The University of Texas Permian Basin (UTPB), like many other universities across the state, is implementing diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) considerations in its hiring process.
“Our focus is to prepare and support a highly-skilled diverse workforce engaged with research, scholarship and advocacy for and appreciation of their fellow community members,” according to the university on its website.
New DEI initiatives, such as “Respect and Appreciation for One Another, Inclusive Excellence, Accessibility and Equity”, are found in the curriculum and hiring standards, according to the UTPB website.
“As the diversity of our country increases, it is vital for current and future healthcare workers to develop behaviors, skills and attitudes needed to address the social, cultural and linguistic needs of diverse patient populations,” the website said.
The university has set up a President’s Diversity Council, which is a group that functions as a “committee comprised of faculty, staff and students to assist the president and the chief diversity officer in the execution of institutional-wide diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives” as stated on the university’s DEI webpage. Dr. Tanya Lowery, the chief diversity officer, did not reply to a request for comments about the program.
At UTPB, Human Resources (HR) employees assist in the hiring process. One part of the mission of HR is “attracting, developing and supporting a diverse community of university employees,” according to the university’s HR webpage.
Current faculty and staff, as well as new hires, are encouraged to take a six-course online program to earn a “Diversity, Inclusion and Health Equity Certificate”, according to the UTPB website. The program teaches about the “impact of bias and prejudice on clinical decision-making, cultural sensitivity and culturally-appropriate care.” The program is not mandatory but is encouraged and available to administrators and certain undergraduate students.
During the hiring process for an executive position, the interviewer must “conduct a search process that delivers a pool for interview by the final decision maker that includes female, male and underrepresented group candidates,” according to the University of Texas System Policy webpage. Underrepresented groups include “a candidate who is a member of one or more of the following groups: Hispanic or Latino; Black or African American; Asian; Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander; or American Indian or Alaska Native,” according to the UT System Policy website.
“Inclusive Hiring” is a priority for their universities: “Recruiting, hiring and onboarding practices help reduce turnover and ensure UT System Administration has the right talent in place to help meet its initiatives in a productive and effective way.”
The use of DEI in hiring has sparked debate. Those in favor of using it in the process for hiring university faculty and staff are excited for the inclusiveness and open opportunities it provides especially for minority communities, according to an American Enterprise Institute (AEI) study.
Those who oppose requiring DEI in the hiring process view the practice as adhering to what is politically correct. Critics say there has been a flip in hiring from quality and scholarship to criteria based more on a candidate’s knowledge and experience with DEI. They also see DEI as becoming more important than basic qualifications at most universities. This leads to ideological conformity where candidates are removed from the pool of applicants purely for displaying poor DEI statements or not having the correct DEI experience.
In a data collection study done by AEI, the question was raised whether the strategic diversity plans put in place by universities attain their goals. Seeing no evidence of the betterment of campus climate or research productivity, they conclude that requiring DEI in the hiring process has instead a fundamentally political end.
UTPB is a Hispanic-and-minority-serving institution.
