Policy Number: 14
EMPLOYMENT AND RECRUITMENT PROCEDURES
FOR FACULTY AND ACADEMIC SUPPORT PROFESSIONAL POSITIONS
CONTINUING AND TEMPORARY
TERMINOLOGY
Form A =
Personnel
Authorization Request (PAR)
Form B = Recruitment Plan
and Vacancy Announcement
Form C = Candidate
Selection Form
Form D = Request to Offer
Appointment
EEO Card = 4"x 6" cards provided by the Civil Rights and Diversity Office
Employee Eligibility Form (I-9) = Federal immigration requirement
Applicant = A person who submits materials for a position
Candidate = A person listed on Form C
AUTHORIZATION
Before a vacant position can be advertised or filled, Form A must be approved by the Department Chair/Head, the Dean/Director, and the Vice President. Form B is developed by the Department Chair/Head and approved by the Dean/Director and the Civil Rights Director. Advertising for a position may not occur until both Forms A and B have been approved.
Guidelines for employing Academic Department Chairpersons are described in a separate policy.
RECRUITMENT
The Chairperson/Unit Head and the Civil Rights Director shall discuss the composition of the department's members and its recruitment and retention efforts for persons from underrepresented groups. The Chairperson/Unit Head is responsible for developing a recruitment plan that encourages the formation of a large, diverse, highly qualified applicant pool. Before the advertising and screening process can begin, the Dean/Director, and the Civil Rights Director must approve Form B and the Recruitment Plan.
The Recruitment Plan shall address at the minimum the following items:
Position Description
The position description should describe those duties regarded as essential to the specific position being advertised and also those duties expected of all other comparable faculty in the department. Attach the vacancy announcement to the Form B. This announcement should be the basis for all advertising.
Recruitment and Advertising Process
The Chairperson/Unit Head shall list the specific recruitment sources to be used, including national, highly visibly publications, professional newsletters, electronic medium, and other relevant sites. The Chairperson/Unit Head with the approval of the Civil Rights Director shall identify additional specialized strategies to recruit applications from underrepresented persons for the position, including, but not limited to, directly recruiting potential applicants. The Chairperson/Unit Head or the Dean/Director is responsible for ensuring that the position announcement appears in the University Newsletter.
The Recruitment Plan shall specify whether the Chairperson/Head or the Dean/Director is responsible for placing advertising.
If, after the Recruitment Plan has been approved, the Chairperson/Unit Head or the Dean/Director deviates from the approved plan, the Civil Rights Director shall approve any change.
The vacancy announcement and advertisement should state what is a complete applicant file and the review or closing date for application. The vacancy announcement shall carry the following statement: "Eastern Illinois University is an equal opportunity/equal access/affirmative action employer committed to achieving a diverse community.” Advertisements with limited space may close with the following: "EEO/AA."
Screening Committee
The Chairperson/Unit Head shall list the members of the screening committee and designate the chairperson of the screening committee in the Recruitment Plan. The Civil Rights Director or designee may serve as an ex-officio member of the screening committee. If, after the Plan is approved, any change occurs in the committee composition, the Chairperson/Unit head shall notify the Civil Rights Office at the time of the change.
The Chairperson/Unit Head shall describe in the Recruitment Plan the scope and function of the screening committee in reviewing applications, recommending potential candidates, interviewing, and providing commentary on the final candidates to the Chairperson/Unit Head and the Dean/Director. The chairperson of the committee shall endeavor to achieve a diverse composition.
The committee shall be convened and meet regularly.
The plan shall include a tentative timetable of important dates in the screening process.
EMPLOYMENT PROCESS
After approval of Form A and the Form B/Recruitment Plan, the Chairperson or designee shall announce the vacancy and carry out the Recruitment Plan.
The Chairperson/Unit Head and Dean/Director are responsible for the employment decision. The Chairperson/Unit Head is responsible for providing guidance and support to the designated Screening Committee Chairperson regarding the entire employment process. At the beginning of the screening process, the Chairperson/Unit Head shall explain to the screening committee its duties as outlined in the Recruitment Plan.
The Chairperson/Unit Head is responsible for ensuring that all application materials are secured. Only persons serving on the screening committee, the Chairperson/Unit Head, the Dean/Director, the Civil Rights Director, and the appropriate Vice President shall have access to applicants' letters of reference or transcripts. All screening committee deliberations are confidential and may only be shared with those directly involved in the employment decision. Other members of the department may view applicant's letter of applications, resumes, and scholarly/creative samples.
Application Process
All letters of interest and credentials shall be directed to either the Chairperson/Unit Head or designated screening committee chairperson as indicated in the Recruitment Plan. The Chairperson or designee shall acknowledge all letters of interest in writing.
The Chairperson/Unit Head shall be responsible for obtaining a complete applicant file as described in the vacancy announcement.
The Chairperson/Unit Head shall be responsible for ensuring that all applicants are sent an EEO card and information about the department, the University, and the community.
Candidate Selection Process
No candidates may be invited for interviews until the Form C is approved by the Dean/Director, the Civil Rights Director, and the Vice President, if designated in the Recruitment Plan. The Screening Committee shall function according to the charge outlined in the Recruitment Plan and expressed at the organizational meeting.
The Chairperson/Unit Head shall prepare the Form C and submit it with files to the Dean/Director for approval.
The Dean/Director shall review the candidates' files, and request additional information from the chairpersons when appropriate. Upon approval of the Form C, the Dean/Director shall forward the Form C and applicant files to the Civil Rights Director for approval. After review of the Form C, the Office of Civil Rights will forward the completed Form C and applicant files to the Chairperson/Unit Head. Or, when otherwise specified in the Recruitment Plan, the Office of Civil Rights will forward the Form C and files to the Vice President for review. No invitation shall be extended to the candidates until Form C has been signed and returned to the Chairperson/Unit Head.
Appropriate actions shall be taken by the Dean/Unit Head and the Civil Rights Director to ensure that the Recruitment Plan has been followed. Additionally, if the candidate pool is of insufficient quality, size, or diversity, the decision may be made to reopen the screening process, to fill the position temporarily, or to cancel the screening process.
The Chairperson/Unit Head or designee shall invite candidates to come for interviews. The letter of invitation shall explain the University's policy on reimbursement of interview expenses, and shall inform the candidate that he or she will be required to document employment eligibility as required by the Immigration Department. In addition, the letter may specify a salary range, rank/title, and information concerning the type of position and, as appropriate, information about the educational requirements for tenure. Salary and rank/title must be approved by the Dean and the Vice President.
Telephone invitations may be used if time is critical, but the call must include all pertinent information mentioned above and be confirmed in writing.
Candidate Interview Process
The Chairperson/Unit Head shall establish the interview schedule which shall include the Dean, faculty/staff and any others deemed appropriate. Candidates for teaching positions shall make presentations to the faculty or teach sample classes to which faculty and students are invited. The Chair/Unit Head shall establish the appropriate interview schedule for academic support professionals.
The Chairperson/Unit Head or designated Screening Committee Chairperson shall ensure that the candidates' evaluation forms are distributed at each interview session. Other signed memoranda or communications may also be considered by the committee.
The Chairperson/Unit Head or the designated Screening Committee Chairperson, following the guidelines of the Recruitment Plan, shall prepare a composite summary of the evaluations of the interview sessions, summary comments from the screening committee, and reference information. This material and all files shall be forwarded to the Dean with the Form C and the applicant files.
During the on-campus interview process, each candidate shall complete an Employment Eligibility Verification Form (I-9) in the Dean's Office. The Dean's Office shall retain these completed forms until the Form D is forwarded to the Dean's Office.
The Chairperson/Unit Head is responsible for ensuring that the final candidates' references have been appropriately checked, and that the credentials are appropriate for the advertised vacant position.
OFFER OF APPOINTMENT
No offer of employment may be made until the Dean/Director, the Civil Rights Director, and the Vice President have signed the Form D.
After consultation with the department screening committee, the Chairperson/Unit Head shall submit the Form D and the candidate's complete application (including a letter of interest, a current vita, letters of recommendation or reports from telephone references, and transcripts or other evidence of all graduate work), composite summaries of the interview session comments, and summaries of the screening committee's comments to the Dean for approval.
The Dean/Director, upon approval of the department's recommendation, shall forward the Form D and the accompanying materials to the Office of Civil Rights for review. The Dean shall insert the candidate's completed I-9 Form into the file.
The Office of Civil Rights shall forward the Form D and accompanying materials to the Vice President.
The Vice President, upon approval of the recommendation, shall send an offer of appointment with a return date specified. The Dean shall provide the Office of the Vice President with narrative about any special terms negotiated with the prospective faculty member.
The Human Resources Office shall be responsible for collecting the Educational Loan Default Certification as required by statute.
The Vice President's Office shall notify appropriate campus offices of acceptance or rejection of the offer.
COMPLETING THE EMPLOYMENT PROCESS
The Chairperson/Unit Head or designated Screening Committee Chairperson shall notify all unsuccessful candidates.
The Chairperson/Unit Head shall submit the request for reimbursement of interview expenses of candidates to the Dean/Director's Office.
The Chairperson/Unit Head shall retain in a secured site for a two-year period all applicant files, screening committee summary comments, and Chairperson/Unit Head notes. The materials of all the newly employed faculty members or academic support professionals shall be forwarded to the Vice President's office, as indicated above, with the offer of appointment.
TEMPORARY FACULTY
Before a temporary position may be filled or advertised, a Form A must be approved by the Chairperson/Unit Head, the Dean/Director, and the Vice President.
Whenever feasible and appropriate,
temporary positions shall be filled through a national recruitment process.
A temporary faculty member who is hired through a national recruitment process
may be later appointed into a continuing tenure-track position without
conducting a new screening process, on the recommendation of the Chairperson,
the Dean, the Civil Rights Director, and the Vice President. A temporary
faculty member who is employed through a national screening process is
not guaranteed a later appointment as a continuing faculty member. There
is no requirement for the University to fill a continuing tenure-track
position in this manner.
When a national screening process is approved for a temporary position, the procedures prescribed in this policy for filling a continuing faculty position apply.
Advertising for temporary positions may be omitted under certain circumstances, such as when vacancies are to be filled by persons on the Re-employment Roster or when there is insufficient time to advertise for the position.
A Form D shall be completed for any
temporary appointment.
Approved:
President
May 15, 2002
Monitor: President