Nothing that the departmental chairs and faculty do for the department and the College is more important for the healthy future of these units than searching for and hiring new faculty of the highest possible quality. Conducting the search and hiring process in a proper way should alleviate any problems that may arise when tenure and promotion decisions must be made.

Before beginning a search, all chairs must have and be familiar with The University of North Texas Search Guidelines and the appropriate packet of information including a "search checklist" available from the Office of Equity and Diversity. Departmental chairs are responsible for seeing that this information is available to all persons involved in faculty searches in their departments. While following the guidelines in these materials should ensure that there is a broadly diverse pool of candidates for consideration, the steps outlined for a search make general good sense for the hiring process. In addition, there may be practices and traditions for faculty searches that vary by discipline with the College. It is not the intent of this policy to interfere with these practices and traditions as long as they do not violate University guidelines, the goal of a diverse pool of candidates, and the hiring of candidates of the highest possible quality.

If the departmental chair appoints or participates in a collective process of appointing members of the search committee, he/she should select or influence the selection of persons who have appropriate qualifications to serve and who have a sense of importance of the search process. In some cases departmental charters or bylaws provide guidelines for selection of search committees. If this is the case, the chair may have the opportunity to select the committee chair. Whatever the procedure, the search committee should reflect departmental diversity, and the departmental chair should work closely with the search committee in following University and College guidelines and instilling the importance of the work being done. The search committee must include one faculty member from outside the department but from within the College; the committee must also include a diversity advisory representative from the College and a student. The diversity advisory representative and the student are not formal voting committee members and will not vote on the candidates unless requested to do so by the department at the first meeting of the search committee. The diversity advisory representative is a faculty member from the College of Arts and Sciences who should visit with the search committee as soon as it has been formed and frequently thereafter to observe and advise on specific aspects of the search process.

The recruitment announcement should, in addition to a description of the position, follow the "Guidelines for Position Announcements: Information Relating to Equity and Diversity" available from the Office of Equity and Diversity. The process of screening candidates may vary with discipline, but quality, qualification, and programmatic fit are the three vital components in generating a short list. Ethnic diversity and gender are two other important components for consideration, but, of themselves, should not override lack of the first two. If minority and/or female candidates are identified as ranking close to the short list nominees, it may be appropriate to invite them in for an interview to insure that every possible step for diversifying the faculty is taken. At least two and preferably three candidates should be interviewed. Every candidate will have an interview with an associate dean, and in the case of candidates for senior positions (e.g. tenure on appointment) and for candidates who are minority, with the dean. For the latter group, an interview with the dean will allow an opportunity for discussing any concerns they may have and for learning of UNT's active hiring and retention efforts. If the candidate asks the chair or search committee members about the rationale of the meeting with the dean, it should be explained in these terms.  The interview with the dean will not replace the meeting with the associate dean.

Candidates who will have equipment or other start-up needs should bring a written budget of these needs to the interview.  Although a candidate’s expectations on salary and start-up needs may be discussed during an interview, the department should avoid attaching specific dollar amounts to a position and refer only to a range of figures for salary and start-ups for comparable hires in the discipline. The department may contact references, including persons not identified by the candidate, but discretion should be exercised when doing so.

When the search process is completed and an acceptable candidate is identified, the department chair, or the chair and the search committee chair, will meet with the dean to discuss the selection and a possible offer. The department should not start negotiations or make informal offers to the candidate. In meeting with the dean, the department will provide the following information or materials prior to this meeting:

1. Vitae of all candidates inteviewed

2. Letters of reference for each candidate interviewed

3. A brief, written comparison of the interviewed candidates and justification for choosing the person being recommended

4. A compelling argument for not hiring a minority or female candidate, if such candidates were interviewed and were of comparable quality to other candidates

5. The results of departmental consultation about degree completion with the candidate’s major professor or other members of the Ph.D. committee if the candidate has not yet finished the terminal degree.

During the meeting (or possibly after the dean has taken additional time to examine all the materials) and after there is agreement on a candidate, the dean, in consultation with the department, will decide on a salary and start-up money offer. Once there is agreement on an offer, the department may convey that offer informally and verbally to the candidate. The candidate may have ten days, or less if appropriate, to respond. If the candidate makes a counteroffer, the department must confer with the dean before responding. If agreement is reached with the candidate, the dean’s offer letter will be issued from the VPAA’s office.

If the department is not satisfied with candidates interviewed, there may be reconsideration of others on or near the short list. If any of these candidates are of sufficient caliber to interview, they may be brought to campus. If their records lack the necessary quality, the search may be ended for the year with the assurance that, barring financial catastrophe, the department will be able to resume the search in the next academic year.

Last updated on Tuesday, March 26, 2002 08:44 AM -0600 by Tricia Banfield (tricia@unt.edu).