Doing What We Say

Four Hiring Strategies for Increasing Faculty Diversity by J. Luke Wood
Diverse Issues in Higher Education: Volume 36, No. 11, July 17, 2019

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In his article, "Four Hiring Strategies for Increasing Faculty Diversity," Dr. J. Luke Wood, Professor and Chief Diversity Officer at San Diego State University, articulates a persistent challenge facing colleges and universities today: the need to diversify teaching faculties, which still remain disproportionately white. Dr. Wood's research and data-driven methods include: implicit bias training, casting a wide net within professional networks to attract a diverse candidate pool, the presence of a trained diversity advocate on the hiring committee, and inclusive job search criteria that prioritize candidates with previous experience teaching historically underrepresented communities. Dr. Wood asserts that incorporating these recommendations does not mean "that the successful candidate will necessarily be a person of color;" instead, he presents this approach as a way to support yielding a more racially diverse applicant pool as well as to ensure equity in the hiring process. Implementing these ideas can have a significant impact on helping institutions to live out their mission statements, many of which cite a commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion but fall short in making those efforts reflective within their hiring practices.