Presidential Taskforce for Opportunity and Equity Recommendations
Auburn University is committed to fostering a diverse, equitable, and inclusive environment for all students, faculty, staff, alumni, and guests. The university’s continuing commitment is reflected in the efforts of our academic units in collaboration with the Office of Inclusion and Diversity in the Office of the Provost. Features of this work, including links to additional campus resources, can be found below.
These efforts are meant to complement institutional efforts, including the Presidential Task Force for Opportunity and Equity, and the ongoing work of the Office of Inclusion and Diversity.
Status Key: Early Development Stage; In Progress; Near CompletionRecommendations for Recruiting and Retaining Diverse Faculty:
Develop a focused and targeted, high priority, program dedicated to inviting diverse scholars to campus for internships, guest lectures, collaborative research, and/or six months to one year residency programs. Target HBCUs and SEC schools.
Auburn has made progress on several steps to increase the pipeline for underrepresented scholars. The Preparing Future Faculty effort invites scholars from underrepresented scholars to participate in professional development sessions and become a part of our recruiting network. The SEC Scholars Program engages underrepresented graduate and postdoc scholars in professional development and networking. The Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Search Education offered by OID encourages outreach to MSI, SEC Schools, and other networks of underrepresented scholars. We will continue to engage these networks and others toward strengthening faculty recruiting pipelines.
Use SEC network and other discipline specific networks to recruit diverse graduate students and to identify new PhDs with diverse backgrounds for Post Doc and assistant professor positions at AU.
The AP/VP for Inclusion and Diversity was directly involved in regular meetings on behalf of the Office of the Provost with the SEC Emerging Scholars Program. On September 29 and 30, Auburn had 8 underrepresented graduate students and postdoc scholars participate in this workshop, along with underrepresented graduate and postdoc scholars from each SEC School. All scholars are effectively in the pipeline for faculty recruiting on each campus and open positions were shared with all candidates.
Create a “Building Future Faculty” program (examples include at North Carolina State University, University of Missouri, Virginia Tech., etc.) for diverse faculty.
The Preparing Future Faculty Program hosted in the College of Engineering has completed two pilot iterations in 2019 and 2021. The PFF workgroup is currently working to determine how this program can be best positioned as a strategic faculty talent identification effort for Auburn.
Create a “Building Future Faculty” program (examples include at North Carolina State University, University of Missouri, Virginia Tech., etc.) for diverse faculty.
The Preparing Future Faculty Program hosted in the College of Engineering has completed two pilot iterations in 2019 and 2021. The PFF workgroup is currently working to determine how this program can be best positioned as a strategic faculty talent identification effort for Auburn.
Implement a system that collects information on where doctoral students and post-doctoral researchers secure positions upon graduation.
The Graduate School administers the First Destination survey to learn about graduate students experience and track graduate student placement after graduating Auburn University. A separate survey has been developed to track the placement and experiences of post-doctoral researchers as they leave the institution. The two surveys increase reporting and data clarity toward disaggregation for college/school level dissemination.
Examine data from the PeopleAdmin automated applicant flow system and use this data to inform efforts on diversifying the faculty pool of applicants.
PeopleAdmin capacities have been increased to facilitate applicant pool diversity data availability. Further training will be conducted with HR Liaisons to ensure capacity to implement this into practice at scale.
Each college/school should establish policies and procedures that hold search committees and departments accountable and responsible for their faculty hiring policies, procedures, and outcomes.
HRLs are able to examine applicant diversity through increased PeopleAdmin capabilities. OID's Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Search Education outlines recommendations for setting aspirational goals for pool diversity and recommendations for reporting, tracking, and monitoring practices and procedures to mitigate bias, increase diversity, and foster inclusion. OID will continue to provide consultative and advisory guidance and support toward the development of diversity outreach and recruitment plans by request from departments.
Each college/school should develop position descriptions that clearly embed the values of diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Auburn has adopted standardized language signaling the importance of a commitment to diversity that is included in all staff search processes. Once approved, the Institutional Diversity Statement developed by the Presidential Taskforce will be placed in all Auburn job postings.
OID's Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Search Education will also provide recommendations about infusing diversity into job descriptions that are appropriate to the role.
Each college/school should develop guidelines to encourage the hiring of faculty who will enhance the diversity of each of its units. At a minimum, college/schools should require diversity in the final pool of candidates for all tenure-track faculty positions.
HRLs are able to examine applicant diversity through increased PeopleAdmin capabilities. OID's Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Search Education outlines recommendations for setting aspirational goals for pool diversity and recommendations for reporting, tracking, and monitoring. OID has also worked with department chairs on starting potential candidate banks to ensure direct outreach to talented underrepresented scholars. OID provides consultative and advisory guidance and support toward the development of diversity outreach and recruitment plans by request from departments.
Each college/school’s Human Resource representative should assure that each member of a faculty search committee receives robust and intentional training relative to implicit and/or unconscious biases.
/Ongoing
All Auburn employees will receive education on developing supportive, healthy, and inclusive work environments as part of the foundational learning modules. The first module (Title IX) went to campus in July 2021; the second (Creating a Community of Respect and Inclusion) arrived to campus in October 2021. Further, OID and HR will continue to offer learning opportunities related to implicit bias, search education, and psychological safety. The Search Committee Training offered asynchronously will continue to be required, this includes sections on implicit bias. OID’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Search Education which focuses on bias, outreach, and best practices is also available. HR Liaisons can track participation in their area as appropriate.
Encourage and incentivize dual/partner and/or opportunity hiring strategies to recruit diverse faculty.
OID will consult with academic leaders on identifying and strategically implementing opportunity hiring efforts. Auburn's dual career guidance will be communicated broadly and consistently through ongoing education and supporting material. http://www.auburn.edu/academic/provost/pdf/guidelines-dual-career-services.pdf..
Through examining COACHE data and other institutional data, Auburn will continue discussions around strengthening the dual career program, potentially through grant opportunities.
OID’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Search Education outlines the current practices and procedures related to dual career hiring at Auburn University.
Develop a mentoring program for diverse faculty with an emphasis on preparation for promotion and tenure.
Through Auburn's institutional membership of the National Center for Faculty Diversity and Development, OID will support 8 faculty to participate in the Faculty Success Program and connected on-campus mentoring workshops during the Spring 2022 semester. More information here: https://ocm.auburn.edu/newsroom/news_articles/2021/10/190856-oid-faculty-success-program.php
OID will continue this effort annually to support underrepresented faculty on their pursuit of tenure and promotion.
Regularly conduct equity audit of all faculty searches to determine progress and impact; ensure diversity in hiring pools, overall, and diverse candidates among finalists.
OID is establishing reporting and evaluation protocols for equity auditing processes, including education session surveys, post-search survey, applicant pool diversity, faculty participation in success efforts, and other progress indicators.
OID's Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Search Education will provide guidance to all participants on setting aspirational goals toward recruiting and outreach for diversity, and guidance on an equitable hiring process.
OID, EEO, and HR will connect each year to discuss reporting progress. The details are still being navigated amongst campus partners.