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Culture Fit versus Culture Add: Hiring for Departmental Growth
March 25 @ 1:30 pm - 3:00 pm
The idea of “culture fit” is an often implicit criterion for many departmental hiring committees, in which decisions are influenced by perceptions that a candidate’s area of scholarship aligns well with currently represented scholarship, or that the person will simply “fit in” easily to the department.
However, a “culture add” approach to hiring emphasizes the value of individuals’ unique background, non-traditional areas of scholarship, and other contributions to enhance the university’s culture and departmental diversity.
In this panel discussion, we will unpack the concepts of ‘culture fit’ and ‘culture add’, drawing upon research, first-hand experiences, and recent examples from academia. We will consider the implications of each approach in creating inclusive educational environments and in fostering diversity on campus.
MODERATOR
Denise Sekaquaptewa
Director, ADVANCE Program University Diversity and Social Transformation Professor of Psychology
PANELISTS
NiCole Buchanan
Professor of Ecological and Community Psychology, Michigan State University
Edwin (Ted) Bergin
Professor and Chair of Astronomy, University of Michigan
Amy Hughes
Professor of Theatre & Drama, Head of Theatre Studies, University of Michigan
The following pre-reading is suggested but not required:
Settles, I. H., Buchanan, N. T., & Dotson, K. (2019). Scrutinized but not recognized: (In)visibility and hypervisibility experiences of faculty of color. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 113, 62-74. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jvb.2018.06.003
