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The Appointments Committee is responsible for drafting and approving ads for all academic positions in their unit, for considering all applicants to all Open, Limited Term, Externally-Funded and Visiting Appointments approved by the Employer, and for considering Limited Duties positions unless that task has been delegated to the Chair, Director, or Dean by the Members of the Unit.  In carrying out its responsibilities the Appointments Committee shall invite and take into consideration the views of the Members of the Unit, especially those whose disciplinary area of expertise coincides, or significantly overlaps, with that of the Appointment(s). 

The composition of the Appointments Committee is determined in accordance with the Appointments Articles in the UWOFA and/or UWOFA-LA Collective Agreements.  Appointments Committees benefit by welcoming a broad representation of perspectives (related to discipline, culture, gender, etc.).  A strong pro-diversity department/faculty culture and a broad pool of nominees can assist in achieving the election of a broad representation of individuals on the committee.

A search committee may be involved with the hiring process, either to support and advise the Appointments Committee or in a situation where several Units are involved, and the appointing Unit is not known.  In either of these cases the search committee members should follow Equity best practices as laid out in this Guide.

• The Appointments Committee is chaired by the Chair of the Department, Director of the School, or Dean of the Faculty (in a non-departmentalized Faculty) or Chief Librarian (or their designate).
• Wherever possible, ensure representation from designated groups and/or equity-deserving groups on the Committee.
• Each committee needs an equity representative. The chair of the committee should not be the equity representative.
• In keeping with the Letter of Understanding - Indigenous Faculty Members, where an Appointment is for an Indigenous Scholar, at least one of the members of the Appointments/Search committee shall be an Indigenous Scholar.

Employment equity involves ensuring that inappropriate barriers do not exist at any stage of the process. The University’s mandate is to make its processes as equitable and inviting as possible to everyone.  Deans, the Chief Librarian, Chairs/ Directors, Library Directors and Heads, Supervisors and Committee members share the responsibility for ensuring sound and equitable practices are followed during the process. It is the responsibility of all parties to set the proper tone so that the employment equity climate prevails throughout the proceedings.

The Collective Agreements contain the appropriate governing conditions upon which decisions on Appointments are based. It is important that committees and persons undertaking these processes familiarize themselves with the requirements of the relevant Article and ensure that any recommendation made by them will meet the test of fairness and equity.

 Obligations of All Committee Members

• Prior to the first meeting, review this online Employment Equity Guide, relevant legislation, University policy and collective agreement provisions. Ensure that you understand the responsibility of ensuring an equitable process.
• Avoid situations where there could be a perception of bias. Committee members are encouraged to review the Conflict of Interest and Conflict of Commitment Articles in the Collective Agreements (UWOFA)  and (UWOFA-LA) as well as the  Conflicts of Interest Policy under the Manual of Administrative Policies and Procedures   to better understand when and/or whether an actual or apparent conflict may need to be declared.
• Keep accurate and detailed records of the entire process. Remember that Appointments Committees may be called upon, in a quasi-judicial forum (such as the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario or grievance/ arbitration procedures), to justify the selection process and to account for any recommendations made.
• If you have concerns that the Committee is not providing an equitable process, raise your concerns immediately with the Committee Chair, Faculty Relations and/or the .

Obligations of the Committee Chair

You have special responsibilities and accountability for ensuring that sound and equitable practices are followed during the process:

• Ensure the Committee has one (1) designated member (preferably with tenure or continuing appointment) who will serve as the Committee’s Equity Representative. This individual is required to have undertaken training as determined appropriate by the AVP of the Office of Equity, Diversity & Inclusion.
• • At the first meeting, review the online Employment Equity Guide, relevant legislation, University policy and collective agreement provisions. Ensure Committee members understand the responsibility of ensuring an equitable process.
  • Keep accurate and detailed records of the entire process. Remember you may be called upon, in a quasi-judicial forum (such as the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario or grievance/ arbitration procedures), to justify the selection process and to account for any recommendations made.
  • Set the proper tone so that the Employment Equity climate prevails throughout the proceedings. The Chair may want to highlight points from this guide and invite the Committee members to hold them accountable to facilitate an equitable and respectful environment.
  • Ensure that each Committee member’s opinion is welcomed, respected and considered.

   

  DID YOU KNOW?

  All Committee members in attendance at meetings must be given equal and adequate opportunity to participate in each meeting, interviews with candidates, and in all decision-making. How Committee members themselves interact and treat each other will be a significant reflection of the Faculty or Department. All members should be free to voice their individual points of view and to interact with the candidate, all the while being treated with respect by the other members. It is the responsibility of the Chair of the Committee to ensure that this happens.

Before drafting the ad, the Committee should consider both academic needs and current composition of the Unit.  How does the Faculty/Library or Department/School compare to designated group membership in society as a whole?  What is the make-up of your likely applicant pool – not only the general group, but the specialized sub-group(s) you may be targeting?  Is the position you are imagining framed to be inviting to a diverse range of applicants, as well as meeting the academic needs of the unit?  Is the Faculty/Library or Department/School accessible to all designated groups, and if not, what can be done to make changes?

Selection Criteria

As a Committee, discuss and define the position and selection criteria before drafting the ad to ensure that they relate to the competencies required to perform the job:

• Each criterion must be based on the bona fide position requirements and not on personal

   preferences.

• Requirements must not create unnecessary barriers to applicants.
• Selection criteria should be clear, yet flexible, in order to adapt to innovative or emerging areas of

   research or practice.

• Each criterion should be ranked or weighted in advance of screening applications.
• Selection criteria must also reflect °ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¿ª½±Ô¤²â’s commitment to employment equity, diversity, inclusion and decolonization.

Creating Position Advertisements

• When drafting the advertisement, ensure that it contains a clear and specific description of the position and qualifications as outlined in the position description and selection criteria.
• Language used in the advertisement must be inclusive, appropriate and unbiased.
• The stated qualifications must not create unnecessary barriers to potential applicants.
• All advertisements for University positions must contain this statement regarding the University’s commitment to Employment Equity:

The University invites applications from all qualified individuals. °ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¿ª½±Ô¤²â is committed to employment equity and diversity in the workplace and welcomes applications from women, members of racialized groups, Indigenous peoples, persons with disabilities, persons of any sexual orientation, and persons of any gender identity or gender expression.

• The posting must also contain the following statement to satisfy the Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) requirements related to applicants who reside outside of Canada: All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however, Canadian citizens and permanent residents will be given priority.

For sample position advertisements please visit: Academic Careers at °ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¿ª½±Ô¤²â.

Advertising the Position & Outreach Activities

• Complete the Academic Recruitment Form (available on the Office of Faculty Relations Intranet) This requires an assessment of the gender breakdown of the applicant pool which will be used to assess whether the search can proceed to review applications. The committee is encouraged to think carefully about the applicant pool for the specific area being advertised, not just the field as a whole, and to frame the position in a way that will attract the widest possible range of applicants.
• The advertisement must be placed in and the and other relevant professional journals, national newspapers, listservs and websites.
• Committee members should discuss specific ways of attracting well-qualified members of designated groups and/or equity-deserving groups. A list of relevant contact associations representing designated groups to which copies of the advertisement should be sent is available at: Resources on Diversity from Professional and Academic Program

Examples of outreach activities to diversify the applicant pool include:

• Contacting professional associations, communities, advocacy centres, journals and newspapers which serve the needs and interests of designated group members and/or equity-deserving groups.
• Establishing working relationships with similar departments at other institutions with substantial numbers of designated group members.
• When a vacancy arises, write to the Dean/Chief Librarian and/or department/school Chair/Director and ask them to recommend qualified designated group candidates.
• Seeking out graduate students near completion of their PhD program and making use of the postdoctoral fellow lists from granting agencies.
• Inviting contract faculty to apply.
• Encouraging others in your unit to use professional conferences and visits to other universities to identify potential candidates.

DID YOU KNOW?

An effective and equitable process:

• establishes objective, job-related criteria for the evaluation of applications. Each criterion should be ranked or weighted in advance of screening applications.
• allows people opportunities to present their full qualifications for the job.
• evaluates people on the basis of their ability to meet those objective job requirements and organizational goals.

Reviewing Applications and Shortlisting

The review of applications for a position and the compilation of a short-list of candidates is a key process in employment equity efforts. Quite often, numerous applications must be reviewed in a short period of time, inviting the use of a decision-making process based on less-than-equitable considerations. To avoid this, the application should be evaluated against the previously-determined position definition and selection criteria described in the previous section.

The Employment Equity article of the UWOFA Collective Agreement requires that the search process report for a full-time position include a comparison of the applicant pool with available data reflective of pools for similar positions elsewhere in Canada. This comparison must be done prior to short-listing of candidates. Should the comparison reveal a significant under-representation of a designated group, the Appointments Committee must undertake further efforts to attract candidates from that designated group before short-listing.

When reviewing applications, here are some additional considerations:

• Be alert and open-minded when reviewing applications.
• Remain conscious of the bona fide occupational requirements for the position, as well as the selection criteria that was prepared by the committee in advance.
• Avoid an uncritical approach to narrowing the field as it may risk perpetuating existing biases of the system by favouring groups of applicants who are most likely to “fit” the traditional target profile.
• Remember that a degree from a university outside North America or Europe, or a publication in a journal from outside North America or Europe, or in a language other than English or French, cannot be assumed to be of lesser value.
• Be aware that there may be good reasons why a given candidate has not attended a prestigious university – including, perhaps, lack of financial resources, family obligations, or the biases inherent in that university’s processes for accepting students.
• Avoid bias against scholarship or practice that is unconventional, outside the mainstream of the discipline, or focused on issues of gender, race or other forms of marginalization. If the Appointments committee does not have the expertise to fairly evaluate applicants’ qualifications they may acquire the help of experts, for example through the use of a search committee to support and advise them.
• Understand that career interruptions are legitimate explanations for career gaps. Members of designated and/or equity-seeking groups may be more likely to have taken leaves, such as family, pregnancy or parental leaves, or for medical obligations. Immigrants may have taken longer to obtain their degrees because of the financial constraints of relocating or the challenge of adapting to a new country.
• Consider alternative work experiences, as there is high demand for highly educated people in

non-academic positions. These skills are transferable and may be an asset to the department.

• Discuss and assess experiences and qualifications outside the norm. Community service may be undervalued. Members of designated groups often have frequent demands made of them because they are under-represented in many departments (e.g. may be asked to serve on committees more frequently, etc.).
• When evaluating letters of reference, be aware of stereotypical words and phrases that may be used and how those words may be differently applied to the candidate.

All candidates must be given an equal opportunity to make their best presentations for the position. The interview should focus on whether or not the candidate is capable of meeting the bona fide requirements of the position. Efforts must be made to eliminate bias (e.g. based on race, age, gender, ethnic origin, disability, sexual orientation, etc.) from the interview process and from all decision-making.

• Prepare in advance a series of set questions which are to be asked of all candidates.
• Questions should be equitable and should relate directly to the requirements of the position to be filled.
• In instances where areas of expertise vary among candidates, the set questions may be augmented with questions specific to the candidates. The same types of questions should be asked of each candidate.
• Special attention must be paid to the evaluation methods and selection criteria for the position.
• Employ a variety of evaluation formats to obtain a more thorough and accurate assessment of an individual’s qualifications.
• Each Committee member must independently record and rate the response of each candidate.

Equity and/or Human Rights-Related Considerations During Interviews

• All candidates should be asked if they require accommodation in the interview process. Accommodation requests may arise and should be appropriately considered related to any human rights related grounds. This may include accommodation needs related (but not limited) to: disability, sex (including pregnancy and breastfeeding), creed and/or religion, Indigenous spiritual beliefs and practices, gender identity/expression, family status, etc. Requests for accommodation must be met unless it would cause undue hardship to do so. Undue hardship is a legally defined term and advice should be sought from the Office of Faculty Relations and/or Office of Equity, Diversity & Inclusion, where it might arise.
• Disability-related needs must be accounted for in the provision of effective accommodation so the candidate is comfortably capable of completing the interview and able to display fully their qualifications for the position.
• All interview and selection event locations should be fully accessible for persons with
• For more information contact the Office of Equity, Diversity & Inclusion. You may also find the following websites helpful:

• Remember that at all times the interview process is a formal one, even when events (such as dinners) occur off campus or virtually. Because of the desire to make the candidate comfortable, and in an effort to get to know that individual, the conversation may naturally move into areas such as the candidate’s family or personal background. Committee members should feel free to follow the conversation where it may be led by the candidate, but they should be sure to keep the conversation balanced, avoiding too much focus on aspects of the candidate’s personal life. Failure to do this may leave an unsuccessful candidate feeling that those particular aspects of their life played a role in the Committee’s decision and may lead to a complaint of discrimination.
• Do not ask any questions related to protected human rights grounds. Interview questions that should not be asked include, but are not limited to:

How old are you?

Are you married, single or divorced?

Do you have children? How many?

Do you plan to have children?

What does your spouse do?

Where were you born?

• Remember that words are used differently in various cultures. Avoid using colloquialisms and metaphors such as ‘stumbling blocks’ or ‘jumping through hoops’ as they may not hold meaning for people depending on their cultural background.
• Care should be taken to ensure that committee members are sensitive to different interactional, communication and leadership styles.
• Avoid stereotyping or assuming that everyone in a certain designated group behaves in the same way or that the characteristics of the group apply or ought to apply to an individual candidate.
• Keep in mind the fact that within a cultural group, there are many who may not share the same values/norms and may have more in common with members of other groups than their own.

DID YOU KNOW?

Differences in accents and speech patterns may lead to direct or indirect discrimination against an excellent candidate. The committee also must be conscious of more subtle cultural-communication issues. In some cultures, for example, it is impolite to look a person in a position of authority directly in the eye.

In others, contradicting another person openly is unacceptable, especially if that person is in a position of authority. Some cultures look askance at self-promotion and members of that culture are more likely to credit others for their successes than to credit themselves. Care should be taken to ensure that Committee members are understanding of different interactional styles and that such behaviours are not interpreted inappropriately by some members of the Appointments Committee as a lack of self-confidence or an inability to meet the requirements of the position.

With respect to interviews and/or follow-up informal activities, some departments will have the candidate meet informally with members of the department who are not members of the Committee itself. Although these sessions are meant to be more informal, they are nevertheless part of the formal interview process.

• The Committee must ensure that those persons meeting with candidates are aware of their responsibilities and obligations under human rights and equity legislation as the Committee will be accountable for any violations that take place during these sessions.
• All activities associated with the interview process must also be approached with equity considerations in mind. It is important to avoid making any assumptions about an individual’s designated group status, personal circumstances, family status, etc.
• The Committee should ensure that both interview committees and hosts for social events reflect diversity wherever possible.

The focus of any hiring process should be on bona fide qualifications for the position.  Remain conscious of the selection criteria that was prepared by the committee in advance.

In examining the candidates’ qualifications, it is important to guard against:

• judging candidates based on one’s own experience and knowledge.
• looking for like-minded or like-appearing candidates who will “fit into” the department. The question of “fitting” must be assessed carefully, recognizing that differences and diversity can be valuable for a work unit.
• thinking too narrowly. Someone may be a good candidate, but in a different way.
• making assumptions about possible behaviour or characteristics without evidence.
• unconscious or unintentional biases, stereotypes and assumptions that may determine the expectation of what a person could or should do. For example, a candidate’s appearance may evoke assumptions that could interfere with the assessment of their competence and performance.

The Committee must include a for full-time appointments setting out:

/facultyrelations/faculty_relations/intranet/posting_recruitment_search_reports/index.html

• the total number of applicants and the number with doctorates or other appropriate professional qualifications, the numbers of men and women applicants and, where known, the same information for applicants from the other designated groups. This section of the report must also provide a comparison of the composition of the applicant pool with available data reflective of applicant pools for similar positions elsewhere in Canada. Where the comparison reveals a significant under-representation of a designated group, the report should describe what further efforts were undertaken by the Appointments Committee to attract candidates from the designated group prior to short-listing. Data that can be used for the required comparison can be found at:

/facultyrelations/recruitment_retention/hiring_resources.html

• a ranked short-list which formally presents the qualifications of each candidate and the reasons for the ranking. The report must also include an explicit statement of the rationales for the exclusion of any qualified candidates who are known to be members of the designated groups.

• Remember that Appointments Committees may be called upon, in a quasi-judicial forum (such as the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario or grievance/ arbitration procedures), to justify the selection process and to account for any recommendations made.
• It’s important that the selection process not just be fair but be seen to be fair from all parties’ perspectives.

DID YOU KNOW?

Fairness dictates that the person is selected on the basis of their own skills and abilities and not because of someone else’s biases.

2024 Edition:     Christy Bressette, Denise Horoky, Margaret McGlynn, Lesley Oliver, Opiyo Oloya,

WG Pearson, Kamran Siddiqui, Terri Tomchick-Condon