Over 185 scholars served or are serving on a 2022-2023 faculty search committee, and some individuals are involved in recruiting multiple future colleagues. Recruiting an excellent and diverse faculty requires knowledge, awareness and accountabilty to the shared procedures, criteria, and expectations to hire Lehigh's future faculty colleagues. Between July and December 2022, ADVANCE convened five opportunities for Best Practices for Recruiting and Hiring an Excellent and Diveser Faculty. These were held over zoom and attended by 84% of the invited search committee members. The interactive workshops are conducted in partnership with the Deputy Provost for Faculty Affairs, the Office of Diversity, Inclusion and Equity, and the Office of International Students and Scholars. Attendees reviewed prior hiring outcomes and national trends in faculty demographics, explored possible benchmark data and active recruitment steps to build a diverse pool of applicants, and considered various stereotypes and biases associated with evaluating candidates. The workshops also provided guidance on considerations for understanding and evaluating applicants' statements on 'contributions to diversity, inclusion and equity' and utilizing rubrics throughout the evaluation process.
