avoiding bias: lessons from search committee training lynn k gordon, md, phd associate dean,...
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Avoiding Bias: Lessons from Search Committee Training
Lynn K Gordon, MD, PhD
Associate Dean, Diversity Affairs
David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA
Why is Diversity Important?
• Educational experience & scholarly environment
• Legitimacy in context of California
– 2000 Census
• African American 7.4%
• Hispanic/Latino 32.4%
• Innovation & creativity
“Substantial evidence suggests that functional and identity diverse groups are more innovative…studies also suggest that groups whose members have diverse preferences are more creative. “
Scott Page, The Difference, 2007, Princeton University Press, p. 327
At UCLA
• We always want the best:
• “Best of the Best of the Best..Sir” from Men in Black
– Staff
– Students
– Trainees
– Faculty
• Unconscious bias may preclude our selecting the best
Goals or….. Why are you here?
• Faculty: requirement for search committee training
– Please sign in, stay, and you will be counted
• Perhaps a better reason…….
– Gain an understanding about unintended bias and how this affects our daily life---- for all of us
• Discuss approaches for avoiding bias
– In academic searches
– In evaluations of students and trainees
Sites for learning
• Project Implicit
– https://implicit.harvard.edu/implicit/
• AAMC: "What You Don’t Know: The Science of Unconscious Bias and What To Do About It in the Search and Recruitment Process"
– https://surveys.aamc.org/se.ashx?s=7C7E87CB561EC358
Susan Drange LeeDirector, Faculty Diversity & Development
(310) 206-7411
Many slides taken from presentations by Susan Drange Lee and from the STRIDE program of the University of Michigan
Search Resources @ faculty.diversity.ucla.edu
Search Toolkit
Forms
Search Committee Resources
Unconscious Bias & Use of Schemas
Adapted in part from presentation developed by NSF ADVANCE Project at the University of Michigan (a project to
increase the advancement of women faculty in the sciences)
PURPOSE:
Increase awareness of unconscious bias
Consider how unconscious bias may play a role in how you evaluate a student, how you mentor a trainee, what words you use in a letter of recommendation, and how you select new faculty
Schemas and Stereotypes
• Identify this photo
– Carol Greider, Ph.D.
• “I think there’s a slight bias ----- still a slight cultural bias for men to help men. The derogatory term is the ‘old boys network.’
• It’s not that they are biased against women or want to hurt them. They just don’t think of them.
• And they often feel more comfortable promoting their male colleagues.”
From the New York Times Interview After Winning the Nobel Prize
What is a Schema?
“Schemas are hypotheses that we use to interpret social events. They are similar to stereotypes, but the term schema is more inclusive and more neutral.”
“Gender schemas are hypotheses about what it means to be male or female – hypotheses that we share, male and female alike.”
Prof. Virginia Valian, UCLA Faculty Lecture, 2008.
Author of “Why So Slow? The Advancement of Women”
Valian, V. (1999) Why So Slow? The Advancement of Women. MIT Press: Massachusetts.
Schemas Affect Evaluation
1. Estimating Height
• Males were judged taller than females (in feet & inches).
• Perceived difference in height was greatest when information was more ambiguous (shown in seated position vs. standing).
Biernat, M., Manis, M. and Nelson, T. (1991) Stereotypes and Standards of Judgment. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 60(4):495-502.
2. Orchestra Auditions
When auditioners were behind a screen, the percentage of female new hires for orchestral jobs increased 25 – 46%.
Goldin, C. & Rouse, C. (2000) Orchestrating Impartiality: The Impact of "Blind" Auditions on Female Musicians. The American Economic Review, 90, 4, 715-741.
3. Evaluation of CVs Karen
When evaluating identical application packages, male and female University psychology professors preferred hiring
“Brian” over “Karen” by 2:1 ratio
Steinpreis, R.E., Anders, K.A., & Ritzke, D. (1999) The Impact of Gender on the Review of the Curricula Vitae of Job Applicants and Tenure Candidates: A National Empirical Study. Sex Roles, Vol. 41, Nos. 7/8, 509.
Brian
4. Interview Calls for Jobs: “Are Emily and Greg More Employable Than Lakisha and Jamal?”
• “White” names received 50% more calls for interviews than “African-American” names.
• For “White” names, a higher quality resume elicited 30% more calls.
• For “African-American” names, the increase was only 9% for a higher quality resume.
Bertrand, M. & Mullainathan, S. (2004) Are Emily and Greg More Employable Than Lakisha and Jamal? A Field Experiment On Labor Market Discrimination. American Economic Review, v94(4, Sep), 991-1013.
Double Standards for Competence
• Varying overall qualifications
– Male preference when male application is better
– No preference when female application is better
• Education vs. Experience: Which is More Valuable?
– Male applicants shown preference
– If male had more education then education was valued over experience
– If female had more education then experience was valued over education
Source: Foschi, Lai & Sigerson 1994; Norton, Vandello, & Darley 2004
5. Evaluation of Fellowship Applications
• Peer reviewers gave female applicants lower scores than male applicants who displayed the same level of scientific productivity.
• Women applying for the postdoctoral fellowship had to be 2.5 times more productive to receive the same reviewer rating as the average male applicant.
Wenneras, C. & Wold, A. (1997) Nepotism and Sexism in Peer-Review. Nature, 387: 341-43.
6. Letters of Recommendation
Trix, F. & Psenka, C. (2003) Exploring the Color of Glass: Letters of Recommed-dation for Female and Male Medical Faculty. Discourse & Society, 14: 191-220.
Letters for men had more references to CV, publications, patients, and colleagues
Letters for women- Were shorter- Contained more “doubt raisers” (hedges, faint praise, and irrelevancies)- Had more references to personal lifeExamples: “It’s amazing how much she’s
accomplished.”“She has a rather challenging personality.”“She excelled in every task she chose to take on.”
Differences in Letters of Recommendation:
7. Making Mountains out of Molehils: accumulation of disadvantage
• simulated an eight-level, pyramidal hierarchical institution
• Initially staffing men and women were 50% at each level
• tiny bias in favor of promoting men: 1% difference
• after repeated iterations: top level was 65 percent male
Martell, Richard F., David M. Lane, and Cynthia Emrich. 1996. "Male-female Differences: A Computer Simulation." American Psychologist 51:157-8
8. Biased Leadership Outcomes
Mervis (2005). Science, 310, 606-607.
Leadership for Asians in Academia
15% of life scientists in the US are Asian/Asian American.
Of the 26 council members and 193 members of 11
standing committees in the American Society for
Biochemistry and Molecular Biology in 2005, none were
Asian/Asian American.
Impact of Schemas on Leadership
• With single sex groups, observers identify the person at the head of the table as the leader.
• With mixed sex groups
– a male seated at the head of the table is identified as the leader.
– a female seated at the head of the table is identified as the leader only half the time (and a male seated somewhere else is identified the other half).
Porter & Geis (1981) Gender and nonverbal behavior.
Impact of Schemas about Mothers
Assumptions about the implications of motherhood for women’s career commitment have consequences, despite recent data showing that:
•Women academics who marry and have families publish as many articles per year as single women.
Cole and Zuckerman (1987) Scientific American 256 (2), 119-125. Confirmed by Yu Xie and Shauman (2003) Women in science: Career processes and outcomes.
Evaluation of Identical Resumes: Mothers
When evaluating identical applications:
• Evaluators rated mothers as less competent and committed to paid work than nonmothers.
• Mothers were less likely to be recommended for hire, promotion, and management, and were offered lower starting salaries than nonmothers.
• Prospective employers called mothers back about half as often as nonmothers.
“Nonmother”
Mother
Correll, Benard and Paik (2007) American Journal of Sociology, 112 (5), 1297-1338.
Evaluation of Identical Resumes: Fathers
When evaluating identical applications:
• Fathers were seen as more committed to paid work and offered higher starting salaries than nonfathers.
• Fathers were not disadvantaged in the hiring process.
“Nonfather”
Father
Correll, Benard and Paik (2007) American Journal of Sociology, 112 (5), 1297-1338.
Obstacles to Diversification: A Self Reinforcing Cycle
What can you do?
• In writing letters of recommendation
• In reading letters of recommendation
• In evaluating candidates
– Be aware of the use of language and the gender schemas that words may imply
– Be aware that a small initial bias may create substantial differences
Techniques to CombatOveruse of Schemas in Selections: Faculty, Staff, Trainees, Employees
1. Developing the Pool
2. Evaluating the Pool
3. Interviewing Tips
Responsibilities of Search Committee Members
• Actively search for candidates
• Carefully review and assess files
• Welcome all candidates with equal respect & courtesy
• Maintain confidentiality
Member who assumes responsibility for Affirmative Action – monitor activities of committee for equity, broaden search for inclusivity
1. Developing the Pool
Wording in ad that highlights interest in diversity
specific language emphasizing interest in diversity, resulted in more diverse applicant pools…even in the sciences
Recruiting through targeted professional organizations
Asking colleagues to recommend women and minority candidates
But treat all applicants equally
Widening the range of institutions from which you recruit
Utilizing a diverse search committee (demographics & field)
2. Equitably Evaluate the Pool
• Agree on the Criteria in Advance
– Identify the desired elements
– Rank order the importance of each element
• Self-Correct
• Slow Down & Do Not Rank Order Immediately
• Insist on Evidence: no anectodal stories
Be Consistent
Tailor a Candidate Evaluation Tool to Meet Your Needs
Interviewing Tips
• Standard format for interviews and the campus visit
• Avoid illegal questions• Family status
• Race
• Religion
• Residence
• Sex
• Age
• Citizenship or nationality
• Disability
Interview tips continued• Family Friendly
• Provide information to everyone about applicable family-leave policies and campus resources for dual career, childcare, housing, etc
• Involve Other Faculty
• opportunity to talk with other faculty members about gender and climate issues – not the search committee and preferably not even in the same department
• Respect
• Do not treat candidates differently based on subject matter or research methodology used…whether they are known to the committee members or unknown… each candidate was ranked highly enough for a campus visit
Responsibility of Search Committee Chair
• Responsible for proactive, timely, fair, and legal search: develops processes and ground rules
• Leads committee in all phases of work
– Creation of advertisement and proactive recruitment strategy
– Develops equitable evaluation criteria
• Maintains positive interactions with candidates
• Conducts post search committee review
– What worked…..and what didn’t
– Document process
UC Diversity Statement
The University of California diversity statement includes diversity based on:
• Gender
• Race
• Ethnicity
• Socioeconomic status
• Religion
• Language
• Age
• Disability
• Sexual orientation
• Geographic region
Underrepresented Minorities
• African Americans
• Alaskan Natives
• Native Americans
• Pacific Islanders (e.g., Hawaiian, Samoan, etc.)
• Chicano, Latino, Hispanic Americans
“Underrepresented Minorities” (URMs) as defined by the Office for Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) includes the following:
Academic Values that Support Diversity
Although the University may not consider an individual’s race, ethnicity or gender as a component in selection for a faculty appointment…
You can consider:
Academic values that support a diverse learning environment
-- A record of teaching, research or service that will contribute to the diversity of the campus
-- Mentoring and outreach activities
Affirmative Action
For federal contractors and subcontractors, affirmative action must be taken by covered employers to recruit and advance qualified minorities, women, persons with disabilities, and covered veterans.
Proposition 209 is a California State Law implemented in 1997 that states that no preferential treatment can be given during the hiring process based on race, sex, color, ethnicity or national origin.
Prop 209
DGSOM Faculty
Clinical and Adjunct
Full, In-Res, Clin X
Females comprise: 23% of academic senate 39% of clinical and adjunct positions
FemaleMale
Academic senate: 25% of all female faculty 42% of all male faculty
2008 US Medical School Graduates
62
7
20
7
1
3
DGSOM Faculty
64
24
5<1
3
Demographics
• Graduates from DGSOM Medical School (Drew included)
– Female 45.2%
– African American 11.9%
– Hispanic/Latino 16.7%
What about surgery?
• USA Residents in General Surgery 2007
– Female 30.8%
– African American 6.8%
– Hispanic/Latino 11.1%
UCLA Department of Surgery
• Total Faculty (n=167)
– Females 16.2%
– African American 5.4%
– Hispanic/Latino 4.8%
• Assistant Professors
– Females 27%
– African American 6.8%
– Hispanic/Latino 4.5%
Causes for Disparities
• Possible role of unintended bias
– Beware when evaluating applicants
– Know yourself
• Consider taking AAMC or Harvard programs
• Specialty choices
– Get involved in medical student education
– Encourage the possibilities for junior colleagues
We can only accomplish this together