Recruiting a Diverse Faculty

A DRAFT DOCUMENT

 

Prepared by:

Academic Affairs

 

12/12/02

 

 

  

 

 

Background

 

According to Harvey (2001), colleges and universities have experienced steady growth in the racial and ethnic diversity of the student population, but we have not seen similar diversification among the faculty. Arguments for a diverse faculty include ensuring better education and exposure to diverse scholarly perspectives and life experiences for all students. Ethnic minorities represent 13.8% of the total faculty nationwide. Moreover, faculty of color are not evenly distributed across institutional types, disciplines, or academic ranks.

 

Arguments for a diverse faculty are as compelling as student diversity, which extend beyond the obvious reasons of equity. Faculty diversification fosters educational equality. The more diverse the faculty, the greater the diversity of course content and readings, curricular and teaching methods, and scholarly ideas presented to students. Evidence suggests that colleges and universities that have more faculty and students from diverse backgrounds have students that report being more accepting of people of different races/cultures and more culturally aware. Additionally, students from diverse campuses also showed greater growth in the areas of leadership, critical thinking, ability to work cooperatively, interpersonal skills, and problem solving (Hurtado, Clayton-Pedersen, Milem, & Allen, 1999).

 

A study by Turner (2002) indicates that in 71% of faculty hires in which faculty from underrepresented groups were hired at colleges and universities nationwide, an intervention strategy (special hire and/or diversity in job description) was needed. All Native American, 84% of African American, 43% of Latino, and 18% of Asian American faculty were hired through these interventions. Data such as this indicate the need for institutions to actively develop strategies for recruiting diverse faculty and develop a climate that is welcoming of these faculty. 

 

Faculty search committees that are the most successful in contributing to the goal of diversifying its institution’s faculty are those that have institutions that have an commitment to diversity as part of the institution’s strategic planning goals and have ongoing activities towards achieving this goal. A good way to strengthen commitment to diversity as a goal is to have as a specific objective within that goal that incorporates faculty diversity. This also makes more explicit to the entire institution the connection between faculty diversity and education quality.

 

As diversity becomes a well integrated part of the institution’s strategic goals and as departments align their goals to incorporate diversity, the campus becomes one that is welcoming of faculty and student diversity. An institution that is welcoming and provides an environment supportive of diversity becomes attractive. Turner (2000) reveals that while the reasons that faculty of color leave positions vary, a hostile climate is a potential cause. A welcoming environment creates success in an institution’s retention of faculty from diverse backgrounds and in continued successful efforts toward recruitment of a diverse faculty.

 

This document is designed to provide recommendations and information to increase diversity in the Kennesaw State University faculty. It is designed for KSU Faculty Search committees. The document is divided into several sections: 1) institutional commitment to diversity, 2) advertising faculty positions, 3) strategies during the faculty search process, 4) strategies during the writing of the position ads, 5) strategies during the search visits, and 6) follow-up after the search. Finally, three appendices are attached providing networking databases for use in advertising.

 

Institutional Commitment

1)      KSU has as part of its mission to value diversity. Departments should also have mission statements valuing diversity.

2)      There should be continued efforts toward representing diversity in the curriculum at the institution and continued systematic methods for assessing student learning about diversity in the curriculum.

3)      The institution should continue to sponsor campus-wide diversity events for KSU students and the community.

4)      There should be continued partnerships with local schools and organizations in the community that represent and support diversity.

 

Advertising of Positions (Note: Faculty Search committees should select the most appropriate contact people from the strategies listed in this section and the accompanying appendices as part of their advertising/networking for their search.)

 

The following are some advertising and networking strategies for beginning level faculty positions.

1)      Search committees should make contact with Directors of Graduate Programs at local doctoral granting institutions (e.g., Emory University, Georgia State University, Georgia Institute of Technology, and University of Georgia).

2)      Search committees should make contact with Directors of Preparing Future Faculty programs. This program is sponsored by the Association of American Colleges and Universities and Council of Graduate Programs. Each doctoral- granting degree institution that participates in the program prepares its graduate students for faculty positions by partnering with a liberal arts college, a community college, and a master’s university to provide experiences for graduate students to learn about the roles and responsibilities of faculty at each partnering institution (see Appendix A).

3)      Search committees should make contact with Graduate Directors leading doctoral granting institutions that produce the largest numbers of minority PhDs (see Appendix B) and/or institutions where the members of the search committee received their PhDs.

4)      Search committees should make contact with Directors of graduate minority fellowship programs, such as the Mellon Minority Undergraduate Fellowship Program, GE CIC Minority Fellowship Program, the Ford Foundation/National Research Council Dissertation Fellowships for Minorities, NSF Minority Graduate Fellowships, and the American Association of University Women Graduate Fellowships.

5)      Academic Affairs should work on developing a program that offers competitive fellowships to graduate students (including those from underrepresented groups) who are completing their Ph.Ds or have recently completed their Ph.D.s into one or two-year Instructor level and Temporary Assistant Professor positions at KSU. These positions can serve as a recruiting pool for tenure-track positions.

 

The following are some advertising and networking strategies for experienced faculty positions.

1)      Search committees should make contact with all KSU faculty and administrators (on and off-campus) who are well networked in disciplines related to the areas of the faculty search for recommendations of qualified candidates. Search committees should then make contact with the recommended individuals.

2)      Search committees should make contact with professional organizations (general and discipline-based) to get recommendations of qualified candidates. Search committees should then make contact with qualified individuals (see Appendix C).

 

Strategies During the Search Process

1)      Give a charge to the faculty search committee stressing the importance of a diverse applicant pool.

2)      Ensure that faculty from underrepresented groups who are respected and highly visible in their fields are on the search committee.

3)      Academic Affairs should work on and provide to search committees copies of a campus production publication. This production publication (CD-rom or videotape) can be provided to candidates and can highlight the institution, community, and the Atlanta area (including campus and community diversity activities).

 

Strategies During the Writing of the Ads

Search committees should take great care when writing the ads for positions. The campus should have some common components in the ad that include the following:

1)      The ad should encourage faculty from underrepresented groups to apply.

2)      The ad can stress that applicants have an interest and experience in implementing curriculum addressing diversity issues.

3)      The ad can stress that applicants have a familiarity working with diverse students.

4)      The ad can stress that applicants have experience with a variety of teaching methods.

 

Strategies During the Faculty Search Visits

1)      Candidate should be given time to visit with other faculty from a variety of backgrounds if the candidate wishes this.

2)      Candidate should get a sense of the campus and local community. 

 

Follow-Up After the Search

1)      Academic Affairs should develop a revised form for Search committees to report back data related to the search. The revised form should allow for the collection of data to future search committees about effective faculty search strategies (including effective strategies for recruiting a diverse faculty).

2)      Search committees and Department Chairs should conduct post-recruitment interviews with faculty candidates (including those of underrepresented groups) who accepted positions to find out what led them to accept. There should also be interviews with candidates (including those from underrepresented groups) who turned down a KSU offer to find out find out why.

 

 

 

 

 

 

References

 

      Harvey, William. (2001). Eighteenth annual status report on minorities in higher education. Washington, DC: American Council on Education.

 

      Hurtado, S., Clayton-Pedersen, A., Milem, J., & Allen, W. (1999). Enacting Diverse Learning Environments: Improving the Climate for Racial/Ethnic Diversity in Higher Education. ASHE-ERIC Higher Education Report 26, No. 8. Washington, DC:  The George Washington University, Graduate School of Education and Human Development.

 

      Turner, Caroline (2002). Diversifying the faculty: A Guidelines for Search committees. Washington, DC: Association of American Colleges and Universities.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

APPENDIX A

Preparing Future Faculty Programs

 

Name

Department

Address

Phone Number

E-Mail

 

Lemons, Paula

Biology

Duke University, Durham, NC  27708

919-668-6181

plemons@duke.edu

Huether, Carl

Biology

University of Cincinnati, 2624 Clifton Avenue, Cincinnati, OH 45221

513- 556-9764

Carl.huether@uc.edu

Reeves, Thomas

Biology

University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC  29208

803-777-4141

No email address

Higley, Leon

Biology

University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE  68583-0816

402-427-8689

lhigley@unlserv.unl.edu

Curran, David

Chemistry

University of Massachusetts, 701 Lederle, Graduate Research Tower A, 710 N. Pleasant St., Amherst, MA  01008

413-545-2585

curran@chem.umass.edu

Engel, Robert

Chemistry

Queens College-CUNY, 65-30 Kissena Blvd., Flushing, NY  11367

718-997-5191

Robert_engel@qc.edu

 

 

 

Heinz, Teresa

Communications

Indiana University, 107 S. Indiana Avenue, Bloomington, IN  47405-7000

812-855-7217

cledeni@indiana.edu

(email for Graduate Secretary)

Kasman, Ilana

Chemistry

University of Michigan, Department of Chemistry, 930 N. University, Ann Arbor, MI  48109-1055

734-763-6148

inkasman@umich.edu

 

 

 

Russell, Arlene

Chemistry

University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA  90065-1361

 

310-825-7570

aar@chem.ucla.edu

 

Cummings, Melbourne

Communications

Howard University, 2400 Sixth St., Washington, DC  20059

202-806-7690

mcummings@howard.edu

 

Waldhard, Enid

Communications and Information Studies

University of Kentucky, 105 Grehan Bldg., Lexington, KY  40506-0042

859-257-2886

waldhard@pop.uky.edu

 

Bruell, Steve

Computer Science

University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA  52242

319-335-0732

bruell@uiowa.edu

 

Martin, Wanda

Communications

University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM  87131

505-277-3046

wmartin@unm.edu

 

Heikenfeld, Jason

Electrical Engineering

University of Cincinnati, 2624 Clifton Ave., Cincinnati, OH  45221

513-556-4829

Jason.c.heikenfeld@uc.edu

 

Griffin, Barbara

English

Howard University, 2400 Sixth Street, Washington, DC  20059

202-806-6730

bgriffin@fac.howard.edu

 

Condon, William

English

University of Washington, Box 354330, Seattle, WA  98195-4330

206-543-2690

englgrad@u.washington.edu

Harkin, Patricia

English

University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL  60612

312-413-7400

pharkin@uic.edu

 

Barnes, Andrew

History

Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ  85287

408-965-9011

Andrew.barnes@asu.edu

 

Fleming, Robin

History

Boston College, 258 Hammond Street, Chestnut Hill, MA  02467

617-552-8484

Robin.fleming.1@bc.edu

 

Jewell, Jason

History

Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL  32306

850-644-5888

njumonvi@mailer.fsu.edu

(email for the Chair of the Department)

Peloso, Vincent

History

Howard University, 2400 Sixth Street, Washington, DC  20059

202-806-6815

vpeloso@fac.howard.edu

 

Karagueuzian, Dikran

Math

Binghamton University, P.O. Box 6000 Binghamton, NY  13902

607-777-2547

Dikran-budirectory@zmedia.com

 

Shugart, Eileen

Math

Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA  24061

540-231-8044

shugart@math.vt.edu

Steward, Gay

Physics

University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR  72701

479-575-2408

gsteward@uark.edu

 

Jones, Barbara

Physics

University of California at San Diego, San Diego, CA  92093

858-534-3290

B2jones@ucsd.edu

 

Chan, Steve

Political Science

University of Colorado at Boulder, Boulder, CO  80309

303-492-7904

Steve.chan@colorado.edu

 

Frazier, Michael

Political Science

Howard University

Washington, DC  20058

202- 806-9348

mfrazier@howard.edu

 

Blomquist, William

Political Science

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis

425 University Blvd.

Indianapolis, IN  46202-5140

317- 274-7387

blomquis@iupui.edu

 

Rundquist, Barry

Political Science

University of Illinois At Chicago, Chicago, IL  60612

312-413-2190

barryr@uic.edu

 

Shore, Cecilia

Psychology

Miami University, Oxford, OH  45056

513-529-2401

shorec@muohio.edu

 

Blair, Irene

Psychology

University of Colorado, Boulder, CO  80309

303-492-4563

Irene.blair@colorado.edu

 

Phelps, Rosemary

Psychology

University of Georgia, Athens, GA  30602

706-542-4221

rphelps@coe.uga.edu

 

Benassi, Victor

Psychology

University of New Hampshire,

Dept. of Psychology,

Conant Hall,

10 Library Way

Durham, NH  03824

603- 862-2360

vab@cisunix.unh.edu

 

DeCoster, Stacy

Sociology

North Carolina State University

Box 8107

Raleigh, NC

27695-8107

919- 513-2554

smdecost@ncsu.edu

 

Mckibben, Sherry

Sociology

Texas A&M University

College Station, TX  77843

979- 458-8056

sherry-lynn-mckibben@tamu.edu

 

Moore, Helen

Sociology

University of Nebraska, 723 Oldfeather Hall, Lincoln, NE  68583-0816

402-472-6071

hmoore@unlserv.unl.edu

Robinson, Rob

Sociology

Indiana University, 107 S. Indiana Avenue, Bloomington, IN  47405-7000

812-855-1547

robinson@indiana.edu

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

APPENDIX B

Leading Ph.D. Institutions of Minority Ph.D.’s, 1993-1997

(ranked by number of Ph.D.s)

 

Institution

#

Name & Position

Address

Phone Number

Email

Asians

 

 

 

 

 

University of California at Berkeley

204

Mary Ann Mason, Dean of the Graduate Division

309 Sproul Hall #5900, Berkeley, CA  94720-5900

510-642-5472

Graddean@uclink4.berkeley.edu

University of California at Los Angeles

193

Claudia Mitchell-Kernan, Dean of the Graduate Division

405 Hillgard Avenue, Box 951361, Los Angeles, CA  90095-1361

310-825-4383

cmkernan@gdnet.ucla.edu

Stanford University

166

Ann George, Dean of Research and Graduate Policy

Stanford, CA 94305

650-723-2300

anngeo@stanford.edu

University of Southern California

106

Jonathan Kotler, Director of the Graduate School

Los Angeles, CA  90089

213-740-9034

kotler@usc.edu

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

103

Isaac M. Colbert, Dean for Graduate Students

Graduate Students Office (Room 3-138), Cambridge, MA  02139-4307

617-253-4860

ikec@mit.edu

University of Michigan

96

Earl Lewis, Vice Provost for Academic Affairs- Graduate Studies

Ann Arbor, MI  48109

734-764-4401

earlewis@umich.edu

Harvard University

93

Peter Ellison, Dean of the Graduate School of Arts & Sciences

8 Garden Street, Byerly Hall 220, Cambridge, MA  02138-3654

617-496-1464

pellison@fas.harvard.edu

University of Illinois at Urbana

89

Cecilio Barrera, Associate Dean of the Graduate School

801 South Wright Street, Champaign, IL 61820-6210

217-333-4860

cbarrera@uiuc.edu

University of California at Davis

77

Jeffrey Gibeling, Dean of Graduate Studies

One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA  95616

530-752-0652

jcgibeling@ucdavis.edu

Columbia University

70

Henry Pinkham, Dean of the Graduate School of Arts & Sciences

2960 Broadway, New York, NY  10027-6902

212-854-2861

Hcp3@columbia.edu

University of Hawaii at Manoa

65

Peter Garrod, Associate Dean, Graduate Division

2540 Maile Way, Spalding 360, Honolulu, Hawaii 96822

808-956-7541

garrod@hawaii.edu

University of Wisconsin at Madison

63

Martin Cadwallader, Dean of the Graduate School

500 Lincoln Drive, Madison, WI  53706

608-262-1044

mtcadwal@facstaff.wisc.edu

Yale University

59

Susan Hockfield, Dean of the Graduate School

P.O. Box 208236, 320 York St., New Haven, CT  06520-8236

203-432-2733

Susan.hockfield@yale.edu

Cornell University

58

Alison Power, Graduate Dean

Caldwell Hall, Ithaca, NY  14853-2606

607-255-7374

Agp4@cornell.edu

University of Washington

58

Marsha Landolt, Dean of the Graduate School

P.O. Box 353770, G-1 Communications, Seattle, WA  98195

206-543-7468

landolt@u.washington.edu

University of California at San Diego

56

Richard Attiyeh, Dean of Graduate Studies

520 ERC, Mail Code 0003, 9500 Gilman Drive, LaJolla, CA  92093-0003

858-534-6654

rattiyeh@ucsd.edu

Northwestern University

54

Richard Morimoto, Dean of the Graduate School

633 Clark Street, Evanston, IL  60208

847-491-8502

r-morimoto@northwestern.edu

University of California at Irvine

53

Yong Chen, Associate Graduate Dean

120 Administration Building, Irvine, CA  92697-3180

949-824-9096

Y3chen@rgs.uci.edu

Princeton University

52

William Rusel, Dean of the Graduate Sch