Faculty Recruitment/Hiring Guidelines

Faculty Recruitment/Hiring Guidelines for the College of Visual and Performing Arts at Syracuse University.
Office of Academic Affairs

 Download printable, fillable Sample Candidate Evaluation Sheet with recruitment guidelines [Word].

Recruitment Strategy  

Hiring and retaining exceptional academic colleagues is one of the most important things we do as faculty members. We strive to attract world-class artists, designers, scholars, and students to an environment that is stimulating, welcoming, and diverse. With that in mind, our goal of recruiting talented colleagues should not be limited to the formal search process but at every opportunity we have to connect with colleagues: at conferences; through national associations; through ongoing benchmarking; through inviting rising or established scholars, including graduate students, to present lectures, masterclasses, and other-related activities on campus. It will only be through intentional and sustained efforts that we will be able to recruit and retain outstanding faculty with diverse backgrounds and experiences. Identifying candidates of various identities must always be a priority as we seek to diversify our faculty in support of the University’s efforts to address matters of bias and create a more diverse and inclusive campus

Search Approval

 The search process can begin after the dean has informed the department chair or school director that their searches have been approved by the Office of the Provost and the University Office of Budget and Planning. The next step in the process involves the chair or school director submitting the Faculty Hiring Proposal, attached at the end of this document to the dean with a copy to VPA’s Office of Academic Affairs (Betsy Henderson, eaparis@syr.edu.)

A copy of these procedural guidelines should be provided to the search chair, search committee, and the staff assistant providing administrative support to the search chair.

 Search Committees

It is crucial that search committees be intentionally composed of representatives of various identities (including but not limited to race, gender, sexual orientation, research and creative activity). It may also be strategic to include faculty and staff external to your academic unit and/or the college, such as representatives from the VPA Councils and alumni. The goal is to ensure that search committees have diverse representation, beyond token or minimal requirements. (Please note 2.1 of the University Faculty Manual: “Teaching Professors of any rank may not vote or otherwise supervise the hiring, evaluation, and tenure and promotion of tenure-track faculty.”)

After consulting with the academic unit leadership, the dean will approve the final composition of the search committee, which will then be forwarded to the Office of the Provost (currently, Ramesh Raina, raraina@syr.edu and Marie Garland, mgarland@syr.edu).

First Meeting of the Search Committee 

 Every member of the search committee must attend the first meeting to receive the dean, director, chair charge.  If Marie Garland from the Office of the Provost has not already met with search committee members, she should also be included.   

The Advertisement 

 The position description and employment advertisement should be constructed with attention to opportunities to attract a diverse applicant pool. The process of writing the advertisement is important for many reasons, but perhaps most significant is that it will force you to articulate exactly the characteristics of the person you hope to recruit. All hiring should support the strategic plan and the values and priorities of your academic unit. A narrative stressing diversity and inclusion in the development of the ad provides welcomes applications from diverse candidates and reinforces your commitment to an inclusive culture. As such, all announcements should include the following as requirements:  “Evidence of a commitment to working collegially is required. Evidence of a commitment to working with individuals from diverse backgrounds is required.”

With an inclusive narrative, your advertisement may encourage a wide range of candidates to apply, especially those from underrepresented groups. If your advertisement is too prescriptive, you may have inadvertently circumvented the basic principles of affirmative action. Every time you state something specific, you eliminate other options. For example:

• “Minimum five years university/college teaching experience” may eliminate those with extensive professional and/or secondary teaching experience who could be successful at Syracuse University;

• “Terminal degree in the field required” may eliminate those with vast experience but the wrong degree, for example “MFA in fashion or costume design required” would rule out someone with a Ph.D. in apparel design.

Concerning application deadlines, our standard practice is to allow for maximum flexibility in most searches, with language such as “applications will be accepted until position is filled; however, candidates who apply by (date) are guaranteed priority consideration.” This verbiage sends a strong message that the process is moving forward while encouraging potential applicants to expedite the application process. At the same time, it allows us to consider particularly strong applicants no matter when their materials arrive.[1]

Usually, the search committee will make any final revisions to the position announcement, though there may be occasions where timing requires that the position be posted before the search committee meets.  All position announcements are forwarded to the dean for final approval.

VPA’s Office of Academic Affairs (Betsy Henderson, eaparis@syr.edu) will work with HR and the Graystone Group, the firm retained by the University, to place ads and secure institutional pricing. In most cases, the Office of the Provost will mandate ad placements in publications targeting underrepresented minorities. 

After consulting with the chair or director, Chris Eiffe will approve the final advertising budget.

Interview Process

All applicants will be initially screened by the search committee to determine which individuals meet the qualifications of the position. Each committee member will review the completed applications and materials according to the criteria for assessment as developed by the search committee. Committee members will rate each finalist and complete a rating sheet with comments. (A sample rating sheet template is attached at the end of this document.)

Phone or virtual interviews are normally conducted with a short list of candidates (at least six), including internal candidates. Interview questions should be the same for each candidate. In most cases, two external finalists, at least one from an underrepresented minority are invited to campus. Given that searches are unpredictable, there may be circumstances whereby the dean will approve additional on-campus interviews. The dean must approve all candidates for campus interviews prior to invitations being extended.

Preliminary reference checks should be conducted by the search committee prior to campus visits. A set of questions for reference checks will be prepared by the search committee so that similar questions are asked of each reference, though often there are particular areas for discussion that surface during phone call interviews with references. The search committee chair may enlist the assistance of search committee members in conducting reference checks.

In the event that references not listed by the candidate are sought, you must first receive written authorization from the candidate before proceeding to check additional references.  The following statement from the candidate via email satisfies such authorization:  “I hereby give express permission to Syracuse University to contact the references I have provided and anyone else familiar with my job performance at any of the institutions listed in my work history.” 

Responses from references should be well documented as they will be included in the final report to the chair or director and the dean.

Concerning the itinerary, which must be approved by the chair or director in advance of being sent to the candidates, please note the following:

• Given our climate in the winter, you are advised to set up alternative dates for on-campus visits; 
• When arranging interview visits, explore the candidates’ need for reasonable accommodations for the disabilities.  Ask (only): “Will you need any special accommodations for your interview/visit?”
• Engaging a wide variety of faculty, including potential colleagues across campus, may help you recruit your candidate of choice; you are strongly advised to pay close attention to racial/gender diversity in as many settings as possible;
• Candidates generally appreciate a member of the search committee picking them up and dropping them off at the airport;
• A welcome package with literature about the metro area in addition to the University may show the candidate that we are excited about the possibility of working with them and that Syracuse is an exciting place to call home; some units distribute swag to their visitors;
• Your itinerary, which the candidate should receive in advance, should include travel information and contacts, including cell phone numbers for the chair/director, search chair, and assistant to the dean, Kate Foley kafoley@syr.edu
• Consider the candidates dietary needs when choosing restaurants; you are strongly encouraged to review VPA’s Travel, Meals, and Entertainment policy, especially as it relates to meals: answers.syr.edu/display/vpa01/Travel%2C+Meals+and+Entertainment+Policy
• When possible, you are encouraged to use the Sheraton for lodging;
• All constituents involved in the search process should have the opportunity to submit written feedback; (A sample rating sheet template is attached at the end of this document.)
• All feedback, written and verbal, received must remain completely confidential;
• Candidates must meet with the dean during the on-campus interview, if possible, at the end of their visit

Post-Campus Interview

 The chair of the search committee will submit a report, with a hiring recommendation to the chair or director. This report must include the names and titles of each reference and their documented responses to the questions posed by a member of the search committee. The chair or director will make an independent assessment of the eligibility, strengths and weaknesses of candidates. Chairs and directors may opt to conduct additional reference checks prior to forwarding the final report to the dean. Upon receiving the search committee’s report, the dean will meet with the chair or director to review the recommendations. Lack of adequate representation of diversity may require extending or ending the search if efforts to seek additional qualified candidates form a wider pool is not possible. The dean will make the final hiring decision. 

After consulting with the Office of the Provost, the dean will negotiate the terms of the offer:  salary, relocation expenses, and other as needed.

Once the dean receives a signed letter of offer, all applicants (not just the finalists) should be notified in writing by the chair or director, to thank them for their participation and confirming that the search is closed.

Sample Candidate Evaluation Sheet [2]

This evaluation sheet is offered as a general template; search committees should feel free to modify this for their own purposes. These questions are designed for faculty searches; committees may want to modify some of the language used for NTT and TT faculty searches.

**Note the sample sheet in this Answers page is for viewing. Please download the document for full use of the sheet.**

 Download printable, fillable Sample Candidate Evaluation Sheet with recruitment guidelines [Word].

Candidate’s Name:

Please indicate which of the following are true for you (check all that apply):

□       Read candidate’s CV                                      

□  Met with candidate

□       Read candidate’s statement on teaching/ research                                                      

□  Attended meal with candidate

□       Read candidate’s letters of recommendation   

□  Other (please explain)

□       Attended candidate’s presentation

Please comment on the candidate’s scholarship (noting the basis of your assessment):

Please comment on the candidate’s teaching ability (noting the basis of your assessment):

Please rate the candidate on each of the following:[3]

[1] From Faculty Affairs and Personnel Matters by Dan Carter in “Cultivating Leadership: A Primer for Academic Theatre Programs”

[2] Adapted from Harvard University

[3] Adapted from materials developed by the STRIDE Committee at the University of Michigan.