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

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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%

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State of the Faculty

Population

Ph.D. Pool

Penn Faculty

Penn Standing Faculty 2011

31%

69%

50%46.8%

53.2%50%

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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)

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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.

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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

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Gender Discrimination

University psychology professors preferred “Brian” over “Karen” by 2:1

Steinpreis, Anders, & Ritzke (1999) Sex Roles, 41, 509.

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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.

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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.

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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

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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”)

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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.

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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

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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

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• Faculty Opportunity Fund/ Dual Career Fund

• Benefits and Retirements Brochures

• Pool Data

• Sites for Job Postings

• HERC

• Relocation Assistance

• Child Care

Some Resources

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Discussion