August 4, 2000

Making Letters of Recommendation More Useful -- and More Honest

To the Editor:

Given the way in which most universities currently make hiring and tenure decisions, I believe that outside letters are of very little value ("Why You Can't Trust Letters of Recommendation," June 30). In fact, in our department's hiring practice, we do not even request letters until we make our decision. Then, because the administration requires them, we request them after the fact (and, of course, request them from people we know will write