Implementing Workshops for Search Committees
NOTE: Now scheduling workshops for Jan–Aug, 2013.
This all-day, “train-the trainers” style workshop is designed to help universities, university systems, and/or regional collectives develop and present their own search workshops on their campuses.
During this workshop, we will combine presenting the content of the search workshops we have developed and implemented on the UW-Madison campus with discussion of such issues as the materials, techniques, strategies, and options we use for presenting this content. We will also discuss how the faculty and staff on your campus might adapt or adopt the methodologies, techniques, materials, etc., that we use. Finally, we will provide participants with the opportunity to gain experience presenting research relevant to the search process.
Note: This workshop is most effective if you expect that those attending and participating will actually be involved in developing, conducting, organizing, or presenting future search workshops for your institution.
Description of the one-day session
Based on the principles of active learning, WISELI’s training session will engage participants in active discussions about running workshops for search committees and about the content of the workshops we have developed. This one-day training session will:
- Introduce participants to the materials and techniques we use in our workshops for search committees.
- Describe a variety of formats for offering the workshops.
- Acquaint participants with research and advice literature relevant to the search process.
- Provide opportunities to discuss research and advice on conducting searches.
- Provide opportunities to share and discusses challenges and strategies for recruiting and hiring diverse and excellent faculty and staff members.
- Offer advice for implementing workshops for search committees.
Hosting a "train the trainers" session on your campus
What WISELI will offer:
- WISELI will send a team of 2/3 members to lead the day-long workshop.
- WISELI will work with the host/organizers to incorporate local or regional administrative leaders and/or faculty into workshop presentations and discussions.
- WISELI’s team will meet with the workshop organizers the evening before the workshop to review logistical plans for the workshop, provide an orientation to the workshop materials, and discuss plans for presentations and facilitation of small group discussions.
- WISELI will provide each workshop participant with a copy of our guidebook for search committee chairs, Searching for Excellence and Diversity: A Guide for Search Committee Chairs and several copies of our brochure, Reviewing Applicants: Research on Bias and Assumptions. Participants will also receive several articles and other publications relevant to the search process.
- WISELI will conduct a web-based evaluation of the workshop and provide results to the workshop organizers.
- WISELI is available to offer these workshops between January 15 and August 15.
NOTE: WISELI's schedule is completely booked through the end of 2010. Please contact us during Summer, 2010 to schedule workshops for Jan 15 – Aug 15, 2011.
What the host/organizers should provide:
- A sizeable group of participants drawn from various departments, colleges, and/or universities. We recommend that each of the several participating colleges or universities send a group of representatives (3-10) to the workshop. This group should include faculty and administrative leaders who plan to present and facilitate search workshops on their campus.
- Sufficient faculty or academic staff personnel to serve as facilitators of small group discussions. Each group of 8-10 participants should have 1 or 2 facilitators. Facilitators should be dedicated to the goal of diversifying the campus, have some experience serving on a search committee, be willing to prepare for the workshop by reading recommended articles, reviewing the facilitator’s guide, and meeting with WISELI’s team during the evening prior to the workshop.
- Key administrators and/or staff to make brief presentations that will serve to tailor the workshop content to the participating institution and to present relevant resources. These frequently include:
- A top administrative leader (the president/chancellor; vice-president/provost; dean) to make introductory remarks
- A representative from your campus legal staff who can discuss and address questions about state laws and/or institutional policies relevant to the search process
- A representative from your HR or Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action office to present on local sources for recruiting diverse faculty and staff and on resources in your community
- Someone from your campus who is responsible for receiving/handling complaints about the search process
- A room capable of accommodating workshop participants seated in small groups of 8-12 people. (Round tables are preferable.)
- A podium/lectern for presentations and at least three clip-on wireless microphones.
- A powerpoint projector and screen.
- Supplementary printed materials as desired.
- A list of registered participants that includes each participant's name, institutional affiliation, position and email address (for preparing table tents, name tags, and for distributing the workshop evaluation)
- Refreshments for participants. We recommend a continental breakfast and a morning coffee break Lunch can be provided, or participants can take an hour away from the workshop and have lunch on their own. Participants will be expected to complete some reading over the lunch break. The availability of coffee/water/soda is recommended for an afternoon break.
What past participants have said about this training:
- "We were looking for tips and information we could use to better our training and education of search committees—and we left the workshop with a number of very valuable ideas—especially research to substantiate points we routinely try to make about hidden bias."
- "[The workshop] more than met [my expectations] —very useful information, specific items to use and points to make. Such workshops (on any topic) seem often to provide more context and general ideas than particularly helpful things. This one was differed markedly in the pertinence of what it gave participants."
- "Very useful, great resources, nice approach. Above all, I liked that it was pitched to help people do their jobs better in very specific, practical ways. Of course I really like the evidence-driven approach, and the push to draw practical implications from that research."
- "It was so worth my time to attend. As we struggle with the mission to co-create a more inclusive campus community, the search and screen committee process plays a most critical gate-keeping role. . . . I really appreciated and admired how the workshop was organized and driven. . . . The resources offered to us are awesome. . . . It is rare that I come off a full-day workshop on a high but I am definitely on one right now."
Please contact WISELI for more information and for questions about program fees.