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Policy 1444 – Search Policies and Procedures for Positions of Dean or Higher

Revision Date:  9/5/2019

Last Review: 9/5/2019

Responsible Office:  Office of the President

References:  University of Louisiana System, Policy FS-III.II.B-1b

Policy:

The Board of Supervisors for the University of Louisiana System recognizes diversity as essential to operational effectiveness and mission fulfillment, and a strategic business imperative. The Board declares the recruitment and development of high quality administrators, faculty, and staff from all demographic, experiential, and cultural backgrounds a systemic priority. In an effort to attract qualified and diverse applicants, a variety of recruiting and selection actions may be employed when seeking individuals to fill campus positions at the level of vice presidents, deans or athletic directors.** Regardless of the actions taken, all state and federal affirmative action and non-discrimination laws shall be followed. In addition to the guidelines provided herein, search processes should reflect campus practice and policy, be conducted in a timely and professional manner, and respect the individual’s rights to confidentiality to the extent permitted by state law. The university President is charged with the responsibility for ensuring oversight and implementation of this policy.

Definitions:

Applicant: an individual who has applied for a position or a nominee who has agreed to be considered for the position.

Candidate: an individual who has been invited and has agreed to a formal interview.

Nominee: an individual whose name has been submitted for consideration by a third party.

Procedures:

Search Committee Composition and Charge

A search committee shall be appointed by the President or designee and contain an appropriate mix of faculty, students, staff, and others relevant to the position of interest. The search committee will be representative of the university regarding all demographics.

The committee shall be responsible for recruiting a qualified, diverse applicant pool, reviewing résumés, selecting candidates to interview, interviewing candidates, and recommending and/or ranking candidates for hire for a specific position.

The committee charge shall include considering all applicants on fit with the position description and institution and open discussion about cultural competence of applicants.

Search Authorization

The search process shall commence as quickly as is reasonably possible after it becomes known that an administrative vacancy will occur.

The President or designee shall define a charge to the search committee and outline timing considerations.

The President or designee, working with the search committee, shall develop a position description that includes minimum qualifications and any prerequisites of the position, position responsibilities and any special criteria, circumstances or issues regarding the position. Preferred qualifications of the person to be chosen will also be determined.

Human Resources will guide the President to ensure that the position description and qualifications are written in a manner that does not include implicit bias or discourages diverse applicants from applying.

Search Committee Chair

The President or his designee may appoint the search committee chair or may request the committee to select its own chair. The chair shall ensure that minutes of each meeting are taken and distributed to committee members and the President or his designee and will liaise with applicants and candidates as necessary.

Search Committee Process

The President or his designee in consultation with the search committee shall develop a national recruitment plan that is appropriate to the search of interest. Various search tools may be employed, including but not limited to advertisements in state, local and national newspapers, higher education publications and other appropriate media. The use of technology may be utilized when feasible to facilitate the search in a cost efficient manner. External consulting firms may also be employed to help with the recruiting efforts.

The President or his designee shall work with the EEO or appropriate campus officer to ensure that effective recruitment mechanisms for women and minority candidates exist and that the search committee is provided relevant instruction on these matters. A documented search process shall be required for the review and evaluation of all applicant materials. The search committee shall develop objective measurement tools and selection criteria, as well as the evaluation process which shall be consistently applied to all applicants.

When the search committee has completed its vetting of the applicant pool, it shall work with the President or his designee to determine the candidate(s) to be invited to interview. The decision to include an individual as a candidate should be based upon judgment of their comparative professional merit relative to the requirements specified in the job description.

The committee shall be charged with interviewing the candidate(s) in an open forum. Candidates shall also be available for additional public meetings with other groups as deemed appropriate by the committee.

The final candidate recommendations, signed by each of the committee members confirming the committee’s choice(s), shall be submitted to the President or his designee. The President or his designee shall be responsible for discussions with the candidate concerning conditions and prerequisites of employment in accordance with applicable administrative policies.

Release of Candidate Information

The university administration shall make it clear to all applicants that the university may make public certain information; consistent with State open records laws.

Administrative Support

The university administration shall provide the search committee with adequate resources and assistance to carry out the committee’s responsibilities; and shall designate a sole spokesperson to report on committee activities and the status of the search process.

Central Repository of Search Information

Final search committee records and reports shall be kept in the personnel/human resources office (or EEO office) and be designated as personnel files, consistent with the open records rules and regulations.

Board Action

The Campus President shall submit the recommendation as an agenda item for Board approval along with an outline of the process used in the search.

Additionally, Board staff will be provided with: search committee minutes (for each meeting indicate meeting date, members in attendance, applicants/applications reviewed, and actions taken); the number of applications received; the number of candidates interviewed; and the makeup of the search committee. The Board staff and Inclusion Task Force Oversight Committee tasked with Recruiting, Hiring and Retention shall focus on reviewing the selection process rather than the credentials of individual candidates. When necessary, the institution may be requested to submit the entire search committee files for Board staff review prior to Board approval.

** This policy does not apply to searches for “associate” or “assistant” vice presidents, deans and athletic directors. The selection of persons to serve in these capacities is a matter of administrative determination as they serve at the pleasure of the Vice President, Dean or Athletics Director.

Policy 1444 – Search Policies and Procedures for Positions of Dean or Higher

Revision Date:  9/5/2019

Last Review: 9/5/2019

Responsible Office:  Office of the President

References:  University of Louisiana System, Policy FS-III.II.B-1b

Policy:

The Board of Supervisors for the University of Louisiana System recognizes diversity as essential to operational effectiveness and mission fulfillment, and a strategic business imperative. The Board declares the recruitment and development of high quality administrators, faculty, and staff from all demographic, experiential, and cultural backgrounds a systemic priority. In an effort to attract qualified and diverse applicants, a variety of recruiting and selection actions may be employed when seeking individuals to fill campus positions at the level of vice presidents, deans or athletic directors.** Regardless of the actions taken, all state and federal affirmative action and non-discrimination laws shall be followed. In addition to the guidelines provided herein, search processes should reflect campus practice and policy, be conducted in a timely and professional manner, and respect the individual’s rights to confidentiality to the extent permitted by state law. The university President is charged with the responsibility for ensuring oversight and implementation of this policy.

Definitions:

Applicant: an individual who has applied for a position or a nominee who has agreed to be considered for the position.

Candidate: an individual who has been invited and has agreed to a formal interview.

Nominee: an individual whose name has been submitted for consideration by a third party.

Procedures:

Search Committee Composition and Charge

A search committee shall be appointed by the President or designee and contain an appropriate mix of faculty, students, staff, and others relevant to the position of interest. The search committee will be representative of the university regarding all demographics.

The committee shall be responsible for recruiting a qualified, diverse applicant pool, reviewing résumés, selecting candidates to interview, interviewing candidates, and recommending and/or ranking candidates for hire for a specific position.

The committee charge shall include considering all applicants on fit with the position description and institution and open discussion about cultural competence of applicants.

Search Authorization

The search process shall commence as quickly as is reasonably possible after it becomes known that an administrative vacancy will occur.

The President or designee shall define a charge to the search committee and outline timing considerations.

The President or designee, working with the search committee, shall develop a position description that includes minimum qualifications and any prerequisites of the position, position responsibilities and any special criteria, circumstances or issues regarding the position. Preferred qualifications of the person to be chosen will also be determined.

Human Resources will guide the President to ensure that the position description and qualifications are written in a manner that does not include implicit bias or discourages diverse applicants from applying.

Search Committee Chair

The President or his designee may appoint the search committee chair or may request the committee to select its own chair. The chair shall ensure that minutes of each meeting are taken and distributed to committee members and the President or his designee and will liaise with applicants and candidates as necessary.

Search Committee Process

The President or his designee in consultation with the search committee shall develop a national recruitment plan that is appropriate to the search of interest. Various search tools may be employed, including but not limited to advertisements in state, local and national newspapers, higher education publications and other appropriate media. The use of technology may be utilized when feasible to facilitate the search in a cost efficient manner. External consulting firms may also be employed to help with the recruiting efforts.

The President or his designee shall work with the EEO or appropriate campus officer to ensure that effective recruitment mechanisms for women and minority candidates exist and that the search committee is provided relevant instruction on these matters. A documented search process shall be required for the review and evaluation of all applicant materials. The search committee shall develop objective measurement tools and selection criteria, as well as the evaluation process which shall be consistently applied to all applicants.

When the search committee has completed its vetting of the applicant pool, it shall work with the President or his designee to determine the candidate(s) to be invited to interview. The decision to include an individual as a candidate should be based upon judgment of their comparative professional merit relative to the requirements specified in the job description.

The committee shall be charged with interviewing the candidate(s) in an open forum. Candidates shall also be available for additional public meetings with other groups as deemed appropriate by the committee.

The final candidate recommendations, signed by each of the committee members confirming the committee’s choice(s), shall be submitted to the President or his designee. The President or his designee shall be responsible for discussions with the candidate concerning conditions and prerequisites of employment in accordance with applicable administrative policies.

Release of Candidate Information

The university administration shall make it clear to all applicants that the university may make public certain information; consistent with State open records laws.

Administrative Support

The university administration shall provide the search committee with adequate resources and assistance to carry out the committee’s responsibilities; and shall designate a sole spokesperson to report on committee activities and the status of the search process.

Central Repository of Search Information

Final search committee records and reports shall be kept in the personnel/human resources office (or EEO office) and be designated as personnel files, consistent with the open records rules and regulations.

Board Action

The Campus President shall submit the recommendation as an agenda item for Board approval along with an outline of the process used in the search.

Additionally, Board staff will be provided with: search committee minutes (for each meeting indicate meeting date, members in attendance, applicants/applications reviewed, and actions taken); the number of applications received; the number of candidates interviewed; and the makeup of the search committee. The Board staff and Inclusion Task Force Oversight Committee tasked with Recruiting, Hiring and Retention shall focus on reviewing the selection process rather than the credentials of individual candidates. When necessary, the institution may be requested to submit the entire search committee files for Board staff review prior to Board approval.

** This policy does not apply to searches for “associate” or “assistant” vice presidents, deans and athletic directors. The selection of persons to serve in these capacities is a matter of administrative determination as they serve at the pleasure of the Vice President, Dean or Athletics Director.