When inviting candidates for an interview, be consistent with your communication across all candidates. When arranging the visit, communicate conditions for the interview to all candidates. This can help you facilitate an environment free from bias and artificial barriers (see Appendix V) and allow you to focus on selection criteria during the interview. Furthermore, structure the visit around a standard protocol to establish an inclusive and equitable interview environment.8 Completing elements in the following checklist can ensure that candidates enjoy an equitable and welcoming campus visit:
- Provide contact information for the search chair and administrative coordinator.
- Provide an opportunity for the candidate to offer name pronunciations and gender pronouns and communicate this information to all individuals who will have contact with the candidate.
- Recognize and respect religious holidays or practices when scheduling interview dates and times by offering multiple days and times
- Ask candidates to share if there is a specific window of time when they would want a break. This can be inclusive of prayers, nursing/pumping, etc., without the candidate having to declare the purpose. Please be sure to address any request for reasonable accommodation to facilitate job talks/presentations, campus tours, meals, etc. The Office of Institutional Equity and Compliance can assist in handling candidate accommodations.
- Inform candidates before scheduling the interview what expenses will and will not be reimbursed, what receipts are needed, and how to fill out expense forms. Pay directly for as many of the expenses as possible (e.g., airfare, hotel) to reduce the financial burden on the candidate. Process reimbursements in a timely manner.
- Provide the candidate an opportunity to choose meals based on 3-4 options, provide links to menus, and be open to suggestions. When choosing meal options, be inclusive of different dietary and religious needs. Allowing candidates to choose a restaurant based on a menu can facilitate their needs and preferences without having to make a declaration of health or religion. If candidates do share a dietary preference, facilitate it without highlighting it to others.
- Send the itinerary well in advance of the interview with detailed information, including names and titles of who they will be meeting. Ask the candidate if there are any changes needed or any specific accommodations not already included.
- Include information about the arrangement of presentation rooms, available technology, etc.
- Provide a link in advance to resources about the University, Lincoln, and Nebraska (e.g., food, experiences off campus) to help inform and personalize the experience.
- Distribute and/or make available all candidate application materials and information, evaluation forms, and candidate name pronunciation and pronouns to everyone involved in the interview several days prior to the visit.
8 de Kock, F. S., & Hauptfleisch, D. B. (2018). Reducing racial similarity bias in interviews by increasing structure: A quasi-experiment using multilevel analysis. International Perspectives in Psychology: Research, Practice, Consultation, 7(3), 137–154. https://doi-org.libproxy.unl.edu/10.1037/ipp0000091