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[embitteredhistorian]

Just out of curiosity:

If a SC is hiring and looking to increase diversity at the university and there are two equally qualified candidates with different minority backgrounds, would the SC choose an applicant of one background over another? If so, what's the criterion in this kind of case?

[prytania3]

There's a formula based on the demographics of the school (and usually the department) of what the school needs to be more diverse, so it's not limited exclusively to minorities. HR will give the search committee a tip on who would make the ideal candidate at that particular time. They may even give out particular files to read closely.

That all said, it's unlikely that the committee would choose one minority over the other just because. It's more likely they would choose the more qualified candidate.

[untenured]

The short answer is the search committee will choose whichever candidate is the most qualified for the job without regard to diversity.

Diversity efforts are usually conducted at the recruitment stage, where the institution identifies an underrepresented group and engages in marketing efforts to try to recruit diverse candidates. The institution hopes that the pool will be more diverse as a result.

When it is the time to actually select a hire, you pick the best candidate.

[polly_mer]

Both Prytania and Untenured are right since no such thing as equally qualified exists.

Diversity efforts are often getting a representative pool.  The final cut is who will be the best addition to the department in terms of teaching, research, service, and collegiality.  Thus, the question won't be answered in terms of minority, but in terms of the bake-off because no one wants a colleague who brings crummy snacks to the departmental meetings.

[untenured]

Oh my gosh.  Food at meetings cannot be forgotten.

[larryc]

If a SC is hiring and looking to increase diversity at the university and there are two equally qualified candidates with different minority backgrounds, would the SC choose an applicant of one background over another? If so, what's the criterion in this kind of case?

We hire the one who hates whitey the most.

[polly_mer]

If a SC is hiring and looking to increase diversity at the university and there are two equally qualified candidates with different minority backgrounds, would the SC choose an applicant of one background over another? If so, what's the criterion in this kind of case?

We hire the one who hates whitey the most.

Is that an essay or a quantitative assessment?

[larryc]

If a SC is hiring and looking to increase diversity at the university and there are two equally qualified candidates with different minority backgrounds, would the SC choose an applicant of one background over another? If so, what's the criterion in this kind of case?

We hire the one who hates whitey the most.

Is that an essay or a quantitative assessment?

Cage match.

[polly_mer]

If a SC is hiring and looking to increase diversity at the university and there are two equally qualified candidates with different minority backgrounds, would the SC choose an applicant of one background over another? If so, what's the criterion in this kind of case?

We hire the one who hates whitey the most.

Is that an essay or a quantitative assessment?

Cage match.

With each other or with the departmental member who volunteered for the role of whitey (or at least THE MAN whether technically qualified by physical examination or not) by not practicing appropriate collegiality in the last departmental meeting?

[gekko]

You disqualify (if you haven't already) any Asian candidate. It's not as if they've had any adversity to overcome in this country such as internment. Perhaps they need to learn to stop performing to the extent that they don't actually need the assistance and then they can get it!

[embitteredhistorian]

You disqualify (if you haven't already) any Asian candidate. It's not as if they've had any adversity to overcome in this country such as internment. Perhaps they need to learn to stop performing to the extent that they don't actually need the assistance and then they can get it!

Well, this is actually why I'm asking. I teach a number of Korean students who hope to get a PhD in America and eventually get a professorship in America. At least one of them has said the American university's drive for diversity should give them an advantage when applying for professorships. I've said I'm not sure if diversity means the same thing in every university in America and outside of America, but I lack the experience to say much else.

[aandsdean]

You disqualify (if you haven't already) any Asian candidate. It's not as if they've had any adversity to overcome in this country such as internment. Perhaps they need to learn to stop performing to the extent that they don't actually need the assistance and then they can get it!

Well, this is actually why I'm asking. I teach a number of Korean students who hope to get a PhD in America and eventually get a professorship in America. At least one of them has said the American university's drive for diversity should give them an advantage when applying for professorships. I've said I'm not sure if diversity means the same thing in every university in America and outside of America, but I lack the experience to say much else.

We recently hired a Korean with an American Ph.D., and he's a great hire.  He needs a little extra mentoring (of a different kind from what an equally well-qualified American new hire would), but I can't tell you how glad I am we hired him, for all sorts of reasons.  We selected him over another minority candidate, by the way, who was an American citizen (and could make the argument on qualification grounds for immigration purposes).

[untenured]

You disqualify (if you haven't already) any Asian candidate. It's not as if they've had any adversity to overcome in this country such as internment. Perhaps they need to learn to stop performing to the extent that they don't actually need the assistance and then they can get it!

Well, this is actually why I'm asking. I teach a number of Korean students who hope to get a PhD in America and eventually get a professorship in America. At least one of them has said the American university's drive for diversity should give them an advantage when applying for professorships. I've said I'm not sure if diversity means the same thing in every university in America and outside of America, but I lack the experience to say much else.

One could tell them that the diversity in their scholarship might be an advantage, for example.  On the other hand, at my university an underrepresented group at the assistant professor level is ... the white male.

[polly_mer]

You disqualify (if you haven't already) any Asian candidate. It's not as if they've had any adversity to overcome in this country such as internment. Perhaps they need to learn to stop performing to the extent that they don't actually need the assistance and then they can get it!

Well, this is actually why I'm asking. I teach a number of Korean students who hope to get a PhD in America and eventually get a professorship in America. At least one of them has said the American university's drive for diversity should give them an advantage when applying for professorships. I've said I'm not sure if diversity means the same thing in every university in America and outside of America, but I lack the experience to say much else.

It depends on the department.  For some physical science and engineering departments, being Asian will not be a diversity hire since half of those departments are Asian and we don't differentiate between Chinese, Japanese, Korean, or other people.

[jonesey]

You disqualify (if you haven't already) any Asian candidate. It's not as if they've had any adversity to overcome in this country such as internment. Perhaps they need to learn to stop performing to the extent that they don't actually need the assistance and then they can get it!

Well, this is actually why I'm asking. I teach a number of Korean students who hope to get a PhD in America and eventually get a professorship in America. At least one of them has said the American university's drive for diversity should give them an advantage when applying for professorships. I've said I'm not sure if diversity means the same thing in every university in America and outside of America, but I lack the experience to say much else.

In some locations (well, many, in higher ed) "Asian" isn't an underrepresented group, so they don't qualify as a diversity hire.