Procedure For Hiring Full-Time Classroom and Non-Classroom Faculty
- Create a vehicle for attracting and recruiting a strong, diverse pool of candidates;
- ensure compliance with equal opportunity and affirmative action regulations; and
- provide a streamlined hiring process that will result in a positive interview experience for the applicants and a clear understanding of hiring expectations for faculty, chairs and administrators.
Distribution of Lines
Faculty lines may not be filled without authorization from the President.
Replacement Lines - When a faculty member separates from the College, the position reverts to a general pool of unfilled faculty lines. The President, in consultation with the Vice President for Academic Affairs or the Vice President for Student Affairs and the Deans, analyzes the overall distribution of faculty lines and department need. This results in one of the following actions by the President:
- Authorization to fill the line in the same department;
- Reallocation of the line to another department
- Temporary freezing of the line
- Elimination of the line
New Lines - In general, new lines are distributed during the annual budget development process. The President, in consultation with the area Vice President and Dean, allocates a determined number of new faculty lines and authorizes the search process to begin.
Beginning the Search/Recruitment Process
Step 1 –The President authorizes a faculty position to be filled and informs the Vice President that a search may begin.
Step 2 – The Vice President:
- informs the Dean(s) that a position(s) has been authorized to be filled and that a search may begin;
• informs the Office of Human Resources that a search will begin and provides preliminary position details (e.g., title and date to be filled); and HR completes Section A (position details) of the Search Committee Membership Form. Human Resources will e-mail the appropriate forms to the Chair of each search committee. - informs the Affirmative Action Officer (or designee) that a search will begin and provides position details.
Step 3 –The Dean informs the Department Chair/Director that a position may be filled and authorizes the formation of a Search Committee.
- Department Chair/Director submits draft of the position details/job advertisement to the Dean for approval.
- After the Department Chair/Director is notified by the Dean, HR sends the Search Committee Membership Form to the Department Chairperson/Director for completion of Section B (Search Committee Membership).
Step 4 – The Department Chair/Director submits the Search Committee Membership Form to the AVP for review.
Step 5 – The AVP notifies the Dean, the Department Chair and the HR Director of Employment that the Search Committee has been reviewed and prepares a “utilization analysis” for distribution to the Department Chair/Director, Search Committee Chair and the Dean.
Step 6 – The AVP, the Director of Employment and the Assistant Director of Employment meet with the Search Committee. The AVP reviews the utilization analysis, discusses affirmative action interviewing guidelines and outlines outreach and recruitment strategies to attract a diverse pool of qualified candidates. The Director of Employment provides details about the resume data base and other logistical information regarding the interview process and the candidate log.
Step 7 – The Dean meets with the Search Committee to reinforce search procedures and expectations for a qualified “pool”.
Step 8 – The Search Committee prepares a written search plan by completing Faculty Recruitment Form. This plan details proposed outreach and recruitment efforts including posting and advertising dates. The plan is sent to the Dean for review and authorization.
Step 9 – The Dean reviews the plan. S/he sends the plan to the AVP for review and authorization. S/he also sends a copy to the Director of Employment who may contact the Dean with additional advertising recommendations.
Step 10 – The Affirmative Action Officer (or designee). After this review process, which may include a discussion with the Search Committee, the Affirmative Action Officer (or designee) sends the plan to the committee with a copy to the Office of Human Resources, the Department Chair and the Dean. A search cannot begin without a reviewed search plan.
Step 11 – Upon receipt of the authorized plan, the Office of Human Resources:
- Works with the Office of the Vice President on approved ad copy; and
- Determines advertising costs. If costs are not reasonable, discussions will take place among the Office of Human Resources, the President’s Office and the Dean before advertising decisions are finalized.
- Contacts the Search Committee Chair to begin to implement the plan.
The Search Committee
All efforts should be made to form a diverse Search Committee. It is the Dean’s responsibility to share the search guidelines with Search Committee members and ensure that they are being followed.
Search Committee members must acknowledge the need for confidentiality in the search process. The discussions, ratings, and even who has applied for the position and who has written letters of recommendation are confidential. When local or internal candidates are involved in the search, there is a tendency for persons outside of the search committee to make inquiries about the search, its progress, etc. for the benefit of a candidate. Such requests cannot be complied with. All members of the search committee need to acknowledge the need for confidentiality by signing the confidentiality agreement and forwarding the original to Human Resources. An additional copy of the confidentiality agreement should be retained by the Search Committee Chair for inclusion in the search file.
The Search Plan
The search plan should be developed making all efforts to attract a diverse pool of qualified candidates giving particular attention to underutilized areas. Outreach may be done in a variety of ways. This includes:
- Postings and advertisements using standard publications, journals, websites and other electronic resources
- Postings and advertisements using printed and electronic resources specific to a department
- Department Advisory Boards
- Industry contacts
- Alumni
- Other resources identified by the Department and/or Dean
The Office of Human Resources is available to assist departments and Search Committees with search plans. Please call the Director of Employment x7-3659 for assistance.
* The Vice President of Academic Affairs will notify Directors that a position(s) has been authorized and a search may begin. Within these guidelines, where appropriate, Directors will follow the steps pertaining to Deans.
Forms: