"Recruitment of Women" letter, 1971 October 28

Title

"Recruitment of Women" letter, 1971 October 28

Description

This is a letter that Kaufman (under her name Gloria Shapiro) wrote regarding the hiring practices of departments at IUSB. Kaufman conducted research and collected surveys from department chairmen about their hiring practices, including how many women versus men apply.
Using the results, Kaufman compiled a list of suggestions for best hiring practices. Her suggestions revolve around specifically informing people that qualified women will be considered for open positions.

Creator

Kaufman, Gloria (as Gloria Shapiro)

Source

Women's Studies Program Collection, Indiana University South Bend Archives and Special Collections

Date

1971-10-28

Rights

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Identifier

WomensStudies_Box1_Folder2_WS003

Text

October 28, 1971
TO: Departmental and Divisional Chairmen
FROM: Gloria Shapiro
SUBJECT: Recruitment of Women

A few department chairmen and the chairman of Arts and Sciences have indicated that they would like specific suggestions as to how to contact qualified women to interview for vacant or new positions. My comments are in response to those requests.
(1)
Most professional organizations have newly organized women's caucuses or committees on the status of women. Those committees generally organize a registry for women who are seeking jobs. The national office of your professional organization can direct you to such a registry. If your organization does not now have a women's registry or a women's caucus, the chances are very good that one will be formed at the annual meetings this year. Watch for signs of it when you go to the meetings, and inform one of the organizing women that you are interested in hiring qualified women.

(2)
When you place an ad or register an open position, you might include a phrase such as "qualified women are encouraged to apply" or "we are especially interested in qualified women."

(3)
When you write to specific graduate departments around the country, be aware that a large percentage of those departments have followed the unofficial but regular practice of placing their men graduates first. They have not generally sent out dossiers of women (hence the idea that qualified women are scarce) except to junior colleges and third-rate institutions. The only way to see dossiers of women and thus to place them in fair com­petition with men) is specifically to state that you are eager to consider female as well as male candidates. If you do not make such a statement, you may get the distorted impression that only men are available. (I should add that if you simply ask for their best "person," you will generally get their best male, even if there are as many as five women clearly superior to him.)


Let me add, once again, that the Women's Caucus of IUSB does not support the hiring of women whose qualifications are inferior to those of competing men. We are merely working to establish honest competition based entirely upon qualifications and not artificially limited on the basis of sex.

cc: Chancellor Wolfson
Dean Risler
Women's Caucus

Citation

Kaufman, Gloria (as Gloria Shapiro), “"Recruitment of Women" letter, 1971 October 28,” IU South Bend Archives Digital Collections, accessed March 28, 2024, https://iusbarchives.omeka.net/items/show/230.