Authenticity is the wrong standard when hiring new faculty, argues Mohammed Albakry (Middle Tennessee State University). Albakry explains that perceptions of authenticity are influenced by cultural biases and institutional norms. Committee members may also view authenticity differently from each other, resulting in judgements that favour familiarity. The author writes that this can lead to candidates being authentic “only in institutionally legible ways” and to exclusionary hiring practices made under the guise of collegial language. “Higher education cannot claim a commitment to fairness while elevating an evaluative standard that depends on how familiar, comfortable, or emotionally resonant a candidate appears,” concludes Albakry.
