OFFICIAL
   
Policy and Procedure Statement 7.02
Faculty Hiring
Revised: 9/03 - PROPOSED
(54 paragraphs)
Review Cycle: May 1, EY
Review Date: 5/1/1998
Reviewer: Provost

PEN & INK CHANGES MADE TO PARAGRAPH 28, FEBRUARY 15, 2005

GENERAL INFORMATION
  1. Texas State University-San Marcos ( Texas State ) is committed to hiring well-qualified faculty members for every vacant faculty position and will take the necessary steps to ensure that applicant pools are diverse.
  2. This Policy and Procedure Statement (PPS) outlines the process that is followed to secure, with the resources available, the services of the best-qualified persons for faculty vacancies and to support an effective faculty governance system.
  3. This PPS provides guidelines for seeking and employing faculty members, both tenure track and non-tenure track faculty, including part-time faculty and emergency hires. Additional information regarding hiring and use of part-time and per course faculty may be found in PPS 7.14.
  4. The Faculty Hiring Checklist found in Appendix A provides a quick reference to the material contained in the PPS and summarizes the actions needed in order to hire new faculty.

RECRUITING A DIVERSE FACULTY AND PROVIDING EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES
  1. Texas State is committed to recruiting and retaining a diverse and distinguished faculty. We define ‘diversity' broadly to include such factors as geographic backgrounds, ages, genders, educational backgrounds, employment experiences, language abilities, economic backgrounds, cultures, and special skills and talents. We also believe that race and ethnicity are socially significant characteristics and that there will be occasions when a person's experiences will be affected by his or her race or ethnicity. The terms ‘race' and ‘ethnicity' are not limited and include persons from all races and ethnic backgrounds. We will consider race or ethnicity as merely one factor in our overall efforts to diversify our faculty, to be applied in limited circumstances only when the experiences of race or ethnicity contribute significantly to a diversity of ideas.
  2. Texas State is also committed to assuring that all candidates for faculty positions are afforded an equal opportunity for consideration and to full compliance with Titles VI and VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 as amended, Civil Rights Act of 1991, Executive Order 11246 and its amendments, Equal Pay Act, Age Discrimination in Employment Act, Section 503 of the Vocational Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Vietnam Era Readjustment Act of 1974, Pregnancy Discrimination Act of 1978, Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986, The Americans with Disabilities Act and the Texas State University System policies for maintaining and reporting of employees.
  3. Texas State 's policy is to assure that faculty employment procedures comply with University policies and procedures (see UPPS 04.04.11, University Classification and Compensation Policy.) Guidelines for recruiting and hiring a diverse faculty are found in Appendix B.
THE APPLICANT POOL

  1. For emergency hires or as an alternative for filling short-term (one year or less) vacancies, the department/school is required to continuously maintain a pool of applicants from which to interview and select prospective faculty. The recruitment and maintenance of this pool should follow the guidelines for emergency hires and short-term contracted faculty found in Appendix C.
  2. Tenure track positions and other term vacancies must be filled through open recruitment. These positions must be advertised and recruited for in a manner consistent with the following paragraphs of this PPS, assuring equal employment opportunity to all persons. Additionally, the department/school should review the existing emergency hire applicant pool for qualified applicants to add to the pool for a tenure track or term search.
POSITION AUTHORIZATION

  1. The process of searching for a faculty position begins with position authorization.

    Funding for per course, temporary, and one-year term positions is normally authorized through the annual budget cycle. Recruiting for these authorized positions is conducted through the process outlined in paragraph 11. These positions may be approved at other times based on enrollment needs and filled through the same process or, if necessary, through the emergency process outlined in paragraph 8.

    Multi-year term, tenure-track, or tenured faculty positions are normally authorized through the Annual Faculty Position Authorization Cycle or through other faculty position review cycles authorized by the Provost. When a budgeted tenured or tenure-track position becomes vacant, that position lapses to the Provost for review through this allocation process. Both continuing positions that have lapsed to the Provost and new positions authorized by the President are allocated through this review process.

    While a lapsed position is under review, one or more per course faculty salaries or one full-time temporary salary may be allocated on a temporary basis for the following fiscal year to a departmental budget, based on the number of sections taught by the departing faculty member in the previous fall semester and/or on the demonstrated instructional needs of the department. Requests for temporary allocations should be made through the same process outlined above used for other requests for temporary positions. Recruiting for a permanent faculty position can begin only after the Provost authorizes a permanent full-time faculty position for the Department.

    Permanent positions may be authorized on an emergency basis at other times at the sole discretion of the Provost based on the demonstrated needs of an academic department and critical recruiting periods in particular academic disciplines.
  2. To initiate open recruiting for a per course, temporary, or other term vacancy , a Position Authorization Request, Appendix D, must be submitted. This Position Authorization Request must clearly describe and justify the position and specify the proposed contract period and anticipated salary. A recruiting request may also be made to help each department maintain a pool of prospective temporary faculty members to meet temporary instructional needs in accordance with the process outlined in PPS 7.14. If the anticipated salary is more than what is budgeted, a memo detailing how the position will be funded will be submitted with the Position Authorization Request. The Request must be reviewed by the departmental personnel committee and approved by the chair/school director, college dean and the Provost.
  3. The Position Vacancy Announcement and Recruitment Plan, Appendix E & F, may be submitted with the Position Authorization Request in order to expedite the process if the search committee is in place, has met to develop the position criteria and has created a recruiting plan that will attract a diverse pool of applicants. Guidelines for Search Committees can be found in Appendix G.
SEARCH COMMITTEE
  1. Each department chair/school director is responsible for appointing one or more search committee(s) to be charged with recruiting and screening applicants and recommending final candidates. The department chair/school director may appoint one search committee to review applications for multiple vacancies in the department/school or establish separate search committees for individual vacancies. All of these actions are subject to the approval of the college dean. Departmental guidelines should also be developed to provide for involvement of the departmental personnel committee in the hiring process.
  2. The composition of each search committee recruiting faculty members must be diverse. To ensure diversity on a search committee, the dean may go outside the department/school or college for committee members.
ADVERTISING AND RECRUITING
  1. The search committee and the chair/school director will develop the position criteria based upon the Position Authorization Request description that will be used to prepare the advertisement. If grant writing or off-campus teaching is an expectation of the position, this must be conveyed in the posting. The criteria and the advertisement are subject to approval by the chair/school director, college dean, and the Director of Equity and Access (review only). Advertisements should not be placed without appropriate approvals.
  2. The position vacancy announcement must list a review date or a closing date. The preferred format for specifying a review or closing date is

    To ensure full consideration all materials should arrive by [specify date].

    The preferred format for salary information is

    Commensurate with qualifications.
  3. The Faculty Recruiting Plan should identify the placement of advertisements. Advertising may vary in scope and intensity depending whether the position is tenure track or short-term. Advertising is placed in the following:
    1. The Texas Workforce and the Governor's EEO Office. The Faculty Records Office will place these notices and post faculty vacancies on the Texas State Web page.
    2. Place an ad or web posting in one or more of the following to ensure that a pplicant pools are diverse
        1. Chronicle of Higher Education;
        2. Black Issues in Higher Education;
        3. Hispanic Outlook;
        4. HigherEdJobs.com;
        5. Austin and San Antonio newspapers (an alternative to i - iii above for emergency hires);
        6. Colleges and universities with primarily black, Hispanic, or female enrollment and with graduate programs in the discipline; and
        7. Persons identified in the Committee on Institutional Cooperation (CIC) Directory available through their website, http://www.cic.uiuc.edu/;
        8. Minority Doctorates Book and the Minority and Women Doctoral Directory available in the Office of Equity and Access.
        9. Appendix N provides additional recruiting links to ensure diversity.
    1. Additionally, advertising should be conducted through one of the following
        1. professional journals, newsletters or publications;
        2. university placement services;
        3. high school districts;
        4. direct mailing to appropriate graduate departments.
    2. Committee and department/school members should be encouraged to inform outstanding candidates of the availability of the position.
  1. The chair/school director, college dean, and Director of Equity and Access will review and approve the Recruiting Plan and Position Vacancy Announcement. Once approved, the Faculty Records Office will
    1. assign a posting number;
    2. notify the committee chair and the department chair/school director of the posting number; and
    3. distribute copies of the approved forms to the department chair/school director
  1. Following approval of the Recruiting Plan and Position Vacancy Announcement by the Director of Equity and Access, the chair submits advertisements to appropriate media. The ads should allow approximately 60 days between first publication and review or closing date of the position.
ESTABLISHING THE CANDIDATE FILE

  1. Upon receipt of a nomination or a letter of intent to apply, the chair begins a file on the individual. (See sample checklist in Appendix H.)
  2. The complete applicant file consists of items as defined by the committee.
  3. The files should be kept in a secure place designated by the committee chair.
CORRESPONDENCE
  1. The committee chair will acknowledge correspondence from the following persons (Samples letters in Appendix I.)
    1. the nominator and nominee upon receipt of a nomination; and
    2. the applicant upon receipt of a letter of application
      1. Texas State Employment Application sent to applicant
      2. the applicant should be notified if the file is complete or incomplete.
BEFORE THE REVIEW OR CLOSING DATE
  1. As applications arrive and before the closing date, the committee's administrative assistant will send to the Faculty Records Office (weekly or any time several have accumulated) labels with the names and addresses of all applicants. Faculty Records will mail the Confidential Faculty Applicant Data Form to insure confidentiality of the data. A cover letter will accompany the labels identifying the department and the posting number.
  2. Within a week prior to the review or closing date or earlier, the search committee chair may meet with the committee to review the criteria for rating the applicants.
  3. The search committee chair reserves a convenient and secure location for review of the candidate files by the members of the committee. The committee will ensure that the equity and access review follows the guidelines in Appendix B.
AFTER THE REVIEW OR CLOSING DATE, BEFORE INTERVIEWS
  1. Within one working day after the review or closing date for the position, the search committee chair should send the remaining name and address labels of applicants to the Faculty Records Office.
  2. Before screening of faculty applicants begins, the search committee will construct a screening matrix to be used to compare each candidate's qualifications to those stated in the position description. Each stipulated qualification should be represented and, if the search committee determines that it is necessary and appropriate, the scores applied to each qualification may be weighted. The search committee will select three or more applicants for interview and will identify reasons why all others will not be interviewed. As part of this selection process, the committee may identify a larger pool such as the top 10 candidates, and through representatives consider as many of these candidates as possible at a venue such as a professional meeting or through telephone interviews, or a combination of the two. During this phase of the search, some additional information should be secured from those selected to interview
  1. Official transcripts from all degree granting institutions for use during the final screening and
  2. Reference letters or telephone reference checks.
  1. The following materials should be submitted via the chair/school director, the college dean, and the Director of Equity and Access to Faculty Records.
    1. Faculty Applicant Log (Appendix J) with the following information completed
      1. The upper portion of the cover page of the Faculty Applicant Log Form listing position information and the list of candidates for interview.
      2. Continuation pages of the Log Form as needed to list: the name and social security number of applicants; teaching experience and related qualifications; the designation of applicants to be interviewed; and the reason(s) for not interviewing those who will not be interviewed. Additions can be made later if more applications are received.
      3. If the option to interview candidates one at a time as outlined in Paragraph 30 (b) is elected, the log form should indicate the order of the individuals to be interviewed.
    1. All applicant materials.
INTERVIEWS
  1. It is the responsibility of the search committee to verify the following on the candidates to be interviewed:
    1. certification of the candidate(s) degree;
    2. accreditation of the awarding college; and
    3. validity of transcripts.
  1. Depending upon available resources, the committee may interview in one of two ways:
    1. interview the top three or more candidates prior to selecting the top candidate; or
    2. interview one candidate at a time, reaching a decision about whether to recommend appointment after each interview. If this method is chosen, the log form should include a reason for not interviewing all candidates except the one to be interviewed first.
  1. In either case, the department may be required, based upon the recommendation of the Director of Equity and Access with the approval of the college dean, to interview additional applicants including affected class applicants. The Director of Equity and Access will review the log and may review applicant files.
  2. After the chair/director, dean, and the Director of Equity and Access have approved the Faculty Applicant Log interviews should be scheduled. Each candidate's itinerary should be made available to all persons involved in the interview process. A vita/resume, letters of reference or telephone checks and a copy of the applicant's application should be made available for review by all individuals involved in the interview process and copies should be sent to the dean.
  3. On-campus interviews should involve the departmental/school personnel committee, the department chair/school director, the search committee, and other faculty as appropriate. The committee chair may request interviewers to write comments on each candidate for later use in the selection process. The dean or dean's designee will interview all candidates.
  4. The department/school will pay expenses for prospective faculty members approved for on-campus interviews. Departments/schools may pay travel expenses from the departmental/school travel.
  5. The departmental/school interviews should assess competency in the discipline, potential as a teacher and a scholar, and potential for contributing to the department's or school's mission.
  6. During the interview, the dean will stress the University's commitment to these areas and its expectation that each faculty member excels in areas of teaching, scholarly/creative activities, and service. In addition to assessing competency in the discipline and potential as a teacher and scholar, the dean may consider each candidate's interest in areas such as distance education activities, contract and grant activities and leadership roles.
  7. Prospective faculty should, in the judgment of the chair/director and dean, possess the ability to communicate and comprehend spoken and written English appropriate to the classroom setting prior to hiring. The chair/director may require a successful candidate to participate in the Test of Spoken English administered by the Educational Service and Texas State tutorial program as a condition of employment (see PPS 7.12, Clear English Requirement).
  8. All interviewees must be informed that the Provost must approve salary offers and that only the President has the authority to issue contracts.
SELECTION
  1. After the interviews, the search committee will forward its recommendation to the department chair/school director with the completed applicant log, Appendix E & F, and the Equity and Access Faculty Hiring Evaluation Checklist found in Appendix G. The chair/director will secure the advice of the departmental/school personnel committee regarding the recommendation. The chair may also consult with other faculty in the department. After consultations, the chair will forward the recommendation of the search committee, the departmental/school personnel committee and the chair/director with the applicant files of the top ranking candidate to the college dean. The file of the recommended candidate will include those items needed for hiring and contracting, specifically
     

  1. a completed Faculty Employment Application;

    a current vita or resume;

    official transcripts from all degree granting institutions;

    at least three letters of recommendation or memorandum documenting telephone checks;

    Contract Offer Recommendation Form (Appendix K), including contract terms (Appendix L) and salary computation;

    completed log and interview sheets; and

    test results for candidates whose primary language is not English, or a memorandum indicating the candidate's agreement at the next available testing date.

  2. After discussion with the department chair/school director, the dean will forward the file of the top candidate (including items a-g above) to the Director of Equity and Access for hiring approval.
  3. After approval, the Director of Equity and Access submits the materials to the Provost for approval. Approval will be based on the recommendations and concurrences of the department chair/school director and the college dean in compliance with diversity goals and objectives.
  4. The department chair/school director should confirm the applicant's continuing interest prior to extending a position offer. If the selected candidate is no longer interested in the position, the search committee and the chair/director will make a recommendation through the college dean and the Director of Equity and Access to the Provost for another applicant. The steps beginning in paragraph 38 will again be followed.

 
HIRING AND CONTRACT
  1. The materials submitted for selection (items a-g in paragraph 38) are those needed by the Faculty Records Office to prepare a contract. The contract will be sent via e-mail to the chair/director and dean for review prior to signature by the Provost and President. Any special conditions of employment are subject to final approval of the Provost and President.
  2. Following approval and signature by the Provost and President, the contract is mailed by the Faculty Records Office to the department for transmittal to the candidate. The contract is subject to the stated deadline for acceptance.
  3. Upon receipt of the signed contract, the Faculty Records Office will send a copy of the signed contract to the department chair/school director and the college dean.
  4. Should the contract be rejected by the candidate, the search committee and the chair/director will make a recommendation through the college dean and the Director of Equity and Access for hiring another candidate, or taking other action such as extending or reopening the search or making an emergency hire. The steps beginning in paragraph 39 will again be followed.
EXTENDING A SEARCH WITH A CLOSING DATE
  1. Occasionally a search with a closing date does not produce any qualified applicants, a diverse pool, or a qualified candidate who accepts the offer. The search may be extended if time remains to expand recruiting efforts.
  2. To extend a search, the department chair/school director should send a memo via the college dean and the Director of Equity and Access to the Provost requesting extension of the advertised closing date. The memo should state the original closing date, the new closing date, the position number, reasons why the extension is necessary, and what new recruiting efforts will be made.
  3. The Faculty Applicant Log Form should include all applicants who applied under either closing date.
CLOSING/REOPENING A SEARCH

  1. In the event a search for a tenure-track position does not produce a qualified candidate or a candidate who accepts the offer, the search may be closed and reopened if there is not time to expand recruiting efforts on the original search. In this event, there are two options
    1. one-year-only contract may be offered to a qualified person for the current academic year, and the tenure track search can again be conducted for the following year; or
    2. the search may be closed, indicating no one was hired. A memo should be sent to the Provost via the college dean and Director of Equity and Access stating the position number, and reasons for closing without hiring.
  1. To reopen a search, the Recruiting Plan and Position Vacancy Announcement should be submitted by following the steps beginning in paragraph 10.
EMERGENCY HIRING
  1. An emergency vacancy is defined as a vacancy that occurs within 40 working days of the date when a faculty member must be available to begin teaching classes. For more detailed information see Appendix C.
  2. When an emergency vacancy occurs and the procedures above would unduly delay the University's obligation to execute its teaching mission, the advertising and posting requirements for temporary appointments may be waived. A memo requesting a waiver of advertising and posting requirements should be sent to the Provost via the college dean and the Director of Equity and Access. Attach a copy of the resignation letter, leave request or a memorandum of explanation to justify the emergency status.
  3. Hiring documents for faculty hired in emergency situations should include all of the materials listed in paragraph 38. The Faculty Applicant Log form should contain all the names of applicants in the current applicant pool.
  4. The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) Principles of Accreditation provide these guidelines for faculty credentials:

    Faculty teaching general education courses at the undergraduate level or courses leading toward the baccalaureate degree must hold a doctoral or a master's degree in the teaching discipline or a master's degree with a concentration in the teaching discipline (a minimum of at least 18 graduate semester hours in the teaching discipline). Faculty teaching graduate and post-baccalaureate course work must have earned the doctorate/terminal degree in the teaching discipline or a related discipline. In exceptional cases, outstanding professional experience and demonstrated contributions to the teaching discipline may be presented in lieu of formal academic preparation. Such cases must be justified by the institution on an individual basis.
  5. Departments must adopt policies regarding appropriate special credentials for their areas and defining terminal degrees other than the doctorate. These policies are subject to the approval of the dean and the Provost. An Employee Justification Form, Appendix M, must be included in the hiring packet for an employee who is hired as an exception to these normal expectations based on outstanding professional experience. This justification must provide clear evidence of the expertise that qualifies the prospective faculty member to teach particular courses in the department and requests for approval should be made on a course-by-course basis.
WHEN THE POSITION IS FILLED
  1. Each college dean and department chair/school director is responsible for setting expectations, conducting conferences, departmental/school in-service orientation and counseling related to the assignment of faculty in the college and department/school.
  2. Each department chair/school director is also responsible for notifying new faculty members that they are expected to attend New Faculty Orientation at the beginning of the fall semester.
  3. Applicant files and documentation of search procedures should remain in the departmental/school office for three years from the date of hire for the position.
CERTIFICATION STATEMENT
  1. This PPS has been approved by the reviewer listed below and represents Texas State's Division of Academic Affairs policy and procedure from the date of this document until superseded.

 

 
 
Review Cycle:
 ________________________________  
Review Date:
 ________________________________
 
Reviewer:
 ________________________________  
Date:
 ________________________________
 
Approved:
 ________________________________  
Date:
 ________________________________
    Perry Moore      
    Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs      
 

Last Updated: August 3, 2005
Send comments and questions to: tg12@txstate.edu