Senate Faculty Search Waivers

The guidelines provided below are the basis for a decision to approve or decline a waiver request. Please utilize to the senate search waiver checklists before submitting search waivers for approval in AP Recruit.

Senate Search Waiver Checklists

Timelines for Review

OFEW reviews senate search waivers typically within 1 week after they reach our queue. If revisions are needed, OFEW will request changes and the review timeline restarts.

Search Waiver Categories

Target of Excellence

A search waiver may be considered for cases where there is an unusual opportunity to hire an individual whose distinctive qualifications and extraordinary promise or accomplishments will contribute significantly to the excellence of the academic and public mission of the University. Three criteria must be met:

  1. The individual would be on the short list of top candidates if an open search was conducted. That is, the individual more than meets the campus's exacting standards of excellence in all required areas of review (see APM 210), namely, teaching, research, and service. Evidence of meeting this criterion should include written assessments of the candidate’s excellence in all dimensions of review. Efforts that promote diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging in research, teaching, and/or service should receive due recognition (per APM 210 1-d). 

  2. The individual is on the market for a very limited time period

  3. The individual fits into one of these categories:

  • an internationally recognized leader in a particular field (e.g., a Nobel Laureate or a Pulitzer Prize winner)

  • a scholar who is a recognized leader in a new and important field of inquiry (this is distinct from an area that the department currently lacks strength in)

  • a scholar who provides a rare opportunity to diversify the research portfolio of a unit

  • a scholar who makes exceptional or extraordinary contributions to diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging in research, teaching, or service

The request for granting a waiver must show how the three criteria are met, and include why it is not possible to conduct an open search in which the individual would be an applicant. This search waiver is of indefinite duration.

Spousal/Partner Hire

The University of California recognizes that addressing the needs of dual career couples is an essential part of recruiting and retaining the highest quality faculty. A search waiver may be considered if the successful recruitment or retention of a senate faculty member is ultimately dependent on an academic appointment for the individual's partner. The partner hire is contingent on ultimate employment or retention of the associated individual.

A partner hire is not an entitlement. Every partner hire must meet the campus’ exacting standards of excellence in all required areas of review, namely, teaching, research, and service, for appointment as a senate faculty member. Evidence of meeting this criterion should include written assessments of the candidate’s excellence in all dimensions of review. Efforts that promote diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging in research, teaching, and/or service should receive due recognition (per APM 210 1-d). This search waiver is of indefinite duration.

Pilot program to require attestation, disclosure, and reference checking regarding prior misconduct for senate faculty hiring

A signed Authorization of Information Release form must accompany the search waiver request for all senate faculty positions in order for it to be reviewed. We strongly encourage you to review the full program description available in BMAP (short version here).