Diversity Dialogue: Issues in Recruitment and Retention of Students and Faculty

Presented July 31, 2009JSM Academic Chairs Workshop

Brian A. Millen, Chair of ASA CMS

Introduction

• Background• Role• Objectives of ASA CMS

THE FOCUS ON DIVERSITYExample

ISSUES AND BARRIERS

Complaint: Difficult to recruit diverse candidates

• Don’t apply?• Unsure how to reach them?• Don’t find qualified applicants?• Difficult ‘closing the deal’?

Strategies

• Adapt– Equal vs. Fair– Different needs/concerns (Latent)

• Personal Example

Simple Approaches

• Same culture– Recruiting: closing the deal– Retention: ensuring success

• Notes:– If not available, look more broadly

• ASA CMS Diversity Workshop

Simple Approaches

• Leverage Networks– Students: Unsure How to Reach Them; Don’t

Apply (Recruiting)• Minority Serving Institutions• National/Regional Efforts• ASA CMS: StatFest , Diversity Workshop• Other students, faculty

Partnership Is Important

• Majority + Minority Culture– Mentorship of faculty– Mentorship of students

• Success depends on full integration, avoiding isolation

Trap To Avoid

• I’ve tried in the past. The few cases I’ve seen haven’t worked. This doesn’t work.

• Rely on Statistical Training– Fallacy of small samples– Biased process (latent) gives biased output/result– Proof is not merely the accumulation of anecdotes

ASA CMSWe want to partner for success

Ideas

• StatFest• Diversity Workshop• Network (mentorships/partnerships)• Listserv• Compiling Statistics– Useful for funding proposals, etc.

• Other?