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Jeffrey: once again someone falls into the trap that plagues so many respondents to this annual story (for it never changes year by year). Why assume that merit and diversity are mutually exclusive? Nobody is suggesting that we appoint candidates just because they are diverse if they are not also the best for the job. Diversity outreach initiatives are about broadening the pool of search to capture the most meritorious candidates who are habitually overlooked, not about lowering standards.

And to continue your medical analogy to illustrate my point: would you be happier selecting the best surgeon from the three or four who applied and were shortlisted and appointed or the best surgeon from the thirty or forty more diverse candidates who went through the same appointments process and were selected on merit? I know which scenario I prefer.