GUIDELINES FOR CONDUCTING OTHER ACADEMIC PERSONNEL SEARCHES
November 2005

These guidelines in the first part of this document apply to searches for "Other Academic Personnel" (OAP) titles that are full-time, benefits eligible positions.

T he second part of this document contains guidelines for OAP positions that are not full-time OR not benefits eligible.

NOTE: These guidelines do not apply to searches for Postdoctoral Scholars because they are not statutory "academic personnel.”  The guidelines also do not apply to searches for Postdoctoral Fellows because they are on stipends and are not considered employees.

Part I – FT Benefits-Eligible OAP Searches

The University of Chicago is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer

As an Equal Opportunity Employer, the University has policies to ensure that when there is an opening for a job, people who believe that they are qualified have an opportunity to apply. As an Affirmative Action Employer, we make a conscious effort and take specific action to ensure that persons who may be qualified, including members of minority groups and women, learn of openings. We also evaluate the responses to our advertisements and searches to determine if our applicant pools are representative of the broader pool of qualified persons.

All position advertisements must include the following language: “The University of Chicago is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer.” Do not include the statement “Women and minorities are encouraged to apply.”

1. Defining an Applicant
2. Reaching the Broadest Applicant Pool
3. Tracking Applicant Flow
4. Documenting the Search Process

Back to Posting Faculty and Other Academic Personnel Positions

Defining an Applicant: The Language of the Advertisement

Your search normally will begin with placing an advertisement. The language of the advertisement will determine not just who will apply, but whom, from all who respond to your advertisement, you are allowed to consider for the position. You need to write your advertisement carefully, keeping in mind the following principles.

An applicant is [a] a person who requests to be considered for a specific advertised position, [b] submits application materials by any stated deadline date, and [c] meets minimum qualifications listed as required in the position advertisement. The qualifications stated in the advertisement will put constraints on the applicant pool: If you state that a qualification is “required,” then ONLY persons with that qualification may become applicants. Thus, if you list any specific sub-fields of interest as required qualifications, all applicants must specialize in one of those sub-fields. If they do not, they are by definition unqualified for the job and they may not be part of the applicant pool for the position. However, if you don’t say that certain sub-fields are required, but say instead that they are preferred, you will not limit the applicant pool only to those in one of the sub-fields you mention.

TIP: Be precise in the use of “required” or “must have” in advertisement text. You may not legally consider anyone lacking required credentials, even if the candidate appears very promising. For example, if you might consider hiring a candidate without a completed Ph.D., the language of your advertisement must anticipate that eventuality, with a statement such as “Ph.D. or ABD with dissertation nearing completion.”

TIP: When possible, set a deadline for receipt of application materials. This will limit your administrative burden because only those who meet the deadline may become part of your applicant pool. However, if you wish to have the flexibility of reviewing applications until the position is filled, use language such as “appointment is scheduled to begin [date]” or “screening of applications will continue until the position is filled.” You will then have to track all applicants until the position is filled or the search is closed.

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Reaching the Broadest Applicant Pool

All units are encouraged to disseminate information about open positions as widely as possible. In addition to advertisements in journals and other publications, posting on electronic bulletin boards and direct contact with colleagues at other institutions can be effective means of reaching the largest prospect pool. We expect units to make extra efforts to recruit women and minorities into the applicant pool and to give serious consideration to these candidates. In addition to position listings in the appropriate professional association newsletters or journals, we encourage you to send advertisements to any affiliated organizations for women or minorities in the field and to such national publications as Black Issues in Higher Education and The Hispanic Outlook in Higher Education.

We do not wish to set down rules for selecting the most qualified candidate. In general, though, we strongly recommend that an appropriate number of applicants be interviewed as part of that process. Such interviews may be conducted by telephone, via email, or face-to-face, as the situation warrants.

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Tracking Applicant Flow

As an Affirmative Action Employer, the University is required to a) request that applicants complete an equal employment survey, b) report the data from the survey, and, c) analyze applicant pool data for every hire. We use the UChicago Jobs website for these purposes.

1. Create the position opening and generate a unique search requisition number at https://jobopportunities.uchicago.edu/hr. See “How to Create a Faculty or OAP Requisition and Track Applicants.”
2. If the advertisement describes a search for a Research Associate with parenthetical rank, and the rank is open, you need only create a single requisition from the template “ Research Associate (Instructor-Professor).” However, you may not use a single requisition for both ranked and unranked Research Associate searches.
3. If you are searching to fill positions in several fields by means of a single advertisement, you must create a separate requisition for each field.
4. Create a separate Applicant Log for each requisition. The name of every qualified applicant (see above) and the actions taken with respect to each should be noted on the Log.
5. As complete applications are received and reviewed, candidates who meet the minimum qualifications according to the definition of applicant should be sent an Applicant Email Request asking that they fill out an online Academic Profile. As you email these requests, be sure to record the date each is sent on the Applicant Log. Information from applicants who complete the “Academic Profile” allows us to gather data on our applicant pools.
6. The website explains that the University’s request for sex and race/ethnicity data complies with a federal regulation. No candidate may be required to furnish the data requested.
7. If you are searching to fill several positions in the same field by means of a single advertisement, you may continue to use the same requisition for the length of the posting period. After an initial hire, the names of additional qualified applicants will be added to the Applicant Log as the search continues. The updated Log will accompany each subsequent recommendation for hire.

UChicago Jobs may be used to manage the entire applicant process for most OAP positions. If you elect to use UChicago Jobs this way you may not accept applications by other means, e.g., via U.S. mail, fax, or email. See “Frequently Asked Questions” for more information on accepting on-line applications.

In order to keep the pool of applicants “fresh,” open positions must be re-advertised annually. OAP searches may remain open up to one year, and you may accept no new applications on a requisition after that time. You may, however, continue to mine that applicant pool for qualified candidates for the advertised position. Thus, for instance, should the first person to whom you offer a position decline, you are free to extend offers to others on the short list developed from the original search. If the position is unfilled and no offer is actively under consideration at the end of one year, then the search should be closed in UChicago Jobs, a new requisition created, and a new search advertised.

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Documenting the Search Process

Every recommendation for appointment that comes to the Provost’s Office must contain search documentation that includes:

1. A brief discussion of the search process. What affirmative actions were taken to reach women and minority candidates? These might include personal contacts, notices sent to other top departments, etc.
2. Explanation of criteria used in narrowing the pool and selecting the recommended candidate. Why is the candidate proposed for appointment the best qualified applicant?
3. The completed Applicant Log(s). Before submitting the Log, the unit should use it to correct the list of applicants in UChicago Jobs. Move out of the record of “Active Applicants” the names of any persons who appear on the website, yet who are not in your Applicant Log because they were considered not to have the minimum qualifications for your position. You move persons out of the active applicant pool by changing their record in the “Status” column to “Did not meet min quals."
4. Sample advertisements (locations and dates of all placements noted).

Records of all searches (whether the position is filled or not) must be kept for three (3) years from the date of the last action taken. Such records include copies of all advertisements, the Applicant Log, all materials sent to and received from individuals who qualify as applicants as well as FROM all job seekers who request to be considered for the position; any reference letters received, and all documentation of the deliberations of the search committee, including interview notes of committee members.

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Part II- Part Time OR Not Benefits Eligible OAP Searches

For academic appointments that are not FT or not benefits eligible.
(These requirements do not apply to jobs restricted to students.)

Except in rare cases where a position must be filled on short notice because of programmatic needs that could not have been anticipated, public notice must be given that a unit has an opening so that those who believe themselves qualified have an opportunity to bring themselves forward for consideration. The requirement for public notice is to be met and documented by creating a requisition on UChicago Jobs thirty days before the selection is made. These requirements presume that the pool for part-time positions is local. Additional outreach efforts may be undertaken as well, and are required when candidates from outside the area are being sought.

Candidates for part-time or benefits-ineligible positions MUST be instructed to apply by sending required materials directly to the hiring officer; on-line applications may not be accepted for these positions.

November 11, 2005

For questions on OAP hiring procedures, contact:

Stephen Gabel
773-702-0790
sgabel@uchicago.edu

UHRM® The University of Chicago® University Human Resources Management
970 East 58th St., Room 320, Chicago, IL 60637 773-702-8900