To: Administrative Officers, Deans, Department Chairs, Directors, Vice Chancellors and Vice Provosts
Dear Colleagues:
UCLA’s Office of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) has issued an updated Faculty Search Process Policy Memorandum (PDF) to provide clarity and refine the search and hiring processes for ladder-rank faculty at UCLA. The original Faculty Search Process Policy Memorandum was issued in February 2016 in accordance with applicable federal and state law, Regents Policy 4400, APM 210 1.D. (PDF), Appendix 23 and Appendix 41. The memo serves as a blueprint for advancing UCLA’s commitments to equity, diversity and inclusion in the faculty recruitment process.
Recruiting talented and diverse faculty are essential to advancing UCLA’s mission and uphold UCLA’s values. UCLA’s Faculty Search Process aims to promote equity and excellence in faculty hiring practices – consistent with the University’s values, the law and evidence-based best practices. EDI participates in the ladder-rank Faculty Search Process in three distinct ways, by: 1) conducting mandatory faculty search briefings for all members of faculty search committees; 2) approving key steps in the standard search process; and 3) granting waivers as appropriate — waivers from EDI are the only exceptions to the standard search process. This process ensures that UCLA is engaging in fair, equitable and inclusive faculty hiring practices.
The 2022-2023 updates to the Faculty Search Process include:
- The Faculty Search Briefing (FSB) – EDI now provides the FSB through a 30-minute video available on BruinLearn
- Equity Checkpoints – Each member of the search committee, the department chair, Equity Advisor, dean and VC-EDI are required to review and approve the Search Plan, Applicant Pool Report and Shortlist in UC Recruit
- Search Report – The search committee is required to submit the Search Report pre-offer for review and approval by each member of the search committee, the department chair, Equity Advisor and dean in UC Recruit
Every member of the faculty plays a vital role in the recruitment process, whether you serve on a search committee, attend job talks or are a voting member of a department. As faculty, your daily work and interactions can help UCLA advance diversity and promote inclusion throughout the university. This academic year you can do your part to advance these goals in three specific ways: 1) advertise open positions to groups that are underrepresented in your current faculty composition; 2) form meaningfully diverse search committees; and 3) take a second look at applicants to ensure that talent is not inadvertently overlooked. I also encourage you to review the Searching for Excellence Hiring Guide (PDF), which employs evidence-based strategies for equitable and inclusive faculty hiring, and the Faculty Search Process resource web page containing information and tools to help you navigate the Faculty Search Process.
Please contact Brandie Kirkpatrick, Deputy Director of the EDI Office of Research and Bruin Engagement, at bkirkpatrick@equity.ucla.edu if you have questions regarding the Faculty Search Process for ladder-rank faculty positions.
Best regards,
Anna Spain Bradley
Vice Chancellor for Equity, Diversity and Inclusion
