The University
Senate of
The search procedure described here is for University administrators who constitute the executive team, excluding the President.
This policy does not apply to searches for other second- and
third-echelon administrators. For such searches, this procedure may be used in
whole or part at the discretion of the President.
| 1.0 | Initiation |
| 1.1 | The Initiator of a search will be the President, or appropriate executive as designated by the President. |
| 2.0 | Formation of the Search Committee |
| 2.1 | This procedure varies automatically for the following positions: Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, Vice President for Administration, Vice President for Research, and Vice President for Student Affairs. For other executive vacancies, the Initiator and the Senate President must meet to determine if it is necessary to implement this procedure. They should also determine what sort of professional training and knowledge would constitute an appropriate committee for all searches. The search committee can consist of up to 10 persons. The Initiator will request that the Senate selects up to four members, to include both faculty and staff, from the Senate constituency. The Senate Executive Committee will decide on the selection method. The Initiator will select up to four other persons. One representative each from the undergraduate and graduate students may be selected if deemed appropriate for the purposes of the search.
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| 2.2 | The Initiator will ask Human Resources to designate a representative to serve without vote. | |
| 3.0 | Meetings | |
| 3.1 | The Initiator will call the first meeting of the Committee, and will deliver the charge to the Committee. The Initiator will relate the guidelines for the search process including staffing and the budget for advertising and interviewing. |
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| 3.2 | The Initiator will supervise the election of a chair and associate chair by written ballot, in closed session, at the first meeting. During the first meeting the Initiator will specify the responsibilities of these individuals.
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| 3.3 | The Initiator and the Committee will agree on a target date for selection of the candidate and on other time lines of the search. |
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| 3.4 | The Affirmative Action Officer and the Human Resources representative or other designated persons will provide an orientation for the Search Committee at the outset of the search, and will be available thereafter for any needed consultation. The Committee should discuss the legal issues involved in record keeping and be informed of their legal responsibilities and liabilities. As of the writing of this procedure, all notes and email correspondence must be kept for three years. |
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| 3.5 | The representative from Human Resources will assist the Committee with its tasks of organizing paperwork, documenting activities, advertising the position, and following guidelines for the search and screening processes. |
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| 3.6 | Searches will proceed under the principle of openness. Committee meetings will be open to members of the University community unless a closed meeting is necessary to maintain confidentiality. |
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| 4.0 | Goals | |
| 4.1 | In order to select appropriate candidates, the Search Committee must consider the goals, the mission, and the vision that have been published for the University and the unit(s) to be administered.
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| 5.0 | Position description and list of qualifications and attributes | |
| 5.1 | The Initiator, with input from the Search Committee, from Human Resources, from appropriate administrators, and from the Affirmative Action Office, will draft a position description (e.g., qualifications, duties, expected achievements, etc.) that is consonant with published goals. |
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| 5.2 | The draft position description and list of qualifications and attributes will be posted electronically. Faculty, staff, and students will be invited to send comments to the Committee. |
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| 5.3 | The Initiator will consider the comments, and then write a final description and list of qualifications and attributes. The final version will be posted electronically and submitted for publication in Tech Today and The Lode. It will also be sent to all applicants. |
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| 6.0 | Mechanism for identifying candidates |
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6.1 |
At the discretion of the Initiator, the search may be conducted using the services of a search firm or consultants. The Search Committee will direct the efforts of the firm or consultants. |
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6.2 |
To ensure a diverse, well-qualified applicant pool that meets EEO requirements, the Committee should solicit applicants according to procedure established by the Affirmative Action Office and work with the Affirmative Action Officer. |
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6.3 |
As the search progresses, deviations from the budgetary guidelines must be approved by the Initiator. |
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| 7.0 | Semifinalist candidates | |
| 7.1 | The Committee, after reviewing vitae, reference letters, other relevant material, the results of any screening interviews, and the advice of the Affirmative Action Officer, will produce a short list of candidates. These candidates will be invited for on-campus interviews; they become semifinalists on acceptance of an interview. |
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| 7.2 | For semifinalists the Committee will obtain independent assessments from referees not listed by these candidates. |
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| 8.0 | Interview process |
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| 8.1 | A full resume will be posted electronically by the Human Resources Office for examination by all faculty, staff, and students of the University.
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| 8.2 | For on-campus interviews, the Committee will arrange and publicize a variety of opportunities, including at least two open forums, for faculty, staff, and students to meet and talk with each candidate.
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| 8.3 | The Search Committee will develop, with the Initiator's approval, a standard interview schedule for each semi-finalist.
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| 8.4 | The Committee will invite to a separate meeting with the candidate, all faculty of the department in which the candidate wishes residency.
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| 8.5 | Faculty, staff, and students will be invited to provide oral and written feedback to the Committee on the entire slate of semifinalist candidates, based on the published position description, qualifications and attributes. The Committee will share these comments with the Initiator. |
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| 9.0 | Selecting the final candidate(s) |
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| 9.1 | Selection of the final candidate(s) will begin only after the on-campus interview process for all semifinalist candidates is complete. |
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| 9.2 | After considering the feedback from the University community, the Committee will develop in closed session a list of at most three acceptable individuals from the list of semifinalists. |
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| 9.3 | The Initiator will also develop a list of acceptable individuals from the list of semifinalists. |
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| 9.4 | The Committee and the Initiator will meet and agree on mutually acceptable finalist candidate(s). If no agreement can be reached, the search will be reopened. |
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| 10.0 | Negotiating salary and tenure | |
| 10.1 | The Initiator and/or President will negotiate with the chosen finalist candidate(s). Should negotiations with all acceptable candidate(s) be unsuccessful, the Committee and the Initiator will meet to reach a consensual decision on the selection of the next acceptable finalist(s) from list of applicants. The search will be reopened if no acceptable candidate is found. |
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| 10.2 | If appropriate, the President or Provost will negotiate tenure with the Chairs and Deans of appropriate academic units, and will make any recommendation of tenure to the Board of Trustees.
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| 10.3 | Other professional benefits will be negotiated between the candidate and the appropriate administrative officer(s). |
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| 11.0 | Closure | |
The Search Committee must inform the Senate of any changes it deems necessary in the search procedure. |
Proposal 18-01:
Adopted by Senate: 08 May 2002
Approved by Administration: 24 May 2002
Proposal 2-07:
Adopted by Senate: 11 October
2006
Approved by Administration: 20 October 2006
Proposal 18-10:
Introduced to Senate: 31 March 2010
Three Amendments (in blue) were added: 14 April 2010
Adopted by Senate with Amendments: 14 April 2010
Approved by Administration: 21 April 2010
September 2015: Name changed from Board of Control to Board of Trustees