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The Purpose of this step is to ensure that the hiring committee embodies the unit'sÌýcommitment to inclusive excellence.

An essential strategyÌýin the inclusive hiring process is to make certainÌýthat the hiring committee is composed and trained such that its members can recognize andÌýcounteract structuralÌýinequity and implicit/explicit biases. This is among the most crucialÌýsteps in ensuring an inclusive and equitable faculty-search process and should therefore be treated with greatÌýconsideration and care.

Six Action ItemsÌýforÌýCreatingÌýand PreparingÌýan Inclusive Hiring Committee

Ìý 1. ÌýEnsure diverse representation on the committee in multiple forms:

An equitable hiring committee will include members with variedÌýdemographic identities/profiles.

Unit affiliatesÌýwho are members of underrepresented groups bring important perspectives into the hiring process. It is imperative, however, that committee members who identify with underrepresented groups are not tokenized or otherwise exploited. Consider the following example:

A unit wishes to project the appearance that it isÌýcommittedÌýto inclusivity and equitability. Yet the unit isÌýnot truly invested in the workÌýof diversifying faculty representation. To promote an imageÌýof inclusivity, the unit asks one BIPOC affiliate to serve on a faculty-hiring committee. When the committee meets, members who enjoy more structural privilege override the contributions of their BIPOC colleague. In this scenario, the "inclusion" of the BIPOC committee member serves to legitimize the committee's reproduction of systems of privilege and power ratherÌýthan to facilitate a paradigm shift.Ìý

It is important to understand that the non-inclusiveÌýactors in this example could well believe they are committed to faculty diversification. That is an important aspect of how structural inequity operates. It is often invisibleÌýto those who do its bidding.

To avoid this trap, units that are truly committed to faculty diversification shouldÌýensure thatÌýa substantial portion of a hiring committee'sÌýmembersÌýrepresent BIPOC and other institutionally marginalizedÌýsocial categories.ÌýUnits in whichÌýfaculty are predominantly white/male/etc. should consider collaborating with other departments/programs to ensure inclusive and equitableÌýrepresentation on hiring committees.ÌýÌýÌý

A diverse committee should compriseÌýmembers with differentÌýlevels of professional experience andÌýstatus within the unit (e.g. senior faculty, junior faculty, and graduate students).Ìý

The committee should also comprise members who have earned theirÌýdegrees at different types of postsecondary institutions. A committee member whoÌýgraduated from a state university might, for example, be more likely to recognize and challengeÌýinstitutional bias (please see DevelopÌýa Plan to Recognize and Mitigate Bias) than a committee member who attended anÌýelite university.

Those responsible for selecting the hiring committee should consider including a representative ofÌýthe Environmental Studies Program's Inclusive Excellence Committee.

Ìý 2. ÌýDO NOTÌýoverburden underrepresented affiliates, and DO compensateÌýthose who bear a higher burden of service:

As mentioned above, one important way to counteract implicit bias is to ensure diverse representation onÌýhiring committees. Yet underrepresentedÌýfaculty and graduate students often bear a greater burden of service than their overrepresented colleagues, and this burden can negatively impact career development. It is therefore essential that underrepresented affiliatesÌýwho are dedicated to actualizingÌýthe goals of inclusivity and equitabilityÌýareÌýadequatelyÌýcompensated for their commitment. In other words, underrepresented affiliatesÌýengaging inÌýservice that furthers the principlesÌýof inclusive excellence—such as those serving onÌýhiring committees—shouldÌýbe relieved of certain other service responsibilities,Ìýor they should beÌýotherwise compensated for their time. And these affiliatesÌýshould be consulted to determine what form of compensation will best support their personal wellbeing and career development.

Ìý 3. ÌýThe committee chair must meet with the Diversity and Inclusive Excellence Unit inÌýHuman Resources:

While it is imperative that the committee chair meetsÌýwith the Diversity and Inclusive Excellence Unit, it willÌýalsoÌýbenefitÌýthe entire committee to utilize this valuable resource.

Ìý 4. ÌýAll committee members must thoughtfullyÌýcomplete the Faculty Diversity Search and Hire Online Course:Ìý

Let's face it, online trainings can be time consuming and easy to rush. But the information available in the Faculty Diversity Search and Hire Online Course is immensely important. AllÌýindividualsÌý(not only hiring-committeeÌýmembers)Ìýwho weighÌýin on faculty-hiring decisions should set aside an adequate amount of time to explore this resourceÌýin careful depth.Ìý

One important function of this step is to train hiring decisionmakers on how to recognize and counteract implicit bias. Knowledge about implicit bias is an essential characteristicÌýof an inclusive and equitable hiring committee.ÌýIt is important to note, however, that someÌýÌýsuggests implicit-bias training can be marginally effective, ineffective, and evenÌýcounterproductive—depending on how it is administered and how trainees perceive it.Ìý

Ìý 5.ÌýÌýAll committee members must carefully read and reviewÌýtheÌýFaculty Search Process Manual:

Much like the Faculty Diversity Search and Hire Online Course, the Faculty Search Process Manual is onlyÌývaluable ifÌýit is purposefully utilized.ÌýAllÌýindividualsÌý(not only hiring committee members)Ìýwho weighÌýin on faculty-hiring decisions should set aside an adequate amount of time to explore this resourceÌýin careful depth.ÌýÌý

Ìý 6. ÌýAll committee members mustÌýhaveÌýsubstantiveÌýknowledge aboutÌýstructural inequity:

Understanding structuralÌýinequity takes a lot of time and commitment. Committee members who areÌýfamiliarÌýwithÌýcritical race theory, post-colonial theory, whiteness studies, and other tools for identifying and dismantling institutional inequity are best equipped to serve on an inclusive hiring committee. Unit affiliates who have experience with—or who specialize in—these fields shouldÌýbe recruited for service on hiring committees. Committee members who have little or noÌýfamiliarity with such scholarly paradigms must be committedÌýto educatingÌýthemselves beyond mandatory trainings. For a starting point, such affiliates should examineÌýMust-Read Articles on Faculty Diversification.Ìý

For more on the importanceÌýonÌýcreating and preparing an inclusive hiring committee, see theseÌýexternal resources.

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