Meeting One

1.Prework - Before 1st committee meeting 

*Why We Focus on Unconscious Bias? 

Undoubtedly everyone here has completed some sort of bias training in the past. Learning and reflecting about EDI is not “one and done” but a constant reflection of how our unconscious biases align with our conscious values. We will never remove all of our implicit biases, that isn’t the goal, the idea is to reflect and be aware of them so we can understand when a bias may be influencing a decision. 

You are asked to watch a short video (approximately 8 minutes) on implicit bias (linked below). 

*For Reflection

*What assumptions might you have about the desirable candidate's  personality type, gender, dis/ability, type of academic background, public profile, and other characteristics?

*Are these assumptions valid, based on the work required for the role? Or do they simply reflect what you have seen in previous candidates, or drawn from other sources?

Thinking through the two questions above helps us identify our assumptions and biases and also will prepare the committee for a focused discussion on the skills and qualifications a preferred candidate must possess. 

*A Message about Discomfort 

Conversations about diversity can make people feel uncomfortable.  I encourage you to allow yourself the space to spend time with the discomfort if it happens to you. As you reflect, be critical of your views but also remember to be compassionate with yourself.  The intent is to have a discussion during meeting one that is a brave space for everyone, with a Vegas rule of confidentiality to allow respect for what everyone brings. 

*Questions to be Discussed during Meeting One:  

1. Are there aspects of bias that you believe are important to be mindful of during this search?

2. Are there EDI aspects relevant to this search that the committee should discuss. 

2. Meeting Discussion - Tips for the Committee Chair

*Goals of Meeting One:

One important part of the process is making conversations about bias a “normal” part of the search committee. 

In recruiting specifically, unconscious bias and affinity bias often expresses a preference for one candidate or another because of “culture fit.” Affinity bias is the unconscious tendency to show preference for those who are like us. This bias often shows up in the hiring process as we search for candidates that “fit” the culture of the department.  

The idea is if we are aware of our biases we can move towards making decisions about candidates based on qualifications and skills and not based on assumptions. 

**Discuss what type of candidate is required with a focus qualifications and skills

**Ensure the job posting uses inclusive language that reflects the qualifications and skills. Would candidates with nontraditional career trajectories be eligible and competitive? How can the posting encourage them to apply? (steering away from affinity bias).  There are free tools that check for gender bias: https://gender-decoder.katmatfield.com/ New artificial intelligence (AI) platforms can be helpful to analyze job advertisements for inclusive language.

**Does the job posting contain FoMD wellness commitment? “The FoMD has adopted the Okanagan Charter and is committed to health promoting learning and working environments supporting safety and wellbeing.”  

**Is it appropriate for this search to ask the applicants for an EDI statement? EDI statements should explore prior contributions to EDI activities or initiatives (professional/personal/ community) and to describe the impact of the activities.

**Could preliminary assessment of candidates in meeting two be anonymized? For example, ask applicants to exclude identifying factors (name, age, gender, education, work experience etc.) from philosophy statements. Review the philosophy statements prior to reviewing the CVs.

**Brainstorm novel places to advertise (as appropriate to this search) that may capture a diverse range of applicants.

**Standardized evaluation criteria (see Tools section). The evaluation checklist in the Tools section is meant to be modified/edited and adapted for each search, adding in categories or removing those that are not relevant. It was created for departmental chair searches. The checklist should mirror the job description and required qualifications.

**Historically during an academic search the number and type of academic publications, research record (grants), absence of career interruptions, and for external candidates size of institution and advancement through one or more Tier One or U15 institutions, were all viewed as desirable.  The committee should consider other aspects of academic success. What should be considered in this search?

**Along with confidentiality and conflict of interest (declaration form can be found in the tools section) also consider discussing what process the committee will use if concerns about bias need to be raised.  How will the committee ensure that all members have an opportunity to contribute (particularly important in committees with learners, patients, staff). 

*Closing Comments

Implicit bias operates subconsciously, can be opposite to our conscious beliefs or values but is malleable and can be changed. It should not evoke feelings of guilt or shame, it is a part of humanity. 

Attending to equity diversity and inclusion doesn’t abandon excellence, they are NOT two mutually exclusive concepts. The idea is to invest in an inclusive environment that recognizes and respects the dignity and humanity of individuals and communities. This creates a culture of excellence. It is not a check box or something that we can complete, it is an evolution and a work in progress and we will make progress if we reflect, engage in dialogue, learn together as we go.