The Diversity Shift: Quick Wins and Lingering Challenges in Faculty Hiring

The makeup of a university department can shape its research and teaching for many years. Having a diverse group of professors can inspire students from all backgrounds to aim higher in their education or research careers. It is a well-known fact that diverse teams come up with better ideas and achieve more. In 2020, the number of female professors in a certain department was lower than expected, given the number of qualified women in the field across Canada. So, the department decided to change its hiring process. They removed names and other identifying information from applications. This way, they could focus on skills and qualifications alone. The result was a big jump in the number of women hired for entry-level, permanent teaching positions. The percentage of women hired went from 17% to 80%. However, the number of professors from racialized groups did not change much. It went from 50% to 40%. Overall, when combined with retirements, the percentage of women professors in the department doubled, from 25% to 50%. The percentage of racialized professors went from 38% to 44%. So, the changes made a big difference in a short time. Other departments could learn from this experience. They can use it as a model to make real changes, even if they don't have experts in this area.

The department's approach had some clear wins. The blind hiring process helped to level the playing field for women. However, it did not have the same impact on racial diversity. This shows that there is still work to be done. The department might need to look at other factors that affect hiring. For example, they could consider how personal networks and recommendations influence who gets hired. They could also look at how job ads are written and where they are posted. These factors can affect who applies for the jobs in the first place. The department's experience shows that change is possible. But it also shows that there is no one-size-fits-all solution. Different groups face different barriers. So, different strategies are needed to overcome them. It is important to keep evaluating and adjusting the approach. This way, the department can keep making progress towards true diversity and inclusion.

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