Applicant Data Request Cards
The UO is required to invite candidates to self-identify protected status, and to track and analyze applicant statistics. The Office of Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity (AAEO) will provide a supply of Applicant Data Request Cards (data cards) for the department to send to applicants. The department must fill in the following information on the card: position applied for, posting number, and name of department. Electronic versions are also available.
The data card is to be completed by the applicant and mailed separately to AAEO. The data card requests the applicant's gender, race, ethnicity and citizenship. The card is postage pre-paid and addressed to OAAEO (electronic versions are faxed or emailed).
Applicant Data Request Cards inviting candidates to self-identify gender, race, ethnicity and citizenship for purposes of affirmative action monitoring are to be sent to applicants as applications are received. If the cards are sent out late in the search, the hiring unit and university lose the opportunity to assess whether its outreach and recruitment efforts have been successful in attracting a reasonably diverse pool. Provision of self-ID information is voluntary. However, the university is required to track and analyze applicant statistics; therefore, applicants should be encouraged to return the card and reassured as to the confidentiality of the information.
Demographics of the Applicant Pool
Applicant Data Request Cards are returned to the AAEO rather than to the recruiting department to ensure confidentiality during the selection process.
- Recruiting departments may call the AAEO for a summary breakdown of the demographics of the applicant pool at any time to determine whether additional efforts are needed to attract women or minority candidates.
- The search committee is required to check with the AAEO regarding the diversity of the applicant pool before beginning its substantive review of applications.
- While not specifically required under current university policy, search committees are encouraged to contact the AAEO when a short list of candidates has been developed and the search committee is in the process of deciding how deep into that short list to conduct initial interviews. AAEO can review the proposed short list and advise a search committee about whether there would be any difference in terms of diversity depending on how deep into the short list the committee elected to conduct interviews.
