Re: “Merit or Mob? Students Provide Input on Hiring Theology Professors,” January 29, 2025
Dear Editor,
In response to the Jan. 29 article, “Merit or Mob? Students Provide Input on Hiring Theology Professors,” I’d like to offer some corrections to the writer’s description of how we involve our students in the discernment process for hiring new faculty in the Department of Theology. In addition to correcting inaccuracies, it seems worthwhile to explain how the process works for readers of the Ram.
First, by the time faculty candidates come to our campus for on-campus interviews, there has already been a 3-4 month process led by a department search committee (comprising 5-6 faculty members in Theology in consultation with the chair) who sift through countless applications, writing samples, and letters of recommendation to determine the applicants’ scholarly promise, teaching skills, and fit with Fordham. We then select the very top two or three candidates to spend an intensive two days with our department: meeting deans, sharing meals with faculty on both campuses, giving a research presentation, and meeting with our undergraduate and graduate students.
Most departments involve students in the process in some way, especially at a place like Fordham, where teaching is central to our mission. In some years, we have candidates teach a sample theology class to faculty, or serve as a guest teacher to an existing class. But in the last couple of years, we’ve found that a more informal conversation about the candidates’ teaching goals, courses, and syllabus around a table creates a more authentic atmosphere. We invite undergraduate majors to join us for these conversations, and our associate chairs for undergraduate studies (two faculty members) facilitate the discussions. Involving candidates in a conversation with our majors gives our faculty the opportunity to see how candidates interact with our own undergraduates, and assess how their teaching goals resonate with our students. Candidates have a similar chance to interact with our graduate students. These conversations are lively and fun, among the highlights of the candidates’ time with us.
No students vote or are involved in any official capacity — some students offer feedback, others do not — but seeing candidates interact with our students is such a meaningful part of their time with us. As a Jesuit campus dedicated to cura personalis, this student interaction is a key part of our discernment process and assessment; it only lasts an hour, but we wish it were more! But there is so much to pack in. But alas, these student conversations are only one component of the overall interview process. As faculty, we take the full picture of the applicants’ files, along with this two-day visit, when we vote to select the top candidate and eventually, make the offer. Only faculty vote. The department chair does not “hire” but facilitates the process and casts a singular vote along with the rest of the faculty, and we make the recommendation to the Dean and eventually, the Provost. It’s a huge process and I cannot imagine not involving students in some way — the reason we are all here!
On a more personal note, when I was an undergraduate at a state school and a graduate student at an elite private school, all job candidates had similar opportunities to interact with majors as part of their campus visits. But at Fordham, we find this interaction to be so illuminating and exciting — seeing our best and most involved majors and PhD students spend time with the candidates is a wonderful part of the hiring and, indeed, recruitment process. Not only does it help us assess them as teachers and mentors, but we also feel we help our candidates see the very best of Fordham — our own students.
Sincerely,
Dr. Brenna Moore, Theology Department Chair