Bringing the Search to Closure
Evaluating the Finalists
Search Committee's Role
The search committee's final responsibility is to
advise the hiring officer regarding the finalists. To do this, the committee members
should review the feedback forms received for each finalist, as well as discuss the
finalists with their constituents. Within a few days of the departure of the last
finalist the committee should meet to conduct a final review, based on the information
the members have obtained as well as their own impressions. The committee's objective
should be to advise the hiring officer as to which of the finalists are acceptable for
the position, and their strengths and possible weaknesses. Otherwise, the committee
should avoid ranking the finalists, so as to allow the hiring officer a reasonable degree
of latitude in making the final decision. If, however, it's evident that one candidate is
the overwhelming favorite, the hiring officer should be informed of this.
Hiring Officer's Role
The committee's views and recommendations can be
conveyed in writing or in person to the hiring officer. In the latter case, the hiring
officer may prefer to meet with the committee chair alone, or with the entire committee.
In any case, the hiring officer should at this point discharge the committee and,
hopefully, commend the members for a job well done. The final outcome is now in his or
her hands.
Follow-up Visit
Once the hiring officer has identified the person to whom an
offer is to be made, that person will ordinarily be invited back to campus for further
discussion of the position and to become better acquainted with the university and the
community. A social hour with the search committee may be helpful as part of the effort
to persuade the person to accept the position.
Making the Appointment
AAO Approval
Before an offer can be made, the appropriate approvals must be
obtained. The hiring officer should submit a Pre-Employment Monitoring Form (PEMF) to the
Affirmative Action Office, which enables that office to verify that the search was
conducted correctly and the candidates were evaluated according to the advertised
criteria. The approved PEMF is then included with the Personnel Action Form and the
Letter of Intent (the "contract") to make the appointment official.
INS Verification
If the person selected is not a U.S. citizen, the Office of
International Students and Scholars (OISS) must verify on the PEMF that INS regulations
allow the individual to accept the appointment.
Letter of Intent
The letter of intent for any offer involving a tenure-track
faculty appointment must be signed by the Provost.
Statement of Appointment Conditions
Once the offer has been made and
accepted, the hiring officer should follow it with a letter stating the appointment
conditions - such as initial salary and length of the appointment - as well as any other
agreements that have been reached. In the case of academic administrators, this may
include faculty rank in a department, in which case the type of appointment and salary if
the person returns to the faculty at a later date should be specified. The person to be
appointed should be asked to sign a statement accepting the position, with those
conditions noted.
Public Announcement
In the case of major administrative appointments, an
announcement of the appointment is made to the public. The Board of Regents requires that
its members be informed a week prior to such an announcement. The hiring officer should
inform the other finalists of the selection before the public announcement is made.
