Procedures for Faculty Recruiting & Hiring Search Committee
Search Committee Guidelines
The following suggestions are designed to assist Search Committees in the hiring process.
1. To facilitate the hiring process, Departments should form a Search Committee. While committee size may vary depending on department and area, a group of approximately five faculty is desirable.
2. Search Committees should make every effort to include female and minority members. In cases where there are no minorities or females in a department to serve on a search committee, female or minority faculty or staff members from another department, a neighboring institution, or the outside community should be invited, if appropriate, to join the Search Committee.
3. Students should be involved in most searches. This may or may not involve service on the Search Committees. If students are appointed to the search committee, the Department should clearly convey to students the nature of their role. Responsibilities regarding confidentiality of all materials and any voting rights should be clearly communicated at the time of appointment. If students do not sit on search committees, they should have the opportunity to meet candidates during their campus visits and provide input to the search committee.
4. Search Committees should keep minutes of all meetings.
5. Committees should develop and use appropriate forms to screen applicants, to make reference telephone calls prior to inviting candidates to campus, to interview candidates, and to review candidates' qualifications. These forms should reflect the requirements identified in the job description. The list of hiring resources contains examples of evaluation/screening forms.
The Department Chairperson should meet with the Search Committee and provide it with its charge. The charge should include information about:
1. The nature of the position and a review of the job description.
2. The role of the Committee including its charge to recruit a diverse pool of candidates.
3. A preferred timeline.
4. Instruction as to the form in which the Committee's recommendations are to be presented and information about how the Chairperson will use the recommendations.
5. University and governmental regulations applicable to the search, including the need for keeping minutes and accurate records. The University policy on nepotism (page 19 in the policies and procedures handbook) and guidelines of appropriate interview questions are provided on the Faculty Hiring web site.
Pursuant to EEOC regulations governing record keeping requirements for institutions of higher education, the University of Dayton must keep all applications and other records pertaining to hiring, promotion, tenure, termination, demotion, transfer, layoff, rates of pay and compensation for two years from the date of receipt of the application or the date of making the personnel action. The files should include each applicant's resume and materials as well as the Search Committee evaluation/screening forms for each applicant and will be retained by the Dean's Office or Department Chairperson's Office. If a final candidate requests the return of his/her resume and application materials, the materials should be returned. The letter requesting the return of the original material should be kept in the Dean's file. However, if an individual requests to review evaluation/screening forms or other employment records, the matter should be referred to Legal Affairs–Compliance and Affirmative Action.
Specific Search Committee Responsibilities and Tasks
The Search Committee can probably work most efficiently by dividing the responsibilities and tasks of the Committee. A Search Committee chair should be selected. While specific searches may require some different approaches, the responsibilities and tasks of most searches will include:
1. Develop the final position description and a search plan that increases the likelihood of an appropriately diverse pool of candidates. The description should include the approved University boilerplate at appropriate places in the description:
The University of Dayton, founded in 1850 by the Society of Mary, is a Top Ten Catholic research university. The University seeks outstanding, diverse faculty and staff who value its mission and share its commitment to academic excellence in teaching, research and artistic creativity, the development of the whole person, and leadership and service in the local and global community.
To attain its Catholic and Marianist mission, the University is committed to the principles of diversity, inclusion and affirmative action and to equal opportunity policies and practices. We act affirmatively to recruit and hire women, traditionally under-represented minority groups, persons with disabilities and veterans.
2. Screen all received applications and selecting a group of semifinalists for more careful review.
3. Prepare the appropriate documentation and forms for: conducting the initial review; rating the candidates to determine the semifinalists; gathering additional information from the semifinalists and their references; ratings and or ballots to determine the finalists who will be invited to campus; final ratings and or ballots to determine the ranking of finalists and who would receive an offer of employment. Input appropriate ratings and status in in PeopleAdmin.
4. Schedule campus visits to arrange for interviews, meetings, presentations as well as travel arrangements, accommodations and meals for the candidates.
5. Provide materials on the Department, University and the Dayton community for the candidates.
Role of Mission and Diversity
While only the Department Chair and Search Committee chairs attend the Hiring for Mission retreat all search committee members have a responsibility to evaluate candidates in light of the University’s mission and goals. The University has consistently and clearly articulated its education mission. This mission should drive the search for new faculty who can sustain and strengthen that mission. From the 2005 document, Habits of Inquiry and Reflection
- Education in the Catholic and Marianist traditions at the University of Dayton: 1) seeks knowledge in a sacramental spirit; 2) pursues learning in, through, and for community; 3) cultivates practical wisdom; 4) forges critical ability to read the signs of these times; and 5) supports discernment of personal and communal vocation…
- Students educated in the Catholic and Marianist traditions at the University of Dayton pursue rigorous academic inquiry, in a sacramental spirit, and engage in vigorous dialogue, learning in, through, and for community. Guided by the purpose of transforming society for the ends of justice, peace, and the common good, the University’s academic program challenges students to excellence in their majors, cultivates practical wisdom in light of the particular needs of the twenty-first century, and fosters reflection upon their individual vocations.
The University of Dayton is firmly committed to the principle of diversity and to increasing diversity in faculty positions. From the University Mission Statement, we find "The University of Dayton welcomes people of many backgrounds, religious traditions and opinions – a welcome rooted in UD's Catholic and Marianist heritage. The University works to ensure diversity among staff, faculty and students." This commitment to diversity and inclusion will offer students the understanding, skills and competencies required informed and successful lives in our increasingly diverse world.