Section: Personnel
Policy Number: 4-112
Policy Name: Expedited and Waived Search Procedures
Date: January 2011; October 2011

  1. Expedited Search Procedures and Waiver of Search Procedures

    Under extraordinary circumstances and upon a written finding of compelling operational or financial necessity, the Vice President for Finance and Administration (the "VPFA") or, under circumstances specified in Sections C.3 and D.5, the President may direct that a search for a vacant University position be conducted using the expedited procedure specified in Section C of this policy, or waived altogether under the circumstances specified in Section D of this policy.

  2. Definitions

    1. The term "hiring official" means the official who is responsible for filling a vacant position. Only the hiring official may request that a position be filled using an expedited search process or without a search.

    2. The term "senior University official" means any University officer other than the President; any University official who is appointed by the President and reports directly to the President; any University official holding the rank of Vice President; any dean of a college; or any University employee who qualifies as a disqualified person as that term is used in Section 4958 of the Internal Revenue Code.

  3. Expedited Searches

    1. An expedited search may be conducted under any of the following circumstances:

      1. When the VPFA (or under appropriate circumstances, the President) determines that the pool of potential candidates will be unacceptably reduced or diminished unless the expedited search procedure is used;

      2. For a senior University official when the University is required to conduct two or more searches for senior University officials at the same time; or
      3. When for any other reason in the judgment of the VPFA (or under appropriate circumstances, the President), a search must be concluded as quickly as possible because of compelling operational or financial necessity.

    2. In the event that the VPFA (or under appropriate circumstances, the President) authorizes an expedited search, then the search shall be conducted as follows:

        1. The VPFA (or under appropriate circumstances, the President) shall appoint a search committee consisting of not fewer than three members.
        2. The search committee, either on its own or with the assistance of an executive search firm, shall—
          1. Prepare a written position description, which shall be posted on the University's web site for a minimum of 5 days;
          2. Solicit applications and expressions of interest from the broadest pool of candidates that can be assembled within the time period specified by the search committee;
          3. Interview a minimum of two candidates for the position, if there is more than one candidate, with the understanding that interviews may be conducted in person, telephonically, or by other electronic or virtual means;
          4. Forward the names of at least two candidates, if there is more than one candidate, in ranked order, to the hiring official, with a written assessment of their qualifications and a basis for the ranking; and
          5. Forward to the Office of Equity and Inclusion the same materials that are forwarded to the hiring official.
        3. The hiring official shall not extend an offer of employment under this section until all the steps specified in subsection (b) have been completed.
      1. When the position to be filled is for a senior University official, the President, and not the VPFA, shall make the determination whether the search may be conducted using the expedited procedures specified in Section C of this policy.  The criteria and procedures set forth in Sections C(1) and C(2) shall be applied to vacancies of senior University official positions with the President serving in the role otherwise designated for the VPFA.
    1. Waivers of Searches
        1. The VPFA (or under appropriate circumstances, the President) may direct that a search for a vacant University position be waived altogether under one of the following conditions:
          1. When the person to be appointed is the accompanying spouse or partner of another person selected for University employment;
          2. to retain a faculty member who has been offered a position at another institution; or
          3. when a compelling operational or financial necessity exists such that an expedited search is impracticable.
        2. In order to request a waiver, the hiring official must provide the VPFA (or under appropriate circumstances, the President) with the following materials:
          1. Written justification for the requested waiver;
          2. curriculum vitae of the identified job candidate; and
          3. if requesting such waiver based on a compelling operational or financial necessity, a written explanation as to why an expedited search is impracticable.
        3. The materials provided will be reviewed by the VPFA (or under appropriate circumstances, the President) for approval. The VPFA will also consider the University’s affirmative action goal areas when assessing each waiver request.
        4. Following review, all materials provided to the VPFA (or under appropriate circumstances, the President) will be forwarded to the Office of Equity and Inclusion and the Office of Human Resources.
        5. When the position to be filled is for a senior University official, the President, and not the VPFA, shall make the determination whether the search may be waived under the procedures specified in Section D of this policy. The criteria and procedures set forth in Sections D(1) through D(4) shall be applied to vacancies of senior University official positions with the President serving in the role otherwise designated for the VPFA.
    2. Annual Report

        3. The Office of Equity and Inclusion shall prepare an annual report providing (1) the number of expedited searches conducted and the number of waived searches, and (2) an assessment of whether the expedited searches yielded a sufficient number of qualified hires who are members of underrepresented groups. This annual report shall be submitted to the VPFA for review.

    Submitted by: Vice President for Finance and Administration