Effective faculty respect students' varying styles of communication. Effective faculty are articulate and help students learn to express themselves clearly. This skill implies that the faculty have a working knowledge of a variety of communication styles that are effective with various student populations. Effective faculty may themselves have stylistic differences in communicating. Hiring committees should acknowledge that regional and second language accents may not be, in and of themselves, barriers to teacher's effective communication abilities.
Interpersonal skills go beyond the ability to communicate effectively.
They encompass respect for the individual, regardless of differences in opinion and background, and are demonstrated in each contact between faculty member and student. Good interpersonal skills enable the faculty member to relate to the student and help students learn to relate to one another. They help the faculty member create an environment conducive to learning. The job announcement should reflect and communicate this concern and the district's hiring policy should emphasize these criteria in the paper screening and interviewing process. It is expected that a substantial portion of the new faculty hired in the coming decades will come from diverse backgrounds bringing with them alternative perspectives to enrich campus life and foster the understanding which this section addresses.