Allocation of Faculty Positions
It is the policy of the College that any faculty openings become part of a pool of openings, which are then assigned to various departments of the College on the basis of need. Department chairs may suggest in writing the definition of new faculty positions or possible allocations of open faculty positions to the Provost. Such suggestions, with supporting documentation, become a part of the Committee on Faculty’s continuing file on new positions. Annually the Committee on Faculty presents a formal recommendation to the President for the assignment of the next year’s faculty openings.
It is the responsibility of the President, upon the advice of the Committee on Faculty, to recommend the assignment of faculty openings to the Board of Trustees. This recommendation is usually discussed by the Executive Committee of the Board of Trustees, in conjunction with budget discussions and with the advice of the chief fiscal officer of the College. It is the responsibility of the Committee on Faculty and the Department chair to communicate the expectations for the position clearly to each new hire; to continue to monitor each new, reassigned, or reaffirmed faculty position to determine whether the expectations are being met; to consult with the faculty member in a timely manner in order to develop a strategy for addressing any perceived deficiencies; and if necessary, to recommend that the position be redefined, reallocated, or eliminated.
Faculty Searches
Each year the
Provost reviews and makes
appropriate revisions to the detailed steps for organizing and executing
a faculty search in
consultation with AP. Those
details appear in the “Guidelines for Department and Program Chairs” under the Faculty
Handbook link in the web Faculty Resources section.
Search Committee Structure. In consultation with the department, the
department chair forwards to the Committee on Faculty recommendations for
membership of the search committee using the following guidelines:
- For tenure-track searches the search
committee usually includes the Area Chair, the department chair (who usually
serves as chair), continuing full-time faculty members in the department, a
faculty member from a different department in the same area, a faculty member
from outside the area, and two students.
Large departments may select a subcommittee of the department to serve
on the search committee as long as appropriate representation is preserved.
- For non-tenure-track searches, the
committee composition is the same as for tenure track searches except that
faculty outside the department are not required.
- For the search committee positions
outside the department, the chair should provide at least three names in order
of preference.
The Committee on Faculty will approve
final committee membership and the Provost sends appointment notification to
the members of the committee.
Search Committee Process.
The search process involves the following sequential steps, which are
detailed in the “Guidelines for Department and Program Chairs.”
- The search
committee chair submits job ad materials to Academic Affairs and Human
Resources and consults with those offices prior to posting the job
ad.
- The search
committee meets with the Provost and HR to review current search procedures
prior to its review of any applications.
- The search committee reviews
application materials in accordance with established procedures.
- The search committee recommends to the
Provost candidates for on-campus interviews.
- The search committee chair makes plans
for on-campus interviews after receiving authorization from the Provost to
proceed with interviews.
Search Committee Final Recommendations. After the on-campus visits, the Search
Committee determines the strengths
of the finalists, identifies if each is acceptable or not, and presents
to the Provost and the Committee on Faculty, in writing, its rankings with
strengths and concerns for each candidate.
The Provost takes the recommendations from the Search Committee and
subsequent recommendations from the Committee on Faculty to the President. Upon approval by the President, the Provost
makes the offer of appointment.