Search Committee Training
Beginning in February 2017, the Office for Access and Equity, in partnership with the Office of Diversity and the Office of the Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs, will offer 90-minute workshops several times each month for members of search committees for faculty and faculty/administrator positions at UIC. This workshop will address the search process, issues of implicit bias and stereotypes, as well as other issues that can affect the fairness of a search.
This training is one way to implement our strategic priority that states: “We will intensify our efforts to retain and recruit top-tier faculty members committed to the mission of our University. We will continue to nurture an open and friendly environment that celebrates diversity and promotes excellence.”
It is anticipated that in Fall 2017, this training will become mandatory for all members of search committees for faculty and faculty/administrators. Once a person has participated in the workshop, they may serve on search committees for three years without retaking the training. Beginning next month, participation in a workshop will count toward those three years, even though the workshops are not mandatory at this time.
The search committee training is the product of the work of a very dedicated and collaborative group of faculty and administrators, with particular assistance from faculty from WISEST who brought great research knowledge and practical experience to this endeavor. I want to thank Meena Rao, Alina Cojocaru, D’Arcy Meyer-Dombard, Anjum Ansari, Renee Taylor, Tyrone Forman, Caryn Bills, and Keana Galloway for their excellent work.
You can find the registration form on the websites of the Office for Access and Equity, the Office of Diversity, and the Office of the Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs.
Susan Poser
Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs