Policy on VP and Academic Searches and Appointments - University Policy Manual

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History

Policy Number: FA.31.019/SP.21.002
Version:
Drafted By:
Approved By: Richard D. Yao
Approval Date: 03/01/2022
Effective Date: 02/28/2022
Supersedes:

Purpose

To have a unified policy for Vice Presidents and academic administrator searches to promote timely, transparent, and productive searches.

Background

This policy unifies policies SP 15-05 and SP 14-15, adds language on interim positions, and lists membership of certain committees. This policy supersedes SP 10-06. This policy helps bring consistent expectations and process when it comes to MPP searches and helps clarify the role of faculty and staff.

Policy

Accountability

President, Provost, VPs, Deans, Chair of Academic Senate, Human Resources

Applicability

This document establishes the policies and procedures that shall be used for the selection, appointment, and review of all MPP (Management Personnel Plan) Vice Presidents and academic administrators in any division of the University where at least one of the following four conditions applies:

According to the position description, the appointee serves University-wide as a Vice President
According to the position description, the appointee reports directly to the President
Academic Associate Deans, and Associate or Assistant Vice Presidents who have significant engagement with oversight of faculty or curriculum (e.g., AVP of Faculty Affairs, AVP of Academic Programs/Planning, etc.)
University-wide academic administrator positions (e.g., VP of Student Affairs, AVP of Enrollment Management, etc.)
According to the position description, the appointee may be granted tenure to an academic discipline in the appropriate program. All position descriptions that include reference to academic criteria (including rank or tenure) shall be included under this provision.
The President (or designee) determines that the policies and procedures are appropriate.

University-wide administrators to be selected and appointed according to this policy have traditionally help position titles such as Vice President for Academic Affairs, for University Advancement, for Business & Financial Affairs, and for Student Affairs. In the Division of Academic Affairs, division-wide administrators to be selected and appointed according to this policy have traditionally held position titles such as Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, Vice Provost, Associate Vice Provost, Assistant Vice Provost, or Executive Director.
In the Division of Academic Affairs, school/college-wide administrators to be selected and appointed according to this policy have traditionally held position titles such as Dean of School/College, Associate and Assistant Dean of School/College, or Dean of Extended University. For purposes of this policy, the Library shall be considered a School/College.
While this policy cannot address all positions on campus, one or more faculty members should be included on other search committees (e.g., Chief of Police, executive Director of Title IX & Inclusion, Dean of Students, etc.)

Definition(s)

Text

A. Selection and Appointment of Search Committee

A.1. Initiation of the Search Process
Although the search process normally should be initiated shortly after the vacancy is announced, there may be situations where the administration may wish to delay the search process. (For example, if the position being filled reports to an interim or acting administrator, the search may be delayed until a permanent appointment to the supervisorial position is made.) Under these circumstances an interim or acting appointment of the position may be made following the procedures of this policy.

A.2. Policy Description
At the start of the academic year, the President or Provost shall share with the campus the searches expected to be conducted this year (circumstances may cause the expected list to be modified during the year). To promote open and equitable searches, the position description for the position to be filled shall be shared to the fullest extent possible with the campus community by the administrator to whom the individual will report. The position description shall be the basis for advertising the position.

A.3. Selection of a Committee
When a vacancy is one of the above positions occurs, the supervising administrator (e.g., President, Provost, Dean, etc. as appropriate) shall call for the establishment of a search committee. This call shall be coordinated with the Chair of the Academic Senate. No candidate for the position involved may be a member of the search committee.
Faculty are expected to encourage service on the committee so that the resulting committee reflects, as best as possible, the range of academic programs, faculty,staff, and students, that the position to be searched for would oversee.

A.3.a Membership of search committees for the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, for academic Deans, for academic Associate Deans, and for Associate or Assistant Vice Presidents who have significant engagement with oversight of faculty or curriculum (e.g., AVP of Faculty Affairs, AVP of Academic Programs/Planning, etc.) Membership shall be diverse in terms of race, gender, and rank.
The composition of these search committees shall have a majority faculty members. Additional members ,a include some combination of an academic dean, an administrator, a fulltime staff member, and a student.
Faculty shall elect at least a majority of faculty members; others may be selected by the Academic Senate Executive Committee, with input from the hiring authority. (e.g. in order to help ensure DEI on the committee, to ensure lecturer representation, to ensure representation from a variety of schools, etc.)

A.3.b Membership of search committees for Vice President positions other than Provost/Vice President of Academic Affairs, and other University-wide academic administrator positions (e.g., VP for Student Affairs, AVP for Enrollment Management, etc.). Membership shall be diverse in terms of race, gender, and rank.
The membership shall include at least two faculty, one staff representative, and one student. Faculty members shall be notified of the opportunity to serve on the search committee and given the opportunity to self-nominate. Faculty members then shall be selected by the supervising administrator. If the supervising administrator prefers that faculty members be elected, the Chair of the Academic Senate shall be notified to arrange for that election in a timely manner.

A.3.c. Committe Vacancies
If one Required position on a search committee cannot be filled while the committee is being constituted, and if the person(s) or leader of the body that makes the appointment has confirmed in a written communication to the Academic Senate office (for University-wide positions) that every effort has been made to fill the position, the search may proceed. If two or more positions cannot be filled, the supervising administrator and the Chair of the Academic Senate shall discuss te best way ti proceed.
If a search committee member is not fulfilling their duties, e.g., by missing most committee meetings or not evaluating candidates as agreed upon in the committee, the search committee chair may request from the Convener of the committee (see below, B.1) and the Academic Senate Chair that member be removed. The committee member will be removed, and that position declared vacant only if the convener and the Academic Senate Chair agree.
If one member of a search committee resigns or is removed (see preceding paragraph), the person(s) or body that made the initial appointment to the search committee position now vacant may fill that position, provided that the vacancy is filled prior to the selection of the semi-finalist candidate(s). The search process shall continue without delay despite the existence of the vacancy and despite the fact that the vacancy may be in the process of being filled. If one member of a search committee resigns after the selection of the semi-finalist candidate(s), that position will not be filled, but the search process may continue.

A.3.d. The committee chair shall be selected by the supervising administrator.

A.3.e. Announcement of Search Committee Members
As soon as possible, and no later than the screening of candidates, the members of the search committee

B. Convening and Process

B.1. Position Description and Qualifications

Position descriptions and announcements shall follow standards for creating equity-minded job announcements (e.g., USC's Center on Urban Education (CUE) Checklist for Creating Equity-Minded Job Announcements)

At the convening meeting the search committee shall consult with the administrator (or designers) to whom the position reports to discuss the role of the position in the administration, the qualifications for the position, the criteria for selection, and the process and timelines by which the search shall be conducted.

B.2. Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Guidelines

Selection procedures utilized in the search process shall be in accordance with campus policies and procedures. Search committee members shall be trained in equity-minded/anti-bias recruitment. The committee shall meet with the Campus Diversity Officer (or if that position is not currently filled, the Office of the President or the Faculty Affairs, Success, and Equity office) to discuss the work of the Inclusive Excellence Action Program and the equity and diversity guidelines to be followed.

B.3. Staff Support

Staff support for the committee typically shall be provided by the office of the administrator to whom the appointee shall report unless another arrangement has been made.

B.4. Candidate Interviews

Equity-minded Interview questions shall be included at every stage of recruitment: 1st review (via applicants required statement); 2nd review (typically remote, online or phone interview); and 3rd review (typically on-campus interview). When recommending candidates to second or third level interviews, search committees should adhere to the following guiding principles:

confirmation of the candidates' holistic understanding and validation of students' diverse backgrounds
ability to actualize equity and frame teaching or student services in culturally responsive methods and philosophies.

At minimum, finalist candidates ("on campus" candidates) shall be interviewed by the search committee, the administrator to whom the candidate would report, the staff that would report to the candidate, and the President where appropriate. Additionally, candidates for University and Division-wide positions shall also be interviewed by the Academic Senate Executive Committee, the Deans' Council; candidates for School/College positions shall also be interviewed by the Chairs of the school/college.

B.4.a.

There shall be at least one "open forum" for every finalist candidate. Ideally, these should be announced to campus constituents at least one week in advance but need to be announced no less than two business days in advance. Multiple open forums may be created, as appropriate. Campus members shall be provided a mechanism to provide feedback, to be open until at least 48 hours after the last on campus candidate completes their visit.

B.4.b.

In accordance with CBA guidelines, any candidate who may be granted faculty retreat rights shall be interviewed by the appropriate academic program. After the formal interview and review of qualifications by academic program faculty, a secret ballot by eligible tenured faculty on a formal recommendation to grant tenure or assign rank shall be conducted. Normally, the academic program shall respond as soon as possible to the hiring authority after meeting with the candidate. Tenure and qualifications occurs. In the event that a favorable recommendation is not made by the academic program, the Provost shall confer with the relevant Dean and Chair to navigate resolution.

B.4.c.

When interviews are complete, each of the constituencies that conducted interviews (except for the President and the administrator to whom the appointee would report) shall have the opportunity to provide feedback to the search committee for its review. These reports shall be shared by the search committee with the appointing authority.

B.5.

Further search procedure shall be determined in consultation between the President, Provost, or Dean in consultation with the search committee.

C. Recommendation

At the conclusion of its search, the search committee shall provide a confidential, written report to the Hiring Administrator. The committee shall not rank, but may use designations of "Highly Recommend", "Recommend", and "Do Not Recommend" if it chooses. The President, Provost, or Dean shall meet with the search committee to discuss the recommendation.

D. Appointment

There is an expectation that any and all candidates brought to the "on-campus" interview stage will be of a quality to at least recommend for hiring. There may be rare and exceptional cases, however, that can cause a search committee ti "not recommend", in which case that shall be detailed to the hiring authority who may appoint any person recommended by the committee. If the Hiring Administrator decides not to appoint, or is unable to appoint, any of the recommended candidates, they may ask the committee to extend the search or may consult with the Senate Executive Committee regarding the appointment of a new search committee, for a new search that is consistent with the provisions of this policy.

D.1. Announcement

Once official, all new appointments shall forthwith be announced to the campus community.

E. Interim and Acting Appointments of Academic Administrators

E.1. Interim Appointments for Academic Administrators

An interim appointment occurs when a position covered by this policy has been or will be vacated and there is insufficient time or is otherwise impractical to complete the normal search process outlined above.

Interim appointments are usually for a period of no longer than 12-18 months. If necessary, an interim appointment may be renewed or extended by the Hiring Administrator, only after consultation with the elected members of the Senate Executive Committee. Extensions of interim Appointments beyond 24 months require consultation between the Hiring Administrator, and the Senate Executive Committee, and a non-binding vote on that decision shall be taken and recorded in the minutes

Interim appointments may be made only by the President or Provost, as appropriate, in one of two manners:

E.1.a For Interim Provost, Vice Provost, Dean, or Associate Dean

The interim position and its length of appointment shall be announced campus or division-wide for qualified and interested candidates to apply. An advisory committee shall be formed that includes faculty and staff, and applications are submitted to te hiring authority that shall include at minimum a letter of interest and CV. The expectation is that there will be an opportunity for affected members of the campus community to provide written feedback and/or at least attend an open forum. The President or Provost shall inform the campus of the decision.

In unusual circumstances, such as when severe time constraints exist or during summer, after consulting with the elected members of the Senate Executive Committee, the President or Provost may make a temporary interim appointment.

E.1.b. For faculty-facing Interim AVP or Executive Director (e.g., Faculty Affairs, RSP, etc.)

The interim position and its length of appointment shall be announced campus or division-wide, providing an opportunity for qualified and interested candidates to apply. Applications are submitted to the hiring authority and shall include at minimum a letter of interest and CV.

E.2. Acting Appointments for Academic Administrators

An acting appointment occurs when an individual is designated to act (e.g., "acting dean") on behalf of an administrator covered by this policy who is on short-term absence (illness, vacation, etc.), on leave, or has left their position on extremely short notice.

Acting appointments, lasting either until the incumbent returns or an interim appointment can be made according to procedures described in this policy, usually are of short duration. The term of an acting appointment shall not exceed six months. The term for an acting appointment may be extended for an additional three months, but under no circumstance shall an acting appointee serve more than nine months.

Acting appointments may be made by the President or Provost, as appropriate, after consultation with th elected members of the Senate Executive Committee. In an emergency or when the Senate Executive Committee is not available, the President or Provost may make an acting appointment in consultation with the Chair of the Academic Senate.

Exhibit(s)

None.