Procedures for Conducting Affirmative Action Searches for Management and Confidential Unclassified Personnel

The following procedures are designed to ensure a smooth unclassified search process and to provide clear documentation of efforts undertaken by all who serve Eastern Connecticut State University to support affirmative action policy and goals. Any additional questions and concerns can be addressed by the Office of Equity and Diversity.

I. To Initiate a Search

1. An PAR is to be completed to approve the action.
2. The President will notify the Chief Human Resources Officer and the Vice President for Equity and Diversity that a management hiring search is to be initiated. The Chief Human Resources Officer will draft a position description and advertisement.
3. In accordance with the University Senate By-Law 5.1.1, when a management vacancy occurs in an administrative position such as Director, Dean or Vice-President, the University President or designee shall confer with the President of the University Senate to discuss the establishment of the search committee.
4. The President or designee may add additional members to the committee, appoint the search chair, and convene the first meeting of the search committee.
5. The search chair will prepare a search plan that will contain the position announcement, a timeline for the search (a negotiable closing date may be indicated), intended recruitment sources, job advertisement copy, and the name and address of the individual to whom all search correspondence should be sent. The plan should be submitted to the Vice President for Equity and Diversity for approval. The Chief Human Resources Officer is responsible for placing the job advertisement.

II. Preliminary Committee Work and the Search Process

1. The Vice President for Equity and Diversity will meet with the search committee to review affirmative action guidelines and university recruitment policies.
2. The search committee will seek a diverse pool of candidates. The committee members are responsible for pursuing the recruitment strategies outlined in the search plan. Any recruitment efforts, including personal recruitment of candidates shall be documented for the Affirmative Action recruitment log.
3. Initial screening of applications will be conducted by the search committee. The search chair will be responsible for acknowledging applications, sending out affirmative action response cards, survey links, ensuring that the application documents are complete, uploading applications to SharePoint and maintaining a master list of the names and addresses of all applicants.
4. The Search Committee should develop an evaluation rubric.
5. Complete records are to be kept of all activities related to the search for filing with the search report, including recruitment lists, letters and telephone contacts. A list of interview questions asked of all candidates should also be developed.
6. After completing the initial screening process, the search committee will recommend to the Vice President for Equity and Diversity, the President and/or designee three to five candidates for interviewing. Materials submitted should be a complete application, including letters of reference.
7. If approval to interview is denied at this point, the committee will be directed to work further with the candidate pool or reopen the search.

III. The Interview Process

1. If the President or designee gives approval to proceed with interviewing, candidates will be invited to campus. The interview process should include meetings with students, faculty, administrative staff and members of the President's Staff.
2. The search chair will arrange reimbursement of any candidate's travel expense or other interview-related expenses. Allowable expenses include transportation, overnight accommodations if necessary, and meals for candidates for each day a candidate is on campus. All expenses must conform to state expenditure limits.
3. The search committee should provide candidates with as much detailed information about the institution and position as is practicable prior to the interview.
4. The search committee should use the same interview questions for all candidates interviewed during this process.
5. Reference checks will be made by the President, Chief Human Resources Officer, or appropriate Vice President or delegated by the President after the candidate has completed and submitted the reference check authorization.

IV. The Hiring Process and Final Steps

1. Upon completion of interviews and deliberation of the committee, the search chair will complete and submit a search report which recommends three or more unranked candidates to the President or designee and the Vice President for Equity and Diversity for approval.
   Detailed information on all candidates should be provided, with a brief description of the strengths and/or weaknesses of each.
2. If none of the finalists are deemed appropriate, the President or designee will confer with the Vice President for Equity and Diversity and the search chair to decide whether to reconsider applicants in the pool, expand the candidate pool or initiate a new search.
3. Once a candidate has been selected to receive an offer, the President or designee will be responsible for contacting the candidate and conducting any necessary negotiations.
4. After an offer has been made, the search chair will be responsible for completing the hiring process and informing all other candidates that the position has been filled.
5. The Human Resources Department will inform the successful candidate of all pertinent personnel information and actions.
6. The President will make a formal announcement of new hires to the University and to the Office of Public Relations for external release.

Search Procedures - Management Confidential & Unclassified, Revised 09/21/2023

Management Confidential search check list