Executive Summary

• Analyzing the Position – A vacant position provides recruiting administrators an opportunity to rethink the functions/roles of the position within the university.  Therefore the first steps in the recruitment process should be analyzing the position and institutional needs and defining goals of the position and the essential/desirable skills. The guidelines provide a framework of questions to assist the recruiting administrators in this analysis.
• Convening Search Committees – Effective search committees enhance the search process by broadening participation/input and through the collective wisdom they bring to the effort.  This is dependent however on having an appropriate number/mix of members who can work effectively to accomplish the task.  Group dynamics suggest there should be at least five but not more than nine members, and composition criteria discussed in the guidelines include representation of key stake holders, personal qualities, and interests.
• Identifying Candidates – The guidelines note that identifying appropriate candidates requires a clear vision of the position, and they suggest a framework of questions to assist search committees in developing a summary of preferred qualifications.  They stress the importance of proactively seeking a diverse pool of qualified candidates and include multiple strategies for identifying them.
• Evaluating Candidates – The guidelines review the multiple levels of evaluation required in assessing candidates, and suggest strategies to enhance the effectiveness of the evaluation process.  They include strategies for ranking candidates, narrowing the candidate pool, organizing and conducting campus interviews, and checking references.
• Recruiting Candidates – Finally, the guidelines note the importance of promptly initiating negotiations with the top candidate when the evaluation process is complete.  Issues to address during negotiations include title, salary, benefits, length of appointment, reporting/supervisory responsibilities, social/other expectations, and criteria for performance evaluation.  The guidelines also identify other factors that may impact an individual’s willingness to relocate and/or ease/impede the relocation process. These factors include housing, child care, school needs, elder care, spousal employment issues, and relocation expenses. Policies/resources related to each of these issues are briefly discussed.

Analyzing the Position

• What would happen if this job were not filled or performed?
• What larger developments in society, higher education, or within the position’s special area prompt different ways of thinking about the role of the position in the school and/or institution?
• Given the institution’s strategic directions, what background and abilities might the department/school need in this position to meet its own agendas?
• What can we learn from our past five years’ experience with this position?

• other senior administrators;
• representative faculty, staff, and students;
• relevant national reports;
• leading thinkers/experts;
• community leaders/representatives; and
• outside consultants for particularly complex positions.

The results of the position analysis are critical and should be well articulated because they will guide subsequent phases of identifying, evaluating, and recruiting candidates.

Convening Search Committees

 Effective committees enhance the search process by broadening participation/input and through the collective wisdom they bring to the effort.  This is dependent, however, on having an appropriate number and mix of members who can work effectively together to accomplish the task of the search.  Group dynamics suggest that there should be at least five but not more than nine members.  Other composition related criteria recommended in the AAHE Guidelines are summarized below. [1]

• Representation of key stakeholders - Key constituencies impacted by the position should be represented on the committee.  Faculty members are typically the primary stakeholders for academic administrative positions, but there should also be appropriate representation of administrative, student, and staff perspectives.
• Personal qualities – The AAHE Guidelines recommend identifying committee members who have personal qualities that will enable them to work effectively within a committee structure to accomplish the search.[1] Desirable qualities identified include:
• good judgement;
• personal integrity;
• independence of view;
• devotion to the institution (even though at times these individuals may be critical); and
• stature that warrants the respect and confidence of relevant constituencies.
It is also recommended that members be “savvy about people” and “discerners of talent who know and insist upon high quality work” and that institutions avoid “known paranoids, gossips, and egotists.”
• Interests – Based on the position and institutional priorities/needs, there are typically other interests that should be considered in establishing search committees.  Factors in this category include:
• a blend of teaching, research, service and administrative expertise that is appropriate for the search;
• gender and ethnic diversity (HOOP 3.03 and HOOP 4.03);
• faculty status (e.g. rank, track); and
• factors related to the search process such as experience with searches, access to networks for identifying candidates, and interviewing skills.

The recruiting administrator convenes the committee and discusses the charge and the needs and priorities of the department/school at the initial meeting. The charge addresses multiple aspects of the search, including:

• the roles/responsibilities of the vacant position;
• the role of the committee;
• the desired scope of the search (e.g. statewide, national);
• preferred time-line;
• essential and desirable characteristics of candidates;
• instructions for transmittal of recommendations regarding candidates;
• if/how the recruiting administrator will participate in the search process;
• role, if any, of consultants;
• resources available to support the search process;
• relevant policies/regulations/laws; and
• role, if any, of the committee after recommendations are submitted.

Identifying Candidates

• What is the job? – While the charge and job description are starting points for developing a clear understanding of the job, the committee will want an in-depth understanding of the job that may require additional sources of input.  The committee should consider the unit’s priorities/challenges and five-year goals as well as daily/routine tasks required in the position.  Potential resources include faculty, staff, students, peers, and the previous incumbent when available or appropriate.  Seeking broad input about the position is useful because it not only informs the committee about the position, but it can also enhance the committee’s credibility.
• Who could succeed in the job? – Given the job at hand, the committee should also consider the knowledge, experience, abilities, and traits required to succeed in the position. The abilities should be evident from the task analysis and current environment, and should include administrative/leadership skills and style. Essential requirements for the position (e.g. faculty experience, publications in refereed journals) should also be identified. The AAHE Guidelines recommend focusing on candidates’ evidence of desirable skills/qualities and caution against being overly prescriptive about the type of experience required (e.g. years, where it occurred) early in the search process since this may unnecessarily eliminate good candidates.[1]
• Who would be interested in the job? – This question focuses the committee on what the position offers (e.g. salary, benefits, working environment and/or prestige) and where it is likely to find appropriate and interested candidates.

The committee is now ready to identify interested and qualified candidates. The AAHE Guidelines emphasize the importance of actively identifying/pursuing qualified candidates and note “the ultimate appointment can’t be any better than what you attract to the pool.”[1] It is not sufficient to rely solely on responses to advertisements or traditional networks because these strategies may fail to attract top candidates who are not actively seeking new positions and who are not part of traditional networks.  Therefore, to be effective, committees should be proactive and employ multiple strategies to identify applicants.  Several strategies are summarized below and include recommendations from the AAHE Guidelines and the American Association of University Professors’ 1995 edition of Policy Documents and Reports.[1],[2]

• Identify qualified internal candidates – Recruiting administrators may choose to limit searches to internal candidates, but, even with national searches, internal candidates should not be overlooked. The institution has a strong and competent faculty, and internal candidates should be encouraged to apply and given due consideration in the evaluation process. Factors to consider when determining the scope of the search include: availability of interested and qualified internal candidates; urgency of appointment since external searches are typically more lengthy; the seniority of the position since national searches are typically expected in senior positions; and affirmative action considerations where there may not be sufficient pools of internal minority or female candidates. Internal candidates may offer several advantages such as their familiarity with and to the institution and lower recruitment costs.
• Place advertisements in appropriate publications – Advertisements provide a mechanism to reach a large audience and may be placed in leading journals in relevant fields, publications of professional societies, and publications of minority and women’s groups.  Advertisements must indicate that “The University of Texas is an Equal Opportunity Employer” and that “Women and minorities are encouraged to apply” (HOOP 2.18A). (If the school’s/department’s workforce is predominantly female, the statement would refer to men instead of women.)
• Contact professional organizations for nominations – Professional organizations have good networks and may be contacted for information about individuals who meet the requirements for the position. A partial listing of such organizations is included in Appendix A.
• Ask editors of scientific publications for nominations – Editors of scientific publications are knowledgeable about leaders in their fields and may be able to suggest potential candidates.
• Ask select deans, chairs, and colleagues at UT-Houston and other institutions for nominations – Another source of nominations is deans, chairs and colleagues at UT-Houston and other institutions, particularly institutions of similar composition, who may be solicited through letters and personal calls.  Personal calls have the advantage of allowing committee members to discuss in more detail institutional needs and priorities and may be more effective for identifying strong candidates.
• Ask the leadership of UT-Houston groups such as the Association of Women Faculty and Multicultural Affairs Committee for nominations – These groups have strong networks among respectively women and minority faculty in a variety of fields/disciplines which they can utilize to help identify a short list of qualified candidates who are interested in being considered for vacant faculty and academic administrative positions. Current leadership/contact information is available on the world wide web for the Association of Women Faculty  and the Multicultural Affairs Committee .
• Send job announcements to minority institutions – Minority institutions may be a good venue for identifying minority candidates, and many of them are included in the database maintained through the Minority On-Line Information Service.  Committees should consider sending job announcements to these institutions, and may want to contact appropriate Deans, Vice Presidents and/or Presidents directly to solicit nominations.
• Develop a list of strong male and female candidates that committee members personally contact to discuss the position and generate interest  – This strategy may be particularly effective for developing a pool of strong candidates that includes qualified male, female, and minority candidates.  Some of these individuals may not be actively seeking a new position but might be persuaded to be a candidate given the right opportunities and challenges.
• Send job announcements to schools where enrollment is predominantly one gender - Depending on the nature of the position advertised, it may be useful to send job announcements to schools where the enrollment is predominantly one gender.

The AAHE Guidelines also suggest that committees develop information packets that provide potential candidates more information than is typically available in advertisements.[1] Providing substantive information may help candidates know what to highlight about their professional experience in information submitted to committees, and it may also help limit the pool to appropriately qualified candidates. Suggested information to consider sharing with candidates includes:

• job description;
• summary of task analysis and preferred qualifications;
• salary range and benefits;
• information about the office, school and institution;
• information about the city/larger academic community as is relates to the position;
• information about UT-Houston’s work/life initiatives;
• information about the Association for Women Faculty and Minority Faculty Association;
• information about the composition of the search committee; and
• time-table for the search.

Committees also have administrative responsibilities during this phase of the search, but they may be delegated to a staff person. Affirmative action guidelines require that committees send voluntary self-identification cards to each applicant and that Candidate Logs coded by race and sex if known be maintained (HOOP 3.03). Letters of acknowledgement should also be sent promptly to all applicants upon receipt of their application packet.

Evaluating Candidates

Further reducing the applicant pool to around eight candidates requires more in-depth and critical review by the committee.  Candidate rating forms that rate select dimensions/criteria on a scale of one to five help focus members on critical areas and facilitate the evaluation process.  Experts also recommend the following steps to improve the evaluation process:

• complete as much of the reviewing as possible at one time to promote consistency;
• seek advice from psychologists, human resources professionals, or other appropriate personnel about refining and effectively utilizing the rating scale; and
• keep records with notes regarding questions about candidates and additional information needed.

With a short list of around eight candidates, the committee proceeds to what the AAHE Guidelines describe as the knowing-courting stage.[1] The committee must learn as much as it can about candidates’ qualifications while courting them to generate their interest/enthusiasm about the position.  Evaluation of candidates at this stage may include gathering feedback from others with candidates’ permission, and experts suggest conducting six to ten telephone interviews for each candidate with an appropriate mix of references, supervisors, staff and colleagues.  They also advise focusing on the knowledge/skills essential for the job, patterns of strengths/weaknesses, and evidence of fit with the institution.  With candidates’ permission, committee members may choose to visit candidates at their current job (or home when confidentiality is required), and personnel staff may be asked to check credentials and the accuracy of information provided in resumes. With the additional review, committees must then determine which candidates to invite for a campus interview.

The campus interview involves reciprocal learning and courting.  The institution must determine which candidates are the best fit and court them, and candidates must determine if positions are right for them. The AAHE Guidelines identify the following potential objectives for campus visits.[1]

• Providing candidates comprehensive information about the position and institution to both inform them and generate interest – Many of the candidates’ questions can be answered prior to the visit, but it may also be useful to dedicate much of their initial meeting with the committee to answering additional questions they have. This can be useful because it: ensures candidates have the information needed to evaluate positions; conveys the institution’s interest; provides the committee information about candidates’ priorities and awareness of issues; and allows committee members time during the remainder of the visit to seek answers to questions they could not answer. Candidates should also have adequate time to meet with the recruiting administrator and opportunities to learn about the locale, office and institution.
• Developing an understanding of candidates’ motivations, work-style, and maturity – These critical, yet difficult to evaluate, parameters are typically determined in in-depth, extended and focused interviews that may last three to five hours.  They may be handled by search committees or by an individual with interviewing skills that would interview all candidates and submit a report to the committee.  The interviews focus on details about job-relevant experiences, schooling, and other appropriate topics.
• Ascertaining candidates’ views about substantive academic issues – Ascertaining candidates’ views of substantive academic issues is important and may be a good task for the larger constituency groups which routinely meet with candidates. The committee chair may find it useful to meet with these groups ahead of time to discuss key questions/topics.
• Assessing “fit” with key constituencies – The extent to which a candidate’s managerial style “fits” with the institution’s culture and environment will have a significant impact on his/her effectiveness and success as an administrator.  The AAHE Guidelines note individuals in comparable positions or who report to the recruiting administrator may provide valuable insights about fit.[1] They caution however that “fit” is sometimes equated with how much a candidate is liked and with who is most like “us,” and therefore emphasize that fit alone is not sufficient for being an effective administrator.
• Determining how candidates might approach/perform relevant tasks – To supplement information already obtained about past performance of relevant tasks, committees can try to observe candidates performing job related tasks during their campus visit by constructing situations where candidates have an opportunity to demonstrate their skills/knowledge (e.g. give a brief presentation on a relevant topic of their choice, synthesize issues addressed during one of his/her interviews).

Even though interviews are an essential and important part of the evaluation phase, the AAHE Guidelines acknowledge the challenges and limitations of the interview process and recommend not over-emphasizing them.[1] They note there may be little correlation between candidates’ performance in interviews and in jobs and cite one expert’s advice to “not rely on interviews, even your own.”  Common pitfalls to avoid include:

• making up your mind in the first few minutes and spending the rest of the interview confirming it;
• overrating a negative reaction (a common tendency is to find reasons to reject not select);
• generalizing/making global judgements based on a small piece of information; and
• falling in love with the first candidate.

At the conclusion of each candidate’s visit, it may be useful for him/her to meet with the chair of the search committee.  This provides the chair an opportunity to:

• answer candidates’ remaining questions;
• ascertain candidates’ level of interest;
• discuss issues that might impact a candidate’s decision to take the position;
• seek permission to contact remaining references; and
• request any additional information the committee feels might be useful.

Promptly after the final candidate’s visit, the committee should have an in-depth meeting to formulate the recommendations. Resumes, notes and feedback for each candidate should be reviewed and thoroughly discussed, and a summary discussing each candidate’s strengths, limitations, preparation based on preferred qualifications, and the overall judgement of the committee should be prepared. The committee should avoid rank ordering candidates since this can:

• focus committees’ discussions on rankings instead of qualifications;
• constrain administrators; and
• cause committees to lose focus of the fact that, since all finalists should be qualified, the distinguishing factors should be the unique skills/expertise they would bring to the position and the direction they would take the unit.

Recruiting Candidates

• title;
• salary and benefits;
• start and length of appointment;
• reporting and supervisory responsibilities;
• academic, social and other expectations; and
• criteria for performance evaluation.

• Housing – A variety of housing information is available through the list of websites included with the recruitment guidelines, and arrangements can also be made for candidates and/or their spouses to spend time with realtors during their visits.  This can be extremely helpful in orienting candidates to Houston and helping them efficiently begin to address their housing needs.
• Child Care – Candidates or their spouses may use UT-Houston’s Family Care Resource and Referral Service free of charge to get information about child care (713/365-0313).  Based on information collected by counselors in a telephone interview, candidates receive information about a variety of child care options that might meet their needs.  UT-Houston also manages a Child Development Center (713/500-8454).
• K-12 Information – Candidates or their spouses may use UT-Houston’s Family Care Resource and Referral Service free of charge to get K-12 information (713/365-0313).  Based on information collected by counselors in telephone interviews, candidates receive information about schools that might meet their needs.           http://www.uth.tmc.edu/uth_orgs/pub_affairs/family/home.html
• Elder Care Information - Candidates or their spouses may use UT-Houston’s Family Care Resource and Referral Service free of charge for elder care information (1-800-433-3852).  Based on information collected by counselors in telephone interviews, candidates receive information to help address their needs.         http://www.uth.tmc.edu/uth_orgs/pub_affairs/family/home.html
• Association of Women Faculty – The Association for Women Faculty exists to support and promote career development of women faculty, to enhance leadership skills and provide social interaction, and to study and influence policies and practices that impact the professional woman.  Other groups addressing issues of concern to women include UT-Houston’s Committee for the Status of Women and the Core Committee for the Advancement of Women.
• Minority Faculty Association – The Minority Faculty Association exists to promote the advancement of minorities, and its missions include: promoting equity; enhancing minority faculty development; providing assistance to members in the resolution of disputes; raising funds for emergency student loans; raising funds to award annual scholarships to minority students; and recognizing outstanding contributions by faculty, staff, students and community leaders in advancing the cause of minorities. The Multicultural Affairs Committee  also addresses issues related to the professional development and advancement of minorities.
• Employment Searches of Spouses – Employment needs of spouses can be a significant factor in relocation decisions, and, for some candidates, the availability of assistance for spouses seeking employment may help persuade them to accept a job offer and ease the relocation process.  Assistance in this arena is available both through Human Resources and external consulting firms, but departments must have funds available to pay for external assistance. Human Resources staff can provide spouses information about internal employment opportunities, and they can also help spouses begin to establish professional networks through internal contacts and Development Board members. For information about assistance through Human Resources, contact Kay Williamson, employee relations advisor, for employment and advising at (713) 500-3138 or via email (kay.h.williamson@uth.tmc.edu). The cost of external consultants depends upon the level and length of service, but, through a UT-Houston contract with Drake Beam Morin Inc., should range from $5,500 to $6,500 for three months of support and from $7,000 to $10,000 for six months of support.  For information about services available through Drake Beam and Morin call (713) 739-7000 or contact Ms. Brenda Hahney directly (713) 654-3110.
• Relocation Expenses  - New faculty and A&P employees may be reimbursed for legitimate relocation expenses up to an amount that should not exceed one month’s salary, if the recruiting department has sufficient discretionary funds (HOOP 4.18).  State funds may be used if the faculty member is transferring from another Texas State agency.  Exceptions to the ceiling may be granted by the Dean or Executive Vice President for Administration and Finance if there are extenuating circumstances such as a considerable distance for relocation.

2. Policy, Documents and Reports, B. Robert Kreiser, editor, 1995 Edition, American Association of University Professors, Washington, D.C.

3. Fear, R. A., The Evaluation Interview, 3rd edition, McGraw-Hill, 1984.

4. Geis, F. L., M. R. Carter, and D. J. Butler, Seeing and Evaluating People, University of Delaware, Office of Women’s Affairs, Newark, 1982.

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Association for Women in Science – is developing a database of women scientists which is projected to be completed in spring, 1999. For information about accessing the database and associated fees contact:

Kate Durocher
1200 New York Ave., N.W., Ste. 650
Washington, DC 20005
Tel: 202-326-8940 Fax: 202-326-8960
http://www.serve.com/awis/index.html

Association of American Medical Colleges – has a faculty database that can be utilized for identifying potential candidates. For information about accessing the database and associated fees contact:

Lisa Sherman
2450 N Street, N.W.
Washington, DC 20037
Tel: 202-828-0611 Fax: 202-828-1125
http://www.aamc.org/findinfo/infores/datarsc/facros/facros.htm

Black Issues in Higher Education – biweekly publication dedicated exclusively to minority issues in higher education that includes job announcements.

Black Issues In Higher Education
10520 Warwick Avenue, Suite B-8
Fairfax, VA 22030
Tel: 703-385-2981 Fax 703-385-1839
http://blackissues.com/index/html

Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities – has a monthly newsletter, The Voice of Hispanic Higher Education, where job openings can be advertised and is in the process of trying to develop a faculty database.

4204 Gardendale Street, Suite 216
San Antonio, Texas 78229
Tel: 210-692-3805 Fax 210-692-0823
http://www.hacu2000.org

Society for the Advancement of Chicanos and Native Americans in Science - has a quarterly publication, SACNAS News, where job openings can be advertised.

P.O. Box 8526
Santa Cruz, California 95061-8526
Tel: 408-459-4272
http://www.sacnas.org

Texas Association of Chicanos in Higher Education – has a monthly newsletter, El Noticiario Nacional, where job openings can be advertised.

TACHE  El Noticiario Nacional advertisements
P.O. Box 986 New America Marketing/Gemini Printing
Austin, Texas 78767-0986
4212 Kostoryz
Corpus Christi, Texas 78415
Tel: 512-857-2665 Fax: 512-8576025

LINKS FOR UT-HOUSTON INFORMATION
UT-Houston Home Page – Provides links to information about UT-Houston that includes its academic, research and service programs as well as general information useful to faculty, staff and students.

Faculty Guide – Provides useful information about policies, governance, and faculty appointments and evaluation as well as teaching, research, and service activities.

Work/Life Information – Provides links and information about a wide range of work/life issues, including: childcare; K-12 needs; and UT-Houston work/life related policies and programs.

UT-Houston Campus Map – A clickable map of the UT-Houston campus and other institutions located within the Texas Medical Center.

LINKS FOR CITY OF HOUSTON INFORMATION
Houston Community Information – Provides links and information about the Houston community with information on banks, churches, housing/real estate, transportation, etc.

Houston Leisure and Recreation Information – Provides links and information about Houston events, performing arts centers and organizations, museums, films, parks, seasonal events, professional sports, and restaurants.

Online Source for Houston Information – Provides links for a wide range of issues of interest to the Houston community such as the arts, education, food, jobs, and volunteer opportunities.

City of Houston Home Page – Provides links and information on a wide range of issues that includes city government, Houston resources, employment opportunities, and traffic.

Cityview – Provides links to various sites with useful and interesting information about Houston that includes restaurants, hotels, parks, and cultural events.

Houston Chronicle Interactive Site – Home page for the Houston Chronicle, the city’s primary newspaper, which has top news stories as well as links to information on issues such as entertainment, health, sports, and weather.

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