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[militante]

Long time lurker, first time poster...

I was lured out of my lurk mode to seek the wisdom of the forum on what, to me, is an extremely bizarre request from a SCC.  I am used to be asked for additional articles, dissertation chapters, teaching materials, etc.  But today, I received an email asking for a photo of myself.  To clarify, this is for a TT position at a public university in the U.S.  I am also American (I know Europeans do this kind of thing sometimes) and at an American university.  The SCC that the photo was to include in a Powerpoint presentation that s/he was making to the rest of the search committee about my candidacy, and then mentioned that I would probably be asked for an on-campus interview soon.

Can anyone fathom any (legal) reason for this request?  Any insight?

Thanks!

[anisogamy]

I would find it strange, but I would send it along and not think significantly worse of the SCC for it.  It's outside of the norms of behavior in academic hiring in the US and does open up potential for claims of discrimination on a range of features that can be conveyed photographically, but I could see a slightly out-of-touch SCC with a touch of PowerPoint-itis thinking that this would be a good design element to add to a presentation.  I wouldn't interpret it as having any sundry overtones, and I wouldn't consider it worth scuttling one's candidacy over.

[hegemony]

Remember that it is not illegal if they ask about or find out about your race, marital status, sexual orientation, or any of those other things.  It is only illegal if they base their decision on those facts.

Without further information, I'd put the best spin on it and conclude that they're trying to personalize you to the people who are going to view the PowerPoint.  The way authors have a picture on their book jacket, or columnists at the head of their column.  After all, if you had a campus visit, they'd all see what you look like, right?  And they can probably google you and find out what you look like.  So this may be a clumsy request, but I wouldn't assume that it's an outrageous one.

[larryc]

I agree with Anisogamy--someone thought a picture of each candidate would be a nice personal touch and did not think at all about the EEOC implications. Yes the request is unprofessional but if you want the job I would send them the photograph.

Preferably something taken at the beach, if you get my drift.

[systeme_d_]

I think this is truly an awful request, and I am guessing that this is the first time that the SC Chair has ever chaired a committee.

I suppose I would send the picture if I were you, but if I were invited to campus, I would take special note of the SC Chair's behavior.  If the SC Chair is also the department chair, and turns out to be a person with little facility with leadership, and with a noticeable dearth of social skills, then I would think really hard about taking the job if offered.

[militante]

Thank you all for your replies.

I don't assume malice is animating the request, and you all are right that it is rather likely that it is ineptitude or inexperience.  However, as LarryC mentions, the EEOC angle worries me.  I did send the picture, but yes, I will be wary and extra-observant if invited on campus.

[voxprincipalis]

The SCC that the photo was to include in a Powerpoint presentation that s/he was making to the rest of the search committee about my candidacy, and then mentioned that I would probably be asked for an on-campus interview soon.

Both of these are, in the very best scenario, indications of inexperience and cluelessness, and, in less-generous assessments, giant blinking sequin-covered red flags.

Under what democratic circumstances does a SCC make a "presentation" of someone's candidacy *to the rest of the committee*? Aren't the other SC members reading the files? What is the SCC's goal here? And, not for nothing, but what SCC has the time or inclination to voluntarily make a PowerPoint presentation?

And, the SCC absolutely should not have told you that you would "probably" be invited for an interview.

I smell trouble.

VP

[larryc]

Militante, if you do a google image search of your own name do you find a photograph of yourself? And is the person asking for your photo a man? And are you a woman?

[offthemarket]

It could be something less than noble (to find out ethnicity), or not. It's hard to tell at this stage.

Regardless, it's not the most professional approach.  The "probably" on the interview is awkward, suggesting that if the photo isn't the right one of some sort, it would have a role in the decision. It may be just prepare people with the short list, but it's a red flag to be sure.

There's not much for you to do, regardless, either you send it or you don't. I'd prescribe sending it, but then also look on the whole process with a dose of suspicion but with an open mind.

[militante]

Vox, my advisor had the same concerns about the search process.  The equivocal good news is certainly bizarre, and it means that I will of course assume that the outcome is in some way correlated to interpretations of my photo.  As others have said, yes, of course, if I am invited on campus, folks will see how I look.  But I think context matters.

Larry, I have worked hard to keep all pictures of myself offline.  I don't do Facebook, etc., and my academia page has a lovely landscape photo connected to my research (but hey, this explains the dramatic spike in number of visits to my page).  And yes, I am a woman and the SCC is a man.

Off, I am trying to not assume that the goal is what you suggest, but I think that may be the case.  As you say, nothing to do but wait and see what happens with open eyes, ears, and mind.

Thank you all.

[larryc]

I will of course assume that the outcome is in some way correlated to interpretations of my photo.

I would not assume that at all. The innocent-but-clueless interpretation is still the most likely one here.

[nocalprof]

My guess is this is a junior faculty member or early associate trying to be snazzy and have pictures of the candidates when they run through the files with the other faculty.

Yes certainly there are potential issues, but I wouldn't worry about it unless there are other cues of odd behavior too.  Did the chair ask you send him/her a lock of your hair?

[mystictechgal]

The reality is that, at least in this country, this is, I think, easily challenged as an illegal search request. At least I know that even the suggestion of doing something like that would have engendered heart attacks amongst my F100 HR representatives, even amongst the worst of them--and even F100 companies hire some duds.

The problem is, as it is with all policies that argue against bias about federally mandated protections, is that it can be very difficult to prove, and once it has been proven, would you really want to work there, after all? This might be a fairly easy case to bring for hiring discrimination, but, if you won, would you ever be comfortable working there?  I'm sorry, but that's the "Emperor is wearing no clothes" come to life.

It sucks, but it's true. Y'can't legislate moral behavior, no matter how much you think it should be. (And at least part of the problem is that no one actually agrees about the definition of "moral behaviour".

[seniorscholar]

Under what democratic circumstances does a SCC make a "presentation" of someone's candidacy *to the rest of the committee*?

In some departments (including mine), the SCC makes a presentation of all three candidates to the department meeting (not the search committee) after the campus visit. Then one sc member discusses why the committee has ranked the candidates is a particular order. If there has been anyone on the committee with a strong preference for a different ranking, that person also presents that case. Then -- after discussion (but remember, most of the department have heard the research talks, and many have met the candidate), the department votes to affirm the order decided upon by the committee. (I have, in fact, never been at a meeting when the committee's ranking has not been affirmed, though I have come away with a very strong sense that #2 would be equally good if #1 should turn us down.) For this to happen to the committee, however, would (as vp says) be quite surprising. And the request for a photo would be hooted at by everyone on the committee -- though sometimes the campus visit announcement and schedule is linked to the university web pages of the three candidates, which do often do include photos.

Our department bylaws say that offers are made "with the approval of the department" -- and, though that meeting is scheduled the day after the final campus visit, it has to happen before we get the dean's OK, and is one more reason that there can be a gap between the final visit and the actual offer.

[erzuliefreda]

In my department, after the first round of interviews, the SCC presents information about the longlisted candidates to the department at a meeting. He writes their names on the whiteboard and we decide as a department by voice vote who is coming to campus. Then, after the campus visits, we hold another meeting, the SCC reminds us of the candidates' strengths and weaknesses, and now we vote by paper ballot (as a department) on the ranking of the candidates for the offer. (I have told this story before, but keep retelling it as a cautionary tale to those who might spend all their time sucking up to the SCC and ignoring the junior faculty--although I probably wouldn't want to work with them anyway).

My department would want the photos to guess your race, most likely, or they would be just clueless enough to try to link faces and names.