"Unfinished Homework: Diversity Hiring in Higher Education"
Jonathan Alger, Vice Provost and Chief Legal Counsel,
Rutgers University
October 17, 2005 at 5:30 p.m.
Gleason Hall, Room 318/418

Jonathan Alger, vice provost and chief legal counsel at Rutgers University, will deliver a lecture, “Unfinished Homework: Diversity Hiring in Higher Education,” on Monday, October 17, 2005, at 5:30 p.m. in Gleason Hall, Room 318/418, at the William E. Simon Graduate School of Business Administration, University of Rochester River Campus.

Previously, Alger was chief counsel at the University of Michigan and was instrumental in arguing its recent reverse discrimination case before the Supreme Court. The lecture is being held in conjunction with St. John Fisher College and the Warner School.

Alger’s lecture coincides with the introduction of the book, The Complete Academic Search Manual: A Systematic Approach to Successful and Inclusive Hiring (October 2005, Stylus Publishing). The book, coauthored by Harriette J. Royer, M.S., assistant director of counseling and education at the Simon School’s Career Management Center, and Lauren A. Vicker, Ph.D., professor and chair of the Communication/ Journalism Department at St. John Fisher College , examines diversity hiring in academic searches for college and university presidents, deans, department chairs and other key administrators and faculty. The book presents a systematic, 10-step process that search committees can follow to ensure a comprehensive and successful search.

National academic searches have been frequent occurrences in the greater Rochester area over the past few years. New college presidents have been appointed at several colleges and universities in the greater Rochester area including the University of Rochester (Joel Seligman), SUNY Brockport (John Halstead), and Nazareth College (Daan Braveman). St. John Fisher College is in the midst of an academic search for a new president following the death of President Katherine Keough last year. Donald Bain was named interim president at Fisher upon her death.

“As the college student population becomes more diverse, the pressure intensifies for academic institutions to diversify their faculty and administration,” says Royer. “Search committees have traditionally hired individuals who look like they do. They need specific strategies which will encourage the application and hiring of candidates from traditionally underrepresented groups. Our book not only addresses diversity initiatives at each stage of the search process, we also present a proven process that reduces the likelihood of frustration, surprises and a failed search.”

To attend, e-mail marketing@simon.rochester.edu or call (585) 275-3736.