We all have biases, implicit and explicit.
But not all of us recognize our biases, and how they impact our actions, including those related to hiring and evaluating academic colleagues.
Is it OK to describe a female colleague as enthusiastic and energetic in peer review letters while using terms such as skilled or highly effective when referring to male faculty?
Many of us have used these, or similar words without considering the subtle messages they send.
Recruiting and retaining a diverse faculty is a priority on our campus, and across the University of Maine System. But unconscious attitudes may be preventing true progress toward our shared diversity goals.
Recognizing deep-rooted assumptions is a critical first step in eliminating the unintentional biases that negatively impact our actions.
