Faculty Hiring
Procedures
Introduction
The Selection Committee, the Joint
Selection Committee, and the Compliance Officer, are significant to the faculty
hiring procedures. All voting and non-voting
members of the Selection Committee and Joint Selection Committee (defined
below) are required to sign a confidentiality agreement. The confidentiality agreement is a document
mutually agreed upon by the Faculty Senate and District representatives.
All
persons involved in faculty hiring will be trained in the process. The training shall include:
A. The
philosophy and commitment of the District to diversity;
B. the
role and responsibilities of all participants;
C. the
selection process;
D. interview
procedures and techniques, including guidelines on appropriate follow-up
questions and reference checks;
E. cultural
diversity in the interview process;
F. confidentiality of the selection process.
Faculty Hiring
Timeline (for routine hiring situations)
A. The recruitment and timeline process
will begin in the spring semester one academic year prior to the hiring of
faculty members.
B. Vice Presidents for Instruction
and Student Services, through their individual Planning Councils, prioritize
and submit faculty position recommendations to the Strategic Planning Council
(SPC) by April 15.
C. The Strategic Planning Council forwards
its recommendations to the Superintendent/President and the Resource Allocation
Committee by May 15.
D. After the Resource Allocation Committee identifies the
available funds for new positions, the Superintendent/President submits a list
of position recommendations to the Governing Board for approval.
E. Human Resource Services (HRS) develops job
announcements
for approved positions by September 1.
F. The recruitment period from September 1
to December 1.
·
Special mailing lists are forwarded to HRS by
departments/programs.
·
Publication recruiting requirements are submitted to HRS by
departments/programs.
·
Other special requirements.
G. Selection Committees are formed prior to
September 15.
H. Search Committees develop screening
criteria and interview questions prior to November 1.
The Faculty
Hiring Procedures Incorporates Five (5) Distinct Elements:
1. Establishing
the position
2. Recruiting
candidates
3. Selection
Committee
4. Joint
Selection Committee
5. Governing
Board review and approval
A. New and replacement faculty positions
are identified by the department/program and submitted through the division
dean and the appropriate Vice President, and to the
appropriate Planning Council on or before March 31.
The following criteria should be addressed:
• 75/25 ratio (i.e., ratio of WSCH taught by full-time to
adjunct faculty
• Average class size in the department/program
• WSCH/FTE ratio
• Number of sections offered each semester, excluding
concurrent sections and special projects classes
• Number of adjunct faculty employed each semester
• Position’s inclusion in the department/program plan
• Professional standards for staffing
• Course requirements
• Program growth or demand
• District goals and objectives
• Safety considerations
• External regulatory agency requirements or standards
• Technological or other changes requiring the hiring of
faculty with special skills
• Scarcity of qualified adjunct faculty
• Any other relevant factors specific to the
department’s/program’s needs not included above
A. The position announcement is developed
through a collaborative process involving the department/program, appropriate
administrators, and Human Resource Services.
B. Human Resource Services provides
technical assistance, including the identification of recruitment areas and
appropriate advertising media.
C. The
position announcement must include the following qualifications and hiring criteria:
1. A
description of the position duties and responsibilities, including a statement
of required participation in department/program activities and College
governance;
2. Minimum
qualifications:
a. As
determined by the department/program in accordance with Education Code Section
87356.
3. Preferred
Qualifications
a. Additional
desirable qualifications that are job related and support the responsibilities
of the position may be included.
b. A
statement in accordance with Education Code section 87360 that requires that
all applicants be sensitive to and have an understanding of the diverse
academic, socioeconomic, cultural, disability and ethnic backgrounds of
community college students. Departments/programs may require applicants to
explain or submit written materials that provide evidence of such
understanding;
c. Provision
for presentation of qualifications that are equivalent to the minimum
qualifications.
4. Legal
qualifiers established by Human Resource Services to comply with federal,
state, and District regulations.
5. The
position announcement must be approved by the Department Chair/Director, the
Dean, the appropriate Vice President, and Human Resource Services.
A. Positions are open and advertised for a
minimum of eight weeks. In unusual or
extenuating circumstances, the time frame may be reduced to not less than six
weeks with the approval of the appropriate Vice President.
B. Position
announcements are posted on the Palomar College website, mailed to colleges,
universities, and organizations committed to referring applicants from
under-represented groups. In addition, positions are advertised locally and in
professional publications recommended by the Selection Committee and/or the
Department Chair/Director. Every effort is made to recruit qualified applicants
from historically under-represented groups, including the utilization of the
Chancellor's Office Diversity Registry.
C. As
part of the recruitment process, departments/programs are expected to contact
appropriate organizations to assist in identifying qualified candidates and to
disseminate information regarding the position.
A. Human Resource Services accepts applications
and supplemental materials until
B.
Applications which do not meet
minimum qualifications but which have a completed equivalency form will be
forwarded to the Faculty Senate Equivalency Committee for review and action.
C.
All applicants with completed
applications who meet stated minimum qualifications
will be forwarded to the Selection Committee.
3. Selection Committee
A. The
Selection Committee is composed of the following members:
·
Chair of Selection Committee
o
Department Chair/Director or designee
·
Committee Members
o
Faculty members from the discipline or closely
related discipline (May substitute one (1) community member or faculty person
from another institution). These faculty
members shall constitute a majority of the selection committee.
·
One (1) faculty member from outside the
department/program
·
One (1) compliance officer - non-voting
·
One (1) ASG member (optional) – non voting
The Selection Committee is encouraged to include representation
from historically under-represented groups.
Historically under-represented groups include racial and ethnic
minorities, women, and persons with disabilities. The Selection Committee should generally have
no more than nine voting members.
It is the responsibility of
the Compliance Officer to observe and monitor the faculty hiring process to
ensure complete fairness and consistency for each applicant and to serve as a
non voting resource person to the Selection and Joint Selection Committees
regarding questions and concerns about the hiring process. Specific tasks include the following:
A.
Participate in training provided by Employment Services regarding the
faculty hiring procedures and processes.
B.
Serve as the District’s agent in verifying that
the hiring process was fair and equitable for all candidates during a
particular assignment. The Compliance
Officer’s testimony may be necessary should a candidate file litigation against
the District regarding a particular hiring process.
C.
Remind the committee members of the
confidentiality of the recruiting process at every stage. Ensure that potential breaches of
confidentiality are dealt with immediately and brought to the attention of the
Assistant Superintendent/Vice President for Human Resource Services if
appropriate.
D.
Provide input to the hiring timeline regarding
one’s availability for the recruiting process, scheduled meetings, and
interviews.
E.
The Compliance Officer will not screen
applicants, but should otherwise attend any and all meetings of one’s assigned
faculty Selection Committee and Joint Selection Committee, including meetings
to develop and score screening criteria and interview questions. The Selection Committee and Joint Selection
Committee may not meet without the Compliance Officer being present.
F.
Remind the committee members of cultural
differences and possible approaches to the interview process.
G.
Listen to concerns and questions of the
committee members and provide input when requested or required, and consult
immediately with Human Resource Services personnel when questions cannot be
answered.
H.
In relation to the interview process the
Compliance Officer has the following duties.
1.
Assist the committee chair with distribution of
materials, timing, introductions, totaling of points at the conclusion of the
process, etc.
2.
Observe and evaluate the interview process to
ensure that all applicants are treated equally and fairly in the following
areas: introductions to the committee, the interview process, the time allowed
for the interview, the questions asked, etc.
The Compliance Officer will also ensure that follow up questions, when
asked, are appropriate to the original intent of the approved questions, and do
not hinder the applicant’s ability to complete the interview in a timely
manner.
3.
Listen to, but not
participate in, the discussion of candidates after the interview to ensure that
job related factors, as evidenced by the application materials and responses to
the interview questions, are the ones considered in
determining finalists.
4.
See to it that any unanticipated or unplanned
changes from the agreed upon format that occur in the first interview, are
incorporated into procedures for subsequent interviews.
5.
Caution committee members that discussion of
candidates between interviews is not appropriate.
I.
Though the Compliance Officer’s primary role is
passive, i.e. to act as an advisor to the hiring committees and function as a
liaison to Human Resource Services, the Compliance Officer may intervene or
halt the hiring process to correct or prevent potential violations.
The Vice President of Human Resource Services will
appoint the Compliance Officer from a pool composed of mid level administrators
(not to include Academic Deans) and faculty. Every effort will be made by the
Vice President of Human Resource Services to ensure that appointments will be
fair and balanced in terms of the number of administrators and faculty
appointed, and that all Compliance Officers will be utilized. The Vice President will not appoint a Compliance Officer
to serve on a Selection and Joint Selection Committee from the Compliance
Officer’s own department.
The Faculty Senate will call for volunteers and appoint faculty members
willing to serve as Compliance Officers. This list will be forwarded to the
Vice President of Human Resources Services to be included in the Compliance
Officer pool.
Selection Committee Responsibilities
A. The
Compliance Officer must be present during all
meetings of the selection committee
B. Voting members of the Selection Committee identify
selection criteria based on the minimum and desirable qualifications of the
position in light of the expected duties and responsibilities of the
position. Selection criteria will include
an evaluation of the extent to which applicants have and demonstrate
sensitivity to and understanding of the diverse academic, socioeconomic,
cultural, disability, and ethnic backgrounds of community college students.
C. Voting members of the Selection Committee
develop job related interview questions designed to distinguish candidates who
will best meet the needs of students. No interviews
may be conducted without a Compliance Officer.
D. Voting
members of the Selection Committee determine the subject matter and format of
the demonstration of teaching, counseling, or librarianship skills required of
all faculty candidates.
E. All
voting members of the Selection Committee screen all applications to select
candidates for interview.
F. All
members of the Selection Committee establish interview times so that all
members can attend.
G. All
members of the Selection Committee interview all selected candidates using
pre-approved questions. Follow-up
questions may be asked as long as they do not lead the candidate to a desired
response and stay within the scope of the original question or answer. In addition, information on the application,
resume, or portfolio may be specifically addressed if not included in the
original answer (and remains in the scope of the original question.
H. The
voting members of the Selection Committee recommend the finalists for
consideration by the Joint Selection Committee. All recommended finalists must
be acceptable to the Selection Committee since only a candidate recommended by
the Selection Committee will be hired.
After at least two voting members of the Selection Committee (who have
received additional training in conducting reference checks) have conducted
references checks on the recommended finalists from the candidates’ application
materials, and reported back to the Selection Committee, the names will be
forwarded to the Joint Selection Committee.
The
recommended number of candidates forwarded to the Joint Selection Committee is
as follows:
·
Filling one position: Preferably 3 candidates –minimum of 2
·
Filling two positions: Preferably
4 candidates –minimum of 3
·
Filling three positions: Preferably 5 candidates –minimum of 4
·
Filling four positions: Preferably 6 candidates –minimum of 5
A. Screening
criteria and interview questions must be approved by the Human Resource
Services Office before Selection Committee members have access to applications.
Screening criteria help members to review objectively each application. The
screening criteria must be listed on the Selection Criteria Report, along with
the point value assigned to each criterion and the method of evaluation.
Screening criteria are developed from the position description and the
qualifications and requirements listed in the position announcement.
B. All
voting members of the Selection Committee complete screening forms for each
applicant.
C. Upon
determination of applicants to be interviewed, all applications and screening
forms are returned to Human Resource Services.
Selection Committee Interviews
A. Interviews
are scheduled by Human Resource Services upon notification by the Selection
Committee.
B. Human
Resource Services provides copies of the application and interview screening
forms to the Selection Committee with an interview schedule.
C. All
members of the Selection Committee must be present for all interviews. If a voting committee member misses an
interview, that committee member is removed from the Selection Committee. No interviews may be conducted without a Compliance
Officer.
D. At
the request of the Selection Committee, a candidate who must travel more than
150 miles to interview with the Selection Committee may be interviewed by the
Joint Selection Committee and the Superintendent/President or designee within a
day of the Selection Committee interview. If the candidate becomes a finalist
for the position, these interviews will serve as finalist interviews.
E. After
interviews are completed, members of the Selection Committee discuss and
evaluate the qualifications of the candidates.
The Committee also considers whether the candidates selected as
finalists will contribute to diversity at
F. If
the Selection Committee is not satisfied with the interviewed candidates, the
Committee Chair may request to review the applicant pool to ensure that
qualified applicants have not been overlooked.
G. The
Selection Committee Chair forwards the application materials of the finalists
to the Dean who then convenes the Joint Selection Committee. The Selection
Committee Chair returns the screening and interview forms and all other non‑finalist
application materials to the Human Resource Services Office.
4. Joint Selection Committee
Joint
Selection Committee Composition
The Joint Selection Committee is composed of the following
members:
·
Division Dean
·
Compliance
Officer
·
Chair of
Selection Committee
·
Vice President
for Instruction or Student Services,
as appropriate
·
At least two (2) faculty members from Selection Committee
This committee will be chaired by
the Division Dean.
The Joint Selection Committee
should generally have no more than seven voting
members.
Joint
Selection Committee Interviews and Recommendations
A. The Joint Selection Committee interviews
all finalists forwarded by the Selection Committee.
B. The
Joint Selection Committee refers all interviewed finalists to the
Superintendent/President.
C. The
Superintendent/President, or designee, interviews the finalists and presents
his/her assessments and recommendations to the Joint Selection Committee.
D. The
Joint Selection Committee will consider the Superintendent/ President's
assessment and recommendations before coming to consensus. If the Joint
Selection Committee and Superintendent/President agree on the recommended
finalist, the name is recommended to the Governing Board. If no agreement is
reached, the Joint Selection Committee and Superintendent/President will meet
to discuss the finalists. The Superintendent/President
will make the recommendation to the Governing Board. In addition, the Selection Committee will
appoint a representative from the committee to attend the
Superintendent/President’s interviews as an observer. This representative must
attend all of the finalists’ interviews and subsequent meetings between the Committees
and the Superintendent/President. The Selection Committee Representative may
not comment on the Superintendent/President’s interviews with the finalists
unless invited to do so by the Superintendent/President.
E. The
appropriate Vice President or designee extends the tentative offer of
employment to the selected finalist and coordinates all necessary intake and
orientation procedures with the Human Resource Services Office.
5. Governing Board Review/Approval
All
offers of employment require approval by the Governing Board. GB 10‑12‑93,
rev. GB
Return to Faculty Senate Home
Page
Revised: