Academic Administrators

Procedures For Hiring Academic Administrators

The purpose of establishing search guidelines/procedures for hiring academic administrators is to create a process that will attract and recruit the most qualified candidates and provide applicants with a positive interview experience. In addition, FIT wants to streamline the process to ensure:

  • compliance with equal opportunity and affirmative action regulations;
  • compliance with established policies for applicant travel costs; and
  • timely notification to applicants about the progress of the search.

Vacant Positions

Upon notification of a vacant position and approval to fill the position, Human Resources will draft a job description for review and approval by the administrator/vice president to whom the position reports.

Human Resources will advise the president that a search committee needs to be established to fill the vacant position.

Search Committee

In consultation with the administrator/vice president, the president will select search committee members and a chair. Two members of this committee will be selected by the Executive Committee of the Faculty Senate, in consultation with the president.

These committee members will also act as liaisons with the Faculty Senate search committee (see next paragraph). The president will formally invite the committee chair and other members to serve. Efforts will be made to create a diverse committee with representation from those areas/departments within the college that interact on a regular basis with the department where the vacant position reports.

At the same time, the Faculty Senate will create a search committee that will serve as a consultative body later in the search process. The job description will be shared with the Faculty Senate to enable them to select appropriate search committee members.

The affirmative action officer and the administrator/vice president will schedule an initial meeting with the committee. The affirmative action officer will explain affirmative action guidelines for conducting search committees. The administrator/vice president will elaborate on the job description, discuss the search plan and describe the desired skill set and expertise.

The Search Plan

Human Resources will assist the administrator with the creation of a search plan. The plan will include a list of publications in which ads will be placed, web-sites on which the position will be posted, and if applicable a list of organizations, associations etc. from where nominations may be solicited. As a rule, advertisements will be placed in standard publications and on standard websites. Efforts will also be made to strategically advertise in additional locations that will attract applicants with the specific experience required.

Standard publications:

  • New York Times
  • Chronicle of Higher Education
  • Hispanic Outlook
  • Black Issues of Higher Education
  • Affirmative Action Newsletter

Standard websites:

In cases where nominations are being solicited, Human Resources will work with the administrator to identify appropriate mailing lists. Human Resources will prepare the letter requesting nominations. The letter will be signed by the vice president or president and mailed by Human Resources.

Resume and Nomination Receipt and Distribution

All resumes and nominations will be sent to Human Resources where they will be logged and reviewed. Resumes will be sorted into two groups: 1) applicants that meet minimum qualifications; and 2) applicants that do not meet minimum qualifications. Resumes for applicants that meet minimum qualifications and nominations will be copied and sent to the search committee, the administrator/vice president and the president. Human Resources will acknowledge the receipt of resumes using the EEO form on the FIT web site.

Interviews

The search committee will review resumes and nominations and select a pool of candidates for interviews. The chair of the committee will contact qualified nominees using a standard letter provided by Human Resources and request that the nominee submit a resume. In addition, the senior administrator/vice president or the president may also request that the search committee interview specific applicants that interested them after they have reviewed the resumes.

Human Resources will work with the search committee to arrange an interview schedule for the first round of interviews and will schedule the interviews with the applicants.

Human Resources will handle all travel arrangements for applicants that need to travel long distances for interviews. They will follow FIT guidelines for applicant travel. Human Resources and the search committee will first discuss alternative interview options for these candidates such as phone interviews.

At the conclusion of the first round of interviews, the search committee will narrow the pool to ideally 3-5 candidates to be contacted for a second interview.

Human Resources will schedule the 3-5 finalists for a second round of interviews with the administrator/vice president, and the search committee formed by the Faculty Senate. In some cases, the candidates may be invited to meet with other groups on campus. Human Resources will also arrange for a tour of the campus for each candidate on the same day of the interview(s).

Prior to the second round of interviews, the affirmative action officer and the administrator/vice president will schedule a meeting with the Faculty Senate search committee. The affirmative action officer will explain affirmative action guidelines for conducting search committees. The administrator/vice president will elaborate on the job description, discuss the search plan and describe the desired skill set and expertise.

After interviewing the candidates, there may be instances where the Faculty Senate search committee wants to interview a particular candidate(s) a second time. All efforts will be made to accommodate this request.

At the conclusion of the second round of interviews the Faculty Senate will recommend candidates to the administrator/vice president and the administrator/vice president will then recommend finalists to the president. The finalists may be the entire group interviewed or a narrowed pool.

Human Resources will check references of the finalists.

The president will interview finalists and make a final decision. She will make a verbal job offer to the candidate after the vice president of the area negotiates salary in conjunction with Human Resources and the general counsel. If the candidate accepts, the president will send a formal appointment letter to be signed by the candidate and returned to Human Resources.

Human Resources will notify all other applicants that the search process has concluded.

The chair of the college search committee will complete the Affirmative Action Log and return the completed form with the resumes to Human Resources. The president and administrator/vice president will also return the resumes to Human Resources. Original resumes will be maintained in Human Resources and copies will be discarded.