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[embitteredhistorian]

A related question: say that a university decides that African-Americans are an underrepresented group in the Department of Basketweaving Studies. Two applications come in: one is a black African (born and raised in South Africa, for example), while the other is African-American. Will HR tip the SC on both candidates, or just one?

[theblondeassassin]

A related question: say that a university decides that African-Americans are an underrepresented group in the Department of Basketweaving Studies. Two applications come in: one is a black African (born and raised in South Africa, for example), while the other is African-American. Will HR tip the SC on both candidates, or just one?

If the criterion is "African-American", why would any other characteristic matter?

If the criterion is race/ethnicity, and being of African descent is under-represented, on the other hand, both might qualify.

(Note: The 2010 Equality Act has interesting implications for employment in the UK, which are yet to be fully understood. It seems to relax more proscriptions against "positive" discrimination, which has been much more limited here.)

[busyslinky]

International applicants (non-US citizens) we were told would not be considered part of the minority applicant field.  International trumps any minority status.  This may be insitution specific, but we have a separate category for international.

Otherwise we use the criteria of 'Whitey-Hating' and the standard cage-match as mentioned above to break ties.  There are other tie breakers as we go down the list of stereotypes, but I won't go into those here since they are so well known.

[untenured]

A related question: say that a university decides that African-Americans are an underrepresented group in the Department of Basketweaving Studies. Two applications come in: one is a black African (born and raised in South Africa, for example), while the other is African-American. Will HR tip the SC on both candidates, or just one?

Diversity seeking requirements are at the recruitment stage only.  The search committee makes efforts to contact underrepresented groups through individual contacts and targeted advertising.  One that is accomplished, no other reference to underrepresented groups happens.  You choose the best candidate.  There is no tip off required by HR at any time.

[embitteredhistorian]

A related question: say that a university decides that African-Americans are an underrepresented group in the Department of Basketweaving Studies. Two applications come in: one is a black African (born and raised in South Africa, for example), while the other is African-American. Will HR tip the SC on both candidates, or just one?

Diversity seeking requirements are at the recruitment stage only.  The search committee makes efforts to contact underrepresented groups through individual contacts and targeted advertising.  One that is accomplished, no other reference to underrepresented groups happens.  You choose the best candidate.  There is no tip off required by HR at any time.

Then am I misunderstanding this:

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.

[smokeythebear]

There doesn't seem to be any major differences in what pry or untenured are saying.

Diversity seeking requirements are at the recruitment stage only.  The search committee makes efforts to contact underrepresented groups through individual contacts and targeted advertising.

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.

During the recruitment stage, HR identifies underrepresented groups, of which individuals are contacted (Dr. Sally the ChemE currently at KissyFace College) or targeted with advertisements (for instance, posting ads with the Society of Women Engineers, etc). Once their applications have been submitted, the SC continues on a (semi)blind search (meaning they evaluate fit but not race, gender, etc).

Certainly, the subtle differences (does HR provide files, etc) can be explained by the fact that prytania & untenured do not work at the same school. This isn't unique to academia -- HR policies vary subtly in every industry and work place.

[untenured]

Smokeythebear encapsulates the hiring process nicely, thanks.

In our hiring, HR tells us who the underrepresented groups are.  Then we go out and advertise to targeted places to them (e.g. Society of Latino Engineers).   Once we've done that, our inquiry into race, gender, etc., ends.  The best candidate is what we are concerned about from that point forward.

[embitteredhistorian]

Smokeythebear encapsulates the hiring process nicely, thanks.

In our hiring, HR tells us who the underrepresented groups are.  Then we go out and advertise to targeted places to them (e.g. Society of Latino Engineers).   Once we've done that, our inquiry into race, gender, etc., ends.  The best candidate is what we are concerned about from that point forward.

Thanks (and thanks also to smokey). I had no idea things like the Society of Latino Engineers existed. Very interesting.

[prytania3]

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.  

*Everyone* can qualify as a diversity hire, including white men. For example, in early childhood programs, white men might be a rarity.

Actually, men in any shade are probably pretty rare.

[polly_mer]

*Everyone* can qualify as a diversity hire, including white men. For example, in early childhood programs, white men might be a rarity.

Actually, men in any shade are probably pretty rare.

If my students make it through their programs, men in early childhood and K-3 programs will be less rare.  I'm seeing a lot of them lately.  Several of those students have straight-up stated that they are doing it because they like to teach, they like the little ones, and secondary education is too tough a job market in their preferred field of history.  Apparently, the word on the street is that would-be history teachers should break out the guitar/drums and become lower-level elementary school teachers.

[bluezebracat]

Most HR forms nowadays explicitly ask you if you are black or Latino.  Then they ask about other questionably bounded ethnicities.  I read that as meaning, in most fields, black and Latino are underrepresented (except in African American and Latin American studies? Don't know) but Asians, not so much.  Probably the Koreans, Japanese and Chinese aren't missing (broadly speaking) out anyway, given the current demographics of higher level institutions, but the Hmong, Pacific Islanders, might be.  Never knew why "Asian" wasn't broken down further.  But all of these categories are questionable, anyway.