unit or center

Interviewing Candidates

• Invite all individuals that participated in the interview process to complete an evaluation form

• Set a time limit on completing the final evaluation and submission to the search committee chair

• Submit the final recommendation to the appropriate department chair, unit head, etc.

• Decide how to proceed if the top candidate turns the position down

• Remember, the search committee makes recommendations only; negotiations for a position offer and the final offer are the prerogative of upper level administration

Post-interview considerations

Dual Careers

is allowed

Dual Careers at UNL

Percent Partnered Faculty with Potential Dual Career Opportunity by Gender

STEM vs. Non-STEM

Prepared by: Mindy Anderson-Knott and Trish Hill, September 18, 2012

Dual Careers

• Nationally, approximately 80% of women in STEM fields have an academic partner

• Currently, the ADVANCE-NE Office supports the dual career program:

o EADP notifies ADVANCE of short-list candidate's dual career potential

o ADVANCE works with department and target departments to determine position availability

o Department notifies Advance of interview dates

o ADVANCE pays travel expenses of interviewee

• ADVANCE-NE has supported the Dual Career Program for 5 years, what happens in the future?

Remember!

Hiring new faculty is a beginning NOT an end…

http://advance.unl.edu/projectdoc

©2007 The Board of Regents of the University of Nebraska. All rights reserved.

Director Mary Anne Holmes, coPI Julia McQuillen

Project Managers Jill Hochstein and Lisa Pollard

Thank you!

ADVANCE

“Men, their rights, and nothing more; women, their rights, and nothing less.”

Susan B. Anthony

Rosalind FranklinXray CrysallographerDNA structure

Barbara McClintock1983 Nobel LaureateGenetic Transposition in Maize