Senate Search Guide: Completing the Search

If the search is allocated at the NT level, a candidate may only be hired at the NT level. It is not possible to change the rank of a search midstream. The only exception is if the top candidate's (who is currently NT) institution makes them a tenured retention offer during the recruitment or they receive a tenured offer from another institution ("hot pursuit"). Then a request could be made to consider changing the rank of the search. Refer to our FTE requests page for more information.

At the end of the search it is necessary to document the search process, and provide justification for the selection of the proposed candidate(s) and deselection of all other applicants. This information is included in the search report in AP Recruit, which must be submitted and approved prior to submitting the appointment case to the Academic Personnel Office. 

The search report includes:

• up-to-date applicant statuses
• disposition reasons for all candidates not selected
• documentation of all search and recruitment efforts
• documentation of all evaluation processes and input received through formal methods (ie., google form surveys)
• search committee narrative

A search report continues to “live update” with any new information or edits made to the search in AP Recruit until the search report is approved by OFEW, when it becomes the final, legal record of the search.

Review all complete candidates in AP Recruit to confirm that they have the appropriate candidate status. Please make sure all statuses are marked in the correct sequence and do not skip statuses (e.g., if a candidate is interviewed and selected for hire, update their status to 'Interviewed' before updating them to 'proposed candidate,' and do not skip from ‘complete’ to ‘proposed candidate’).

• Individuals who were deemed unqualified specifically with respect to the basic qualifications should be marked "does not meet" and should be in the “unqualified” section.

• Applicants who met the basic qualifications should be marked “meets basic” and appear in the “qualified” section.

• Applicants who withdrew should be marked "withdrawn," and those who withdrew prior to being named on the short list will automatically appear in the “unqualified” section.

• Duplicate applications should be marked as "withdrawn."

• Applicants who were on the “long short list” or otherwise under serious consideration should have the final status “serious consideration” if they did not proceed to a further round of consideration.

• Applicants who were interviewed should have the status “interviewed.” If an applicant withdrew after being recommended for an interview they will have the status “withdrew after recommend for interview.” Please note that "recommend for interview" is not a terminal status.

• Applicants being put forward to the campus for consideration should have the status “proposed candidate.”

• No applicants should have a status beyond “proposed candidate” at the time the search report is submitted for review and approval. If the candidate withdrew after becoming the proposed candidate, but before a formal campus offer was made, they will have the status “soft offer declined.” 

One or more reasons for deselection should be provided to all individuals who submitted a complete application for the position (with the exception of the proposed candidate). Select from the list of disposition reasons provided in the system or write a custom disposition comment that explains why the applicant was not selected for the position.

Disposition reasons/comments must be relevant to the description of the position and stated qualifications. Additionally, applicants cannot be deselected based on assumptions (e.g., assuming a current associate professor would not want to accept a position allocated only at the assistant professor level), nor based on identity or protected status (including race, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity, pregnancy, physical or mental disability, medical condition [cancer‐related or genetic characteristics], ancestry, marital status, age, sexual orientation, citizenship, or status as a covered veteran).

Alternate Candidates

It is critical that units clearly label alternate candidates using the “alternate for position” disposition reason and provide information that explains the strengths that make them suitable for hire in the event that the proposed candidate withdraws, but also why they were not chosen as the proposed candidate. Candidates must be interviewed to be put forward as alternates for the position. Please note that candidates that have been deselected cannot later be put forward as a proposed candidate. 

All relevant documentation created during the search must be uploaded to the documentation section of AP Recruit.

Search and recruitment efforts

This includes advertising, emails, personal contacts, etc.

Evaluation processes

Upload any of the following:

• Evaluation/rating forms/scales
• Spreadsheets of committee scores or assessments
• Standardized questions used for soft interviews
• Soft interview summaries
• Summary of overall graduate student input provided to the committee
• Surveys/questionnaires provided to department students and faculty following each candidate job talk

Search Committee Narrative

The purpose of the search committee narrative is (1) to document the search process and the candidates considered for the position, and (2) to provide a compelling case for the candidate who is selected.

• Introduction 
  Provide a brief overview of the search area, efforts made to attract a diverse pool of applicants, and the extent to which the efforts were successful in achieving a broad and inclusive pool.

• Overview of the evaluation process

  • How were the applicants reviewed and evaluated through the different stages of the search process?

  • What selection criteria and/or rating scales were used?

  • How were the finalists for interview selected?

  • How were campus visits conducted?

  • How did the committee rank the finalists (if applicable)?

  • How was the selected candidate ultimately chosen (e.g., faculty vote process and outcome)?

• Brief narrative description of the finalists 
  Provide a brief description of the academic strengths of the finalists (everyone who was interviewed) as measured against the selection criteria, including contributions to advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion, and ultimately why individuals were deselected or became a selected candidate (or alternate). If chosen as an alternate include why they were not selected as the proposed candidate. Although comparing strengths and weaknesses between candidates is a necessary part of the search committee's evaluation process, the final narrative description of each finalist should focus on their candidacy as it relates specifically to the selection criteria for this particular search (as opposed to stating that the candidate was ultimately not as strong as the finalist). 

• Academic qualifications of the finalist (and alternate/s)
  Describe the strengths of the candidate in relation to the job position, refraining from relying on comparisons with other shortlisted candidates to the extent possible. Include an assessment of the proposed candidate's (and alternate/s) track record and plans to contribute to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging in their research, teaching, and service. Do not use personal characteristics when referring to the finalists (or alternate/s).
  
  If the unit is anticipating a two-fer it should be clear the second person is an alternate.

Failed searches when no applicants were acceptable or no candidates accepted an informal soft offer from the unit

If candidates were reviewed (whether anyone was interviewed or not), but no applicants were acceptable for the position, or no candidates accepted an informal soft offer, a failed search report must be submitted for liability purposes (for example, if a candidate not selected for a position later files a complaint, the University needs to demonstrate that there was a fair search and a clear rationale for not selecting the individual).

The failed search report must include:

• Candidate disposition reasons

• Comments for candidates interviewed

• Evidence of advertisement and outreach

• Search committee narrative – brief description of why the search failed

• All written materials created during the search (e.g., interview notes, completed evaluations tools, etc.)

• Final candidate statuses

• Title of the search report should indicate it is a failed search

Conclusion: After the search report is approved, conclude the search using the Conclusions feature on AP Recruit and select "no candidates proposed” under the search outcome.

Note: A failed search report should not be submitted if there was already an approved search report for a proposed candidate for the recruitment. In these cases, if no candidate was ultimately hired, use the Conclusion section in AP Recruit to provide that information.

Use the Senate Search Report checklist of requirements to determine if the search report is complete and ready for review. Preview the search report PDF using the “Preview” button to be sure all required elements are present before submitting. Provide a name for the search report that includes the last name of the proposed candidate(s). 

Edits can continue to be made as needed until the search report receives final approval by OFEW; all edits are live updated in the report. However, once OFEW starts review please do not make additional changes unless notifying OFEW first.

When OFEW has approved the search report, the PDF serves as the permanent record of the recruitment. Please note that approval of the search report is not approval to make a formal offer; typical hiring processes must be followed for all senate appointments.

Steps needed for a second candidate (two-fer) after the first search report has already been approved

1. Edit the Salary control field to add the approved salary control number.

2. Change the applicant's status to proposed candidate. (Make sure to remove alternate in the disposition reason and/or disposition comment) 

3. Make any updates to the search committee narrative or add an addendum (if needed).

4. Include the name of the additional proposed candidate and the approved salary control number in the search report name. 

5. Submit an additional search report. 

Steps needed to move forward with an alternate candidate after the first search report has already been approved

1. Change the applicant's status to proposed candidate. (Make sure to remove alternate in the disposition reason and/or disposition comment) 

2. Make any updates to the search committee narrative or add an addendum (if needed).

3. Include the name of the newly proposed candidate and the approved salary control number in the search report name.

4. Submit an additional search report. 

After the search report is approved at the campus level, and there is a hiring outcome for the search, return to AP Recruit to conclude the search. This must be done as soon as possible and is required for data reporting purposes and compliance with University, state, and federal policies and laws.

Concluding the search requires updating applicant statuses (e.g., from proposed candidate to offered to hired), providing appointment information and employee IDs for hired candidates, and entering a search outcome for the recruitment. Once this information is provided the search can be formally concluded. Concluded searches are hidden from reviewers so they will not appear in their recruitments list in the system.

A search should be concluded after the search report is approved, when no new hires will be made, and as soon as one of the following conditions is met:

• A candidate has been hired by the University and the appointment start date and employee ID are available; or

• There was a proposed candidate in an approved search report, but ultimately no candidate was hired (i.e., campus declined to make a formal offer, or candidate declined a formal offer); or

• The recruitment is failed and a 'failed search report' has been approved by OFEW