Faculty and Department Chair Resources
GUIDELINES FOR RECRUITING CANDIDATES
FOR TENURED & TENURE-TRACK FACULTY POSITIONS
September 2005
1. Search Requests. Requests to begin a search process must be sent to the Dean in writing, specifying the field and rank, and a brief rationale for the position. This request must be approved by the Dean, reviewed by FAB, and authorized by the Provost (or designee) before any further action is taken. The Office of the Provost will inform the Office of Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity and the department when the search is approved.
2. Search Committees. The Department Chair (or Dean in units without departments) will designate a committee to conduct the search for the position. When constituting the search committee, attention should be given to the composition of the membership with respect to academic discipline, rank, and diversity. Extra-departmental membership is often desirable or required. The membership of the search committee must be approved by the Dean and reviewed by the Provost (or designee).
3. Search Plan.At the start of each search, the Department Chair (or Search Committee Chair in units without departments) will call a meeting of the search committee to meet with the Dean (or designee), and the Executive Director of Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity, to discuss the position announcement and the recruitment procedures and strategies for recruitment. This discussion will develop search tactics to recruit candidates and to explore measures for bringing the position to the attention of a diverse population of scholars. This meeting replaces the need to file an EO-1 form.
4. Advertisements. In the event that an international candidate is hired, in order to obtain a visa, federal law requires that the hiring unit have published one print advertisement in a publication with broad national circulation (e.g., the Chronicle of Higher Education). This is in addition to any print ads that would appear in more narrowly professional publications (e.g., Marketing News). In certain circumstances, it may also be advisable to run a print advertisement in a regional or local newspaper (like the Boston Globe or the Burlington Free Press). The purpose behind this regulation is to ensure that U.S. citizens or permanent residents had ample opportunity to apply for the job. For additional information, contact the Director of the Office of International Education.
All position announcements and advertisements must encourage applicants to apply on-line at:www.uvmjobs.com
5. First Phase of the Search. The dossiers of candidates should contain at minimum their letter of application and
vita. Other required items—letters of
recommendation, graduate transcripts, teaching materials, and samples of
scholarship*—may vary by unit. Candidates in creative or performing
arts should send other appropriate evidence of their work. Whenever possible, search committees may use telephone or
teleconferencing interviewing and opportunities at professional meetings to help screen applicants.
*Some departments will
narrow the candidate pool prior to requesting samples of scholarship
because of
the volume of applications.
6. Interviewing at Professional Meetings. There are protocols for interviewing at professional meetings. Prior to interviewing at a professional meeting, the Search Committee Chair should obtain a copy of the protocols from the web site http://www.uvm.edu/~facrsrcs/?Page=ProfMeetings.html to share with the search committee.
7. Campus Visit Approval. The Department Chair (or Search Committee Chair in units without departments) must have approval from the Dean, the Provost (or designee), and the Executive Director of Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity, before inviting candidates to visit campus.
In order to gain approval for a campus visit by the candidates, departments or programs should send a written request to their Dean describing the merits of the candidates they would like to bring to campus. This written request replaces the need for units to complete the Interview Authorization Form EO-2. The written requests should include:
- A description of the search process
- Where the ads appeared, including electronic placements, with a copy of the print ad
- Specific actions the department took to widen its pool of applicants (copies of emails, phone log, etc.) - a minimum of 5 contacts from each department faculty member
- A list of all candidates who were interviewed by telephone or at professional meetings in the first phase of the search, including their institutional affiliation with a brief indication of why they were or were not invited for a campus visit
- Supporting materials (e.g., c.v.) for each candidate invited to campus
The Dean will provide a copy of the report to the Provost (or designee) and the Executive Director of Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity. The Department Chair (or Search Committee Chair in units without departments) will be notified of the approval or disapproval to continue the search by the Dean. Please note: under normal circumstances, requests for interview authorization should not be submitted one candidate at a time, but when the complete “short list” has been developed.
8. International/Non-American Citizen Candidates. If the department is aware (on the basis of the candidate's self-identification), that any of the candidates to be invited to campus for an interview not a U.S. citizen or permanent resident, the Department Chair (or Search Committee Chair in units without departments) should inform the Office of International Education.
9. Expenses of the Visit. Recruitments need to be adequately funded. Deans will inform chairs of the recruiting budget
10. Whom the Candidates Meet. It is suggested that candidates for tenure-track positions meet with the following:
- The Department Chair (if there is one)
- The Dean or Associate Dean
- Department or School members
- Individuals who intersect with the candidate’s research interests outside the department
- Individuals who represent the broader University and Burlington community to help the candidate appreciate the less tangible factors influencing quality of life
11. Decisions to Recommend an Offer. A decision to recommend whether to make an offer and to whom should be reached after discussion by the faculty in the departments and programs involved in the search. Please note: this is a recommendation only. Offers can only be made after approval has been obtained through the process described below and only by an academic administrator.
12. Approval to Make an Offer. Once a decision has been made, the Department Chair must have approval from the Dean and the Provost (or designee) before making an offer. In units without departments, the Dean will make the offer, after following the steps below.
In order to gain approval to make an offer, the Department Chair must send a written request to the Dean.This written request replaces the need for units to complete the Appointment Authorization Form EO-3. The written request should include:
- A discussion of the strengths and weaknesses of the candidate in comparison to the other finalists
- A discussion of the other candidates to whom an offer might be made should the preferred candidate decline
The Dean will provide a copy of the request to the Provost (or designee), who will consult with the Executive Director of Affirmative Action Equal Opportunity and, if necessary, before final approval is given to the department to make an offer.
After approval has been received, the Department Chair should work closely with the Dean when discussing the offer with the candidate. In units without departments, the Dean is the only person authorized to discuss an offer with the candidate.
13. Preparing the Appointment Letter. If the position is a bargaining unit position, a draft of the appointment letter must be reviewed for contract compliance by the Coordinator for Labor Relations & Faculty Affairs prior to preparing the final version for signature by the Chair, Dean, and Provost (or designee). (If not a bargaining unit position, the letter is to be prepared using the appropriate template language and then processed as outlined below.
Appointment Letter Handling: Once the Chair and Dean have signed the appointment letter, it is to be routed to Human Resources together with an addressed envelope, Salary Distribution Form, and Personnel Action Form. Human Resources will route the letter to the Provost's Office for review and signature. When the letter is returned to Human Resources, it will be mailed to the candidate. If the candidate is a new employee, all applicable information will be included with appointment letter (e.g. Teacher's Oath, W-4, Data Form and UVM-UA Agreement for bargaining unit positions).
14. The Candidate Accepts Offer. When the candidate has signed the appointment letter and returned it to the Dean, the Dean should forward a copy to Payroll Records.
15. Failed Searches. If the search is judged by the Department or Dean or the Provost (or designee) to have failed, it will be closed. The Department must begin the process over again if they want to reopen the search.
16. International/Non-American Citizen Finalist. If the finalist is not a U.S. citizen or permanent resident, the Department Chair (or Dean in units without departments) must immediately inform the Office of International Education so they can assist the department (or school) and the individual hired in the immigration process.
NOTE:
It is University policy that tenured/tenure-track positions are filled through a search process. There are, however, other situations when a search may not be required. Such are to be considered business decisions made for the good of the University and are at the discretion of the Provost (or designee) and the Executive Director of Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity. Examples of these situations include but are not limited to: a visiting appointment, an interim appointment, or a one year appointment in the case of unexpected leaves, resignations, separations, illness, death, or enrollment needs, etc.
Rev. 9/21/05
Last modified November 05 2009 09:29 AM
