Forget the “dysfunctional family.” Few things today can be moredysfunctional than the academic search committee. These bodiescontribute, not only to mediocrity and the decline in the university,but to the exclusion and discrimination of various underrepresentedgroups of highly qualified persons — namely people of color, peoplewith disabilities, and women.
Historically, academic search committees have been, and continue tobe, used to assist in making faculty and administrative personneldecisions in the nation’s colleges and universities. But why is thishiring tool used? What does it do? How does it function? Moreover, whatis it supposed to do? Is it fair? And are there bidden reasons and/oragendas?
Survey research indicates that a considerable majority ofuniversity faculty do not believe in affirmative action or equalopportunity as designated in federal and state civil rights laws. Themodern search committee originated, in part, as higher education’scoping mechanism to avoid complying with the nation’s civil rightslaws. They are effective tools for diffusing responsibility for thereal hiring authority in an effort to exercise political control,fooling lawyers and federal officials investigating charges ofemployment discrimination, and controlling people and keeping them fromrocking the boat.
While the search committee is a prima fade hiring authority, thereal hiring authorities in colleges and universities are the departmentchairs, deans, vice presidents, and the president. The president alsocertifies all personnel decisions, and in the case of most publicinstitutions, is the person whose recommendations are then typicallysent to a board of regents or governors to be certified.
Since these real hiring authorities are not usually seen onposition announcements, they are conveniently shielded fromdiscrimination charges as well as lawsuits. The search committee,effectively serves as a smoke screen.
Since the search committee appears to be democracy in action, onewould expect that prejudices, biases, discrimination, and noncompliancewith federal civil rights laws would be done away with. Judging from mypersonal experience and that of colleagues, however, this does notappear to be the case. In too many instances, the hiring process isfraught with discrimination, favoritism, politics, and the “good oldboy” networks.
Academic search committees are often made up of a combination oftenured senior faculty and untenured junior faculty. This configurationmakes the junior faculty easy to control. These committees oftenconsider candidates who also will be easy to control.
