Faculty and Unclassified Staff Handbook
Chapter 3 -- Faculty: Employment, Tenure, Promotion, and Merit
Recruitment for Vacant Positions
Search Committee Checklist for Unclassified Vacancies
- An employee must submit a written letter of resignation or retirement, prior to a recruitment being started, unless it is a new approved university position.
- Department chairs or directors discuss vacant positions with the appropriate faculty dean or vice president. The faculty dean then seeks approval from the provost to fill the vacant position. Rank and salary range for the position can be discussed at this time.
- The search committee and its chair shall be duly appointed by the president or designate (vice president, dean, or department chair). The composition of the search committee should be as diverse as possible.
- Develop a position description including both required and preferred qualifications. These qualifications must relate directly to the work to be performed. (Should a discrimination complaint be filed subsequent to the filling of the position, the search committee will be required to demonstrate that stated qualifications are relevant.)
- The department will submit a job requisition in Workday to start a new search. The requisition includes the position information, the search committee members and the advertisement information.
- The search committee chair will schedule a meeting with the compliance officer and search committee to review fair hiring practices.
- Openly publicize the vacancy by whatever means necessary to help create a strong diverse applicant pool. With a few exceptions, professional positions are recruited nationally. These should be advertised in professional journals and other publications (in print, online or both). Recommendations may also be solicited from graduate schools known to excel in turning out well-qualified people in the specific areas of specialization required. All positions must be posted on the FHSU web site.
- All advertising should refer the applicants to the Human Resource Office webpage for a full position description. This is also where the electronic application is submitted to apply for the position.
- When advertising a vacancy, specify a reasonable application priority date or deadline that allows adequate time for interested individuals to apply.
- Normally, all full-time faculty and administrative appointments (nine-month and twelve-month) require recruitment in accordance with EEO requirements. If a last-minute resignation does not allow adequate time to conduct a full search in accordance with the EEO requirements, a temporary appointment for a maximum of one-year may be the solution. If a waived search is approved by the provost, a full search must be conducted within the one-year temporary appointment period.
- Make every attempt to eliminate bias from the evaluation process. Both initial screening and subsequent evaluation of applicants should be based on an objective evaluation of qualifications as specified in the written position description.
- When an application is submitted, Workday will automatically send an email to the applicant acknowledging receipt of the application. Only electronic applications submitted through the Human Resource webpage are accepted.
- All emails sent to applicants, should be sent through Workday. The system will electronically record the emails and they become part of the applicant’s permanent recruitment file.
- Interviews via video conference formats can be used as part of the screening process to determine which applicants will be offered on-campus interviews.
- Prior to scheduling interviews, the search chair should seek the appropriate approvals. Interviews should not be scheduled before approvals have been given.
- After interviews are concluded, the interview team should individually rate and enter in Workday the candidate’s strengths and weaknesses as they pertain to the position. The comments should be comprehensive, detailed and thorough.
- After the interview process has been completed the search committee chair should make a hiring recommendation and seek the appropriate approvals, before the Human Resource (HR) Office makes a verbal offer to the candidate. The HR Office will make an offer contingent on the candidate passing a criminal background check.
- After a verbal offer has been accepted by the candidate, the Human Resource Office will conduct a criminal background check and move the candidate through the hiring process.
- All documents pertaining to the search, should be scanned and uploaded into Workday. Workday will house all the official search documents for permanent record retention. All recruitment documents will be stored electronically.
The following documents should be uploaded for record retention.
a. The screening tool used to determine which applicants are offered interviews.
b. If applicable, the notes from video and/or phone interviews.
c. Notes from the campus interviews.
d. All other information pertinent to the search. Keep complete notes on the reasons why candidates are eliminated, reasons that will meet equal employment opportunity requirements. Scan and upload all documents in Workday.
Updated (07-02-13, 11-17-17).