Guide to Faculty Searches

Table of Contents

1. Message From The Vice Dean And Senior Associate Dean For Academic Affairs
2. Expanded Table of Contents
3. University Policy Statements
4. Current School Demographics
5. School and University Resources for Faculty Recruitment
6. Things to Know Before Initiating a Search
   1. Overview
   2. Conditions
   3. Special Circumstances
7. The Search Initiation Process
   1. Components of the Search Request
   2. Transmittal Memorandum
   3. Source of Salary and Resources
   4. Search Committee
   5. Advertising
   6. Outreach Efforts
8. Managing the Search
9. Reviewing Applications
10. Interviewing Candidates
11. Post-Interview Deliberations and Outcome

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VIII. Managing the Search

A. Process Management

1. Staff Assistance

In order to conduct a well-run search, the department or institute needs to provide dedicated administrative assistance in support of the search committee's efforts. Under the direction of the committee chair, staff assistance might include such tasks as managing receipt and acknowledgement of applications and nominations, preparing communications to candidates, taking meeting notes, preparing information packets for candidates, and overseeing logistics for candidate visits.

Staff will be expected to become familiar with the policies and procedures outlined in this document, as well as instructions in the relevant appointment long form, and to consult with the Office of Academic Affairs should special issues arise during the course of the search. The Office of Academic Affairs can provide tutorials to staff who are new to the faculty search process.

2. Process Tracking

At the end of the search, a department will submit for review a narrative description of the history of the search process, which is normally authored by the chair of the search committee. This narrative report should provide a clear, full and complete explanation so that a reviewer with no prior knowledge of the search can easily understand what transpired. If the search and candidate of choice are approved, this narrative report will eventually be adapted for incorporation into the relevant appointment long form document. It is therefore important to keep careful records during the search process, including the dates of meetings, advertisements, solicitation letters, interviews and decisions. An ideal way to do this is to keep a running log of major events during the search process.

B. Application Management

1. Acknowledgment of Applications

Departments are expected to treat candidates with courtesy and respect by acknowledging receipt of applications via letter, postcard or email.

2. Faculty Applicant Information

Regulations implemented by the U.S. Department of Labor require all federal contractors annually to collect and analyze data regarding the gender, race and ethnic background of applicants for employment. The report assembled at the end of the search will need to include summary information on the gender and ethnicity of the applicant pool.

The Provost’s Office has implemented an online process for the collection of faculty applicant self-identification information. Detailed instructions can be found on the Faculty Affairs Office of the Provost website. Here is an overview of the steps you need to take:

1. When the search starts, go to the Provost's Office Faculty Applicant Self Identification website and "create" the search.
2. Add all applicants' names and email addresses to the search at the Faculty Applicant Self Identification website. These can be entered individually on a web form or uploaded from a tab-delimited file.
3. Use the website to send emails to faculty applicants. They will be asked to connect to the website and identify themselves in terms of gender and ethnicity.
4. Notify any candidates who have been eliminated from the search only after as many responses have been collected as possible.
5. View your faculty applicant data; it will automatically be entered on the Applicant Information Grid. You can view the "interim" grid at any time during the search. This grid, also known as the Applicant Pool Grid, will be a required part of the eventual search report.
6. At the end of the search process, when the final candidate has been chosen, close the search on the website. The applicant grid is finalized and may be printed for inclusion in the long form at this time.

More information on the Faculty Applicant Self Identification System can be found here.

3. Recordkeeping beyond the Search

In accordance with University policy, departments must retain complete records of each search, including vitae of applicants, for at least three years. Such records should include copies of advertisements and solicitations for nominations; applicant and nominee correspondence; records of committee meetings; evaluations of candidates at each step of the process; information associated with the interview process; the committee's ranking of the definitive pool; and other information, as appropriate.

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