Overview: The following guidelines are designed to assist department and search committee chairs in the recruitment and hiring of faculty members. Hiring decisions are arguably the most important decisions made at the university. Perhaps more than anything else, they dictate the quality of our academic programs and shape the future of the university. Our goal, then, should always be to hire the very finest teacher-scholar-colleague possible whose professional philosophy is compatible with the mission and goals of Drury University. It is an institutional priority to achieve diversity in the faculty. Each search committee should make every effort to include and interview women and minority candidates. The department or search committee chair is expected to follow each of these guidelines in identifying and interviewing candidates and in making a hiring recommendation to the Vice President of Academic Affairs. The final decision of whom to hire is made by the President upon the recommendation of the Vice-President for Academic Affairs.

Procedures:

1. Permission to proceed with a faculty search should be obtained from the Vice-President of Academic Affairs by unit head as soon as practicable. When new faculty budget lines are approved (typically in late spring ), the VPAA will provide formal notification to departments authorized for new positions. When faculty vacancies are created by retirement, unexpected resignation, or similar circumstances, permission to fill that position must also be obtained from the VPAA. Due to changing enrollment, priorities, budgetary demands, etc., it is always necessary to assess need. Unit heads should not assume that all such vacancies will be filled immediately.

2. As soon as possible, unit heads should formally request permission to begin the recruitment process, providing justification for the hire (e.g., preferred rank, area of emphasis, etc). The VPAA must formally provide permission.

3. The unit head should propose membership for the search committee. In most circumstances, the committee should include members from outside the unit, both men and women and demonstrate appropriate diversity. If the unit head is not to chair the search committee, a chair should be recommended. The VPAA will review the proposed membership and appoint the committee.

4. As part of this formal request, unit heads should prepare a preliminary position description, list of suggested outlets for ad publication, other methods of candidate identification, and any other potential budget needs (e.g., for conference interview travel). The appropriate office for receiving and processing applications should be specified. Unit heads should discuss with the VPAA an appropriate salary range for the successful candidate.

5. As soon as possible, the search committee should convene to discuss and finalize the position description and preferred avenues for publication. For broad national outlets (e.g., publication in the Chronicle of Higher Education), it is often best for the ads to be placed by the office of VPAA. For discipline-specific outlets (e.g., web-based bulletin boards sponsored by professional organizations), the search committee chair, with consultation with the VPAA, can coordinate the posting. Search committees should also discuss any additional avenues for attracting applications (e.g., personal contacts or other uses of the "grapevine"). For a fair, open and effective search process, it is essential that ads be placed in appropriate venues and with ample time/notice. Ideally, final ad copy should be approved early in the fall semester with an application deadline not later than XXXXXXX.

6. At this meeting, the search committee chair (hereafter "chair") should make explicit diversity expectations, legal and ethical guidelines, and tentative criteria for evaluating applications. A representative from the office of the VPAA or Human Resources may be invited to describe in detail the pertinent ethical and legal guidelines governing faculty recruitment and hiring. It is essential that all searches be conducted with the highest professional standards, courtesy, and discretion. Any faculty member with a conflict of interest is obligated to recuse her/himself from the search committee. It is important that search committee members be able to articulate -- and agree upon --general criteria for evaluating applications.

7. The chair should maintain or supervise the maintenance (e.g., by departmental administrative staff) of an up-to-date applicant record and processing sheet. The latter should indicate the completeness of each application file and its dispensation. The chair should ascertain that candidates under review are legally authorized to work in the United States as of the date of appointment.

8. Upon receipt of application materials, the chair should insure that applicants receive confirmation of receipt. That notification should include a postage-paid affirmative postcard to be returned to and retained by the office of Human Resources for federal record keeping purposes. Cards for inclusion in the initial confirmation letter can be obtained from Human Resources, 208 Bay Hall.

9. Candidates should be kept apprised of the status of the search process in a timely fashion. In addition to the initial confirmation of application, this should include a subsequent letter notifying candidates when they have been eliminated from consideration. As a reflection of the University, such contacts should be made with sensitivity. While expressing appreciation for the application and regret that it did not meet institutional needs, there is no need to provide specific reasons for rejection.

10. All members of the search committee should conduct their deliberations with discretion and precision. In addition, they should be mindful of legal and ethical guidelines for appropriate areas of questioning, discussion, etc. More information on these topics is available from the office of the VPAA or Human Resources.

11. When the application deadline has passed and the committee has completed its initial screening, the chair should discuss the candidate pool and committee recommendations with the VPAA. In this meeting, it will be helpful to review the processing sheet (including all applicants) and the credentials of the top 5-10 candidates. The VPAA, in consultation with the chair will select the semi-final or final candidates to be interviewed. Typically, 5-6 candidates are selected as semi-finalists, with 2-3 invited for on-campus interviews.

12. If semi-finalists are chosen, interviews are traditionally done by conference call with the entire search committee. The phone in the Dean's Conference Room (Burnham 200) is useful for this purpose. Chairs should contact the office of VPAA to reserve the room for interviews.

13. At the search committee's discretion, references can be contacted for additional information about applicants. If a candidate has requested notification prior to contacting references, it is essential that such notification be made. The committee may determine the most appropriate method of contacting references, e.g., dividing them among committee members, vesting the chair with the responsibility, etc.

14. When finalists have been selected, the chair will personally invite (usually by phone) the candidates. In consultation with the office of the VPAA, the chair will supervise travel arrangements, using the most economical means reasonable (e.g., if possible, taking advantage of 14-21 day advance airfare purchasing, utilizing the parsonage for lodging, etc.). Expenses are typically reimbursed by the office of the VPAA, but arrangements can be made (and paid for) by the VPAA in some circumstances.

15. The chair will arrange the interview itinerary for finalists. Typically, interviews require candidates to be on campus for at least part of two days. The schedule should include ample time for all members of the unit and search committee to meet with the candidate. In addition, the candidate should meet with representatives from outside the unit (e.g., related departments and CIS to explore possible interdisciplinary connections). A mix of junior and senior faculty is helpful. Students should also be included in the itinerary.

16. Meetings with the associate dean of the college, VPAA and President should be included on the candidate's schedule. It is often good to include the Vice-President for Student Affairs or her designate in the schedule. The length of meetings will vary, depending on schedules, though meetings with the associate dean are typically 30 minutes in length, with the VPAA meeting with the candidate are 30-60 minutes.

17. The chair should arrange for meals and transportation to/from the airport and during the candidate's stay. Meals are often a good time for small groups of faculty to meet with the candidate in less formal settings. Lunch meetings are often good times for meeting with students. Expenses can be reimbursed or a university purchasing card can be temporarily checked out from the office of the VPAA.

18. The candidate is expected to make at least one formal presentation that provides evidence of her/his abilities as a teacher-scholar. It might also be helpful for candidates to make a presentation on a research topic of her/his choice. Members of the campus community can be invited to such presentations.

19. If at all possible, the agenda should be provided to the candidate in advance of her/his campus interview. The agenda, along with a copy of the candidate's vita should be provided to each person involved in the interview process.

20. As soon as possible after the conclusion of the on-campus interviews, the chair should compile reactions from all persons involved in the interview process for use in search committee deliberations. With the search committee, the chair should prepare a hiring recommendation and discuss it with the VPAA.

21. If the appointment is to be above the rank of assistant professor, or if tenure is involved, the VPAA will request a meeting with the Faculty Affairs Committee and the Promotion and Tenure Committee (only in cases of tenure), to consult with the committee. The chair should provide a rationale for the particular appointment and attend the meeting(s) to support the recommendation.

22. The VPAA will authorize the chair to contact the candidate, establish salary offer, and other details (e.g., rank). The chair will contact the candidate and make the offer, notifying the VPAA of the candidate's response. If any negotiation (e.g., of salary, etc.) is required, the chair should consult with the VPAA.

23. The VPAA will prepare the contract and letter of appointment.

24. The unit head should make all necessary arrangements for the new faculty member, e.g., office, furniture, computer, start-up costs, travel, etc.). By anticipating such costs in the annual budget process, the chair can make certain that the necessary resources are available.

Additional Resources:

Allan, George (Ed.). Resource Handbook for Academic Deans. Washington DC: ACAD, 1999. (Pages 73-82 and 107-122 are especially helpful. This volume is available in the Office of the VPAA, Burnham 200.)Boice, Robert. The New Faculty Member: Supporting and Fostering Professional Growth. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass Publishers, 1992. (Pages 1-18, 209-230 are especially helpful. This volume is available in the Office of the VPAA, Burnham 200.)Leaming, Daryl. Academic Leadership: A Practical Guide to Chairing the Department. Boston: Anker Publishing, 1998. (Pages 76-88, 138-145 are especially helpful. The volume is available in each unit office and from the VPAA, Burnham 200.)Toma, J. Douglas and Richard Palm. The Academic Administrator and the Law: What Every Dean and Department Chair Needs to Know. Washington DC: George Washington University, Graduate School of Education and Human Development, 1999. (Pages 27-84 are especially helpful. This volume is available in the office of the VPAA, Burnham 200.)