Instructional Faculty Search Procedures

The Search Plan identifies the search committee members, position description, strategies for advertising and strategies for obtaining applicant pool diversity. All planning for recruitment and advertising should be included in the search plan. It is important to think strategically and creatively about ways that are most likely to result in a diverse pool of applicants for the position.

The search steps are as follows:

1. Position Approval: A EHR 2 form is required for all positions. Please check the Human Resources website which also links to the Equity and Diversity website for forms. EHR 2
2. Membership: Members of a search committee are recommended by the department faculty members and approved by the appropriate Dean.
3. Position Description: The position description is prepared by the department faculty members, in consultation with the appropriate Dean and with the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs.
4. Ads: After the position approval has been completed, the layout, using the faculty ad template, is approved by the Dean. The search committee should also recommend, after consultation with the appropriate Dean, where ads will be placed. The search committee is encouranged to seek online resources for ad placement. The Office of Human Resources covers the cost of ad placement for the Chronicle of Higher Education and two other places (i.e., Diverse Issues and Hispanic Outlook). Additional advertisements require approval of the Dean and the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, and are paid for by the Vice President's office. The timing for advertising in the appropriate newspapers, professional journals, and other areas should also be considered when a search plan is being developed. Ad Template
5. Resources: It is important that the appropriate Dean work with each faculty search committee to determine funding and other resources (conferences included) that will be needed for each search committee and the search process. Search Plan Form
6. Please schedule an appointment with the Associate Vice President for Equity and Diversity to discuss search procedures and strategies.

The Search Committee manages recruiting and interviewing:
Steps:

1. Consistency: The Search Committee must actively monitor all recruitment efforts, consistent with the search plan.
2. Criteria: The Search Committee prepares the written criteria for selecting candidates for campus interviews based on the approved position description. All candidates for the position must be reviewed and evaluated based on the written criteria for selection.
3. Requests: The Search Committee should request a composite profile of the candidate pool from the Office of Equity and Diversity during the search process to further monitor the candidate pool diversity and the effectiveness of the search committee recruitment efforts.
4. References: References for candidates recommended for interviews must be checked by the search committee, prior to the request to interview. Search Checklist
5. Interviews: Three to five candidates should be selected from the pool of applicants for on campus interviews, based on the written criteria and position description.
6. Approvals: The appropriate Dean, Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, Associate Vice President for Equity and Diversityand President must approve the candidates recommended for campus interviews.
7. Expectations: The appropriate Dean will provide the search committee with a list of expectations of the interview process and items to consider in scheduling a candidate campus visit.
8. Travel: Travel arrangements for interviews and the scheduling of meetings/interviews during the candidate visit are coordinated by the Department secretary. The meetings with the appropriate Dean and the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs must also be scheduled by the department secretary. One-half hour interview should be scheduled with the President. If the President's schedule is such that it is not possible to reasonably arrange these interviews, the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs can approve scheduling of interviews with the Chief Human Resources Officer instead of with the President.Before candidates are brought to campus for interviews, the search chair needs to request approval for their travel expenses by submitting both the All Search Candidates Travel Expenses Form and the Individual Search Candidate Travel Expenses Form.
9. Forms: During the candidate campus visit the following forms need to be completed by each candidate: background check, reference check authorization. Authorization Form, Background Check Form and W9 Form.
10. Reference checks beyond those for references listed on the application will be made by the President, Chief Human Resources Officer, or Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs or delegated by the Provost and VPAA to the Dean after the candidate has completed and submitted the reference check authorization.

Tip: Faculty searches are more likely to be successful if on campus interviews are conducted by December or January of the academic year.

The role of the search committee is to provide a recommendation to the appropriate Dean of three candidates who meet the job requirements. A rationale for the recommendation of each candidate should also be submitted to the Dean. The following are the steps in the hiring process:
Steps:

1. Recommendation: The Search Committee recommends the names of three ranked candidates (with supporting documentation) to the appropriate Dean. Faculty Search Committee Recommendation
2. Approval: The Dean submits recommended candidates and discusses with the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs the three recommended candidates.
3. The Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs requests a salary analysis from Human Resources of the three candidates, and in the meantime forwards their completed background check forms to Human Resources.
4. Approval: After consultation with the President, the Provost recommends in writing to the Dean that an offer should be made to one of the three candidates. Request for Permission to Hire form
5. Before an offer is extended, the Dean will inform the search committee chair or the department of the candidate to whom an offer will be made. The department may request a meeting with the Dean to discuss the Dean's decision.
6. Offer: The Dean makes a verbal offer to a candidate, pending a background check. If accepted, the Dean informs Human Resources and a written offer is sent to the candidate by Human Resources, once the background check has been completed.
7. Notification: The expected turnaround for background checks should be less than one week; however, Human Resources will keep the appropriate Dean and Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs informed if more time is needed.
8. Letter: An appointment letter is sent by Human resources to the new faculty hire. The Dean and the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs are informed.
9. Search Report: As a final step, after an offer has been accepted and an appointment letter has been signed, the search report is completed by the search committee. Please request affirmative action card information from Human Resources. Search Report Form.