Poster #111 - The Effect of Diversity Statements in Faculty Hiring

• In Event: Saturday Poster Luncheon

Abstract

The effect of diversity statements in faculty hiring

 

 In recent years, US universities have implemented several initiatives to promote diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI). One such initiative is that many universities require applicants for faculty positions to submit diversity statements. A diversity statement is 1–2 page document where applicants describe their views, past contributions, and future plans related to diversity, equity and inclusion.

 

The practice of asking for diversity statements is controversial. Proponents of diversity statements view them as a tool to foster a diverse, inclusive culture at the institution. Without them, universities might have little way of recognizing which candidate would advance DEI goals. But critics of diversity statements argue that diversity statements serve as a political litmus test that enables political discrimination. Views related to diversity, equity and inclusion are often related to broader political views, so the process may favor applicants whose political views align with those of existing faculty. Because of the political composition of American faculty, this would typically result in a bias in favor of candidates with progressive political views.

 

Lastly, some people believe diversity statements are unimportant. For one, hiring committees may largely ignore diversity statements. Secondly, applicants may express disingenuous commitments to DEI goals merely to appease the hiring committee.

 

In this paper, we employ various panel methods to estimate the effect of diversity statements on student underrepresentation and hired faculty demographics. We obtain US economics and political science job postings data from online boards, education data from IPEDS, and faculty hires data from Academic Analytics from 2014-2023. We measure political ideologies of faculty members using political donations data.

 

We find little effect of diversity statements. Specifically, diversity statements do not affect student underrepresentation, except by reducing the number of Asian graduates. We find no significant changes in the demographics of the hired faculty, contradicting the view that they are used as a tool to prefer candidates from underrepresented groups. Lastly, we find no change in the degree of political involvement or left-right orientation of hired faculty. Collectively, these results suggest that diversity statements have little effect on student outcomes or on who is hired.

 

 

 

Authors

• Nency Dhameja, Binghamton University (SUNY-Binghamton)
  Presenting Author

• David Slichter, Binghamton University (SUNY-Binghamton)
  Non-Presenting Co-Author