San Diego State to Add Diversity and Inclusion Monitors to Faculty Hiring Committees

San Diego State to Add Diversity and Inclusion Monitors to Faculty Hiring Committees

Does this mean potential hires will now need the approval of a diversity administrator to be hired?

The College Fix reports:

Diversity and inclusion monitors to join faculty hiring committees at SDSU

San Diego State University has announced plans to train so-called Inclusion Representatives for faculty search committees in an effort to ensure those making hiring decisions at the school keep diversity and equity in mind throughout the process.

“IRs are non-voting members of search committees, from outside the searching department, who provide colleagues with information on equitable hiring practices and support in identifying and reducing the many ways that implicit biases can manifest in the hiring process,” Jennifer Imazeki, associate chief diversity officer for faculty and staff, told colleagues in a recent email.

The university’s Division of Diversity and Innovation’s Center for Inclusive Excellence will train and certify the Inclusion Representatives, who may serve on faculty search committees.

The diversity and inclusion monitors are expected to encourage their peers to “engage in self-reflection regarding potential biases that may compromise an objective assessment,” according to a three-page outline detailing more about the pilot program sent to faculty.

It adds monitors will be trained how to facilitate “potentially difficult dialogues with colleagues.”

The memo does not mention meritocracy as part of the hiring process.

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