The Verba Report vs. The Whitla Report

"We believe that what is needed now is a set of institutions to continue the efforts of the earlier report and to move forward."--Verba Report

Whitla Report 1980

Each department should keep a list of qualified young scholars which should be consulted during searches.

Dean should encourage department to invite minority scholars to Harvard in case their paper record did not reflect their qualifications.

Affirmative action office in University Hall should be kept informed of departmental efforts and successes in recruitment.

Dean's office should encourage visiting professorships for women and minorities.

A postdoctoral program for minority scholars should be created.

Departments should be allowed to present special cases of qualified minority or women scholars who do not fill specifically open slots to the dean for hiring authorization.

The affirmative action office should make annual reports about the implementation of these policies.

Verba Report 1989

Each department should appoint a representative to ensure that it is actively seeking minority and female candidates for open positions. The representative would maintain an official list of potential candidates and would prepare an annual report on the status of the department's hiring efforts.

A new associate dean in charge of affirmative action should be appointed to oversee efforts for recruitment of minorities and women.

A standing committee of faculty members should be created to review annual reports from department representatives about affirmative action.

If a department is experiencing unusual difficulty in recruiting minority and woman scholars, an outside advisory committee could come in to offer advice.

The Dean should create a fund to allow departments to make appointments for well-qualified minorities and women who do not necessarily fill previously open slots.