The power of peer networking for improving STEM faculty job applications: a successful pilot program

In order to successfully obtain a faculty position, postdoctoral fellows or postdocs, must submit an application which requires considerable time and effort to produce. These job applications are often reviewed by mentors and colleagues, but rarely are postdocs offered the opportunity to solicit feedback multiple times from reviewers with the same breadth of expertise often found on an academic search committee. To address this gap, this manuscript describes an international peer reviewing program for small groups of postdocs with a broad range of expertise to reciprocally and iteratively provide feedback to each other on their application materials. Over 145 postdocs have participated, often multiple times, over three years. A survey of participants in this program revealed that nearly all participants would recommend participation in such a program to other faculty applicants. Furthermore, this program was more likely to attract participants who struggled to find mentoring and support elsewhere, either because they changed fields or because of their identity as a woman or member of an underrepresented population in STEM. Participation in programs like this one could provide early career academics like postdocs with a diverse and supportive community of peer mentors during the difficult search for a faculty position. Such psychosocial support and encouragement has been shown to prevent attrition of individuals from these populations and programs like this one target the largest leak in the pipeline, that of postdoc to faculty. Implementation of similar peer-reviewing programs by universities or professional scientific societies could provide a valuable mechanism of support and increased chances of success for early-career academics in their search for independence.

Considering a new platform for academic campus interviews: Entering the virtual world

As a May 2020 Social Work PhD Graduate, I spent the spring semester interviewing for academic tenure track positions. When COVID-19 reached the United States, the interview process quickly changed course. My in-person campus visits became 8-hour long virtual interview days, which were quite exhausting. Since I completed five in-person campus visits and two virtual interviews, I compiled my lived experiences. As a “now” normal emerges and institutions must be more financially aware and uphold social distancing guidelines, in the reflexive essay I provide suggestions for improving virtual campus interviews—for both the candidate and the search committee. Some suggestions for the search committee include not using an 8-hour interview day, offering a delivered lunch for the candidate, and assembling the virtual visit to incorporate the school and University environment. For the candidate, I propose to dress as if one is on-site, integrate self-care throughout the day, and request a meeting with only students. I hope my experiences will motivate others who faced similar situations to consider their virtual interview experiences and further produce suggestions for their institutions.

HOW TO IMPROVE SEARCH COMMITTEE EFFECTIVENESS: REDUCING THE DEGREE OF SUBJECTIVITY IN SEARCHING FOR AND SELECTING EDUCATIONAL LEADERS

Purpose: The purpose in this study was to propose and illustrate methods for structuring Search Committee processes so that committee members have a shared understanding of the leadership attributes desired of candidates and of the important contextual factors to be considered in assessing the suitability of the various candidates for the position. Methodology: The study has substantial personal experiences with Search Committees and their decision processes; the article does not reflect an intent to do original research based on exploratory, experimental, or quasi-experimental research designs. No data collection is attempted; the reader will not find data driven analyses, or the results of hypotheses testing. Rather, the study intent was to provide readers with a logical set of ideas and tools that will aid them in conducting their leadership searches in a systematic rather than ad hoc manner. To identify and weight desired leadership attributes we have chosen to rely upon the writings of an illustrious group of individuals who have significant experience in leading public, private, and not for profit organizations, including higher education institutions. The study believes their books reflect "armchair empiricism" and provide distillations of their rich concrete leadership experiences. To identify and weight contextual factors to be taken into account in considering candidates for the specific organizational position to be filled, the study rely upon the seminal and classic empirical research study conducted by faculty of Harvard University. Findings: That study of the high turnover among School Superintendents in New England is a benchmark in the development of Role Theory. The language for Role Analysis produced by that study is drawn upon in the study to illustrate how the contextual expectations of the candidates for the leadership position in question can be thoughtfully addressed. Unique contribution to theory, practice and policy: The study has recommended the use of several theoretical/conceptual frameworks to structure Search Committee processes and improve their effectiveness in selecting the best qualified applicants for leadership roles. The study also describes a decision analysis method which, if employed, will lower the degree of subjectivity in Search Committee decision making processes.

Equity Advocates Using Equity-Mindedness to Interrupt Faculty Hiring's Racial Structure

Background/Context Education scholars have recommended steps for college and university leaders to take toward creating a more racially diverse professoriate. However, the majority of the scholarship is neither empirical nor focused on faculty actively negotiating barriers during search committee meetings to create equitable practices. Purpose/Objective/Research Question/Focus of Study The study examined faculty within search committees who received formal training to interrogate exclusionary hiring procedures and create race-conscious and equitable hiring practices. My goals were to understand the strategies and efforts to advance racial equity of faculty trained on equity-mindedness to negotiate and use practices to change exclusionary hiring procedures. Thus, I answer the following research questions: (1) How do professors enact their agency to create equitable hiring practices during faculty search committee meetings? (2) What challenges do professors encounter when using equity-minded practices during faculty search committees? How do professors overcome such challenges? Setting The study site was a religiously affiliated private liberal arts university with a predominantly White student and faculty population. Senior administrators invested resources in a ten-month intervention to train 17 faculty to advance racial equity in faculty hiring. Population/Participants/Subjects Study participants consisted of 10 faculty members whose university leadership designated them as advocates of racial equity on search committees. Research Design Data for this critical narrative analysis were collected through eight interviews with faculty equity advocates, observations of two faculty search committees, and documents of hiring materials such as hiring criteria, interview questions, and evaluation rubrics. Findings/Results Ultimately, faculty enacted their agency to deactivate exclusionary practices and inscribe new rules for search committees to follow. The findings illustrate that faculty agency for racial equity is an effort to establish positional power, to use equity-minded practices, and to informally strategize to overcome resistance as members of faculty search committees. Conclusions/Recommendations I conclude that faculty advance racial equity by manipulating and subverting practices (e.g., recruitment strategies, evaluation criteria), rules (e.g., conversations about race), and roles (e.g., legitimate roles as committee members, who have the knowledge to integrate equity-mindedness) that historically excluded racially minoritized professors from the hiring process. Study findings suggest for senior administrators to train faculty search committee members on taking active steps to create an equity-minded evaluation system, including the appointment of people who are explicitly trained to advocate for equity in the evaluation process.

A New Era

Paul Tagliabue was a logical choice to succeed Pete Rozelle as Commissioner given his two decades as chief legal advisor to the league. It took fifty hours of debate by the search committee, four owners meetings, and eleven ballots to reach this logical decision. His first major achievement was coming to a labor settlement with Gene Upshaw and the NFLPA. Al Davis was instrumental in this process. This set the stage for the next round of television contracts netting $33M/team/year over the next four years and an expansion of network coverage and DirecTV. Then came expansion and relocation of franchises. Tagliabue moved to expand NFL involvement in public issues including moving the Super Bowl out of Arizona over the MLK Day controversy. Internal issues included the revenue sharing policies that were under threat by Jerry Jones and Dallas. The market was also expanded with the creation of NFL Properties led by Sara Levinson from MTV and a direct appeal to women fans. NFL Revenue increased significantly. Race continued to be a major issue. There was an increase in black quarterbacks, but no significant change in coaching and executive ranks. A Diversity Committee was created in 2002 and the Rooney Rule was adopted I 2004 with initial promising results but it was not sustained over the next 15 years. In March of 2004 Tagliabue announced his retirement amidst great praise for this time as Commissioner. The one issue that he failed to address was that of concussions and head injuries.