Faculty Search Procedures for Tenure-Track Faculty Positions

1. All requests for new or replacement faculty positions must be approved by the Dean. Formal request for such positions from the unit head must be accompanied by the following:

a. position description (unit head develops description in consultation with the faculty and/or search committee);
b. Faculty Clearance Form (academic title recommended; specific requirements);
c. a detailed recruitment plan to expand the pool of minority and women applicants;
d. the pay range recommended with verification of available funds, and, if necessary, a request for funding or partial funding from the College.

2. The unit head establishes a search committee generally comprised of at least four members. At the discretion of the unit head, the committee may include staff or students or may include members of other campus units with similar expertise or interests. This committee is advisory to the unit head and the dean.

3. The search committee will act in accordance to Affirmative Action Guidelines and procedures. "Getting Different Results" booklet (available from Human Resources) should be used as a reference.

4. At the first search committee meeting, the unit head will provide the charge to the committee and a chair will be appointed. The human resources coordinator will attend this first meeting to review Affirmative Action guidelines, federal regulations, and guidelines regarding candidates who are not U.S. citizens or permanent residents of this country.

5. The search committee develops or assists in the development of evaluation criteria used to assess all applicants. Final approval of the criteria is the responsibility of the unit head, then shared with the dean.

6. National advertising is generally required for all standing (permanent) appointments and all position announcements must contain the affirmative action statement. Before advertising the position, the position announcement must be approved by the Office of Human Resources and the Office of Affirmative Action.

7. The unit head appoints a staff person in the unit to collect, verify, and maintain materials submitted by applicants. At the direction of the unit head or search committee chair, this staff person may also be responsible for scheduling search committee meetings, drafting correspondence regarding applicants for the chair's signature, as well as sending affirmative action data cards with letters of acknowledgement to all applicants. Applicant files will be made available for review by the search committee as they are received.

8. Immediately after the close of the search and before the evaluation of materials begins, the dean, unit head, and search committee chair will review statistical information to assess adequate representation of minorities and women. If inadequate numbers from these classifications are not represented, the dean, in consultation with the unit head, may chose to reconfigure the search process.

9. The search committee evaluates all applicants and develops a list of semifinalists and recommends them to the unit head.

10. The unit head or the chair of the search committee shall be responsible for the coordination of checking multiple references of all semi-finalist candidates. In addition to contacting references provided by the applicant, other persons who would have knowledge of the applicant's professional qualifications should be included. The chair of the search committee may choose to seek the applicant's permission prior to contacting references "off-list."

Procedures at Penn State University, as well as Federal Law, allow for telephone reference checks to persons not listed as references by the applicant. However, search committees may choose to do "off-list" reference checks and offer the candidate the opportunity to exclude certain people (immediate supervision, etc.). In order to provide consistency and prohibit misunderstanding, search committees may wish to use the following phrases:

"In an effort to ensure the best possible candidates for open positions and that those candidates' interests, abilities, and expertise parallel the qualifications needed in the position, Penn State University requests from each applicant permission to contact persons not listed as references by the candidate. Those contacts will observe the same rules, procedures, and laws that govern any reference check,and all candidates will be treated equitably in this process."

(At this point, ask the person for their permission to call.)

If permission is denied, you may wish to advise:

"It is your right to exclude any individual or group from these potential contacts, and requests for such exclusions will be strictly observed, but in doing so you must realize that not allowing us to contact such references may jeopardize your continued consideration for the position for which you have applied."

11. After telephone reference checks are completed and all information gained is shared with the committee, they evaluate the semifinalists and forward a list of finalists to the unit head for approval.

12. The unit head informs the dean of the finalists, provides abbreviated vita for each candidate (to be used by the dean in preparing for interviews with the finalists), and solicits approval for campus visits.

13. Campus visits by the finalists are arranged. The chair of the search committee generally will act as host; staff support from the unit will arrange transportation, accommodations, and the schedule. The schedule shall include, at minimum, meetings with the search committee, the unit head, the unit faculty and staff, group meetings with students, and, except in unusual circumstances, the dean. The Associate Dean for Graduate Studies and the Associate Dean for Undergraduate Studies are also available for finalist interviews if appropriate. Either may be asked to substitute for the dean if scheduling conflicts arise.

14. The search committee meets at the conclusion of all visits and prepares recommendations to the unit head on each finalist, and at the direction of the unit head, may be asked to submit a ranking.

15. The unit head negotiates the contractual terms with the candidate to be hired. If this applicant is a woman or protected class minority, the unit head notifies the dean who will seek financial assistance from the PresidentÍs Special Opportunity Fund to augment the hiring salary. The dean will notify the unit head of any available assistance.

16. After the unit head has completed contract negotiations, it is the responsibility of the dean to confirm with a successful candidate in writing of the offer of employment.

17. An Affirmative Action Recruitment Report must be completed when a successful candidate has been hired.