POL 05.60.01 - EHRA Faculty and Non-Faculty Recruitment and Selection Policy

About this Policy

Authority:
Chancellor
Responsible Office:
Human Resources
Date Established:
01-01-2004
Last Revised:
07-18-2018

1. PURPOSE

1.1 To provide consistent standards for recruiting and selecting employees in a process that promotes open and fair competition and selection of the best qualified persons to fill vacant Exempt from the Human Resources Act (EHRA) faculty and non-faculty positions.

2. SCOPE

2.1 This policy applies to all permanent and time limited EHRA (1) Senior Academic and Administrative Officers (SAAO), (2) Instructional, Research, and Information Technology (IRIT) and (3) Teaching Faculty positions.

3. POLICY

3.1 The University of North Carolina Pembroke (UNCP) is an equal opportunity employer and seeks its workforce through a systematic recruitment and selection process that promotes open and fair competition to select from the most qualified applicants to fill vacant positions. The University prohibits the use of discriminatory practices in employment, and it adheres to the rules and regulations of the UNC Board of Governors, The Code of The University of North Carolina, UNC policies, and State and Federal laws. UNCP encourages employment of disabled individuals who meet essential position requirements. The University will not discriminate against applicants or employees on the basis of race, ethnicity, national origin, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, political affiliation, protected veteran status, genetic information or any other legally protected status.

3.2 Selection decisions will be based solely on job-related criteria that are objective and relate to the requirements of the position. Employment is offered based upon the job-related qualifications of applicants and upon satisfactory completion of all relevant reference checks and pre-employment screenings.

3.3 The Chancellor, the Cabinet members and all leadership with hiring authority accept responsibility for ensuring hiring practices are applied consistently and equitably. The recruitment and selection process shall be consistently applied to promote open and fair competition, a non-discriminatory process, and the hiring of a diverse workforce. Preferential treatment will not be given to any individual based on undue influence, including political affiliation or political influence.

4. ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

4.1 Hiring Official. The Hiring Official is responsible for requesting authority to establish a new position, request approval to recruit a vacant position, initiate a search, implement outreach strategies to ensure a diverse applicant pool, recommend candidates to be interviewed, and recommend the final candidate for approval. The department chair shall be the Hiring Official for EHRA faculty positions. The immediate supervisor shall be the Hiring Official for EHRA non-faculty positions.

4.2 Search Reviewer (Chancellor and/or Senior Staff). The Search Reviewer receives and evaluates the recommendations of the Hiring Official and is responsible for obtaining final university approval. The Search Reviewer conducts a comparative review of all on-campus interview candidates in order to certify the university has selected the most qualified candidate.

4.3 Equal Employment Opportunity/Affirmative Action (EEO/AA) Officer. The EEO/AA Officer (or Office of Human Resources (OHR) designee) will meet with the hiring official for process review at the onset of each search. The Assistant Vice Chancellor for Human Resources is the EEO/AA Officer for all SHRA and EHRA Non-Faculty positions; the Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs (or designee) will serve as the EEO/AA Officer's designee for completing all duties of the EEO/AA Officer with regard to all EHRA faculty positions. The EEO/AA Officer's (or designee's) role is to assist in reviewing and/or preparing vacancy announcements and advertisements, train and orient search committees on employment laws, provide sample interview questions, provide guidance on reference checks, approve job sampling exercises, review applicant pool, and assure the process is in compliance with UNCP's EEO/AA policy.

4.4 Final Appointment Authority. In accordance with management flexibility, final appointment authority will depend on the status of the position under recruitment, as follows:

4.4.1. for tenure-track faculty, final appointment authority has been delegated by the Board of Trustees to the Chancellor, to be exercised on the recommendation of the Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs;

4.4.2. for Senior Academic and Administrative Officers as defined by UNC Policy Manual 300.1.1, Section I-A (SAAO I Officers), final appointment authority is exercised by the Board of Trustees (BOT) on recommendation of the Chancellor;

4.4.3. for Senior Academic and Administrative Officers as defined by UNC Policy Manual 300.1.1, Section I-B (SAAO II Officers), final appointment authority is exercised by the Chancellor on the recommendation of the Provost or appropriate Vice Chancellor;

4.4.4. for EHRA Non-Faculty employees as defined by UNC Policy Manual 300.2.1, (Instructional, Research and Information Technology (IRIT)), final appointment authority is exercised by the Provost or appropriate Vice Chancellor on the recommendation of the Hiring Official.

4.5 Final salary determination authority is exercised by the appropriate senior officer on the recommendation of the search reviewer and Associate Director of Human Resources. In accordance with management flexibility, salary pre-authorization for EHRA salary increases or adjustments have been delegated (See Appendix A “UNC Pembroke Delegated Authority and Salary Action Thresholds for EHRA Human Resources Classification and Compensation Actions”). Effective September 16, 2016, the UNCP Board of Trustees (BOT) approved delegation of salary approval authority to the Chancellor for EHRA final compensation as directed in Appendix A.

5. ESTABLISHMENT OF NEW POSITION

5.1 Request to Establish an SAAO Position. A request to establish a SAAO position must be submitted through UNCP's Online Employment System (OES). The request is routed through the Chancellor, Provost or appropriate Vice Chancellor to OHR for determination that the request meets SAAO requirements. A detailed description of the position's duties and responsibilities and a current organizational chart must accompany the request. If the position title is not on the current University of North Carolina System Office (UNC System) approved list, OHR will analyze the position's duties against the EHRA guidelines established by the UNC System and will forward the request to the UNC System for consideration for SAAO status. The Chancellor will be notified of the action taken by the President.

5.2 Request to Establish an IRIT position. A request to establish a IRIT position must be submitted through OES. The request is routed through the Chancellor, Provost or appropriate Vice Chancellor to OHR. A detailed description of the position's duties and responsibilities and a current organizational chart must accompany the request. The primary function and duties should be public service, information technology, instructional or supportive of academic and educational experiences, and constitute at least fifty percent (50%) of the position in order be considered for EHRA IRIT status. Using the guidelines established by the UNC System, OHR will review the request to determine whether the position may be classified as IRIT and will forward the request to the UNC System for consideration for exempt IRIT status. The Chancellor will be notified of the action taken by the President.

5.3 Request to Establish a Faculty position. A request to establish a faculty position must be submitted through OES. Authorization from Academic Affairs is required prior to the establishment of a new position.

6. REVIEW OF EXISTING POSITION

6.1 When a vacancy occurs in an existing EHRA position, the Hiring Official shall review the position description to ensure the description aligns with the duties and responsibilities associated with the position. Assistance with this review may be obtained from OHR.

7. RECRUITMENT AND SELECTION

(Recruitment Guide Source Available From OHR)

7.1 Authorization to Begin Search. Each Dean exercises authority to initiate recruitment for EHRA faculty and non-faculty positions within his/her college/school. The Chancellor, Provost and/or appropriate Vice Chancellor exercises authority to initiate recruitment, through UNCP's Online Employment System, for EHRA non-faculty positions within their respective division. A Department Chair, Director, or other appropriate official may initiate a search when approval is received from the appropriate Dean or Vice Chancellor.

7.2 Advertising. OHR recommends the Hiring Official draft the vacancy announcement and advertisement. For compliance with Federal and State Laws and university policies, advertisements must include title of the position, name of the recruiting unit, position description, educational requirements (minimum and preferred), qualifications (minimum and preferred), application deadline (if any), affirmative action statement, employment background statement, instructions for applying (including application materials that must be submitted).

7.2.1 Duration of Advertisement. EHRA Positions will be advertised for thirty (30) days, but, shall be advertised for no less than a minimum of five (5) business days for internal and/or external searches.

7.2.2 Advertising Media. The hiring official, with the concurrence of the search reviewer, determines where position advertisements are announced. Positions may be advertised in electronic or print media which have a national, state or local audience. A search that is national is generally advertised in The Chronicle of Higher Education and journals or newsletters (on-line or print) published by national professional organizations. All positions shall be advertised on the university's website.

7.3 Search Committee. A search committee will recommend candidates for all full-time, tenure-track faculty positions, Senior Academic Administrative Officers as defined by UNC Policy Manual 300.1.1 and EHRA IRIT positions as defined by UNC Policy Manual 300.2.1.

7.3.1 The search committee shall meet with the EEO/AA Officer or designee at the beginning of the search to review relevant aspects of the search process and equal employment opportunity practices, as described above in Section 4.3.

7.3.2 The Hiring Official shall appoint a chair of the search committee and designate persons to serve on the search committee. The chair of the search committee, with the assistance of the appointed committee, is responsible for the oversight of the search process, corresponding with applicants and maintaining search committee records.

7.3.3 The Search Committee is responsible for conducting an active search for qualified applicants, receiving, reviewing, and evaluating the applications/vitaes of the candidates, conducting interviews of the top candidates for the position and recommending the final candidate(s) to the Hiring Official.

7.3.4 The State of North Carolina prohibits the release of information by a public employer from personnel files of applicants for employment. All deliberations of the search committee are confidential to the extent allowed by law. It is not the practice of UNCP to divulge information discussed by search committee members beyond the committee, Department Hiring Official and search reviewer.

8. WAIVER OF RECRUITMENT

8.1 The university is committed to the open recruitment of all vacant positions that afford continuing employment and benefits. The Chancellor has the authority to waive recruitment when one of the following conditions apply:

8.1.1. to prevent critical work stoppage. To acquire the services of an individual critical to the university's needs when operating requirements are immediate and a public search would result in undue delay or disruption. Waivers based on work stoppage are valid only for a period of one (1) year, subject to future recruitment if the position is continuing;

8.1.2. to obtain special skills. To acquire the services of an individual whose academic, research, or professional qualifications are responsive to an express need of the institution and are noted in his/her discipline as to negate a reasonable presumption that a better qualified candidate would result from an open search; or

8.1.3. other compelling circumstances. The Chancellor may waive recruitment for any position defined in UNC Policy Manual 300.1.1, Section I-B, or in UNC Policy Manual 300.2.1 for other compelling circumstances deemed to be in the university's interest. Waivers pertaining to positions defined in UNC Policy Manual 300.1.1, Section I-A, (positions for which the Board of Governors establishes salary ranges), are subject to the express prior approval of the university's Board of Trustees.

8.2 All waivers of recruitment require written documentation that outline the special circumstances (listed above – 8.1.a, 8.1.b or 8.1.c) that apply and states in detail the qualifications of the individual recommended for appointment, inclusive of a current resume/Curriculum Vitae of the candidate. The request for waiver requires the express concurrence of the EEO/AA Officer and the Chancellor. See Appendix B: “Waiver of Recruitment” Form.

Related Policies:

  • UNC Policy Manual 300.1.1 – Senior Academic and Administrative Officers
  • UNC Policy Manual 300.2.1 – Employees Exempt from the State Human Resources Act
  • UNC Policy Manual 600.3.4 – Granting of Management Flexibility to Appoint and Fix Compensation

Additional References: