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Chapter 1: Pre-Search

Preparing for the Appointment Process

Before deciding to make an academic appointment (whether administrative, faculty, or research), the responsible key administrator should first consider whether the position should be filled, how it should be filled, and the desirable attributes of a successful candidate. Normally, the "responsible key administrator" is a dean, a director, or a department or unit executive officer who is responsible for making the appointment.

The responsible key administrator should answer the following questions for both newly created and vacated positions:

1. Does this position present an opportunity for increasing the diversity of the unit or for improving our services to a diversified student population?
2. Should the same job title be carried over to the newly opened position?
3. Is it possible to distribute the duties and responsibilities to other faculty or staff members?
4. Can the position be filled by promoting someone? (Promotions of administrative staff are normally competitive.)
5. What is the best time to conduct a search for the position? How will timing affect the pool of candidates?
6. Have the requirements and qualifications for this position changed since it was last filled? If so, how? What new skills, if any, are needed? What skills are no longer needed?
7. Have there been problems associated with the position during the past five years? Has there been excessive turnover in the job or among staff working for the person in this position? If so, why? What action or actions might alleviate the problem(s)?
8. Are there new social or psychological developments that have altered the demands of the job (e.g., a more diverse student population or a different patient/client base)? Should these new considerations be reflected in the qualifications sought?
9. Does this position require a new or updated Principle Administrative Position Exemption (PAPE)? A PAPE is required for all non-faculty positions not intended to be Civil Service positions. (Contact Academic Human Resources for more information.)
10. Is it anticipated that the position will have an annual salary equal to or in excess of $75,000? If so, a written request must be made to and approved by the Chancellor before a search is started.

The following questions should be answered by the responsible administrator for newly created or vacant faculty positions:

1. Are there new teaching, research, or clinical demands associated with the position?
2. Are there new demographic developments of which potential candidates should be aware (e.g., more returning students, an observable shift to part-time, or a larger proportion of graduate students)?
3. Is the department or college seeking a particular expertise or specialized field?
4. Is this a senior- or entry-level faculty position? Is this negotiable?
5. Is this an opportunity for increasing the diversity of the faculty in terms of gender, race, or ethnicity?

Are there special requirements for such things as:

1. Unusual working hours (e.g., evenings)
2. Overtime or weekend work
3. Travel
4. Foreign language needs
5. Licensing certifications

These issues must be clearly settled in the mind of the key administrator before the search process begins so that he or she can give a clear mandate to the search committee and so that potential candidates will be aware of all job requirements. The key administrator may not have the answer to all questions. In such cases, he or she may ask others, such as the search committee or an ad hoc committee, to study these issues further and report back. Unless there are unusual mitigating circumstances, the hiring process should not commence until all applicable questions are answered.

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