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[trabb]

A piece in this week's Chronicle speaks of the "don't ask, please tell" approach to diversity in hiring practices.  Dennis M. Barden writes: "We seek diversity in all of our searches. Help us. If you as a job candidate are a member of a protected class, please find a way to bring that to our attention."

I have two questions related to this statement.  First, what suggestions do the forumites have for a candidate in the first stages of application (all the paperwork) who wants to call attention to his/her status as a "protected class" as Barden puts it?  Are there subtle ways to do this?

At the next stage of the application process - the face-to-face interview (whether that's a preliminary conference interview or a campus visit) - certain things will become pretty obvious, barring a search committee made up entirely of the visually disabled.  For instance, the question of the candidate's racial identity will in many cases become immediately obvious.   My second question, however, relates to things that will not be obvious at all.  How can a candidate effectively call attention to aspects of his/her life that, while not immediately obvious, would nevertheless contribute to the diversity of the department?

I would respectfully ask that you grant my basic assumption that diversity in hiring is a good thing.  I know not everyone here shares that view, but it would be nice on this new forum if not every thread breaks down into a shouting match over this basic question.

[larryc]

The standard way to do this is in the cover letter.  "As a Martian-American transgendered Jew, I am aware of some of the hurdles that minority students at your institution might face and hope to serve as a mentor to students from all backgrounds."  But don't lay it on too thick.

[sirkdn]

In responding to the point made in position prospectuses (prospecti??) asking for "sensitivity to diversity" (or "working with diverse student populations"), I speak of my personal and scholarly background (upbringing, travel, etc) - this seems to work well and gets committees interested in me....  I have never mentioned my ethnicity...  I have a feeling that "what you have done" re: diversity, is more important than "who you are"

[dale1]

This was the point I was trying to make in another thread, that respect and tolerance, as well as ability and familiarity with diverse people and perspectives is the true aim of these diversity initiatives.  You don't have to be an X, Y, or Z type person in order to meet this requirement.

[oldie]

Diversity is very important mission for every nation. It has done mostly good. Many people believe diversity is being used to reverse discriminate.
I support diversity provided:

----------------1. the teams accept its usefulness
----------------2. the selections are merit based

 

[dale1]

Oldie:

I am not sure I agree that the teams have to agree on its usefulness.  Often the most entrenched anti-diversity teams are not going to suddenly understand the value of diverse perspectives.  Usually they come to realize it once a diverse perspective is given.

On the issue of qualifications and the decision being merit based, the law, as I understand it, does not give advantage to those who are unqualified or do not have the merit to warrant a hire. 

[anonforthis]

A piece in this week's Chronicle speaks of the "don't ask, please tell" approach to diversity in hiring practices.  Dennis M. Barden writes: "We seek diversity in all of our searches. Help us. If you as a job candidate are a member of a protected class, please find a way to bring that to our attention."

I have two questions related to this statement.  First, what suggestions do the forumites have for a candidate in the first stages of application (all the paperwork) who wants to call attention to his/her status as a "protected class" as Barden puts it?  Are there subtle ways to do this?

In my department any reference to being a member of a "protected class" is immediate grounds for rejecting the applicant. We evaluate all applicants based on their credentials. From past experience we have found that people who make it a point of saying "I'm in a protected class" in their application do so because their qualifications are weak and they hope to get a jump on those who are qualified.

Mention you are a female applicant and you immediately go into the reject pile. Don't mention it but tell us you have a PhD in math, X number of journal publications and a track record of getting funded research and you go to the top of the short list.

At the next stage of the application process - the face-to-face interview (whether that's a preliminary conference interview or a campus visit) - certain things will become pretty obvious, barring a search committee made up entirely of the visually disabled.  For instance, the question of the candidate's racial identity will in many cases become immediately obvious.   My second question, however, relates to things that will not be obvious at all.  How can a candidate effectively call attention to aspects of his/her life that, while not immediately obvious, would nevertheless contribute to the diversity of the department?

such as what?

I would respectfully ask that you grant my basic assumption that diversity in hiring is a good thing.  I know not everyone here shares that view, but it would be nice on this new forum if not every thread breaks down into a shouting match over this basic question.

Well then you need to justify your assumption. What is it based on?  Why is a math department better if it hires someone who say is gay? After all, mathematics is purely objective; it knows no gender, race and it surely doesn't understand sexual orientation.

The problem here is your mindset. You throw out "I think diversity is a good thing" but never say why. Are you saying that just because it makes you feel good? Do you have any evidence that it is a good thing?

In my opinion racial/gender diversity in a department has as much bearing on the quality of the teaching and research as whether or not the people in the department are left or righthanded. It really doesn't make a difference one way or the other. The important thing is if you know the material and can teach it to others.

[trabb]

The problem here is your mindset. You throw out "I think diversity is a good thing" but never say why. Are you saying that just because it makes you feel good? Do you have any evidence that it is a good thing?

Actually, no, I wasn't the one that threw out "I think diversity is a good thing," although I do refer back to it later in the post.  The author of the piece in the Chronicle that I cited was, as the bit of my post that you quoted demonstrates.  Either you didn't really read it, or you're choosing to overlook it so you can get to your own agenda of trying to convince us all that affirmative action policies and attempting to create diversity in a faculty are bad things.

A piece in this week's Chronicle speaks of the "don't ask, please tell" approach to diversity in hiring practices.  Dennis M. Barden writes: "We seek diversity in all of our searches. Help us. If you as a job candidate are a member of a protected class, please find a way to bring that to our attention."

Furthermore, no, I don't need to justify the assumption.  My post had nothing to do with whether diversity really is a good thing or not.  It was instead a question about how to communicate one's diversity to a search committee when the committee has already determined that diversity is something they're seeking.

Now, I hope you feel a little bit better, knowing that you've clarified for the world that not everyone thinks diversity is a good thing.  I'm sure no one would have figured out that people hold opinions like yours despite my disclaimer that "I know not everyone here shares this view." 

[supernumerary]

On the OP's original question - how about candidates who staple a photograph to the cv?

[cactus]

In my department any reference to being a member of a "protected class" is immediate grounds for rejecting the applicant. We evaluate all applicants based on their credentials. From past experience we have found that people who make it a point of saying "I'm in a protected class" in their application do so because their qualifications are weak and they hope to get a jump on those who are qualified.

I hope you are exaggerating. No need to *assume* that just because the person has mentioned that they are of a "protected" class they must have "weak" qualifications.  This can easily be checked.  In my field a CV is always sent along with a letter of application.

As for the OP's question:  if you have won any nationally-recognized  "minority" fellowships, such as the Ford Foundation Dissertation fellowship, merely listing it on your CV should do the trick.  Also, if you've mentored students of color you can mention this too under "University Service."  Often these programs have opaque names, so be sure to offer a short parenthetical explanation.  Finally, if you play a leadership role in a students of color association you can mention that on your CV under "University Service," as well.  (My grad program had a Black Graduate Students Association, a Latino Graduate Students Association, a Native-American Graduate Students Association, etc. etc.)

[queenieburrs]

The issue of self-identifying is a tricky one.  I'm someone of whom it's always asked (usually when I'm not there) "is she or isn't she."  The former head of my department made it clear (again, not to me) that if I "was," my application would have gone straight to the top of the stack.  Some universities, including my own, *aggressively* (read: preferentially) recruit minorities for grad and faculty positions.  I do not know the extent to which minority status "trumps" merit-based qualifications, but from comments like those of my dept head, my assumption is (contrary to what some of you have posted) that it does. 

Another example:  After a fly-out, a friend of mine was told point-blank by a search committee member that, although he was their ideal candidate, they wouldn't hire him because of (and I quote): "the color of his hair and the color of his skin" (blond and white, respectively).  The position was eventually offered to a woman with a hispanic last name.  No doubt this person was highly qualified, but it seems that on the "inside" of the job search, faculty and administrators are making no bones about the fact that membership in a minority group, or a "protected class," as the discussion has gone, is a clear advantage.

[acrimone]

Speaking of Hispanic last names... sometimes the harder trick is NOT identifying yourself.

If someone can figure that one out for me, I'd be grateful.

[helpful]

I have seen ads in Canada that specifically mention that the university encourages applications from x, y and z, which could be any one of  what the OP calls a "protected class". I don't know how one identifies one as such, as Canada doesn't seem to have those postcards to fill out to identify oneself as such.

[gennimom]

As a woman in a traditionally male field, I've been the beneficiary of affirmative action, though I did not ask for it. I also know I got one job because I was second choice behind a black man that chose to go to another job. I really would rather I got the job because I was the better qualified.

A famous American, who happens to be black, named Morgan Freeman once said (and I paraphrase): As long as we have affirmative action and other policies based on race, we will never get rid of racism.

He prefers to be called an American, not a black American or African American.

We need to be blind to differences in skin color or what not, and choose employees by their qualifications. Unfortunately, people aren't perfect and I think this kind of selection is going to be a long time coming.

[smart_e_pantz]

As a woman in a traditionally male field, I've been the beneficiary of affirmative action, though I did not ask for it. I also know I got one job because I was second choice behind a black man that chose to go to another job. I really would rather I got the job because I was the better qualified.

A famous American, who happens to be black, named Morgan Freeman once said (and I paraphrase): As long as we have affirmative action and other policies based on race, we will never get rid of racism.

He prefers to be called an American, not a black American or African American.

We need to be blind to differences in skin color or what not, and choose employees by their qualifications. Unfortunately, people aren't perfect and I think this kind of selection is going to be a long time coming.

Ah yes...  because Morgan Freeman is the be all and end all of African American social thinkers!  This reminds of people who begin sentences with "some of my best friends are black, but..."   Why don't you go ahead and say that Morgan Freeman is a credit to his race.

For the record, affirmative action doesn't cause racism.  Anyone who cites AA policies as an excuse for expressing racial animus is a bigot with or without AA!