1. How Can Unions Foster Diversity in the Professoriate?
Jennifer S. Rubain, Esq
Dean-Recruitment and Diversity
The City University of New York

2. What Unions Can Do? Two Key Actions
Ensure diversity among union leadership
Make the case for faculty action

3. Diverse Leadership Are you guilty of “Do as I say, not as I do?”
Lack of diversity among union leadership sends signal that you are only paying lip service to the issue

4. Case for Faculty Action
Hiring decisions typically made at the department level, but there are few mechanisms for holding faculty accountable for the lack of diversity
All carrot, no stick so what can be done?

5. What can Unions do? TWO INTERVENTIONS
Conduct faculty led seminars to expose faculty to current research around diversity issues such as hidden biases
Educate a cadre of union members on search guidelines and best practices to ensure that the principles of equal employment are followed search committee during deliberations

6. Faculty Led Seminars Faculty listen to faculty
E.g. University of Michigan’s STRIDE program (Strategies and Tactics for Recruiting to Improve Diversity and Excellence)
Seminar style workshops
Led by faculty experts

7. Why Cadre? Chief Diversity Officers can only do so much
Faculty often do not feel knowledgeable about what inquiries are and are not permissible so may be hesitant to speak up when deliberations veer into troubling territory
To be effective, intervention must occur immediately

8. What are the Responsibilities?
Monitor the committee's proceedings to make certain that arbitrary assumptions of fact are not made.
E.g. This person won’t be happy here.
Listen carefully for improper factors that should not be considered in the decision-making process.
E.g. This candidate is over 40. The department needs young people.
Be sensitive to statements or comments that may suggest the application of different standards based on individual characteristics.
E.g. Given that she’s African-American, I can’t believe her views on Obama.