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The purpose of this step is to ensure a committee culture whereinÌýevery member canÌýraise concerns, disagree, and express opinions without beingÌýsilenced or having to worry about repercussions.Ìý

Systems of social exclusion and oppression are self-reinforcing. As should be more than clear by this point in the Step-By-Step Guide to Inclusive Faculty Hiring, structuralÌýinequity causes imbalances in representation. Often these imbalances become increasingly pronounced in higher tiers of authority withinÌýpostsecondaryÌýinstitutions. It is therefore not uncommon in academic settings—on a hiring committee for example—for senior affiliates to be members of overrepresented social categories. And despite their bestÌýintentions,Ìýit is not uncommon forÌýindividuals who are further in their careersÌýto express greater attachment to traditional systems of evaluation—systems thatÌýreinforce structural inequity.ÌýCommittee members whose professional footing is less secure, such as tenure-track faculty and graduate students,Ìýmay be reluctant to pushÌýback againstÌýaffiliatesÌýwho couldÌýwieldÌýcoerciveÌýpower over them. This can beÌýespecially problematic becauseÌýnewer scholars might be more versed in the most recent research on structural inequity and therefore particularly well equipped to contribute to an inclusive hiring process.Ìý

To promoteÌýhealthy and uninhibited self-expression on a hiring committee,ÌýtheÌýchair mustÌýcarefully selectÌýmembers to ensureÌýthat all areÌýdedicated to cultivating an environment of inclusivity, equitability,Ìýmutual trust, and respect. Representatives who are in positions of power must be able and willing toÌýensure they do not run roughshodÌýover their more vulnerable colleagues. All committee members should weigh in on evaluation decisions. And no one should feel like they cannot speak. Committee members in rolesÌýof power must, however, understand their positionality in a broader context of institutional inequity,Ìýand they must work to ensure that their power does not reproduce systemicÌýdisparities in representation—both on the committee and in the hiring decision.Ìý

Finally, it is the responsibility of the chair to ensure balanced dialogue and to take necessary action if power differentials appear to stifleÌýcommittee deliberations.

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If you want to return to Step 4, clickÌýhere.

If you want to return to the ENVS faculty-hiring protocolsÌýHome Page, clickÌýhere. Ìý