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[unlisted]

Being who I am, I have never before been a target of any kind of affirmative action -- which is just fine by me, since I'm the first to admit I've led a life that's more rather than less privileged.  But at a recent campus visit, from remarks made in casual conversation at lunch and from hints dropped during the actual interview, it became apparent that personal characteristics unrelated to scholarship had a lot to do with the invitation I got, and would continue to carry weight in the hiring process, since the department was under some pressure to hire a person with at least one of these characteristics. 

I had thought this was my dream job, and now I'm not so sure.  Even though I think I hit it off well with the SC, and I would probably be quite comfortable at this particular school, I really did not like being considered as the sum of my check-boxes on the HR "diversity" form, even for a moment. To tell the truth, it offended me. (I realize I'm inviting a firestorm here; but it's true, I felt offended.)

Am I over-reacting? Do y'all think that I should just accept the advantage the SC has awarded me on account of my sex-race-creed-birthplace being underrepresented in their particular department -- though not at the school as a whole, or even in the field?  How legitimate is this kind of micro-level "affirmative action"? 

[prytania3]

Do what you want.

[scientiffikk]

They haven't offered you the position.

If they do, put the 'advantage' out of your mind and consider the offer on its own strengths.

[larryc]

We all get dealt a different hand of hands, some good some bad, very few of them "earned" in any real way. Play the cards you have to your best advantage, and good luck.

[larryc]

Argh--hand of cards, hand of cards.

[genespleen2]

Depends...if you believe in the principles of diversity-hiring, as applied to those sharing whichever category you feel you are being categorized as, then, if offered the job, you will have to consider if your general commitment to such goals sits well with your individual (and rightfully-felt) senses of accomplishment, value, worth, ego. 

It's a tremendously difficult issue--perhaps the flip side of diversity hiring is that it carries both opportunities and burdens for the candidate who benefits from it.  But if you believe in the principle-as-applied-to-"your"-category, then perhaps that's part of the commitment. 

[mgibbons19]

If it gives you an advantage you might as well take it. No one said life was fair and all that.

But you will have to be on every damn committee and speak for "your people" as punishment.

[case_insensitive]

Argh--hand of cards, hand of cards.

larryc, hehehe! hand of hands... sounds ilke you are playing cards with multiple personalities.  I have begged the moderators to lengthen the editing window...

OP, try to consider the offer, if it comes, on its own merits.  Those "remarks" might just be cranky SC members venting their own biases.

I have experienced the feeling of "they only want to make me an offer because I'm female and they have no females" before.  Certainly, I know of depts who desperately looked for racially diverse candidates due to their lack of same in the dept or college.  This is not so uncommon. However, it doesn't release you from the obvious need to consider the job on its merits, as aways.

Good luck!

[dogwinkle]

What's unusual about your situation is not that the search committee is considering factors beyond those in the job description.  They *always* do.  It's that they dropped hints about it.  So I wouldn't consider it to be a big deal. 

[infopri]

Generally, I agree with the other posters on this thread:  Weigh the offer (if it comes) on its own merits.  But I will add one other thought for you to chew on.  What kind of "vibe" did you get from these folks?  Can you work with them?  Will you always have a bad taste in your mouth because (you think) some of your colleagues are thinking, "unlisted is only here because of hu's diversity status"?  I'm not saying anyone WOULD think that, but would YOU think they MIGHT be?  And, if so, do you care?

In any case, I hope you get the offer, regardless of whether you accept it.  It's always nice to have choices.  :)

[acrimone]

Despite my best efforts, I've never been able to conceal my last name which identifies me immediately as one of the unwashed brown masses.  So even though I spent years not listing my race, not talking about my upbringing, etc. etc. etc., they knew.  They always know.

It sucks.

I used to answer prompts requesting information about my contributions to diversity, the obstacles I'd overcome in pursuing higher education, etc. with a terse "I prefer not to dwell on the difficulties of my life, but rather the possibilities of future success."

I've since given in and changed it essentially to "I prefer not to dwell on the difficulties I've faced.  I think it more important to dwell on the possibilities of future success.  But since you asked..."

I'm with larryc on this one: if they want to give you a great job and a cool office and lots of money because you happen to have breasts, or sleep with men, or whatever it is... just let them.  It's their job to give.

[smart_e_pantz]

No no no...

By all means, don't take the job if they offer it to you.  Step aside and allow someone who won't mindf*** the offer to death over something so f***ing stupid!

[yellowtractor]

This sort of thing is normal, especially in an industry (academia is an industry--an odd one, but an industry nonetheless) that values certain characteristics (including ethnic diversity, at this historical moment) and is willing to go out of its way to recruit same.

It's worth keeping in mind that even if the SC is in fact attracted by your "personal characteristics" (ethnicity, gender, etc.), the sheer number of people on the academic job market suggests that they are also attracted to your scholarship, your professional record, your promise as a teacher and as a member of their academic community.  Even if someone was gauche enough to reveal that your "personal characteristics" were playing some role in the process, do not automatically assume that they are the most important factors in your candidacy.

I've been in similar situations and know exactly the sense of disquiet, even distaste, that you allude to.  But it doesn't pay to get worked up about it, especially in the absence of more concrete data (or, for that matter, an offer).  The question, should you get an offer, is whether the people in this department will respect both your person and your scholarship while making themselves congenial colleagues.  Based on what you've shared so far, this really isn't enough evidence to answer either way.

[eeniemeenie]

Consider the flip side, if you were white and male that would come with its own set of privileges that you might find equally distateful.  You can't really change how people are going to categorize you and I can't believe you would be offered a job based on ethnicity alone - all things being equal, maybe... But how often do you have two completely equal top candidates.

[adjunk]

It was definitely a faux pas on the part of the search committee to drop these so-called hints.  If you don't get the position, what was said to you might be enough to constitute a discrimination complaint.