Office for Equal Opportunity
North Carolina
State University

Location & Hours
1 Holladay Hall
8:00 am - 5:00 pm
Monday - Friday

Mailing Address
Campus Box 7530
Raleigh, NC
27695-7530

Phone Numbers
Main: 919-515-3148
Fax: 919-513-1428
TTY: 919-515-9617

Equal_Op - May, 2007 - Volume 7, #4

Study Circles II: Going Further, Achieving More

The Office for Equal Opportunity offers a sequel to its popular Study Circles on Race & Race Relations. Identical in its five-week, five-meeting, small group structure, this offering challenges previous Study Circles participants to continue their person-to-person work on race relations within the context of getting to know other participants’ stories and experiences. In this issue, David Rieder writes about his impressions of the program.

"The five-week Study Circle II on race and race relations ended in mid-April. It ended with a round of thank-yous from its participants and its two facilitators. We had spent five two-hour sessions in a closed room in Talley relaying our personal experiences with racial inequality, reading and responding to issues that ranged from white privilege to institutional racism, and, in the last session, developing a list of the ways in which each of us hoped to address instances of racial inequality in our personal and professional lives in the future. I think everyone felt empowered by the experiences that we had shared, thanks in large part to the helpful guidance of our facilitators.

"The Circle also ended during a week of local and national news that underscored two interrelated reasons for our shared experience: a culture of inequality persists both popularly and institutionally, and we must find ways to understand and address it. A few days before our final session, the North Carolina Senate formally apologized for the Legislature’s participatory role in promoting slavery and Jim Crow laws, and while we said our goodbyes, radio talk show host Don Imus was busy apologizing for racist remarks. With a more attuned focus on issues of race due to my work in the Circle, it was obvious to me that the two apologies were related: one was about the past; the other was about the past in the present.

"As I thought about the persistent legacy of racial inequality that these apologies represent, I reflected on the reasons that our study circle worked so well, and why it is such a productive forum. There are so many interesting reasons. I'll focus on just one.

"A study circle is personal, but it is not egocentric. The group is composed of unique and individual histories, but it is a forum in which the personal is always tied to a broader social context. Personal histories are introduced in such a way that they can be linked together, creating a dialogic tapestry of sorts on which all participants can stand and refer to as the weeks go by. It’s not that often that I have the opportunity to learn about another person’s upbringing, to hear candid descriptions of their experiences growing up in a relatively segregated town in a suburb, or in small country town that is not racially diverse, or in a large city that is comprised of many different racial groups. It’s not often that I get to hear those stories relayed with an openness that the study circle format invites, which means that I can ask follow-up questions as a way of creating connections.

"One of the things that I most value about the study circle format, and about my most recent experience in Study Circles II, is the sense of empowerment and confidence that I gained from the connections I made with the other participants in my group. Their histories are connected to mine in ways that otherwise would have taken months, if not years, to develop. And more: Our histories are connected to a broader context of concern established by the assigned readings and by the work of our facilitators.

"While apologies were issued in the news the week our Circle ended, I felt as if I’d learned something that had deepened my understanding of the contexts in which those apologies were issued. I felt connected to a group of people, each of whom I might not have otherwise met, and with whom I developed a sense of meaning and direction related to African American race relations that will stay with me well after those news stories have been forgotten."

Handling Interview Small Talk

Are you looking for a summer job or internship? For hundreds of thousands of students across the country it is time to begin the search for a summer job. Smart summer job seekers know that getting those applications in early means more chance of getting the job you want, and less to worry about later when finals loom.

Preparing for your first interview can be a little nerve-racking. You'll either have no idea what to expect, or you allow your imagination to get the best of you and you wake up in a cold sweat from a series of worst-case scenario nightmares where you end up tripping over your chair, ripping the suit that you borrowed, insulting your interviewer and confessing to that shoplifting incident when you were five. The good news is that it doesn't have to be this way.

Although you can never predict the exact questions that an interviewer will ask you, many recruiters will begin the interview with some small talk. Topics may range from the current weather outside to favorite vacation spots and will rarely focus on anything that brings out your relevant experience. Nonetheless, you are still being evaluated.

Recruiters are trained to evaluate candidates on many different points. They may be judging how well you communicate on an informal basis. Smile, contribute and show interest in the topic, regardless of whether or not you truly care.

Casual conversations let interviewers get to know the candidates beyond their prepared answers and work experience. The employer tries to create a relaxed environment so the candidate will relax. These conversations are also a great way for a job seeker to show he or she is a friendly person who will fit in well within the organization. Here are some tips to help you come out on top:

1. Don’t let your guard down. It’s fine to relax a little and become more casual. But still always be in control of everything you say: be courteous, polite and friendly at all times.
2. Make a connection with your interviewer. Try to find something in common with your interviewer and build rapport with him or her to make a lasting, positive impression. Rapport is a prerequisite for achieving a desired outcome.
3. Listen more than you speak. Try to speak just 20 percent of the time and encourage the interviewer to speak 80 percent of the time. The more a job seeker speaks, the more likely it is that a faux pas will occur. Keep your responses brief and direct, at about one to three minutes each.
4. Be positive. Whether you’re talking about a difficult former boss or commenting on the blizzard outside, avoid any use of negativity – you don’t want the employer’s only memory of you to be a negative one.
5. Know when to move on. Don’t forget: You’re not at the interview to make friends. You’re there to persuade the hiring manager that you’re the best person for the job. After a few minutes of chatting, steer the conversation back to your accomplishments and work experience.
   

Interview questions should be aimed at discovering what the candidate can bring to the position or the organization and should be directly related to the job to be performed. While asking personal questions is not necessarily illegal, the motive behind them might be. Ironically, most illegal questions are asked when the untrained interviewer is just trying to be friendly, and there is no illegal intent. You must decide on the intent before answering the question.

A few topics about which questions should not be asked whether conducting interviews, reference checks, or in casual conversation are: age; arrest record; health/disability; gender; marital or family status; national origin/citizenship; organizational affiliations (beyond professional discipline); race or color/ethnicity; religion; or sexual orientation.

Should you find yourself in an interview where the employer has asked an illegal question, you have several options:

• Briefly answer the question and move to a new topic.
• Ignore the question and redirect the discussion toward a different topic.
• If the question is blatant and offensive, you have every right to terminate the interview and walk out.

Often, it’s best not to answer the question directly, but answer the intent behind the question. For instance, if the interviewer asks, "Who is going to take care of your children when you have to travel?" You might answer, "I can meet the travel and work schedule that this job requires." Before filing discrimination charges, know the intent behind the question. You have every right to ignore a question if you are not sure.

Good luck, and don’t forget to send a thank you note afterwards!

NC State Facts

• On September 30, 2006, the University’s permanent full time active employee headcount was 7,127.
• Women represent nearly half or 46.9% of the University’s permanent full time workforce. However, almost two-thirds (63.1) of the women employed at NC State are classified as SPA employees whereas men are almost evenly distributed between the two (EPA and SPA) employee classifications.
• Minorities represent 23.4% of the University’s total full time workforce. Of this total, Blacks represent 15.3%, and Hispanics, Asians and Native Americans represent 3.2%, 4.6%, and 0.2%, respectively.
• Women hold 28.5% of the instructional faculty positions on campus but represent only 18.8% of the tenured faculty. On the other hand, women hold 52.9% of the non-tenure track faculty positions on campus.

Staff Spotlight: Tangie Key, Coordinator of Testing Accommodations, Disability Services

On December 1, 2006, the Disability Services Office (DSO) administered 39 exams on behalf of faculty who needed to provide testing accommodations for students with disabilities. Each student, on average, had 2 hours and 5 minutes to complete his/her exam. That means that DSO administered 4,875 minutes of exams, or 81 hours and 15 minutes of exams, or 3 days and 8 hours of exams, all within an 8-hour day and without a designated staff person overseeing the process! Thankfully, Tangie Key, a native of Vienna, Georgia, came to the University in January, 2007 to fulfill the much-needed role of DSO’s first Assistant Director and Coordinator of Testing Accommodations. We welcome Tangie to NC State!

Tangie earned both her Master of Science in Social Administration and her Bachelor of Science in Sociology from Georgia Southwestern State University. As an undergrad, she worked as a proctor, reader, and scribe for the Student Support Services department. Upon completion of her bachelor’s degree, Tangie worked at America’s Counseling Services, which serves children with behavior problems. She then became the Disability Coordinator at Georgia Southwestern State University. During her six years in that position, she earned her M.S. Her responsibilities included reviewing psycho-educational assessments, determining eligibility for services, providing testing accommodations, and conducting workshops. She also presented at several Georgia Association of Special Programs Personnel (GASPP) annual conferences on serving students with disabilities. Prior to joining DSO, Tangie managed the Crisp Dooly First Steps-Healthy Families program in Cordele, Georgia. This nationally known program strives to prevent the abuse and neglect of children.

Reminder: Exit Interviews

As we approach the end of the 2007 Spring semester, there may be faculty in your department or college who are ending their employment at NC State. The Office for Equal Opportunity (OEO) would like to increase the number of faculty who participate in the exit interview process by either participating in an interview with OEO staff or completing a brief questionnaire. Your assistance with notifying OEO about faculty who are separating from the University would be greatly appreciated.

When you receive notification that a tenured, tenure track, or non-tenure track faculty member is separating from the University, (due to retirement, contract expiration, or employment elsewhere), please contact Carson Cook, Assistant Vice Provost for Equal Opportunity, at 919-513-2099 or by email at carson_cook@ncsu.edu. Carson will contact the faculty member to request his/her participation in the exit process. Thank you for your assistance.

Human Resources oversees a similar exit process for all non-faculty EPA employees. Please contact Human Resources/Employee Relations at 919-515-4295.

OEO Resource Directory

Office for Equal Opportunity (OEO)
1 Holladay Hall
Campus Box 7530
919-515-3148
www.ncsu.edu/equal_op

Disability Services Office (DSO)
1900 Student Health Center
Campus Box 7509
919-515-7653
www.ncsu.edu/dso

Disability Hotline
To report a disability or accommodation issue or concern, send email to ADAHotline@ncsu.edu.

Discrimination or Harassment Complaints or Concerns
For help with a discrimination or harassment concern, contact Amy Circosta at 919-513-1234 or amy_circosta@ncsu.edu. You can also submit a harassment complaint online at www.ncsu.edu/equal_op/harassment/
harassment_complaint_form.html, or send email to report_harassment@ncsu.edu.

Hiring Procedures & Search Committee Orientations
If you are beginning a new search for a position, OEO encourages you to call 919-515-3148 to schedule a search committee orientation.

Workshops & Course Offerings
For information about our workshops and course offerings, please see www.ncsu.edu/equal_op/education.html or contact Beverly Jones Williams at 919-513-3836.

Online Training
We offer online training versions of some of our workshops. See www.ncsu.edu/project/oeo-training.

Faculty Exit Interviews
If you are a departing faculty member, please contact Carson C. Cook at 919-513-2099 or carson_cook@ncsu.edu to schedule your exit interview.

About Equal_Op
This newsletter is published by the Office for Equal Opportunity at NC State University. It is available online at www.ncsu.edu/equal_op/pubs.html and in alternate formats upon request.

If you have questions or comments regarding this newsletter, please contact the Office for Equal Opportunity at 919-515-3148 or by email.