Carnegie Mellon Diversity Resource Guide


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Expanding the Pool

Searching for minority and women talent is the same as searching for non-minority individuals. The key is to cast the net widely and tailor your effort to enlarge the pool to the particular opening:

  • Keep track of prospective minority candidates, learning their career interests and inviting them to apply for appropriate vacancies.
  • Exhaust the possibilities for specialized advertising and direct mailings.
  • If you're using an outside resource such as a search firm (also known as "headhunters"), make sure they have a high commitment to presenting diverse applicant pools.
  • Cultivate prospective candidates' interest in Carnegie Mellon through contact with the career offices of other organizations and colleges. Talented people are often not actively looking for a new position.
  • "Courting" is just as important for minority candidates as it is for non-minorities. Most people react favorably to inquiries about employment opportunities, even when they are content with their current position.

Expanding the pool of potential minority faculty should include long-term efforts to increase the numbers of minority graduate students. Some other strategies to consider:

Initiative How It Works
Implement
short-term appointments or exchanges of minority faculty from Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs).
  • These approaches provide role models, establish contacts with other universities, and assist in future recruiting efforts.
  • Several colleges within Carnegie Mellon have established relationships with HCBUs in the region, such as Morgan State University, Howard University, Lincoln University and Hampton University. Similar appointments can be extended to women from research institutions similar to Carnegie Mellon.
Seek individuals outside of academia: in corporations, the military or the government.
  • Short-term faculty appointments are an option, as well as a longer commitment through a career change. Faculty can use their contacts in the community and in the profession to develop a pool of such individuals to tap when a position is available.
  • Many positions are filled locally, so be sure to identify people in the local community with expertise in your areas of interests. Alumni can be an excellent resource.
  • Go to Resources for a list of local and national organizations that may relate to your open position. These organizations may have publications, meetings or conferences that will help you. These approaches provide role models, establish contacts with other universities, and assist in future recruiting efforts.
Create research jobs or part-time teaching positions for individuals.

This "foot in the door" provides an active minority and female presence in the department as well as a pool to consider for future positions.

Create postdoctoral fellowships. These may entice minorities and women interested in permanent faculty positions.
Hire minority and female individuals who have completed all Ph.D. requirements but their dissertations (ABDs). By providing a follow-up program of faculty development that permits the completion of the doctoral degree, you may be able to attract candidates.
Create a visiting scholars program or distinguished lecturer series. This can expose students and faculty to new perspectives and scholarship, enriching the academic environment for all. One option is to apply to be part of the Carnegie Mellon-Alcoa Speaker's Series

Recruitment Checklist

Suggested reviewers: academic administrators, department heads, faculty.

  1. What measures have been taken to identify nontraditional sources of faculty, for example, exchanges or visiting appointments of faculty from HBCUs, visiting lectureships persons in industry or government?
  2. Do faculty and department heads have active networks with majority institutions and HBCUs to identify future faculty members? How do they update and maintain these networks?
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