Introduction

This document contains specific practices, procedures, and processes to be followed in recruiting and selecting faculty and staff at Ohio University.
Questions regarding these guidelines should be directed to the appropriate HR Liaison.

Pre-Work and Approvals

When a hiring manager needs to fill a vacancy or new position, they are encouraged to contact their HR Liaison for support throughout the process. Hiring managers must gain appropriate departmental, planning unit, and university approvals for all HR related actions. The HR Liaison can help the manager navigate all university and planning unit specific related processes.

For new staff positions, a Position Description should be completed and evaluated by compensation before the hiring process begins.

For existing staff positions, Position Descriptions should be updated and evaluated by compensation if the Position Description on file is more than 3 years old or if there have been changes made to the position.

For faculty positions, hiring managers/search chairs should inquire with their college regarding specific requirements for developing position descriptions for faculty roles.

For all other positions, hiring managers/search chairs should consult with departmental or planning unit leadership to gain the necessary approvals to fill the position.

Search Committee Training

University Human Resources, The Office of the Vice President for Diversity and Inclusion, and the Office of Equity and Civil Rights Compliance collaborated to develop Search Committee Training and toolkit with a focus on diversity and inclusion. The foundational training consists of three foundational modules which, together, review the entire search process including establishing search committees, creating recruiting plans, and evaluating candidates. Those who participate in the training will also be given additional resources through ongoing outreach and learning opportunities.

While the three foundational trainings are highly-encouraged for individuals serving on a committee, they are not required. Search committee chairs and hiring managers may benefit from completing all three modules, while members of a search committee may find the most value in “Safeguarding the Candidate Experience”.

HR Liaisons will review the training needs of the committee with the search chair during the Pre-Search Consultation. Liaisons can provide abbreviated refreshers and review of applicable tools and best practices on an as-needed basis with each chair and/or committee.

Module 1: Recruitment and Selection Fundamentals is a self-paced eLearn experience (estimated completion time: 30 minutes) recommended for search chairs and hiring managers, especially those who are new to OHIO and/or our hiring. The module provides guidance and tips for each step in the hiring process and links to helpful resources.

Module 2: Preparing for the Search is a self-paced eLearn experience (estimated completion time: 1 ½ hours). The module is recommended for all search committee chairs and hiring managers and focuses on establishing inclusive search committees, understanding the impact of bias in early stages of the search, and writing robust and inclusive job descriptions and recruitment plans.

Module 3: Safeguarding the Candidate Experience is a two-hour facilitator-led session recommended for all search committee chairs and members. The session focuses on inclusive candidate evaluation and selection processes and discusses the impact of bias during these stages. The workshop also provides participants with evidence-based bystander intervention techniques with the aim of ensuring that participants are comfortable intervening in, leading, or supporting conversations surrounding diversity and inclusion throughout search processes.

Recruitment Plan Consultation with HR Liaison

Before you begin your search, you will meet with your HR Liaison to develop and/or review a recruitment plan. The hiring manager/search chair should contact the Liaison to arrange a meeting (this meeting can take place in-person, via telephone, or video-conference). The following components will be reviewed and developed during this session:
Job Posting
The HR Liaison will review and offer suggestions on structure of the job posting including use of inclusive and well-rounded language to attract a diverse pool of qualified applicants.

Search Committee
The HR Liaison can help you determine whether a search committee should be utilized for the search and help provide counsel regarding composition of the search committee in terms of including members with diverse perspectives, setting expectations with search committee members, and determining the training needs of the committee.

Recruitment Plan
The HR Liaison will review required recruitment activities and can help you select recruitment steps that are effective and efficient in terms of time and money. Your HR Liaison can also address any requests for waivers of posting at this time.

Methods of Evaluation
The HR Liaison will review your methods of evaluation and/or can help you decide what type of methods you can use (phone interviews, mock presentations, writing samples, in-person interviews). In addition, the HR Liaison can review and/or provide tools you will utilize to evaluate and rank applicants (rubrics).

Logistical Concerns
The HR Liaison can also coach you through logistical issues such as managing the search through PeopleAdmin, working through accommodation requests, scheduling interviews, etc. The HR Liaison can provide guidance regarding the timeline for your search to help you stay on track and manage expectations of both search committee members and applicants.

Posting Standards and Waivers of Posting

Overview
As a federal contractor, Ohio University is required to take affirmative action to reach out to and recruit individuals in traditionally under-represented groups, such as women, veterans, and people living with disabilities. We are also required to publicly post our positions.

At Ohio University, we have identified standards in terms of how long each position must be posted. The standard length of posting is noted below:

Requests for Full or Partial Waivers of posting should be presented to the HR Liaison during the Recruitment Plan Consultation. HR Liaisons may approve requests with the parameters of these guidelines. Requests outside of these guidelines will be reviewed by the Chief Human Resource Officer or designee.

Full Waivers of Posting
A full waiver of posting is defined as waiving all posting requirements of a position and placing a specific individual into a position without a competitive search. Federal regulations greatly limit our ability to waive all posting requirements and only allow for approval of full-waivers of posting for three types of positions:

1. Executive level positions;
2. Positions for which only internal applicants (current OHIO faculty and staff) are being considered;
3. Positions that will be 3 days or less in duration.

As an institution, we are committed to actively recruiting a diverse faculty and staff. In support of this commitment, full waivers of posting should be rarely utilized. Requests for a Full Waiver of Posting can be made to the HR Liaison during the Recruitment Plan Consultation.

Partial Waivers of Posting
Partial Waivers of Posting may take the following forms:

• Shortened Durations of External Searches and/or deviations from Required Recruitment Activities:
  shortened posting periods are most often used when there is an urgent need to fill a position or if qualified applicants have already been identified for a position. Except in rare instances, deviations from Required Recruitment activities will not be approved.
• Promotion of a current OHIO employee:
  See guidelines below for determining appropriate promotional opportunities.
• Internal Searches: 
  Utilized when a department has a promotional opportunity wherein there may be multiple qualified, similarly situated* employees. See guidelines below regarding internal searches.

*Similarly Situated: Staff who share the same job family, sub family, and level or faculty within the same group and discipline.

Promotional Waivers
(These standards pertain to staff positions. For information regarding faculty promotion, please referrer to the faculty handbook)

Promotional Waivers may be granted when:

• There is a qualified employee in the unit who is “next in line” for the higher- level position (e.g., an assistant director moving to a director position, assuming that no one else in the unit is similarly situated). If more than one individual could be considered next in line, then at least an internal search process shall be completed.
• OR there is a qualified employee in the unit for whom the new position would be a logical progression because it is an extension of their current duties/responsibilities, and:
  • No one else in the unit is similarly situated; and
  • The employee has been in the current position long enough to allow evaluation of their skills (normally at least six months) and performance documentation exists that indicates satisfactory performance in the current position.
• OR an employee or department requests an audit/evaluation of a position because duties have naturally changed over time and the results of an job audit or compensation review yield a promotion.

Internal Search Waivers
Internal Search Waivers may be granted when there are qualified, similarly situated candidates across campus. The Liaison will work with the unit to determine the appropriate level of internal search:

• University Wide
• Planning Unit
• Departmental Only
• Position open only to specific individuals

Neither a promotional waiver nor an internal search waiver will be granted in cases where administrative term positions are being converted to a regular position, unless approved by the CHRO. For example, if a position was originally designed as a 3-year term position, a waiver will not be approved should the term position be converted to a regular position – in such instances, a full, new competitive search must be completed, unless otherwise approved by the CHRO. For additional details/limitations regarding term positions, please see “Term Positions” below.

Use of Term Positions
Term positions, as noted in policy, are staff positions lasting more than 120 days and up to, but not exceeding, three years. Term positions are ideal for short-term use such as completion of a special project. Term positions may be regularly or specially funded.

As noted in policy, special funding does not require that a position be classified as “term.” For example, if a grant is secured that provides annual funding, but must be renewed annually, any positions funded through that grant may still be considered regular, special-funded positions. Classification as “term” should only be used if the position will not exceed three years in duration. As noted above, should a position need to extend beyond three years, it must be converted to “regular” and a new, competitive search must be conducted.

Exception for Limited-Term, Recurring Positions
In some instances, such as a post-graduate or post-doctoral position, a recurring term position may be intentionally refilled at the end of the specified term with a new candidate, identified through a competitive search. For example, a three-year post-doctoral research position may exist in which a new post-doctoral candidate is identified at the end of the three-year term and in which no candidate is permitted to remain in a position for more than three years. In such instances, an exception to standard term limitations may be granted by University Human Resources.

Required Recruitment Activities

Recruitment is more than advertising. Our commitment to diversity and our requirements as a federal contractor require us to take affirmative action in recruitment activities. During your recruitment consultation, your HR Liaison will work with you to come up with a plan to fulfill requirements for recruitment.

Standard Central Recruitment Efforts
It is important to note that University Human Resources will automatically help departments recruit by circulating each posting to the following sites and organizations:

• Diverse Issues in Higher Ed (diversejobs.net)
• HERC (Higher Ed Recruitment Consortium)
• Higheredjobs.com
• Indeed
• OhioMeansJobs
• SREB (Positions requiring or preferring a PhD)
• UHR Twitter
• Workforce WV
• Workforce KY

**Paid advertisements in The Chronicle of Higher Education and/or other nationally recognized platforms such as LinkedIn may be substituted for advertising requirements listed above upon consult and approval by your HR Liaison.

***Active Recruitment Activity
Examples of active recruitment activities are listed below. Options are not limited to these examples. Your HR Liaison can help provide more examples.

• Attend a conference and distribute recruitment packets. Gather 10 or more contacts and follow-up upon return.
• Source 15 or more candidates from online searches of other institutions or from internal contacts. Contact these individuals directly and ask them to apply.
• Use LinkedIn to source and contact 15 or more viable candidates directly.
• Ask faculty members in your department to forward the posting to their association’s listservs.
• Attend a job fair. Collect resumes and follow- up with invitation to apply.
• Contact a student organization and ask to distribute information about the opening on an alumni listserv.
• Review applicants from other related searches from the recent past. Reach out to 10 or more promising candidates from those searches and ask them to apply for this opportunity.
• Utilize Handshake to reach out to 10 or more qualified Alumni and/or Dual Career Candidates and ask them to apply for this position.

Use of Non-Discrimination Statement

When applicable, the university’s standard Non-Discrimination statement for recruitment should be utilized:
Ohio University is proud of its rich history, diverse campuses, international communities, and beautiful Appalachian settings. As part of our ongoing efforts to provide and support a transformative learning experience, we affirm our commitment to fostering a welcoming, respectful, diverse, and inclusive workforce and community. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, age, national origin, ethnicity, national ancestry, sex, pregnancy, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, status as a parent or foster parent, military service or veteran status, mental or physical disability, or genetic information. Ohio University is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Education and Experience Requirements and Equivalency Language

It is generally encouraged to post positions using equivalency language. For staff positions, equivalency language will be utilized unless otherwise indicated on the position description and approved by UHR Compensation.

Example:
Bachelor’s degree and 6 years of related experience or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

Years of experience are based upon a paid full-time effort usually equal to 40 hours per week or 2080 hours in a working year. Part-time positions, including paid student employment positions, should only be counted towards requirements proportionate with the effort worked (i.e. a part time, 20 hour a week position, should only be counted as ½ year of experience).

Unpaid internships and other volunteer work experience, if full-time, can count as full-time experience depending on the nature of the internship/work compared with the required experience for the position. This also applies to part-time unpaid internships and other volunteer work experience and will count as part-time experience.

Education and years of related experience over and above the stated minimum requirement may be substituted for one another, when applicable, using the equivalency table below:

All education and experience counted towards minimum qualifications must be verifiable.

Advertising and Negotiating Salary

Hiring managers are encouraged to set realistic expectations regarding salary in job postings to better recruit appropriately qualified candidates and avoid the loss of candidates at later stages in the search process. For faculty roles, hiring mangers should refer to college guidelines for faculty salaries. UHR’s Pay Administration Guidelines provide guidance regarding salaries for staff positions.

Example:
Target hiring range for this role is $50,000 to $60,000 and the final offer will be commensurate with the candidate’s education and experience in relation to the minimum qualifications for the position.

Hiring managers are highly encouraged to request a compa-ratio and equity analysis for staff positions before extending any offers for staff roles to better ensure equitable pay and fiscal responsibility. This analysis will provide a recommended salary based upon the candidate’s education and experience in relation to the minimum qualifications of the role while also considering internal equity. The HR Liaison can coordinate such analysis with UHR Compensation.

Internal Applicant Status

To be considered an internal applicant the employee must have completed the probationary period for the currently held position.

Interview Pool Approvals

All applicants must meet each of the minimum requirements for the posted vacancy. The HR Liaison will screen all final interview pools to ensure finalists meet stated qualifications.

Compliance Audit Process

In support of internal accountability for the recruitment, selection, and promotion guidelines set forth in this document, and in support of broader recruitment and retention efforts, Equity and Civil Rights Compliance (ECRC) has worked with University Human Resources to establish an audit process aimed at ensuring broad compliance.

Review of Recruitment and Selection Processes
ECRC will conduct quarterly audits of all staff searches and semi-annual audits of all faculty searches. To conduct the audit, ECRC will randomly select 10% of all searches filled within the audit period. The audit will focus on ensuring that:

• All final applicants within each search met minimum qualifications;
• Recruitment efforts identified in each of the search plans adhered to the standards defined via the Guidelines for Recruitment and Selection; and
• Recruitment activities were executed as described.

Review of Promotions and Terminations
On a quarterly basis, ECRC will do a random pull of 10% of all terminations (resignations, retirements, for-cause terminations, and reductions in force) and promotions. ECRC will evaluate these samples to determine if the university is meeting its goals as identified in the affirmative action and to ensure the university continues to meet its equal opportunity obligations.

ECRC will collaborate with UHR to evaluate results and develop appropriate action plans as needed.