For a search to be successful in attracting highly qualified and diverse applicants, attention to diversity — broadly defined — must start at the beginning of the search process with the development of the position description and the selection of the search committee.
Position announcement
1. Prior to initiating the search, the position description should be carefully written by the department chair, faculty group, or search committee and be reviewed by the dean’s office. Consideration should be given to defining the position broadly to expand the number of candidates from diverse backgrounds who may apply.
2. Include in the position announcement and in all advertisements for the position the following statement:
“Stanford University is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to increasing the diversity of its faculty. It welcomes nominations of and applications from women, members of minority groups, protected veterans and individuals with disabilities, as well as from others who would bring additional dimensions to the university’s research, teaching and clinical missions.”
Diversity outreach plan
Before the search commences, the department or search committee should develop a search plan that includes specific outreach efforts for obtaining a diverse applicant pool. Deans may request this diversity outreach plan as part of the search authorization request or before allowing the search to proceed.
Suggestions for diversity outreach approaches are described below under The Search Process. The Assistant Vice Provost for Faculty Development and Diversity assists search committee chairs with targetted outreach, including posting announcements to diversity-related national listervs and identifying departments and institutions with the top producing number of diverse candidates.
Composition of the Search committee
1. Efforts should be made to appoint a search committee that includes individuals from diverse backgrounds and members who have demonstrated a commitment to diversity. Include experienced department citizens and young stars, as well as faculty related to the search area.
2. If the small number of women and minority faculty in the department or school precludes their membership on the search committee, consideration should be given to including faculty from other departments on the search committee. Add outside experts if the field is new for your department, if your department is small, or if the search is in an interdisciplinary field.
3. One member of the committee should be asked to serve as the diversity officer. Faculty serving in this position will assist the search committee with diversity aspects of the search, including outreach efforts and monitoring the diversity of the candidate pool.
4. Avoid appointing the faculty member with the most at stake as chair of the committee.
5. The department chair may want to be an ex officio member of the search committee.
6. Search committee members are strongly encouraged to learn about committee dynamics and about bias in evaluation and decision-making. They are encouraged to watch The Search Committee, a 20-minute skit developed at Stanford. Committee chairs may want to watch and discuss the skit during one of its early meetings.
Target of opportunity
The faculty appointment process at Stanford normally begins with a national (and often international) search for the best available person who fulfills the needs of the open position. Faculty search committees are required to engage in a rigorous effort to identify qualified women and minority candidates.
Occasionally a department or school identifies without a search a truly exceptional individual who would greatly enrich its faculty, e.g., by bringing uniquely outstanding scholarship and/or diversity to the department. In such “target of opportunity” cases, a search waiver may be requested from the provost. Search waivers for junior faculty are granted only in extraordinary circumstances and in situations with compelling needs.
