The typical faculty job application allows candidates to demonstrate strengths in research and teaching, but offers little opportunity to showcase dedication to departmental and institutional strategic goals such as diversity and inclusion.
As a remedy, institutions are increasingly requiring diversity statements as part of the academic job application. Unfortunately, most calls for diversity statements are unrelated to the department’s agenda and the evaluation criteria are unclear.
Ineffective Practice 1: Requiring broad statements of diversity without evaluation criteriaThis resource is part of the Increase Faculty Diversity and Inclusivity on Campus Roadmap. Access the Roadmap for stepwise guidance with additional tools and research.
Without connecting the value of increasing faculty diversity and inclusion to the department’s research, teaching, and service priorities, the intention of diversity statement requirements is often unclear to faculty and applicants. Instead, use concrete criteria linked to candidate interests and departmental needs.
Rather than relying on a vague commitment to increasing diversity and inclusion, the first thing that search committees can do is identify concrete criteria in research, teaching or outreach that are clearly linked to departmental and institutional priorities. Is the department seeking candidates with expertise in inclusive pedagogy? Candidates with experience working with or mentoring underserved or minority undergraduate students? Or maybe expanding public health access to low-income neighborhoods? An expert in designing economic models that alleviate poverty?
Solution: This approach will ensure both that you are attracting candidates that are committed to diversity and inclusion and providing the search committee with a…