STEPS IN FACULTY SEARCHES ENSURING DIVERSITY & EXCELLENCE

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1 Steps in Tenure-track Faculty Searches 1. Departmental requests for new and replacement faculty positions are submitted to school dean (normally late spring) 2. Endorsement by school dean and provost. Approval by President 3. Authorization of national search by provost following determination that no qualified member of the Dominican community should be considered for the appointment 4. Meet with Associate Vice President/Chief Diversity Officer 5. Approval of search plan by school dean; approval of position advertisement(s) by provost, diversity review of semi-finalists by school dean 6. Pre-authorization of expenses associated with the search by the Office of Academic Affairs 7. Submission of full dossiers for three interview candidates, including responses to the mission, for approval by the President and provost 8. Once applicants are approved, on-campus interviews, including interviews by the President and provost or their delegates, as well as school deans, are scheduled 9. Departmental recommendation on all interviewed candidates submitted to school dean; school dean forwards hiring recommendations to provost; consultation between the provost and the President 10. Review and recommendation by the Committee on Academic Rank & Tenure 11. Approval by the President 12. Extension of offer by the provost 13. Written acceptance of offer 14. Initiate criminal background check 15. Contract transmitted for signature 16. Notification to candidate pool, by department, that position has been filled Steps in Faculty Searches for Visiting Faculty or Practitioner Faculty 1. Departmental request for new and replacement faculty position to school dean 2. Endorsement by school dean and provost. Authorization by President 3. Authorization of national/regional search by provost following determination that no qualified member of the Dominican community should be considered for the appointment 4. Approval of search plan and diversity goals by school dean; approval of position advertisement by provost 5. Pre-authorization of expenses associated with the search by the Office of Academic Affairs 6. Submission of full dossier(s) for interview candidate(s), including responses to the mission for approval by the provost 7. Once applicants are approved, on-campus interviews, including interviews by the provost or his delegate, and school deans may be scheduled Faculty Search Steps Revised June 2015 Page 1 of 5

2 8. Departmental recommendation on all interviewed candidates submitted to school dean; school dean forwards hiring recommendations to provost 9. Review and recommendation by the Committee on Academic Rank & Tenure 10. Approval by the provost 11. Extension of offer by the provost 12. Written acceptance of offer 13. Criminal background check initiated 14. Contract transmitted for signature 15. Chair notification to the remaining candidate pool that position has been filled Steps in Hiring New Adjunct Faculty (part-time) 1. Chair request for Adjunct Faculty(s) to school dean 2. Approval by dean 3. Following efforts to generate a diverse pool of applicants, submission of curriculum vitae, official transcript and three letters of recommendation 4. Dean approves hire and notifies provost for letter of offer 5. Written acceptance of offer 6. Criminal background check initiated 7. Contract transmitted for signature 8. Chair notification to the remaining candidate pool that position has been filled Faculty Search Steps Revised June 2015 Page 2 of 5

3 Diversity Outreach for Faculty Searches Providence College is committed to creating an academic culture and campus community that attracts and supports the development of a stellar and diverse faculty that reflects the diversity of the broader world in which we live and work. We firmly believe that a more diverse faculty fosters academic excellence, cognitive complexity and creative innovation by providing a rich intellectual environment consisting of a broader range of questions, perspectives and scholarly interests. In addition, as we affirm our founding mission as a Catholic and Dominican institution providing access to a liberal arts education for first-generation, immigrant and multicultural students (Shanley, 2007), it is imperative that our faculty reflect the increasing diversity of our student body, providing them with a greater variety of mentors and role models. In turn, the presence of a diverse, exceptional faculty at Providence College will enhance our effectiveness in recruiting, retaining and graduating these populations (Massey, et. al, 2003; Steele, 2010), and better prepare all of our graduates to live, work and serve others in an increasingly global, pluralistic and multicultural society (Gurin, Lehman, and Lewis, 2004). We also recognize that building broad-based diversity among the faculty while ensuring fairness for all involved in the hiring and promotion process are challenges affecting all of higher education. In order to overcome them, we must go beyond standard practices and adapt our search processes to seek out qualified candidates from underrepresented groups. Therefore, we encourage faculty departments and search committees to enlist the support of the offices of Human Resources and Institutional Diversity to develop detailed plans outlining specific steps to ensure an exceptional pool of diverse candidates. These may include: writing advertisements in ways that unequivocally signal PC s commitment to institutional diversity; develop relationships with scholarly organizations of color and/or women; reach out to alumni; contact graduate chairs at doctoral granting institutions; attend conferences; contact subscribers to lists of advanced graduate students or Ph. D s of color compiled by professional associations, etc. Be creative, intentional and persistent. The Office of Academic Affairs will ensure that advertisements will be placed in publications that target diverse populations (i.e., higheredjobs.com). References Gurin, P., Lehman, J.S. Lehman, and E. Lewis Defending Diversity: Affirmative Action at the University of Michigan. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press. Massey, D.S., C.Z. Charles, G.F. Lundy, and M.J. Fischer The Source of the River: The Social Origins of Freshmen at America s Selective Colleges and Universities. Princeton: Princeton University Press. Shanley, B.J Test-Optional Admission at a Liberal Arts College: A Founding Mission Affirmed. Harvard Educational Review. 77, 4, Steele, C.M Whistling Vivaldi: How Stereotypes Affect Us and What We Can Do. New York: W.W. Norton. Faculty Search Steps Revised June 2015 Page 3 of 5

4 Providence College Strategic Plan Achieving Excellence. Pursuing Truth. Transforming Lives. Core Value #2: Enhancing Academic Excellence Characteristic #3 of the vision realized A renowned and diverse faculty, educated at the best graduate schools in the United States and abroad, and dedicated to exceptional teaching, scholarship, and service. Core Value #3: Embracing Diversity Characteristic #1 of the vision realized - A campus community that mirrors the catholicity of the Church in all of its diversity, and that is inclusive and welcoming of all. o Initiative #2: We actively will recruit, support, and retain diverse faculty, staff, students, and Trustees. o Initiative #3: We will integrate diversity explicitly and meaningfully into the college s curriculum by requiring proficiency in the area of diversity/cross cultural understanding and by extending a more global outlook into the study of the Development of Western Civilization. o Initiative #4: We will provide ongoing opportunities for community interactions to facilitate greater understanding of, and appreciation for, the value of diverse perspectives and voices. Providence College Statement on Diversity As a Catholic and Dominican institution of higher education, Providence College recognizes the unity of the human family that proceeds from its one Creator and encourages the deepest respect for the essential dignity, freedom, and equality of every person. (1) Commonalities are celebrated, especially those that center on a shared commitment to the pursuit of truth and a shared obligation to treat one another with kindness and compassion. Diversity in its many forms and expressions is valued and appreciated; therefore, all community members are encouraged to talk and listen to, and to learn from one another. (2) Providence College believes that a diverse community is one in which its members enjoy dynamic, reciprocal, and, above all, compassionate interactions, reflective of St. Dominic s wide embrace of all peoples.(3) We invite current and prospective members of the community to grow and learn from the diverse voices on the campus and in the greater world. (1) Mission Statement of Providence College. (2) Fr. Timothy Radcliffe, O.P., Talking to Strangers. An address given at Yale University, October 8, (3) Blessed Jordan of Saxony s description of St. Dominic s charity as quoted in Gerard de Frachet s 13th century Lives of the Brethren. Faculty Search Steps Revised June 2015 Page 4 of 5

5 Strategies for Ensuring Diversity and Excellence in Faculty Searches 1. In formulating a request for new/replacement faculty, describe how the College s strategic goals, including goals for diversity and inclusiveness, will be advanced. 2. Rely on: revised Web and print publications that describe the College s strategic goals, information and resources available from the Office of Institutional Diversity, and assistance from the offices of the school dean and academic affairs. 3. For approved searches, meet with Chief Diversity Officer, the school dean, and the Office of Academic Affairs to devise effective recruitment strategies, including: Advertising for open positions in sources that appeal directly to candidates from traditionally underrepresented populations (e.g., based on race/ethnicity, gender) Contacting doctoral programs at other colleges/universities directly in order to solicit nominations for open positions, especially prospects from traditionally underrepresented populations Contacting colleagues at other colleges/universities directly in order to solicit nominations for open positions, especially prospects from traditionally underrepresented populations Incorporating efforts to recruit outstanding candidates for open positions, especially those from traditionally underrepresented populations, while attending professional meetings/conferences Revised 2008; 2009; 2012; June 2014 Faculty Search Steps Revised June 2015 Page 5 of 5