Inclusion Representative Program

Inclusion Representatives (IRs) are non-voting members of search committees, from outside the
searching department, who provide colleagues with information on equitable hiring practices
and support in identifying and reducing the many ways that implicit biases can manifest in the
hiring process. After receiving training from DDI’s Center for Inclusive Excellence, certified IRs
may serve on committees in the following hiring cycle, receiving a stipend for their service on
each search.

ALL members of search committees are expected to have learned about implicit bias, and it is
never the sole responsibility of the IR  to provide suggestions and/or raise concerns relevant
to diversity, equity and inclusion in the hiring process. The search committee should work
collectively to ensure diverse representation of applicants and equitable treatment of
candidates throughout the search process.

Spring 2020 Pilot Program: Training for faculty IRs will begin in Spring 2020, and full integration
of IRs in hiring processes is expected to take place at the beginning of AY2021. The intention is
to expand the program with training for staff IRs in Fall 2020. 

Responsibilities
Certified Inclusion Representatives shall:
 Support the overall mission of the search committee, keeping in mind principles of
inclusive excellence and diversity;
 Promote and facilitate thoughtful discussions about how diversity may enhance the
unit’s overall ability to prepare students for the 21st century; 
 Facilitate conversations about strategies designed to broaden the diversity of the
applicant pool (e.g., women, underrepresented minorities, sexual minorities, persons
with disabilities, etc.); 
 Encourage search committee to engage in self-reflection regarding potential biases that
may compromise an objective assessment, and how implicit bias may specifically
influence how they relate to individuals/events/information throughout the evaluation
and selection process; 
 Highlight unconscious biases and assumptions committee members may bring to their
evaluation of applicants/candidates; 
 When necessary, provide search committee members with diversity resources (e.g.,
readings, videos, webinars); and
 Meet regularly with other Inclusion Representatives in a Community of Practice.
In recognition of the important service provided and the time invested, Inclusion
Representatives will receive $1500 for each search on which they serve. Alternatively, IRs who
are willing to commit to serve on multiple searches may receive course release instead.

Given the sensitive nature of this work, it is preferable that IRs be full, tenured professors. 

Certification
In order to be a certified Inclusion Representative, interested individuals must:
 Secure the agreement of their department chair or school director
 Complete the two-hour Implicit Bias and Microaggressions seminar with the Professors
of Equity (offered regularly throughout the semester; register here)
 Complete the Application Form 
 Complete two half-day trainings (7-8 hours total, dates in late April/early May TBD) to
include:
o Equity-minded hiring practices at different stages of the faculty hiring process
o Responsibilities of being an Inclusion Representative
o Policies relevant for promoting diversity, equity and inclusion in hiring practices
o Tools and resources to help promote reflective evaluation processes
o Skills for facilitating potentially difficult dialogues with colleagues

Recertification: In order to continue serving as an Inclusion Representative in future years,

Representatives must complete at least three hours of continued professional learning every 12
months. More information on this process will be available soon.

Assignment of Representatives
Inclusion Representatives who have completed their certification training will be assigned to
search committees through the following process:
 Departments who wish to have an Inclusion Representative on a search committee
should contact the Associate Chief Diversity Officer (ACDO) as early in the process as
possible. IRs must be added to committees prior to the finalization of the job ad;
requests received after that point will not be accommodated.
 Upon receiving the request, the ACDO will contact potential IRs from colleges outside
the requesting department (i.e., to the extent possible, IRs will not serve within their
home college). If there are no available IRs outside the requesting college, IRs from the
requesting college who are tenured Professors may be asked if they are willing to serve.
Pre-tenure faculty will not be asked to serve for a department within their home
college.
 Once an appropriate IR has been identified, Faculty Advancement will add them to
Interfolio for the search. It is the responsibility of the hiring department to ensure the
Representative is aware of and included in all committee meetings. 
FAQs
Who can serve as an
Inclusion Representative?
What does it mean that an
Inclusion Representative is a
‘non-voting’ member of the
search committee?
In the pilot year, Representatives should be tenured or tenure
track faculty members (with the intention to expand to staff
in future years). Although tenured, full professors are
preferred, pre-tenure faculty may serve as long as they have
the agreement of their chair. 
The primary role of the Inclusion Representative is to call
colleagues’ attention to ways in which bias may be
manifesting in the hiring process, and provide support to the
committee to reduce this bias. However, because Inclusion
Representatives are assigned from departments and colleges
outside the hiring department, there is no expectation that
they will have the background or expertise to evaluate the
disciplinary qualifications of candidates. Therefore, although
IRs should be full participants in all hiring committee
discussions, they will not have a vote in the final hiring
decision.