Selection of Faculty and Staff Procedure - 63.02.03
College Policy Number/Title:
Howard Community College strives to recruit and hire a highly qualified, diverse faculty and staff guided by the following principles and processes.
An applicant is a candidate who has applied for a specific position using the online recruitment system. Any exceptions to applying online must be made to the office of human resources through a request for an accommodation. Every effort will be made to ensure that recruitment and selection is conducted from diverse pools of qualified candidates.
The recruitment system performs a preliminary screening to determine if candidates meet minimum qualifications based on the screening questions developed in the requisition. Screening questions must be related to the selection criteria. Candidates who do not meet the minimum qualifications are "inactive applicants." A hiring manager may review "inactive applicants" at any time in the hiring process.
A search committee is required for all budgeted positions, as well as all temporary with benefits positions. In addition, each search committee for all budgeted positions, as well as temporary with benefits positions classified at grade 12 and above, must include a current or past member of the diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) committee, to be appointed by the office of human resources. The hiring supervisor appoints members as defined in the college's diversity, equity, and inclusion plan to serve on the committee. All search committee members must complete the required search committee training. For faculty search committees, all division faculty are welcome to serve as long as a large number of participants does not impede the process of scheduling the meetings. However, in order to pose questions to or rate candidates the search committee member is strongly encouraged to attend all of the interviews. The following guidelines are recommended minimums for each employment category:
|
Employment Category |
Recommended Minimum # of Committee Members |
Composition of Committee Members |
| Vice President | 6 | DEI committee representative, search committee chair, and members of the college community, as appointed by the college president |
|
Administrator |
5 |
DEI committee representative, search committee chair, members of college community |
|
Faculty |
5 |
DEI committee representative, search committee chair, at least two other division faculty, faculty member from outside the division, member of college community |
|
Professional/Technical |
3 |
DEI committee representative (required for grade 12 and above), search committee chair, members of office and college community as appropriate |
|
Support |
3 |
Search committee chair, members of office and college community as appropriate |
|
Hourly/Temporary |
1-2 |
Hiring manager, member of office |
Search committee chairs are responsible for adding the list of search committee members to the requisition in the recruitment system before the screening and selection process begins. Guidelines for search committees are provided by the office of human resources.
Selection of vice president positions are typically made through the search committee process, and also may be made by appointment at the discretion of the college president. When the search committee process is used, campus-wide interviews of top candidates are held to provide an opportunity for all constituency groups to learn about applicants and offer feedback.
The DEI committee member's involvement is essential at the earliest phase of the selection process - before selection criteria are set, questions are finalized, and resumes are screened by the search committee chairperson. In accordance with the diversity plan, DEI committee members cannot serve on search committees as the DEI representative in the department in which they work.
Candidates for faculty, administrator, or professional/technical positions who are selected to be interviewed will be eligible for reimbursement of reasonable expenses incurred in keeping with the college’s procurement guidelines on travel, contingent on prior approval of the president or area vice president; appropriate documentation must be provided, and reimbursement will generally not exceed one-night lodging plus either mileage or flight expense.
The hiring manager or search committee members are responsible for checking the employment references of candidates recommended for hire and documenting the information. A completed application form provides authorization to check references. Applicants must be notified by the hiring manager or the search committee prior to reference checks. Refer to procedure 63.06.05, References and Background Investigations.
Academic credentials will be verified by the office of human resources when any position requiring credentials is filled.
Several recruitment and selection forms are used to ensure documentation on hiring decisions. Hiring managers are responsible for working with the office of human resources to submit required documentation.
All official offers of employment for all budgeted positions, as well as temporary with benefits positions will be made exclusively by the office of human resources or designee. All employment offers are subject to board of trustees’ approval.
The board of trustees, upon recommendation of the president, will act on all appointments to position control/budgeted positions.
With the exception of ongoing recruitment pools (coaches, adjuncts, part-time hourly, etc.), the office of human resources will send notification to all applicants who are not selected for hire.
A benefits orientation is required, and budgeted faculty and staff are invited to participate by the office of human resources within their first two weeks of benefit eligible employment at the college. College units may also schedule supplemental sessions for their employees. Employee orientation goals include: explaining the college's benefits plans; establishing effective employee/employer communication; familiarizing the employee with the college's mission; and building teamwork. For additional information, refer to policy 63.07, Benefits.
Hiring procedures for adjunct faculty are somewhat different from other hiring procedures at the college. A pool of adjunct faculty applicants by discipline is maintained in the office of human resources. Division leaders and course coordinators may access these pools at any time to review applications
Most noncredit faculty appointments are brief in nature, spanning a period of one or two semesters. Employment needs emerge rapidly and cannot be anticipated in many cases; therefore, responsibility for noncredit faculty recruitment is assigned to the associate vice president of continuing education/workforce development.
The selection process for acting positions is unique to each acting position and depends on the availability of a qualified person to fill the position on a temporary or acting basis.
Effective Date: 08/26/22
President's Office Use: CHRO