Eastern Illinois University provides equality of opportunity in education and employment for all students and employees. Discrimination is prohibited on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, age, sex, marital status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, veteran’s status (as protected by law), or other basis of discrimination precluded by federal and state statutes. Federal affirmative action regulations likewise require proactive efforts to diversify our faculty and staff. The Office of Civil Rights conducts annual workforce demographic analyses and sets hiring goals for veterans and individuals with disabilities for the university’s Affirmative Action Plan.
This guide outlines the recruitment and employment processes for faculty and professional positions. (See also IGP #14 - Employment and Recruitment Procedures for Faculty and Academic Support Professional Positions, Continuing and Temporary). It offers suggested best practices to ensure that all of our searches are fair and equitable.
Before a search for a position can begin, the appropriate paperwork must be completed. The PAR (Form A), which authorizes the search, must be approved by the appropriate line supervisors and the Vice President and President. Form B, the recruitment plan, is developed by the Department Chair and approved by the Director or Assistant Director of Civil Rights. After the Form B has been approved by OCR, the office will forward the Applicant Tracking Spreadsheet, General Guidelines OCR, Recruitment Strategies, and the final position announcement to the Screening Committee and Department Chair. The Required Applicant Tracking sheet should be completed and submitted to OCR at the Candidate Selection (Form C) stage.
According to the employment policy, the Department Chair/Dean and the Director of Civil Rights will discuss the composition of the department on a regular basis and recruitment and retention efforts for persons from underrepresented groups. The Department Chair and Dean are responsible for developing a recruitment plan that encourages the formation of a large, diverse, highly qualified applicant pool. Networking within the discipline is important.
The Recruitment Plan (Form B) should address the following items:
The position description should describe those duties regarded as essential to the specific position being advertised and also those duties expected of all other comparable administrators in the department. Upload the vacancy announcement with the Form B via the online process. This announcement should be the basis for all advertising. The Office of Civil Rights will provide the final position announcement to the department.
The Hiring Manager shall list the specific recruitment sources to be used, including national, highly visible publications, professional newsletters, electronic postings, and other relevant sites. The Hiring Manager, with the approval of the Director of Civil Rights, shall identify additional specialized strategies to recruit applications from underrepresented persons for the position, including, but not limited to, directly recruiting potential applicants.
The Recruitment Plan shall address, at a minimum, the following items:
If, after the Recruitment Plan has been approved, the Department Chair/Unit Head or the Dean/Director wishes to deviate from the approved plan, the Director of Civil Rights or designee shall approve any changes.
The vacancy announcement and advertisement must state what is a complete applicant file, the review or closing date for application, and the salary and benefits for the position. The vacancy announcement shall carry the following statement: “Eastern Illinois University provides equal opportunity in education and employment for all students, applicants for employment, and employees. Discrimination based upon race, color, sex, religion, age, national origin, ancestry, marital status, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other basis of discrimination precluded by federal and state statutes, is strictly prohibited.
The University further commits to a program of affirmative action as prescribed by statute to employ, and advance in employment, qualified individuals with a disability and qualified protected veterans (disabled veterans, recently separated veterans, active-duty wartime veterans, and Armed Forces service medal veterans).”
Screening Committees play an integral role in identifying, recruiting and evaluating candidates. The Chairperson of a screening committee shall not be the one who directly reports to the position being filled nor should it be the Chair/Unit Head or Hiring Manager.
Refer to IGP #11 Conflicts of Interest in Employment.
After approval of the PAR (Form A) and the Form B/Recruitment Plan, the Department Chair or designee shall announce the vacancy and the Screening Committee shall carry out the Recruitment Plan.
The Hiring Manager/Department Chair/Unit Head is responsible for recommending employment. The Department Chair/Unit Head is responsible for providing guidance and support to the designated Screening Committee Chairperson regarding the entire employment process. At the beginning of the screening process, the Hiring Manager/Department Chair/Unit Head shall explain to the screening committee its duties as outlined in the Recruitment Plan. Early in the recruitment process the staff from the Office of Civil Rights should be invited to review the process for ensuring a proper search, applying the principles of nondiscrimination, and suggesting "best employment practices."
The Department Chair and the Chair of the committee is responsible for ensuring that all application materials are secured. Only persons serving on the screening committee, the Director of Civil Rights or designee, and the appropriate Dean (if applicable) shall have access to applicants' letters of reference or transcripts. All screening committee deliberations are confidential and may only be shared with those directly involved in the employment decision. Other members of the department may view an applicant's letter of application, resumes, and scholarly/creative materials.
All letters of interest and credentials shall be directed to either the Hiring Manager/Department Chair/Unit Head or the designated screening committee chairperson, as indicated in the Recruitment Plan. The screening committee chairperson, or designee, shall acknowledge the receipt of all applications or ensure that the online system automatically acknowledges applicants.
The Chairperson is responsible for obtaining a complete applicant file as described in the vacancy announcement.
Unless using Interfolio, the Chairperson is responsible for ensuring that all applicants are sent an EEO Survey Link and Disclosure Regarding Sexual Harassment, Discrimination or Sexual Misconduct link as well as information about the department. The EEO Survey Link and Disclosure Regarding Sexual Harassment, Discrimination or Sexual Misconduct link will be provided in the search approval email, sent by the Office of Civil Rights.
No candidates may be invited for interviews until the Form C is approved by the Department Head/Dean and the Director of Civil Rights or designee. The Screening Committee shall function according to the charge outlined in the Recruitment Plan and expressed at the organizational meeting.
The Screening Committee Chairperson prepares the Form C, including uploading the candidates' application materials as PDF documents, and submits it via the online PAR system. The Required Applicant Tracking Sheet should be submitted via email to the Office of Civil Rights.
The Dean reviews the Form C and uploaded candidates' files, and requests additional information from the Hiring Manager/Department Chairperson/Unit Head when appropriate. Once the Form C has been a approved, an email will be sent to the Screening Committee Chair and the Hiring Manager. The Hiring Manager or the Screening Committee Chairperson is responsible for inviting candidates to campus for interviews. Appropriate actions will be taken by the Hiring Manager and the Director of Civil Rights to ensure that the Recruitment Plan has been followed. Additionally, if the candidate pool is of insufficient quality, size, or diversity, the decision may be made to reopen the screening process, to fill the position temporarily, or to cancel the screening process.
The Department Chair, or designee, may then invite candidates to come for interviews. The department should communicate the University's policy on reimbursement of interview expenses, may specify a salary range, rank/title, and information concerning the type of position, and information about the educational requirements for tenure, as appropriate. Salary and rank/title must be approved by the Dean and the Vice President. Appropriate actions will be taken by the Dean and the Director of Civil Rights to ensure that the Recruitment Plan has been followed. Additionally, if the candidate pool is of insufficient quality, size, or diversity, the decision may be made to reopen the screening process, to fill the position temporarily, or to cancel the screening process.
In order to ensure that the appropriate affected constituencies are included in the interview process, the Committee Chairperson, or designee, will establish the interview schedule and must include the Dean, faculty/staff and any others deemed appropriate. Candidates for teaching positions shall make presentations to the faculty or teach sample classes to which faculty and students are invited. The Chair shall establish the appropriate interview schedule for academic support professionals.
The Department Chair or designated Screening Committee member must ensure that the candidates' evaluation forms are distributed at each interview session. Other signed memoranda or communications may also be considered by the committee.
The Department Chair, or the designated Screening Committee Chairperson, following the guidelines of the Recruitment Plan, is responsible for preparing a composite summary of the evaluations of the interview sessions, summary comments from the screening committee, and reference information. These material are forwarded to the Dean for review with the submitted Request to Offer (Form D). The other finalists who interviewed, but were not recommended for employment, should be listed on the Form D along with an explanation of why they were deemed less competetive than the person being offered the position.
Checking references is a valuable tool in the employment process. The employment policy provides that the Department Chair is responsible for ensuring that the final candidates' references have been appropriately checked, and that the credentials are appropriate for the advertised vacant position. The screening committee may determinie at what point in the search process reference checks will be conducted. Please keep in mind that all candidates must be treated as equitably as possible. If you are calling off the list provided by the candidates, it is highly recommended that you notify the candidate first.
It is expected that reference checks be conducted in teams whenever possible. This practice helps ensure that accurate notes are taken during these conversations. The same core questions should be posed to each candidate's references. Specific questions germane to each candidate may also be pursued. Please review the Illegal or Inappropriate Topics List before speaking with references.
No offer of employment may be made until the Dean, the Director of Civil Rights or designee, and the Vice President have signed the Form D.
After consultation with the department screening committee, the Hiring Manager/Department Chairperson/Unit Head shall submit the Form D via the online process.
The Dean/Director, upon approval of the department's recommendation, shall forward the Form D and the accompanying materials to the Office of Civil Rights for review.
After reviewing this packet of material and clarifying any issues, the Office of Civil Rights shall approve the Form D to move forward for the appropriate Vice President's approval.
The Vice President, upon approval of the recommendation, shall send an offer of appointment with a return date specified. The Dean shall provide the Office of the Vice President with narrative about any special terms negotiated with the prospective faculty member.
The Human Resources Office shall be responsible for collecting the Educational Loan Default Certification and the Statement of Child Support Obligation as required by statue. The Human Resources Office shall also be responsible for ensuring that the I-9 Form is completed on the first day of employment. The employee then has 3 days to provide their supporting documentation and the employer must review the employee’s documents and sign the form within that same 3 day period.
The Vice President's Office shall notify appropriate campus offices of acceptance or rejection of the offer.
The Vice President's Office is responsible for ascertaining the retirement status of current and prospective employees related to coverage by SURS.
The Department Chair or designated Screening Committee member shall notify all unsuccessful candidates.
The Department Chair shall submit the request for reimbursement of interview expenses of candidates to the Dean/Director's Office.
Final search Files with Screening Committee summary notes, campus interview schedule, reference checks, ranking of candidates and all applicant files shall be sent to the Office of Civil Rights to be retained for three years. The materials of all the newly employed faculty members, or academic support professionals, shall be forwarded to the Vice President's office, as indicated above, with the offer of appointment.
Before a temporary position may be filled or advertised, a Form A must be approved by the Chair/Unit Head, the Dean/Director, and the Vice President via the online PAR system.
In most situations, temporary positions shall be filled through a national or regional recruitment process. Situations where a national or regional search cannot reasonably be completed, the chairperson/unit head is required to complete a search waiver and provide formal justification for a direct hire and the request must be approved by the Dean, Civil Rights Director, and the Provost.
Advertising for temporary positions may be omitted under certain circumstances, such as when vacancies are to be filled by persons on the Re-employment Roster, when there is insufficient time to advertise for the position, or for other sound academic or business reasons that are approved by the chairperson, the Dean, and the Civil Rights Director.
When a national or regional screening process is approved for a temporary position, the procedures set forth in this policy for filling a continuing faculty position apply.
A Form D shall be completed for any new temporary appointment.
Eastern Illinois University
1011 Old Main Charleston, IL 61920-3099
(217) 581-5020
Fax: (217) 581-3599
civil@eiu.edu