McGill prefers hiring black candidates with CRT background: job listing

Job applicants for McGill University's computer science "Fighting Inequities" position should preferably be black, according to a job posting from the Montreal-based school. 

The posting, titled "Tenure-Track Faculty Position in Computer Science – Fighting Inequities," includes the task of increasing "the representation of Black faculty and to support their success, in line with the University’s commitments set out in its Action Plan to Address Anti-Black Racism." The position specifies that "preference will be given to Black candidates."



That action plan states that the school is seeking to increase the number of "Black tenure track and tenured professors," as currently there are 14 tenure-track and tenured professors at the University who "self-identify as Black in McGill's employment equity survey." That figure represents less than one percent of the schools' tenure-track and tenured academic staff.

Applicants should also have an interest in data science, data mining, human-computer interaction, education, and several other practical components that would normally make a candidate qualified. 

The posting goes on to state that candidates should have a doctoral degree, and that they should have a capacity for independent research. They should also have the ability to address "anti-Black racism or system inequities in relation to computer systems," which is considered an "important asset."

The school does state, however, that background in critical race theory "is desirable but not required."

The school also notes that it has a commitment to "Black excellence": "This recruitment is consistent with McGill’s efforts to carry out a range of academic searches and appointments across disciplines and Faculties, including the Faculty of Science, focused on increasing the representation of Black excellence at McGill. Over the last two years, McGill appointed 28 Black tenure-track or tenured faculty at various ranks. Our University is committed to continuing to work to achieve equitable representation and to providing robust support for all incoming colleagues, including through strong networking, mentorship, and research-focused opportunities."

The school has demonstrated its commitment to far-left Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion initiatives in the past. Last November, the school denied two federal government grants to award-winning scientist Patanjali Kambhampati. He believes that his application was doomed to fail due to his belief in hiring based on merit above skin colour.

"We will hire the most qualified people based upon their skills and mutual interests," Kambhampati wrote on the application.

"I've had two people say that was the kiss of death," said Kambhampati. "I thought I was trying to be nice saying that if you were interested and able I'd hire you and that's all that mattered. I don't care about the colour of your skin. I'm interested in hiring someone who wants to work on the project and is good at it."