Senate Search Guide

This guide provides policy information and procedures for faculty to conduct successful, equitable searches for senate faculty. The guide is organized broadly by information and tasks necessary to create a search plan prior to launching a search, to evaluate candidates during the search, and to complete the search report once a proposed candidate has been selected. Scholarly resources are also available to support the search process.

Creating the Search Plan

During the Search

Completing the Search

Considerations for search processes in AY 2024/25

Each year we continue to recommend new or recent potential best practices for search committees to consider for their searches. These recommendations are based on published research or reports, as well as anecdotal evidence from Berkeley searches. They add benefit by reducing time; focusing review efforts where they are likely to be most impactful; creating more diverse and rich applicant pools; supporting a more full review of the skills faculty candidates need to be successful at Berkeley; and/or clarifying search committee goals and priorities. We also seek to innovate, and to lead with new ideas for units to consider piloting in their searches. The below table provides a list of current or recent recommendations, as well as new ideas to consider piloting for the coming academic year.

Current or recent recommendations New ideas to consider piloting

Outreach

  • *For senior searches, conduct  pre-search activities (e.g. reading groups, ad hoc committees) on potential future candidates

  • *Use lists of fellowships, awards, grants databases, professional societies, etc to identify promising candidates and contact them personally to encourage applications
  • Contacting current faculty in states where DEIB activities are being banned, or tenure is being challenged
Job advertisements

  • *Emphasis on welcoming and inclusive language rather than being elite and prestigious

  • *For LSOE/teaching professor searches, clarify the position type (tenure equivalent)
Application requirements
  • *Fewer application requirements for senior searches
Letters of recommendations
  • Reviewing letters of recommendation after, at a minimum, an independent review of candidate materials in the initial stages
  • Clear guidelines developed by the search committee on how information in letters of reference will be used; what can be learned, what evidence will the letters provide to augment the assessment of candidates
Selection criteria and methods
  • *Search committee discussion and detailed written description of the selection criteria for clarity, consistency, and reliability

  • Calibration of search committee rating/scoring for research and teaching statements

  • New rubric/criteria for later stages (zoom interviews, short list, final candidate)

DEIB assessment

  • *Calibration of DEIB statement evaluation/assessment

  • *Assessment of DEIB throughout the search process (for example, during interviews and/or campus visit)
  • Integration of DEIB into the expectations for the research statement, teaching statement, and a service statement, rather than as a standalone statement. Consider how it pertains specifically to each component of the faculty job
Evaluation

  • *Noncomparative review first (scoring/evaluating independently before doing any comparisons of other candidates)

  • Competitiveness screen (for large searches)

  • Use new AP Recruit “veils” feature for redaction and progressive disclosure of application materials 

  • Consider and guard against potential impact of ChatGPT and other AI software

*We will remind search committees to consider items with an asterisk (as relevant for the particular search type/level) if they are not included in the proposed Search Plan for the upcoming search year.